Hello all,  

I haven't ridden a bike since my early teens, about 20 years.  I've since moved to UT where mountain biking (road biking is quite popular as well) is all the rage.  I don't want to go crazy on the trails but I think I'd like to get a bike.  I've considered road bikes, mtn bikes, "urban"/fitness/hybrid bikes and single speed bikes.  I really have no idea what I want which makes it all the more difficult.

I see two bikes on the local classifieds that caught my eye, both are priced at $300.  I'm curious if I should buy either or both to try getting into bikes.


First is a 2019 Specialized Rockhopper 29".  I know the fork sucks but at $300 plus $150-$200 for someone's takeoff Judy/Recon Fork would this be a good buy for a beginner trail bike?

Second is a Felt FC road bike.  I expect this is a user build - listed as a carbon frame, shimano 105 groupset and some other manufacturer's wheels.  But again at $300 seems like it could be a good buy to try a road bike.

Not knowing much about bikes I probably didn't include some important details. Thoughts?

Mountain bikes can be ridden on the road, but road bikes suck on a mountain bike trail, so I'd go for a mountain bike, being in UT.

Craigslist bikes are selling like hotcakes these days, I'm told.  $300 doesn't get you much in my AO.  $1000 gets a decent hard-tail mountain bike that'd be good for trails.  Post up a link to your bikes and let's see what they are.

https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/60317557

and

https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/60318530

The used bike market is a sh*tshow right now.  New and used decent bikes are in short supply at this point.  But, some deals can be found.

I had been away from mtn biking for 19 years and came back last year.  $300 is going to net you something that will be ok on a greenway or gravel.  Just my humble opinion.

That being said, better to ride something than nothing at all.

Felt looks like a good deal.  I'd have to see the specialized in person.

Update:  I've been all over the board with what I've considered buying.

Rented a Specialized Crux in Zion over the weekend, I'll throw a pic at the end for giggles.  Cool bike, was pretty nice on the road but I think I do want to try mtn biking.  I've obviously considered low cost bikes but what I've spent more time thinking about is something along the lines of a Specialized Fuse, Trek Roscoe 7/8, Salsa Timberjack and maybe a couple other hardtails in the $1300-$1800 price range.

Looking at $1800 bikes, I figured I should look at full suspension bikes in the low $2000 range like the Stumpjumper ST, Marin Hawk Hill 2 etc.

For the experienced riders out there, would you rather do trail riding, single track on a ~$1500 hardtail or a $2000 full suspension bike?

The dark horse in the race is the Marin Mount Vision 8, probably way more bike than I need but for the sake of argument, if I could buy a new one in the same price range as the other FS bikes above would I be stupid not to?

Full squish for me.

Do you have some local trails, the kind you would be likely to ride regularly once you get a bike? Rent some demo bikes from your LBS and try them out there to see what you like.

Fortunately I live minutes away from huge amounts of mtn bike trails of all sorts.  Unfortunately since I haven't ridden bikes since I was a child, I really have no idea what type of riding I want to do.   I'm hesitant to rent bikes because I don't think it will be extremely helpful.  I pretty much need to learn how to ride a bike again, learn a lot of skill involved with riding a bike off road etc and I don't think I can do that in just a day here and there renting bikes.  It seems like I should just buy a bike and go for it, and I realize all that makes it difficult for you to make suggestions.

Agreed.  

I did the same thing about 2 years ago.  

Used bike is the way to go for sure.  Dudes upgrade all the time.

There’s probably several Facebook bike groups in your AO and this is where the selling happens. Find them ASAP and ask to join.


But also watch eBay for a few weeks.  


Figure out frame size.  Determine 27.5 vs 29 / hard vs soft-tail / 1x vs multi and a front derailer, etc...

I was looking for a “starter” used bike and ended up watching as a floor model popped up, a little more than I wanted to spend but close to half off of retail for a year old unused bike.

I managed to get a buddy back into it, and the local FB groups is where he struck his gold

RE: the question on a $1500 hardtail vs $2k full squish....in most cases, the component level will be about the same but depending on brand/model the hardtail may have a couple of components that are one level up. On every bike in this price level, the weak point is the wheels and then the fork.

Example, you mention the Timberjack (HT) and Stumpjumper ST (squish) - both have the Recon RL fork. I have been pretty happy with this fork for the riding I do in TN.

You really should talk with some local riders and learn more about the local trail systems. If they are a lot of chunk (rocks), then a full suspension will make for a far more comfortable ride. On a HT over rocks, your legs are the suspension. In either case if you continue riding you WILL start to consider upgrading components or purchasing a higher end bike.

FWIW, I have the 2019 Timberjack SLX and have been very happy with it. I wore the wheelset out in a year (started popping spokes every 3-4 weeks and finally cracked the rear rim), and the paint is very weak (not sure if just my bike or what, but it bubbled and peeled off in a few spots so is now wrapped in tape).

Bike shops will let you test ride bikes and they will make sure you get the right size and set it up to fit you.  I've ridden two bikes, in the same category, from the same manufacturer, both set up by the same LBS (local bike shop) to fit me and I definately had a very strong preference for one over the other.  You can tell a lot about whether you will enjoy riding a particular brand or model, just from a short test ride, and a bike you enjoy is a bike you'll ride more.

Also, if a bike shop employee spends time with you, buy something from them.  If they spend a couple of minutes discussing your needs, buy something small.  If they spend a half hour with you and set up a couple of bikes for you to ride, buy something significant you'll eventually need, like a helmet, spare tubes, tools, gloves, etc..  

Unfortunately, from what I'm reading, there may not be a whole lot of bikes available right now, either for test rides or purchase.  

IMHO, a $1500 hardtail will have better components than a $2k full suspension.  Additionally, if you are just starting out, you’re probably not doing stuff with your bike that would require a FS bike.  I’ve had many of both types, and I tend to prefer hard tails as they just feel more planted and quicker for me.  If you want a little more cushion from a hardtail, try a mid-fat bike (27.5+ or 29+).  They’ll offer a little more cushion in the rear if this is a goal.  FS are nice bikes, and I’m sure I’ll get another one some day, but for now I’m just rocking a 29+ hard tail and a gravel bike (no suspension).  I live in an extremely rocky area, and ride my gravel bike on most of the same MTB trails w/o issue, so this is a factor in my opinion on off-road bikes.

I got my first new bike in 23 years about a month ago.  I figured that I didn't need to go very high up the chain given I had to get used to biking all over again (haven't biked in 10 years and my old Trek 820 is beat to hell).

I went with a Trek Marlin 6.

About $700 after taxes.  I've been very happy with it so far.  I figure if I really get back into biking heavily I'll probably look for a $3000-3500 full suspension in 2 to 3 years.

Good choice. I just picked up a Marlin 7 to replace my 26" Specialized Hardrock.  I went with the 7 instead of the 6 for the 1x crank and Rockshox fork. The 6 is a great bike as well.

Yeah, I thought about the 7.  However I tried to take a realistic view of where I'd be riding more, and having the 2x8 made more sence given I am on roads a lot.  Given that I had never had a suspension before, the Suntour was enough for now.  I can always upgrade that later if I wish.

Consider a fat bike.

Absorbs small bumps,.lots of grip, when you get the pressure dialed in right, like 5-8psi, they ride great, and you can ride them in the winter and on sand.

Only downside is they are a bit harder to pedal.

If you live in/near SLC, try renting a demo bike from Level 9 Sports.  It will at least give you an idea of what you might want to eventually buy.