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Looking for recommendations for buying a bike.

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  • 22-01-2020 8:12pm
    #1
    Peck3277
    Registered Users Posts: 156 ✭✭


    I'm looking for a new trail bike either new or second hand. My budget is 1500 (2k if they take bike to work scheme).

    I'm struggling with choosing a size, I'm 5'7 so I tend to fall right in the middle of a small/medium.

    My last bike was a 2011 Rocky mountain slayer in medium. I liked it a lot but felt I couldn't get my weight over the rear very well for wheelies/manuals (not the most important thing but still). I haven't tried a small but plan to try one in ticknock over the next few weeks.

    Any ideas of the pros/cons of a bike a small bit too small or too big for you?

    If I was buying brand new I think I'd go for a marin hawk hill or vitus escarpe. Any other suggestions?


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    #2
    steamsey
    Registered Users Posts: 686 ✭✭✭steamsey


    Like everything - small for one brand is not exactly equal to small in another.

    Sizes do vary a bit between brands. Height is a factor but so is inside leg length so I'd measure that and use the various brands' you're looking at sizing guides.

    Renting is a good idea - for the sake of 40 odd euro you can rent a bike and I'm sure the lads in Biking.ie wouldn't mind you taking a medium for half the time and then swapping it for a small - if you ask nicely.

    To answer your question though - there are few to no pros to having a bike that's the wrong size, usually just cons. Getting the size right is really important.


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    #3
    bogmanfan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,700 ✭✭✭bogmanfan


    There's a Marin demo day in the GAP on March 14th so you might be able to try the Hawk Hill in both sizes for comparison. Great if you can try the bike on the actual terrain you'll be riding, rather than spinning around a car park. I was in between sizes on my Orbea, and went to the demo day a couple of years back. Saved a potentially expensive mistake.


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    #4
    Gerry
    Registered Users Posts: 4,427 ✭✭✭Gerry


    Important to remember also that sizing varies a lot between manufacturers and has changed a lot since 2011. I'm barely 2 inches taller and I found a medium 2011 cannondale Jekyll too small. I happened to demo a large santa cruz and that's what I went for. But I have long torso short legs. I insisted when buying both my road bike and new mountain bike that I try it for size first.


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