what bike for a newb for Colonnade?

500 bucks is not very much, and will be difficult to get all the gear you will need for Colonnade as a new rider. You can get a bike on that kind of budget but it's much easier when you know what you are looking for and get dialed into some used deals. And that's what i would imagine you should shoot for.

Try to buy a nice burly used hardtail, with a nice stiff front coil shock. You want a frame that has a forgiving slack head angle, not a skinny light steep head angled frame. You can go singlespeed but if you decide you want to ride in the woods somewhere, and don't want to have to mash all the time, your vibe might involve gears.

Since you are a Seattlelite on a budget, my suggestion to you would be to go down to Recycled Cycles and ask for Andy. He's helped out quite a bit on Colonnade and even if they don't have a bike for you there, he would be a great resource for information on what you could be looking for.

With the economy people who are dumping their older bikes are i'm certain having to unload them for cheap, so it could be a good time to buy. Just make sure you get a bike that is your fit, as there's nothing worse than learning on a bike that doesn't fit you.

Good luck.

dakh said:

Andy wasn't in today so I'll pester you guys a little more Is front suspension a good idea? What size wheels and type of tires? Don't see myself going anywhere but Colonnade any time soon so I just want something that works there and only there... Some gear I already have or can probably use for now (MX helmet, elbow/knee guards, gloves, etc.).

Click to expand...

Yah solid front suspension is a staple of almost every rider. Only the die-hard cardio guys wanting a sentimental retro challenge run fully rigid bikes anymore.

Reason i say coil shock is that good solid air shocks are pretty spendy. Many coil shocks are heavier and by default a bit more forgiving. Many shocks nowadays don't suffer from lateral flex (or wet noodle syndrome). But since Colonnade is a skills building park, you want something sturdy, as well as an active suspension.(in your case fork suspension)

29er is more of a botique specialty purchase for a wheel, stick with standard 26" wheel.

When purchasing a new frame, you'll want to make sure that it can fit a larger wheel. i would recommend a 2.35. As far as tires specifically for the Nade, i would say anything with a relatively aggressive tread will work well, specifically for you, see if they have some nice stiff protuding knobs near the side walls, as you will want to get good traction on sections where you my lean the bike. Another thing to look for is separation of tread in such a way that mud doesn't pack up into the tire, in wet conditions.

Good to hear you have the gear, Colonnade was built on a silty dust pile so unfortunately a lot of rock and logs had to be put down just so the trail wouldn't blow away after a month of heavy use.

You can find singlespeed bikes that will be really fun for Colonnade. A used Transition Trail-or-Park is one local brand of bike, and I bet you could find a complete used one (singlespeed) for $500.

Other good, burly hardtails are Kona Scab's and Kona Stuff's (probably have gears), and pretty much any Dirt Jump hartail mountain bike. Also look for a Specialized P2 (or P1), or a Giant STP. If you find something on Craigslist, post it up here and we gearwhores can tell you if you're pointed in the right direction.

You do NOT want a 29er for Colonnade. Those are for a completely different style of riding, and are about the polar opposite of the ideal Colonnade bike.

And yes, we ride there all year round. I ride there a lot more in the winter than I do in the summer. In the summer a lot of us try to hit the high county (Palisades, here I come!!!).

Check out http://evergreenmtb.org for free club rides, trail guide, and info about how mountain bikers work to keep trails open.

Enjoy the ride!

The bike you posted is more of a entry level bike and won't hold up to the abuse of the c'nade, and the 19" frame may be to big for you.

something more like these:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/bik/1223759370.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/bik/1217909856.html

a little more expensive but new

http://www.ghybikes.com/store/complete-bikes/mountain-bikes/2009-mongoose-ritual-street-orange/

http://www.ghybikes.com/store/complete-bikes/mountain-bikes/gt-rukus-disc-medium-color-brown/

pnj said:

Stoked!.

You plan on going single speed ?

Click to expand...

Yes, at least would like to try to keep it as simple as possible for now.