[hi2]

i am looking to buy a new bike, I found this one on craigslist

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/bik/66921254.html

Do you think this is a decent deal? What should I look for when I goto pick it up to make sure it's alright.

If this is not a good deal or not a good bike, can u give some other suggestions of bikes i should look at or places to look for used mountain bikes? Looking to spend around 500 for a decent downhill mountain bike.

Thanks,

Vijay

 

[29erchico]

DH bike?

That is not a DH bike. Yes, you can ride down hills on it, but it is a heavy duty XC bike from that era. Run of the mill XC FS by today's standards. Not a horrible choice for XC today if all the suspension is still tight.

The newer Enduros have become light freeride bikes and would be a much better choice if you wanted a bike to do a bit of DH'ing on and still be able to ride up hills without feeling like you are trying to pedal a pig.

Remember, DH bikes are for those who make cheating the gravity gods a regular thing. That crowd drives, or rides ski lifts to the top to get their thrills. If you sense a bit of distain for the concept, you are right.

29erchico

 

[seldomseensmith]

i owned that bike

I have really mixed feelings about that bike. I had an 02 so it was different in ways but same desisn concept. Anyway it is very light and not good as a downhill bike. The more I rode downhill the more I wanted a bigger bike. Then I tore one of the welds on the frame. There is a lot of stress on the frame under the seat. Poor design for me, being a 200# mountain biker. Anyway without the Specialized warrenty (which I had and was very impressed with) not a good downhill bike.