Thinking about picking up an Iron Horse Sinster 6.5 from Wally-world. But it has been 30 years since owning a bike, not even.sure tbe Sinster 6.5 is the right direction/bike?

Enyone have/use mountain bikes as training/conditioning (i can always use some cardo) and access vehicles?

Eny pictures and ideas on how to deck-out a mountain bike for field use?

Local Wally-world has a couple Sinster 6.5s for $399.00 , admitting a lack of bike familiarity, seems a solid starter bike. And not a $couple-grand bike.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Iron-Horse-29-Men-s-Sinister-6.5-Mountain-Bike/19582537



Thanks in advance for the input!

I have an old 21 speed mountain bike, havent rode that dang thing since '96, if yer like me, you best replace that hot-dog bun of a seat for something triangular and padded with a couple big springs under it.

Gunner

Gunner,

From what I hear of you, that bike would look more like a popsicle stick with two black rubber handles than a mountain bike! And that was a compliment btw!

Bob

LOL, mine has a big comfortable seat and mudgrips.

Gunner

JUnk bike, no support.

Google the bike name.

NOT the old IRON Horse co which went bankrupt

NOT the SINISTER bike company that makes FANTASTIC bikes

JUST a knockoff with two otherwise good names in the title

Save your $$

IMHO

http://www.bigboxbikes.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=945&start=30

Spend a little more for a hard tail from a bike store. It will be put together right, have better parts and may even be worth something if you want to get rid of it.

I'm gonna go out to the shop and see what kind of bike mine is, I do remember it's blue and yellow and has 'three letters' in it's brand name.

Gunner

Three letters... KHS?

OOPS, four letters, 'TREK' 850, and it's a TSOB. <G>

Gunner

Go to a dedicated bike shop and buy used. More bang for the buck.

I use a bike every year when I bow hunt elk. Closed logging roads can get me far away from the crowds.

My mountain bike is garbage, looking to upgrade before September.

K,

You should plan on spending close to $1000 for a front supspension only bike from a reputable company, like Specialized, Trek, or Giant. You will not find a full suspension bike worth using for less than about $1500. It's a clear case of get what you pay for. Giant may well be your best choice for an entry level bike at an afordable price. Yes, good bike prices are obscene.

This Rockhopper would be as low as I'd go quality wise

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/rockhopper/rockhopperpro29

You might try a good bike shop and enquire about a used MTB, you get much better quality that way. If you are going to ride seriously you DO NOT want a fat seat with springs, that's a sure way to end up with monkeybutt

This my ride that I bought in 07 and have put thousands of hard miles on, it's a 2007 Specialized Stumpjumper Expert.

I bought my haro brand new for not much more than that. Definitely skip the Walmart crap, especially in this case.

Rule of thumb: Never buy a bike that you can get at Walmart, Kmart, etc. Stick with Trek, Cannondale, Specialized, etc. For the same $ or less, you can get a good bike off Craigslist.

I looked for 6 months for a used bike- no could find! I went to the bike stores. a CHINESE made bike was $750 for something decent. After talking to several people, I bought a Motobecane (Taiwan) from bikes direct.com (I think). It is a hard tail with a lockout rockshox, hyraulic disk brakes, nice alloy frame and pretty nice Sram Shimano components. My wife bought hers at Walmart- night and day difference.

My bike was $700 and stacks up well against the $1400 Trek from the local bike store.

It took me 30 minutes to put mine together and set it up. I ride an hour to hour and a half every day. Shifts perfectly, has great frame geometry and everyone raves about bikesdirect customer service if you have a problem.

Do NOT get a full suspension bike unless you plan on doing a bunch of downhill and stuff. A hardtail is the way to go. I just wish I had someone to ride with me!

Skip it. You can get a decent Trek for $500 to $700 if you shop around. You will be much happier in the long run.

The bike you linked to will be falling apart in a year or less if you ride it to any degree.

My son has a $100 Walmart bike who's axle broke and the most he did was going off curbs.

stay away from Walmart! Hit up your LBS (local bike shop) and get a decent bike. Along with a decent bike, you'll often get free tune ups and such when you buy from a LBS. If you feel comfortable working on your own bike look at Craigslist or Pinkbike. You can get killer deals on used bikes. My very first bike was about in your budget range and had 1000's of miles on it. Have since moved on to a full suspension because of a love for more technical and knarly terrain! I cruise this Cannondale now.

And a GT single Speed....


And always wear the appropriate safety gear. ALWAYS weara helmet and I like to wear gloves. And if you ride wear there are alot of rocks... SHINGUARDS!


Be warned, it can be as bad as being a rife loony! Multiple bikes, always tinkering with stuff... My excuse is that the GT is my "travel" bike it has been to Iraq and now sits in my room here in Qatar. Of course if you are really cool, you get a fatbike like bcolorado!

Nice rock-rash! Thank you for your service!

Thanks for all the input, the Wally-world bike looked like it had a lot to offer, glad I asked. I would have rode it home all ready.

Called just shy of a dozen bike shops so far. Not a used 29er in any bike shops.
But like here, a lot of good help.



Trek and Specialized has a lot of dealer coverage close. Giant is also represented fairly close.

I am glad I seen the Wally-world bike, the 29" tires caught my eye from a ways away, and sparked a new interest in mountain bikes.

Just realized you are in Colorado, no shortage of places to buy bikes! I reside in Colorado Springs myself, when not out of the country.

This getting closer?

http://www.marinbikes.com/2012/bike_specs.php?serialnum=2194&Alpine_Trail_29er

Would this in a 17" fit and perform well for someone 5' 10" and 210#s ?

Seems more gears then I need, but I like tbe idea of hydraulic-brakes.

There is a like-new Alpine with a couple up-grades for around $600.00

And again, thanks for the help!

I would definitely be checking the craigs list in CO and picking up a nice used bike vs a heavy cheap one.

I'm 5'11" and my hardtail is a 17" and it fits me fine. Best thing to do though is to hit up some LBS and try them out. Craigslist is always a good way to go. I have bought quite a few bike parts this way.

Ain't nuthin' worse than a cheap azz bike. It'll bend, twist, break. Won't shift for [bleep], be uncomfortable, the brakes will suck hind tit........
In the end it will be sitting in your garage not worth the gas you used to pick it up.

I would look for a good quality used hard tail with a decent shock on the front. You should be able to get a nice bike with good componets for not much more than some new-fangled box store abortion. If you want a good full suspension bike, its gonna cost a little more.

I picked up a Kona Ku with XT and some XTR, old style V brakes(which are awesome!) and a decent shock for $500 off of craigslist last year.

Hand made American frame and top end (albiet 15-20 years old) componets for $100 more than the Wally world bike? Everytime!

Where are you located?

Thats light years better!
Look at the componets. Alivio is fine, but I would be looking for Deore.

I am not a big fan of the phrase "you get what you pay for", but in bicycles, the cheap stuff is truly junk.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/bik/3744640029.html

Quick perusal of the local CL.

Nice!

Lot of bike there for $250!

Specialized been mentioned,
I stopped at a dealer that had their Hardrock Sports on sale!
29ers with hydraulic brakes for $629.00

Sat on a large and it is slightly big standing over it, but fantastic sitting on it!
Might take one for a spin latter Friday or Sometime Saturday.

What part of Colorado?

If you are close I will let you "cruise" my fat bike.

I got a new giant trance-x 4 a year or so ago for $999,on sale for fathers day.

Just west of the denver area, foothills, and the Parker / Castle Rock area.
The fat bike sounds fun!

Go to a bike shop and get measured/fit. Night and day difference. You'll see a pretty good mix of high end and low end components. All of which are easy to swap out if you want/need to. Frame geometry ain't adjustable, everything else is. Get lined shorts as well and your azz with appreciate it. Once you get comfy on the thing, shoes & clips are a must. You basically double your efficiency as you are pushing and pulling the pedals.

and for crying out loud, don't skimp on the helmet....

Lot's of good advice so far. I wouldn't be too hung up on 29" wheels. 26" wheels are fine and lots of good used 26'rs out there with the current hype for 29" wheels.

Mike

Hydraulic brakes are definitely more efficient and desirable, but take a bit more maintenance. Still, that's one thing I'd look for. Also, look for good quality front shocks - Rockshox are usually a step up from the standard shocks.

You definitely want to try before you buy. There are different styles of shifters, and you have to find one that appeals to you.

Maybe we need a Colorado Campfire Ride get together. I'm in Palisade on the Bestern Slope but I'll ride anywhere.

*just missed a coyote off my back porch with the .22 Mag* Dang it, 200 yards is a bit far for it, the tikka was in the gun safe.

Mr BeanMan,

You are on the Bestern slope!

Good riding over here as well.
Tons of paths all around where the Colorado get-2-gather will be.

What a challenge your trained coyote will be to get now!

................As with anything including mountain, hybrid and road bikes, you do get what you pay for.

At the $399 price point for the Ironhorse you show, you can be assured that this particular bike will have inferior components when compared with more expensive mountain bikes from say Cannondale, Trek, Specialized, Giant and others.

If you plan to use "really" the bike (not collecting dust in the garage???)and either riding it casually or hard, I`d be looking at the above four, paying more, and buying one from a bike shop rather than from a sporting goods store.

Most if not all bike shops have service facilities to tune up and repair a bike, whereas the dept and sporting goods stores do not.

I don`t do any mountain bike riding any more. Sold my last one (a Cannondale) about three years ago. Now I enjoy getting on my recently purchased new `013 Specialized Comp (hybrid) for road use. Smooth, fast shifting and quiet. It was a little over a grand but well worth it. SRAM componentry.

Suggest you go to the Cannondale, Giant, Trek and Specialized sites. Those four are probably the most popular bike brand models. The bottom rung componentry on their lesser expensive mountain bike models will probably be better than what comes on that Ironhorse.

Yah, I've been training a few lately. We were on vacation last week and I put my Tikka T3 .223 in the gun safe, all I had out was the 10/22M I scared it nine times though.

Mike

There sure are a lot of 26ers avalible, I sure are am making it harder with the 29 idea.

Years ago, over 25 years ago I bought one.
Biggest problem I had was getting back into the woods aways, true off-roading.

The problim, stalling out for me was right when a tire ran up against something right as the peddles were weak, or at the 12:00 ~ 6:00 o'clock.

Stalled dead was always a good time to ask myself why a taller tire wouldn't help?

I know your right, but just me. I walked right past mountain bikes for 25 years, till I noticed the 29 .

This color would have to go, but seems a lot of 26er.

http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/3731816899.html

Lol, 9 times should be enough to make him understand you weren't doing yard work!

Next your going to have to hide your rifle behind an egg basket. Might work anyways, worth a try.

I hear what you are saying about "stalling" the front wheel on an obstacle, but that is usually just a technique issue of shifting your weight back a little and unloading the front end to help it up and over. The 29" wheels should help, but I was riding with a guy from work for the first time last Saturday and he was stalling out his 29" wheels on rocks that barely slowed me down, so they don't seem to be a cure all. That said, I have logged thousands of rocky Arizona miles on 26" wheels and have never even ridden a 29r. . . but from what I have seen I don't need to for my uses.

Can't really go wrong either way, there's always the 27.5" wheels too.

Got done with the day job about 4: , went to a pawn-shop that has a 29er- pure junk. Looked at a another that was represented as a huge quality builder, Gunisess, that was offered for $250.00 cause the guy needed the money!

Gunisess turns out the be the same bike offered at Wally-world for $199.99 !
Told him to wait right there so I could find an ATM .

Went back to the Spicialized store, they were as good to me as you guy are.

Rode a Medium, felt like the way a frog looks right before they jump. Not perfict leaning into the bars, not perfict sitting back.

Rode a large (19" 29er ) and it felt like a slow dance at closing time.

The sales guy, decades of riding would have bet that I fit Med. But he said he knew when I rode it off the curb that the large was a fit!

Got maybe 5 miles on it, and the seat feels like a cinder block.
Other then that,

I never dreamed a bike could feel and roll like this!

Got the Specialized HardRock Sport.
Hydraulic brakes, 8 x 3 gears, Lock-out - adjustable fork and a Cinder Block� seat. I will get used to the cinder block, love everything else!




$661.49 out the door.

Thanks again for all the good help!

Nice job.

That should do you well. Your azz is just soft, ya need miles, not a softer seat.

Looks great. Padded shorts will be your friend on a hardtail. If you were to convert to tubeless tires w/ sealant you will be wowed from your first ride on them, plus no flats. Have fun.

Mike

Nice!

Yup, harden that butt off and you'll ride fine. Get some good riding shorts. Tubeless, I'll never go back.

Congrats on the ride. We just may have to do a 'fire camp and ride.

I use these with cargo shorts while mtn biking
http://www.rei.com/product/794383/novara-padded-cycle-boxers-mens

Get yourself a brain bucket and if you plan on riding hard at all a good pair of bike gloves will save your hands the first time you crash.

My son just gave $500 for one of these new and is pleased. Time will tell I suppose.

http://www.vitalmtb.com/product/guide/Bikes,3/Haro/Flightline-29-Sport,5069#product-specs

Tubeless are awesome! No more pinchflats and worrying about cactus is a thing of the past!

bcolorado- would be cool to do a campfire ride, 've got 10.5 months til I am back!