Best Money saving Tips

cautiouschris · Sep 28, 2005

kapusta said:
NO, I don't need a new fork.
NO, I don't need a new frame.
NO, I don't need a new carbon bar that will save me 40 grams.
NO, I don't need my bike to say "Chris King" on it.
.

I especially like the guys I occationally see at my local trails that have all the gear, the CK hubs, IF custom frame, bling everywhere...only problem is they seem to have passed over the part where by you actually RIDE your bike...

lucifer · Sep 28, 2005

Gripshift said:
I'm gonna have to sorta disagree you with you here. So steel and ti will outlast aluminum many times over? There sure are a lot of variables there..

Well sure there are, you can build fragile steel or fragile ti. But the point is that aluminum frames fail far more often "just riding along". Aluminum breaks a little every time you ride it. Steel and ti only break when pushed past their limits.

AsianPersuasion · Sep 28, 2005

Always shop for sales. You don't always need the latest and the greatest. Most things work the same. I run full LX on one bike, XT on another, and XTR on yet another. They all do the same thing well but there are advantages with the higher end. The question is "Will I actually need these expensive advantages?" I really don't but I'm a slave to the bling. And I did get everything on sale.

Homebrew · Sep 28, 2005

Don't look at MTBR! Sooner or later you'll learn about the hot new products that you MUST HAVE. Upgraditis is a killer disease. Definitely stay away from the Interbike coverage.

Dwight Moody · Sep 28, 2005

Maida7 said:
buy your tubes super cheap at walmart.

And patch them non-stop. I didn't really find this worked for me.

I did find that having a downhill tube for my rear tire stopped pinch flats entirely.

AsianPersuasion · Sep 28, 2005

Gripshift said:
I'm gonna have to sorta disagree you with you here. So steel and ti will outlast aluminum many times over? There sure are a lot of variables there..

There is something spectacular about Ti frames. Kinda hard to explain but you gonna give it some time on one. I have a Ti FS bike so I'm not getting the full advantage of the material but people on HT swear by it. Of course, who you buy your Ti from is a major factor of it's durability.

Gripshift · Sep 28, 2005

lucifer said:
Well sure there are, you can build fragile steel or fragile ti. But the point is that aluminum frames fail far more often "just riding along". Aluminum breaks a little every time you ride it. Steel and ti only break when pushed past their limits.

You're kidding right? "Aluminum breaks a little everytime you ride it" Please tell more.

Ryan G. · Sep 28, 2005

Shop at some good online bike shops that are mentioned probably every two minutes here: mt. high cyclery, red barn, etc.

You wont pay the "stick it to you" price of an LBS

Also got a second job to help pay for the bikes

lucifer · Sep 28, 2005

Gripshift said:
You're kidding right? "Aluminum breaks a little everytime you ride it" Please tell more.

There are plenty of good references on frame materials science out there. I'll leave the legwork to you.

Sideknob · Sep 28, 2005

save money

1. Don't buy bike mags full of bling that "you gotta have."

2. Don't fix it if it ain't broke.

3. Make the sport about the ride, not the gear.

4. When you need something, check Ebay first.

Maida7 · Sep 28, 2005

I think you've lost the plot

AsianPersuasion said:
There is something spectacular about Ti frames. Kinda hard to explain but you gonna give it some time on one. I have a Ti FS bike so I'm not getting the full advantage of the material but people on HT swear by it. Of course, who you buy your Ti from is a major factor of it's durability.

It's kind hard to defend overpaying for a Ti frame in a thread about how to save money. Also there are not alot of affordable, quality steel frames out there, especial suspension frames. I agree the aluminum frames fatigue over time but most will last many many years and some come with lifetime warrantees.

Reposado Man · Sep 28, 2005

Of course the brodeal is the Hall of Famer, but...

Hardware store spray lube vs. TriFlow
Auto shop Mobil 1 synthetic grease vs. Phil's
BB gun CO2 cartridges vs threaded
Wellgo SPDs vs. Shimano
Generic patch kits (work all the same, provided its not the black foam square patch)

233946 · Sep 28, 2005

Homebrew said:
Don't look at MTBR! Sooner or later you'll learn about the hot new products that you MUST HAVE. Upgraditis is a killer disease. Definitely stay away from the Interbike coverage.

That is probably the best advice in this thread.

Ryan G. · Sep 28, 2005

Interbike = brokeitis

I am craving that Intenses 6.6

lucifer · Sep 28, 2005

Reposado Man said:
Of course the brodeal is the Hall of Famer, but...

Hardware store spray lube vs. TriFlow
Auto shop Mobil 1 synthetic grease vs. Phil's
BB gun CO2 cartridges vs threaded
Wellgo SPDs vs. Shimano
Generic patch kits (work all the same, provided its not the black foam square patch)

those sound like great tips except maybe the wellgo pedals... My SPD737s and 520s have been some of the best dollar cost per year parts I have bought.

lucifer · Sep 28, 2005

Maida7 said:
It's kind hard to defend overpaying for a Ti frame in a thread about how to save money. Also there are not alot of affordable, quality steel frames out there, especial suspension frames. I agree the aluminum frames fatigue over time but most will last many many years and some come with lifetime warrantees.

Matt Chester says it best on his website. "The best measure of value is use over time". My hardtail is a 10 year old Ti frame that I never think twice about riding the crap out of. My rigid bike is an 11 year old steel frame. When I think of how many aluminum frames I could have gone through in the same timeframe (probably 3-4) it's basically a wash financially...

PMC · Sep 28, 2005

Sideknob said:
2. Don't fix it if it ain't broke.

ditto
if it isn't broke there is no need to replace it...

easier to type it than actually do it

cautiouschris · Sep 28, 2005

baycat said:
Interbike = brokeitis

I am craving that Intenses 6.6

and as the banner above says, competitive cyclist has them in stock now!

Ryan G. · Sep 28, 2005

Another idea is to consider SRAM components, or as someone mentioned Shimano LX instead of XT or XTR.

I was building up a bike and ended up getting a great deal on a SRAM build kit from www.fullcycles.com, and ended up liking SRAM better than Shimano for my style of riding and saved money because it was more affordable.

kapusta · Sep 28, 2005

baycat said:
Another idea is to consider SRAM components, or as someone mentioned Shimano LX instead of XT or XTR.

I was building up a bike and ended up getting a great deal on a SRAM build kit from www.fullcycles.com, and ended up liking SRAM better than Shimano for my style of riding and saved money because it was more affordable.

Definitely good advice, but keep in mind that SRAM X.0 stuff is as expensive as XTR.

That said, I have gotten some GREAT deals on cheaper SRAM stuff. I have been using older 7.0 ESP shifters that I scored for about $15 a few years ago. As far as I can tell they are just as good and light as the high end stuff. What I like about SRAM is that the low end shifters and derailiers perform just as well as the high end stuff, just heavier. I actually prefer the older (pre-2001 I believe) grip shifters to the newer ones, and they can be scored CHEAP.

Best Money saving Tips

cautiouschris

lucifer

AsianPersuasion

Homebrew

Dwight Moody

AsianPersuasion

Gripshift

Ryan G.

lucifer

Sideknob

Maida7

Reposado Man

233946

Ryan G.

lucifer

lucifer

PMC

cautiouschris

Ryan G.

kapusta

Top Contributors this Month

Recommended Communities