getting a MTB for MTBing :)

Caroline_ie

Hi All,

I know you are probably hating me for posting this thread right now ...

Here are 3 MTB that i want your opinion on.

All Spesh ... because I only have 1 shop to choose from with the cycle to work scheme.

NO I WILL NOT BE COMMUTING WITH IT! in case some smart arse makes that comment It will be for mountainbiking spins

Specialized Myka FSR Comp 2009 i am in love with this bike, but it's full suspension, and probably not ideal for a 1st MTB

Rock hopper pro
Rock hopper expert

Ideally, I'd want you to say that the Myka is the one for me that it's sh!t hot and that I really should get that one ...






Thanks Guys and Girls

ROK ON

Why?
Look I know that a lot of us this site have a thing for pink on bikes etc, but they are horrible.
Think about your Euro cred.
What is the point in going for long spins and getting tan lines, if you are going to waste them all, by dressing up in army surplus store gear cut off at the knees to cycle around a forest in the mud. Your a cyclist goddamit, not a pig hunting for truffles.

ROK ON

Pls ignore post, prob a bit OTT just looking back on it.
Enjoy your mtbing.

Caroline_ie

hahah i am still a roadie don't worry

sean_d

The main problem I see with the Myka is the RS Tora fork...budget piece of junk...but at least it comes set up for a woman on this bike.
The Reba on the Rockhopper Pro is a million times better, and will be infinitely more tunable to your liking.

Otherwise the Myka spec is solid if not light, or spectacular. Weight might be an issue if you're really small? (with less leverage and power than a bigger person)
Colour scheme is cool too

seamus

Yeah, the primary concern I'd have about the full sus would be weight. The suspension will suck some power out from you, and it'll probably weight at least twice what your current bike weighs.

It'll also be weird. Coming from a road bike, a full sus bike will feel like it's made of rubber and cornering hard or sprinting will be really, really off-putting. That said, it's primarily the front sus which makes it feel weird, so it mightn't be a problem.
Modern forks are a good deal stiffer too. My first forks were magnesium legs which tapered where they attached to the hub. They would flex so much that the tyre would rub off the leg of the fork under heavy sprinting.

Caroline_ie

sean_d wrote: »

Otherwise the Myka spec is solid if not light, or spectacular. Weight might be an issue if you're really small? (with less leverage and power than a bigger person)
Colour scheme is cool too

Thanks
I am 1m53cm, ( 5'nothing ) so weight of the bike would be an issue ...

Vélo

Follow your heart

I know your only looking for someone to tell you to get the Myka...so go on, you can do it!

....you can always upgrade the forks at a later stage!

Lumen

ROK ON wrote: »

You're a cyclist goddamit, not a pig hunting for truffles.

Inspired

Caroline, what's with MTBing in summer anyway? Are the roads closed in Wicklow?

if you must, get a hardtail

sean_d

Just looked into it a bit more, weight of the Myka is hard to find for definite, but guesses are around 28lbs/13kg...thats pretty heavy, but not abnormal for a full-sus bike in that price range. You'd definitely notice the extra few pounds when manouevring the bike around and climbing, compared to the hardtails....especially when you're used to nice light road bikes.

Mind if I ask what sort of biking you want to get in to, and how serious you intend taking it? (racing etc?)

DirkVoodoo

Yeah get a hardtail for your first bike, more fun too (apparently).

Caroline_ie

sean_d wrote: »

Mind if I ask what sort of biking you want to get in to, and how serious you intend taking it? (racing etc?)

I dont want to race or anything, just an option for the winter, so I dont break my arm again on a stretch of ice, rather break it on a rock or something. I want to go to the wickow MTB trails to keep the fitness level up really.

sean_d

If its just for fun, get the bike you've set your heart on

Generally we advise people to always start off on a cheap hardtail because (i) everyone wrecks their first bike anyway and (ii) you develop skills properly on a hardtail without having suspension to compensate for you. Squishiness makes people lazy...

You definitely dont need full suspension for places like Ballinastoe (always amazes me to see the stuff people turn up with there, but thats another thread entirely ) and most of the singletrack in Wicklow can be ridden quite comfortably on a hardtail

blorg

There are a lot of MTB converts around here, it is a hell of a lot of fun and you can use the bike in conditions you wouldn't use a road bike in. I think the pink on that is relatively subtle, and pink on a girl's bike is slightly more Euro-acceptable after all.

As for the bikes I'm only a beginner so don't have a real opinion. I think views on hardtail vs full suspension for beginners are mixed, it's not 100% beginners must go hardtail. From what I can gather-

- You need to spend more to get a decent full suspension bike, e.g. entry level is higher
- You will get better components on a hardtail for same money
- Hardtail will be lighter
- Full sus will be easier
- Full sus will be faster on technical terrain
- Hardtail will be faster climbing
- Hardtail will force you to learn skills better although this may involve fecking you off it regularly... LEARN GODDAMIT

dragon_lordMTB

Generally, starting off on a hardtail would be better for your technique and longer term will make you a better mountain biker.

I would go with the Spesh pro as that is what I started on and found them great. RockShock fork would be fine for a while and would be perfectly adequate for Ballinastoe.

There are two clubs that would be good to get in touch with namely MAD (http://www.madmtb.com/) and my club EPIC (www.epicmtb.com).

A lot of people start out with Giant's as well so they may be worth a look. The Bike Rack in Cabinteely and Hollingsworth Cycles (sponsor of EPIC) would e worth talking to as they both take part in cycle to work scheme.

Clive.

unionman

ROK ON wrote: »

Your a cyclist goddamit, not a pig hunting for truffles.

+1 inspired.

blorg

The MAD guys are very friendly and welcoming to newcomers, I have been out with them a few times. They have a few roadie converts in their ranks themselves! I am sure EPIC are the same, I think Enduro is an EPIC member too? He entrusted me with his bike having never met me for my first MTB spin Bike returned in one piece, myself more or less.

Greyspoke

Another vote for the hardtail I'm afraid! You'll enjoy the mtb experience more if you're lugging less weight around (and you have to factor in a load of mud weight too).
Also, if you've never ridden a full suss you won't know what you're missing anyway - there's really nothing you can't ride on a hardtail. It's only if you want to start going faster on particularly lumpy terrain that the rear suss will aid you (or if you want to start launching yourself from heights). The other thing is there's less to maintain on a hardtail - rear shocks, pivots and bearings take a lot of abuse in our crappy climate.
Go for a Rockhopper - that was the first mtb I ever bought new - steel frame and no suspension at all, but that was a few years ago!

Greyspoke

...or a Merlin (www.merlincycles.co.uk) for better value...

Doc Savage

hello...
Enduro is an EPICicurean alright, we are running a total beginners MTB spin in Djouce on Saturday 9th May, everybodies welcome, you will learn from savage MTBers..and I guarentee you will have a laugh !!
http://www.epicmtb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7150
Maybe even Greyspoke will get off his fat arse and come out..!!
Richie Byrne
EPICmtb

fenris

Bearing in mind that you seem to have a touch of multibike-itis, you may want to think about going straight for a full suss bike, otherwise you may find that you transition through the hardtail and very quickly and end up buying a full suss bike before the summer is half done!

It is well worth getting out on one of the MAD beginner spins, as there is probably no better introduction to MTB in this neck of the woods. Before long you will be bothering Deer on night spins!

Or if you really want to dive in there is always the MAD XC event in Three Rock next weekend!

littleknown

wicklow is a great spot for mtb so would recommend it.personally though would recommend a hardtail as lower end full suspensions sap too much energy on climbs and coming from a road bike it would probably put you off using it, apart from that buy the myka ...its what makes life worth it.

tomc

Hardtail for your first bike....think you'd be crazy to start with full sus and the weight that goes with it. BTW think EPIC have a beginners cycle coming up in the next week or so.

TomC

silvo

Definately go for a hardtail - Im pretty much the same height as you, started off on a cheapish hardtail Kona and just upgraded the components when I needed it. No need to go full sus. There are lots of female specific bikes, but if you look for 14" (xs) frames you can sometimes get a good bargain on the online sites. You should definately come along to the beginner spin next week - should be a good laugh

Drapper

get hardtail.... try loads and hit the trails!

take an mtbrs advice when buying.....

i.e. listen to the daddy of mtb doc savage below!

Doc Savage

hardtail all the way for a first mtb, in fact for a last MTB..its snappier, forces you to take cleaner lines, rather than barging along the trail letting the rear shock take the slack up..and unless its a really really good full susser you will only torment yourself a few miles down the road with bearings and bushings wearing out..
I can tell you for a fact that every good mtber swears by hardtails for racing and just going on spins..some only use the fullsussers for training on for the extra weight..and Silvo can destroy bigger people on fullsussers on her little old Kona up and down,
and yes..i am an actual MTB coach !! ..
I would recommend that you give our total beginner spin a shot..it'll be handy..but if you can't make it , MAD are the place to go, they are friendly and helpful, and have a very long history of MTB in Ireland..
Richie

Greyspoke

Well good evening there Mr Savage, you cheeky old fecker! I'll have you know I hauled my finely tuned ass around a 140km spin today - fixed wheel and not a single stop, not one, not even once! Beat that then!
Oh yea - good luck in the race tomorrow.

Doc Savage

thank you even older cheeky fecker !!

Caroline_ie

Thanks a million everyone for the tips. I will deffo get a Hard tail MTB. It has to be a specialised though as work only offers the bike scheme at 53 degres north.
After discussing it with my road bike, I will get it in september to avoid her ( the road bike ) being jealous over the summer.

Again, thanks to the MTBikers boardsies

Drapper

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Thanks a million everyone for the tips. I will deffo get a Hard tail MTB. It has to be a specialised though as work only offers the bike scheme at 53 degres north.
After discussing it with my road bike, I will get it in september to avoid her ( the road bike ) being jealous over the summer.

Again, thanks to the MTBikers boardsies

i've a great idea, ask Gavin or Blorg to lend you a bike (they've loads) and give the epic beginners spin a go! honestly .... you'll not look back! its a very different buzz to the roadie buzz.......

TinyExplosions

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Thanks a million everyone for the tips. I will deffo get a Hard tail MTB. It has to be a specialised though as work only offers the bike scheme at 53 degres north.
After discussing it with my road bike, I will get it in september to avoid her ( the road bike ) being jealous over the summer.

Again, thanks to the MTBikers boardsies

Go full sus. I did, and like it (just to give you a dissenting voice )

Caroline_ie

No i ll go for HT. I went to have a look at some of the bikes after work today. I tried a Myka HT, a lower spec model. 15' fitted fine. I am 153cm tall, so it's it's as big a size i can go, but i want better specs.
I will wait till the end of the summer to order my one, prob a 15'... and i might have a better deal on the 09 bikes then.