Sunday, May 25, 2014

Are 20 inch mountain bikes only for kids?




Joseph


So I'm 14, almost 15, and also fairly tall. Lately I've been looking to buy a new bike, and I started looking at 20 inch wheel mountain bikes. Now I don't know much about bikes, but I figure that these kinds of bikes would be good for me because I liked how its a small size with 20 inch wheels like a normal bmx bike, but I also liked that it had suspension and the ability to change gears. I was getting ready to order one, but I noticed that the reviews mainly involved parents buying them as gifts for their 8-10 year old kid. Are these kinds of bikes really only meant for small children, and will I look stupid if I buy one for someone as old and as tall as I am?


Answer
Those are little kids bikes you want one with 26" wheels.

Buying a new Bike, HELP!?




Jem III


I loved to ride on bikes when I was kid. After looking at bikes' reviews, I remain unsure which bike I should buy. I live in West Virginia where there's some bike trails.. there will be some dirt and road to ride onto. There's a bike shop nearby and she says Trek 3500 would be good buy, selling at 369.99. Would this be good deal? I'm hoping to ride every morning starting soon as I am addicted to workouts! Would this bike be good to start with or should I buy better one or other brand - money wisely? Any suggestion would be great. Thank you.
If I decide to buy Trek 3900 or Hardrock (better bikes = more money) will it be worth it? Or it wouldn't matter as that much?



Answer
Jeremy, Welcome back to mountain biking! We've got a strong community to support you. A little bit of information about what makes a mountain bike functional: What is required to make a "real" mountain bike, are double wall rims, and a cassette type rear hub, each created for strength and durability. To tell you the truth, the Trek mountain bikes start producing these on their bikes at the 4300 model, which would also upgrade you from the "alpha white" frame to the "alpha black" frame, saving you a bit of strength. If you are looking into the 2011's, ALL of the Hardrock models are equipped to serve you on the trails, if you look at a 2010, you'll need to get a Hardrock sport or above. I don't know if I'd feel terribly safe on a 3500. Trek is a very nice bike company, but when they try to compete at the lower end, they scramble a bit to toss together a bike with low end components, as their frames take up most of the price of what they are working with. I would recommend a 2011 Hardrock base, which retails for $420. The 3500 is simply not built with a similar quality. Also, maybe do a search for a 2010 giant rincon, which has all you require, plus a fork with a lockout and disc brakes. I mention this over the 2010 hardrock sport disc simply because I've seen it sold for less. Their forks are a tad bit better than the trek's and specialized as well.

BUT, with those requirements set, FIT it the biggest thing. Go in and give them a test drive, make sure your legs are almost straight on the down push of your crank to keep optimal power transfer and geometry.

Again, good luck!!!




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