Good Bang/Buck Mt Bike

I was riding some elf trails on my cross-bike along with my son (who
was on a borrowed and too small MTB) and thought maybe its time to
spring for a couple of MTBs. Must be large. My 13 almost 14 year old
is 6'4" and 187lbs. A hard tail is probably good enough, and I was
thinking maybe a 29er might be a good idea in a larger bike. Any
ideas? -- Jay Beattie.

On Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:31:41 -0700 (PDT), Jay Beattie
wrote:

I was riding some elf trails on my cross-bike along with my son (who
was on a borrowed and too small MTB) and thought maybe its time to
spring for a couple of MTBs. Must be large. My 13 almost 14 year old
is 6'4" and 187lbs. A hard tail is probably good enough, and I was
thinking maybe a 29er might be a good idea in a larger bike. Any
ideas? -- Jay Beattie.

Redline and Giant are my personal bang/buck faves. Whenever my bike plans make
another mtb possible I'm pretty well set on a Redline 29'r. Which one, I'll
figure out when we get there, but that D660 looks like it'll match up perfectly
with the trails around here.

Jay Beattie wrote:
I was riding some elf trails on my cross-bike along with my son (who
was on a borrowed and too small MTB) and thought maybe its time to
spring for a couple of MTBs. Must be large. My 13 almost 14 year old
is 6'4" and 187lbs. A hard tail is probably good enough, and I was
thinking maybe a 29er might be a good idea in a larger bike. Any
ideas? -- Jay Beattie.

Yeah. What's in the water where you live?!?

Bill "sign that kid up for football and retire early" S.

"Jay Beattie" wrote in message
...
I was riding some elf trails on my cross-bike along with my son (who
was on a borrowed and too small MTB) and thought maybe its time to
spring for a couple of MTBs. Must be large. My 13 almost 14 year old
is 6'4" and 187lbs. A hard tail is probably good enough, and I was
thinking maybe a 29er might be a good idea in a larger bike. Any
ideas? -- Jay Beattie.

I absolutely agree that for someone that size, in a hardtail, a 29er
would be a great choice. Besides the others mentioned, Fisher has a
number of 29er hardtails, one of which isn't too expensive (not at the
shop right now so and I'm not remembering model names & prices). I'd get
something mid-level between $600-$1000. Below that things aren't going
to hold up so well; above that and you're probably overshooting what he
would appreciate right now, and might as well keep the price of things
he breaks reasonable.

Fortunately, it's likely the bike will have cable-operated disc brakes.
I'm not a fan of hydraulic brakes on bikes that are going to be abused
and likely not well maintained. The state-of-the-art in hydraulic brakes
isn't where it needs to be; it's silly that a car can go many many years
and still have functional brakes while past a year or so (sometimes less
if something isn't right) you can be riding along and one day your brake
works and the next it doesn't. Bleed them once a year. Shouldn't have to
be done, but does. Hate that.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

On Jun 29, 12:31*am, Jay Beattie wrote:
I was riding some elf trails on my cross-bike along with my son (who
was on a borrowed and *too small MTB) and thought maybe its time to
spring for a couple of MTBs. *Must be large. *My 13 almost 14 year old
is 6'4" and 187lbs. *A hard tail is probably good enough, and I was
thinking maybe a 29er might be a good idea in a larger bike. Any
ideas? -- Jay Beattie.

Got any parts laying around? You can get a Monocog 29 frame for 250
and build up a stupidly strong big boy BMX type thing. 21" frame is
the largest, FWIW.

Jay Beattie wrote:
I was riding some elf trails[...]

What is an "elf trail"?

Extremely Low Frequency?

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
I am a vehicular cyclist.

Jay Beattie wrote:
I was riding some elf trails on my cross-bike along with my son (who
was on a borrowed and too small MTB) and thought maybe its time to
spring for a couple of MTBs. Must be large. My 13 almost 14 year old
is 6'4" and 187lbs. A hard tail is probably good enough, and I was
thinking maybe a 29er might be a good idea in a larger bike. Any
ideas?

Watch Craig's List for little used hardtails in the correct size.

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
I am a vehicular cyclist.

On Jun 29, 7:37*pm, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
Jay Beattie wrote:
I was riding some elf trails[...]

What is an "elf trail"?

Extremely Low Frequency?

Magical single track with sword ferns up to your knees. My son and
his friends ride this network of trails through a thick second growth
fir and deciduous forest with a nearly continuous canope about a half-
mile from my house. I live in the city, but there is this big
undeveloped section that is adjacent to an old cemetary. Probably
50-100 acres, who knows. It's all down or up. There is this wrecked
car in the middle of it -- God only knows how it got there. Probably
knocked down by the whomping willow. Someone built a bunch of jumps
and log rides in a remote spot, too. I'm not good enough for that
kind of riding, not even when helmeted and risk compensating -- at
least not on my cross bike. -- Jay Beattie.