Philadelphia Mountain Biking Association - Forums

Does anyone know where i can get a decent downhill or any type of full suspension bike. and not too expensive

You can always find deals, but that is a tough question because "not too expensive" is relative. In a way they are all expensive.

Jenson has this 19" 04 XC full suspension Jamis  (http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/BI306B03-Jamis+Dakar+Bike+04.aspx) for under $400. It'll probably be 8 speed with lower end deore components but who cares, it will work OK for ya.

For something workable normally I think the general rule is not to go below $600. The adage of "you get what you pay for" is often true. You can get some great deals on eBay, but you have risks there too, especially with used equipment.

One way to work it is to think what your budget is first and then go from there. You may want Full suspension but if you have limited cash a better quality hardtail can serve you way better than a cheap full suspension. And you may also want to take into account disk brakes, pedals and other components, and the cost of helmet, shoes, hydration, etc...

But nothing beats doing what you are doing and asking questions. If you have an experienced buddy who can help with the decisions that is a good way to go. And an LBS (Local Bike Shop), of which there are a few that folks will recommend, can be a good place to get some professional help. REI for one might not be the cheapest, but talking to Karl would be a good move even if you plan to purchase on eBay.

Wow, sounds kind of daunting! it's all worth it though.

Stay away from the Walmart bikes.

Thanks ya i have been lookin on ebay and i saw some nice bikes under 1000 and they look like they are in decent shape

Check out this (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=23852&subcategory_ID=3050) one at Performance.

I got last years model when I was in London and even though it says "lightweight aluminum" it was built rock solid. I wouldn't call it light, but for an all mountain / freeride bike it wasn't half bad. Full 9 speed components and a great price for a new bike.

If you become a team performance member you can get 10% back toward future purchases (cost $20) and if you put in this code : 6002410 (good for the next couple of days) it will be a further 15% off so you are talking below $800  for a new bike.

They also have a ton of other models on sale including this GT 9speed XC  (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?sku=23231) bike for $729, which after the deals comes to like $560, again, for a brand new bike with OK components. 9 speed.

Check reviews on MTBR too and don't expect to much with the bottom end prices.

Thanks!! this helps alot

Joe, settle down buddy!  ;D I spoke to your Dad today and I'm gonna help you find a sweet ride. I will call you on Thursday.

haha alrighty.  :D just cant wait to ride lol

judging by my guess of your age you probably are not in the market for an xl....

but i do got an xl heckler with a full saint kit and one of them manitou shermans on it i am looking to get rid of. it is really pretty new and the components are in good shape.

even if you were not thinking of buying the whole bike maybe just the saint kit? let me know it is just collecting dust in my garage while i ride nothin but my cheap ol singlespeed.

that may be of interest to me... Not a high priority as I'm building up a SingleSpeed myself, but a definitely of interest.

I'm not familiar enough with different models to recommend any particular bike.  I can advise, though, that you call around to the dealerships and see what "leftover" models they have from last year.  Usually, the bikes are discounted $50-150 off the msrp, theyre still brand new, and there's usually not much difference from one year to the next to warrant the extra money for this year's model.  I just bought a 2006 GT Avalanche 2.0 for a little over $100 off the 2007 msrp (and I've heard the 2008 msrp will be higher when those bikes hit the shelves).

thanks you guys for your help. i got a bike yesturday for a decent price.

Let's RIDE!!!!

Well......what bike did you get?????

Yeah what did you end up getting?

Yea man. What is the new whip?

its an iron horse warrior 4.5

THe kid is a natural! I took him out today for the first time and within 10 minutes he had a deep gouge on his knee. (The trail turned ghetto and it collapsed in the creek.) We went to Smedley Park out near Swarthmore College. There's some nice trails there! And does he turn back becuase of this injury? No, we ended up riding for over an hour, met up with some other PMBA members and Joe was hangin with everyone and he was making passes. (We won't mention any names) He's ready for the Wiss.