Originally Posted by Gringo Loco
Originally Posted by R_H_Clark
Should have said I'm 51 and my son 10. We won't be doing any jumping,just trail riding. I've lost a lot of weight and am getting in a lot better shape wanting to get a lot better and he needs to get off the couch with dad for another activity that he might really like.

Probably the best reason of all for your weight loss is doing activities with your boy. He will cherish the memories and you'll be promoting an active lifestyle for him.

16bore is right. He will outgrow his bike quickly so it doesn't make sense to buy top of the line unless you find a smoking deal on one for him.

If you go used, check the gear teeth and chain for wear. Look over new ones as a point of reference. Trail grit will grind them down. Use a dry wax based lubricant designed for chains and gears. Look for bent or damaged spokes and wheel wobble ... easy to check. Gear changes shouldn't take forever.

Suspensions ... they make a ride smoother, but they also absorb energy when going up a steep hill as they will flex some.

I lost the weight mostly because I didn't want him without a father too young. We are going creek wading in a little bit.

I appreciate the good info. You have to understand that I live in Po Dunk backwoods. I might find a bike shop a couple or three hours one way away. I live so far down in the holler that it's dark an hour earlier at my house than up on the main road. that's how far I live out here,we refer to the good road as the main road. I do have lots of dirt trails and such to ride. I rode 4 wheelers for 2 hours in the woods and through the fields a couple weeks ago and never saw the same thing twice. I was just too fat and sick to enjoy all of it before now.

I was asking about brands and such because I will likely buy used,or at least used for my boy. I guess I need to look into how to measure both of us properly and go from there. I would like to spend under $100 for him and I would like to spend $200 or more for me. I might go as far as the $400 range as suggested earlier on that site posted. I would however rather buy a $400 bike used, that somebody thought they would ride,for about $150.