[apolling82]

Hi there. I moved to Los Alamos about six months ago and am looking for some advice. I've been into road biking for a few years, and am now interested in hitting the trails. I've been out hiking quite a bit recently and love the area. I'm looking for a new (or new to me) bike that would be good for the area. I know there are a load of different types of mountain bikes and I don't know what would be good. If anyone with any knowledge of the trails around here could give me some suggestions on type or model or bike I would appreciate it. Like, full suspension, hard tail, 29, 26, 27.5, dropper seat, etc.

Thanks!

 

[tyrebyter]

You didn't say what your budget was, but if you're looking for a 'Swiss Army Knife' do it all bike, one of the New geometry handrail 29's with short chainstays and slack headtube angle is hard to beat. Airborne Goblin Evo is one and most manufacturers have something like it.

 

[apolling82]

Woops. I would go something around 1000-2000. I don't want to drop a huge amount, but am certainly willing to pay a fair price in order to get some quality that will run smooth and hold up for the long run. Definitely not looking for a junker.

 

[rodmccrady]

For Los Alamos I'd recommend full suspension. The trails are pretty rocky. You'll have to go toward the high end of your budget to get one worth having though. I have lots of issues of Mountain Bike Action magazine and they do helpful reviews. If you message me I can lend them to you. Also, talk to Brad, the owner of Fusion Multisports on Central Avenue. I don't know if he's selling bikes yet or not, but he's a helpful, nice and knowledgeable guy. Also ride friends' bikes to see what you like. You might find that a hardtail is what you prefer.

 

[apolling82]

For Los Alamos I'd recommend full suspension. The trails are pretty rocky. You'll have to go toward the high end of your budget to get one worth having though. I have lots of issues of Mountain Bike Action magazine and they do helpful reviews. If you message me I can lend them to you. Also, talk to Brad, the owner of Fusion Multisports on Central Avenue. I don't know if he's selling bikes yet or not, but he's a helpful, nice and knowledgeable guy. Also ride friends' bikes to see what you like. You might find that a hardtail is what you prefer.

Thanks! I'll send you a message about those magazines. I've been to the multisport quite a few times. Brad is great. We're actually going there this evening for a class on bike maintenance.

 

[Klainmeister]

Got lots of friends and my better half works up in LA, we all ride bikes and the trails. If you want to get a taste of things, come down to Mellow Velo in Santa Fe and we could test some different type of mountain bikes and hit the Dale Ball trails straight from the shop for real world testing.

 

[apolling82]

Thanks Klain. That's very kind! I'll get in touch some time when I'll be heading to Santa Fe.

 

[Shutter Jim]

Hi there. I moved to Los Alamos about six months ago and am looking for some advice. I've been into road biking for a few years, and am now interested in hitting the trails. I've been out hiking quite a bit recently and love the area. I'm looking for a new (or new to me) bike that would be good for the area. I know there are a load of different types of mountain bikes and I don't know what would be good. If anyone with any knowledge of the trails around here could give me some suggestions on type or model or bike I would appreciate it. Like, full suspension, hard tail, 29, 26, 27.5, dropper seat, etc.

Thanks!

Full suspension is definitely the best route around here. Every person you talk to will give you suggestions on the brand/model you ought to buy, but everyone has their own personal bias, including reviewers.

I would suggest taking your time in purchasing your first mountain bike; test-ride lots of different bikes. Getting the right fit is the key to getting a bike that will work for you and that you will enjoy through the long term. Try a lot of different brands. You eventually will find one that will seem to just "click" with you. Once you've found one like that, note the brand, model, size and year, and go ride several more. If you keep going back to that bike, it's probably the one for you.

With all of that said, I would not recommend purchasing a brand that has proprietary service requirements and/or proprietary parts. It can also be very nice to purchase a bike that has a lifetime frame warranty, too.

Send a PM if you'd like some insight on some of the local trails. Los Alamos trails can be difficult, and more than likely there will be blood at some point in your early riding career. But there are some awesome routes that can be strung together that are novice friendly, fun and scenic. My wife and I have lots of experience showing people around the area in such a way that you probably won't feel overwhelmed or pressured. The local riding club is pretty accommodating for that stuff, too!

Good luck, have fun and keep riding!

 

[ungod]

If you're going to have one bike for Los Alamos, it should probably be full suspension. Keep an eye on craiglist too...bikes depreciate rapidly and for a beginner the used market is a great place to pick up a low-mileage bike for a very reasonable price. It's also a great place to pick up some flogged crap, so you may want to have someone else look it over before you commit.

Other than that, come out and ride with the Tuff Riders! We always have a beginner/intermediate group and it's an easy way to learn the trails and build your technical skills. Tuesdays & Thursdays, meet at the Sullivan Field parking lot at 5:15 (rides leave at 5:30).

 

[apolling82]

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm going to keep my eyes open and when I do settle down on one, I might hit you all up for some riding buddies Also, if anyone wants to road ride for the time being, let me know. I'll happily do the loop clockwise....OR counterclockwise.

 

[ungod]

Sounds good!

 

[ungod]

Not my bike, and it has a lousy picture, but may be worth checking out: 17" Santa Cruz Heckler Mountain Bike