[brucebanner]

Ok so i recently have been looking to buy a pretty beginner bike. have been looking for used on craigslist with a budget of 300 to start off with to see how much i ride, how i like and so on. I am heavy set as well weighing 260, so looking for something strong. I am looking for a mountain bike, but nothing crazy. front suspension and disc brakes is what im after as well.I will be using it for road riding around town, and very light trail riding. maybe the bike park if i get brave enough but i doubt it. i am looking between a specialized hardrock, seeing what i can find of that used and a trek 3700 or something similar. i have found these so farhttp://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/bik/4420390472.htmland this one the guy will sell for 275 which i almost bought last nighthttp://bellingham.craigslist.org/bik/4427586786.htmlwhich is a better beginner bike? what else should i be looking for. and is the trek 3700 a good deal at 275?

 

[velo99]

Did I write this? Kinda scary the similarities between us. Down to the bikes on CL.
I have found some decent bikes that are a little older for dirt cheap in the 100.00 -150.00 range. If you are like me and plan on riding off some pounds don't spend a ton on a bike now. I have an old Mongoose that's a hoompty. For now I am going to ride it because I want the additional weight and effort to help shed some weight. Also gives me more time to find a better bike at a decent price. 2 kids starting college soon so my budget is minimal.

 

[Rod]

First and foremost, make sure the bikes fit.


The rock hopper is old, but it still appears to be in great shape. It has a Judy fork on it so that's how I placed it's age. I'm unsure what year that fork was discontinued, but it's been long ago. With that said, I would try to get it cheaper than 300 or look elsewhere. Mountain bikes don't hold their value that well. I would offer 150 or 200 at most.

The Trek has a stock picture so I'm unsure of it's condition. It does look much newer though. If it is in very good shape, I would lean toward it. Bike technology has increased since the days of a Judy fork and that newer technology still trickles down to entry level bikes. If the Trek is in bad shape keep looking. You want a bike that has been well taken care of. Ridden is fine, but you don't want a bike that's been left outside in the rain or neglected.

Lastly, make sure to check the frames for any cracks, dents, etc. I doubt there will be, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

 

[moefosho]

Ok so i recently have been looking to buy a pretty beginner bike. have been looking for used on craigslist with a budget of 300 to start off with to see how much i ride, how i like and so on. I am heavy set as well weighing 260, so looking for something strong. I am looking for a mountain bike, but nothing crazy. front suspension and disc brakes is what im after as well.I will be using it for road riding around town, and very light trail riding. maybe the bike park if i get brave enough but i doubt it. i am looking between a specialized hardrock, seeing what i can find of that used and a trek 3700 or something similar. i have found these so farhttp://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/bik/4420390472.htmland this one the guy will sell for 275 which i almost bought last nighthttp://bellingham.craigslist.org/bik/4427586786.htmlwhich is a better beginner bike? what else should i be looking for. and is the trek 3700 a good deal at 275?

Make sure that you get something that fits. That hardrock is XS, and not sure the size for the trek.

This might work:
Klein Pulse Race Mountain Bike
GIANT Hybrid/Offroad Bike As Good As New
2007 Kona Kikapu Deluxe size L
20" Marin Rocky Ridge Mountain Bike

 

[AndrwSwitch]

OP, are you in Seattle or Bellingham? Or somewhere in between?

I'm in Bellingham now, but moved from Seattle about a year ago. While Craig's List isn't a bad resource, it's not great either and both cities have a healthy enough cycling scene to support some used bike shops, which I think can be a better channel.

I wouldn't drive from Bellingham to Seattle (or vice versa) to buy a bike. Well, I guess I did, but it was an expensive bike via team form. Both towns have a lively enough Craig's List that you should be able to find something good with a little patience.

IMHO, the Trek 3- and 4-series bikes are bad deals at any price. But I've been doing this a while, and am more comfortable on a frame with some reach, relative to my height. A Specialized Hardrock in the same nominal size will have a fairly different fit.

 

[brucebanner]

I am in bellingham. I actually pulled the trigger yesterday on a dawes haymaker 1200 2010 version. I got in on craigslist for $100. before spending more money than i am comfortable i read some reviews and figured at the price this would be a great starter bike for me.

i rode it about 4 miles yesterday and really like the ride. for what im going to be doing i think itll be fine for me to shed some lbs and get out there and ride a little. with that said, the only thing i really didnt like was the seat. my butt is in a lot of pain this morning. everything else felt great, it is a 17" frame, was only ridden about 5 miles, was in excellent condition it looked and was female ridden. for $100 im happy.

any suggestions on upgrades i should look at? seat first?

 

[Shakester]

You can upgrade the seat, but if you haven't ridden a bike for awhile or that often, then your butt is going to be sore with any seat you have on there. Not sure if you have a pair yet, but you should look into getting a pair of bike specific shorts (padded). That with a more comfortable saddle would help. I use a SDG Bel-Air which is a pretty comfortable saddle. The WTB Volt is another comfortable one as well.

 

[AndrwSwitch]

Sounds like you got a good price. Try not to get into upgrading it, though, that's a trap - you get much better deals on complete bikes, so unless you want something very specific and you're willing to pay a premium, that's the way to go.

We don't really have a bike park to my knowledge. Do you mean Galbraith? Or traveling somewhere?

I think the best spot I've found for getting started in MTB is the Bunny Trails at Galbraith. Get the map from one of the local shops. Most other MTB trails in the area have a ton of vert., which makes everything harder. And fair warning - the "beginner loop" in Padden is actually fairly challenging.

Pic of the bike? IIRC, there are both FS and hardtail Haymakers.

And, congratulations. The first bike is the hardest.

 

[brucebanner]

Thanks, im excited. will post pics later as im at work. this one is front suspension, looks exactly like this one:

Mountain Bikes - MTB - Dawes Haymaker 1200

The bike part im talking about is the dirt jump park at civic field.

Looks like it could be some fun at some point. its pretty beginner i think tho. I know at earls bike shop they have a big map of all the trails around bellingham. or maybe it was just galbraith.

 

[AndrwSwitch]

LOL, looks plenty big to me. I was just telling my coworker I'm done with any sort of double until I'm a lot cleaner on table tops.