A complete noob wants to get into mountain biking

[Tom K.]

I'd rather have a 25lb hardtail for $2k than a 35lb FS for $4k..that's me. YMMV...

You can do a lot better than 35 lbs for $4k in the FS market.

Even in today's market!

 

[scott43]

Yeah you're probably right, and I'm talking CDN money so that's a big difference.

 

[Lvovsky /Pasha/Pavel]

$2300US for 35.2lb: 2021 Polygon Siskiu T8 - Dual Suspension Mountain Bike - Size: L - 29" wheel

that’s ~3000CND

 

[wooglin]

The reality is, you can get a kick-ass hardtail for $2500 that weighs 25lbs. For $3-$4k you get a decent FS that weighs 35lbs. So it's really about budget. I can ride pretty much anything on a hardtail, doesn't mean it's the best tool always. And it's not as easy. But for $2k, I'll suck it up.

Hi there! Can I interest you in a singlespeed?

 

[noobski]

@noobski

Here is my two cents after a year into the new hobby:

- Borrow a bike and ride it. There must be someone with a bike collecting dust. After 5-10 rides, you'll know more about what you want such us sizing, components, bike features (e.g. drop post, head tube angle, 1x12 or 1x11 or 2x10, 29” vs 27.5, etc)... You will also get a way better idea of what you want to ride and where. I did not really understand what mountain biking really and did not apreciate the difference between different mnt biking styles.
- Learn fundamentals of the sport. There are many tutorials on youtube. Doing figure 8 on a driveway pays dividents! If you want to learn bunny hops or manual, do it on softer grass. It will still hurt when you wheel out but with less road rash. Ask me how I know.
- Learn about different level of components and decide what is important: entry level components on a fancy brand bike or nice components on a direct to consumer bikes. (or just a bike that you can order now!)
- Now that you know your size and components preference, consider direct to consumer brands. Polygon cough my attention in this article:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/first-look-2021-polygon-siskiu-t.html

I got a Polygon Extrad 7 hard tail for SO in the fall, and, finally, got my FS bike (Siskui T8) delivered yesterday. Yes, they are often out of stock and it took a bit of hunting and sweet talking to customer service manager to get my T8
For the road bike I went with a Vitus from chainreactioncycles last summer.

You should be fine with making some assembly, torquing the bolts, etc. or ask a local shop to assemble the bike for you...

As far as HT vs FS: are you speed seeking dare devil? Then get a hard tail first and learn to ride properly without relying on the full suspension to bail you out. If you are smart and deliberate about where and what you ride and know that you will not be taking excessive risk anyway, than get FS, enjoy a smooth ride while you learn without recklessly "sending it".

Welcome to yet another expensive and adrenaline providing hobby!

- most (if not all) of the advice in this thread is spot on. I understand it all better a year later tho

great report! Thank you!

 

[AtleB]

Will you be riding alone or with someone? If you will be riding with someone I suggest looking at what types of bike they have (hardtail/full suspension, amount of suspension travel etc). If you get a whippet of a XC bike and all your riding buddies are on burly enduro rigs I am pretty sure you will regret it (or the other way around).
If you are comfortable in doing your own maintenance you could look at used bikes or direct to consumer brands. Working on bikes is not hard and pretty much everything is on youtube, but it does take some time, especially for beginners.

 

[noobski]

Will you be riding alone or with someone? If you will be riding with someone I suggest looking at what types of bike they have (hardtail/full suspension, amount of suspension travel etc). If you get a whippet of a XC bike and all your riding buddies are on burly enduro rigs I am pretty sure you will regret it (or the other way around).
If you are comfortable in doing your own maintenance you could look at used bikes or direct to consumer brands. Working on bikes is not hard and pretty much everything is on youtube, but it does take some time, especially for beginners.

Mostly alone. I have two friends that might ride with me; both have HTs. Another friend had a FS but sold it. If he buys again, he'll get a FS.

 

[AtleB]

Mostly alone. I have two friends that might ride with me; both have HTs. Another friend had a FS but sold it. If he buys again, he'll get a FS.

I would suggest a short to medium travel full suspension bike (around 120mm travel at the rear with a bit more up front) with modern geometry (slack head angle, steep seat tube angle and low standover height) these bikes are very versatile.

 

[scott43]

I would suggest a short to medium travel full suspension bike (around 120mm travel at the rear with a bit more up front) with modern geometry (slack head angle, steep seat tube angle and low standover height) these bikes are very versatile.

Yup, I agree. Best of all worlds for sure.

 

[Lvovsky /Pasha/Pavel]

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glorycycles.com

 

[noobski]

Yup, I agree. Best of all worlds for sure.

Would you be able to point out some specific bikes?
Thank you.

 

[Wilhelmson]

Would you be able to point out some specific bikes?
Thank you.

Where do you plan on biking?

Norco is a little under the radar and might be able to build with a faster turnaround. The Revolver bike that i got barely used from a shop for 4,000 is fast. I am not a newbie but am not sure if i deserve it though i do like the full suspension.

You can have plenty of fun on any bike so if you have to pull the trigger on a local used bike just have someone experienced make sure its not beat. I got my kid a $1200 hardtail for $850. Its all he needs foe now. The guy that sold it bikes Vietnam in Milford MA with his friends and got a FS. Better to ride a $1,000 bike for a year or two than not bike at all.

 

[princo]

Would you be able to point out some specific bikes?
Thank you.

Check the Canyon Neuron or Spectral 29. They are both "trail" bikes. The Neuron leans towards the XC side and the Spectral towards the Enduro side.

Canyon Spectral 29 CF 2021 in review – The perfect do-it-all bike?

https://www.canyon.com/en-us/mountain-bikes/trail-bikes/spectral/spectral-29-cf-7/2835.html
>>They will have it in stock in a couple of weeks.

I mentioned the above bikes as they can be found in stock within a reasonable amount of time. There are plenty others brands that would work, but availability will be an issue.

 

[scott43]

I'm kind of into BMC right now. Something like this would be nice:

Speedfox AL | ONE

The Speedfox AL delivers enormous versatility in a Premium Aluminium-framed package. Big Wheel Concept 29er geometry engineers in agility and nimble handling, while 120mm of race-proven APS suspension provides pedaling efficiency and smooths rough terrain. With a 130mm travel RockShox Recon...

www.bmc-switzerland.com

Not that slack quite frankly so a bit more XC oriented.

The Trek Fuel 5 is slacker..more travel..140mm up front.

Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 - Trek Bikes (CA)

Discover your next great ride with Fuel EX 5 Deore. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now!

www.trekbikes.com

The Top Fuel 7 is less travel but much like the Fuel 5..120mm travel up front.

Top Fuel 7 SX - Trek Bikes (CA)

Discover your next great ride with Top Fuel 7 SX. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now!

www.trekbikes.com

Specialized Stumpjumper Alloy..slack and steep seat angle..more modern geo and 140mm travel.

Stumpjumper Alloy

The Stumpjumper Alloy brings all-new suspension kinematics and progressive geometry into a full-alloy package that's both lightweight and extremely dura...

www.specialized.com

Kona Hei Hei..only 120mm of travel..not so slack..

Hei Hei

The Hei Hei is fast, fun, easy to ride, climbs like a mountain goat, descends like a cheetah, is affordable, has no frills but everything you need with its 120mm of front and 100mm of rear travel. The Hei Hei is one of the best bikes we’ve ever made. It blurs the line between XC and trail bike.

konaworld.com

Canyon Neuron..nice bike..130mm..good in between bike..

Neuron 6

There’s nothing finer than a fast section of technical singletrack that only you and your crew know about, and when it comes to singletrack riding, the Neuron 6 is the best of its class. Experience the all-out fun of full-suspension riding with this versatile all-rounder.

www.canyon.com

I'll throw in one another one of my fave makers and bikes, Rocky Mountain Instinct.. Great looking bike with good kit and probably good exchange rate..

https://www.bikes.com/en/bikes/instinct/2020

And the goliath..Giant...

Trance 29 2 (2021) | bike | Giant Bicycles Canada

This super-versatile trail machine is built on a lightweight, stiff and super-strong ALUXX SL frameset that blends our latest Maestro suspension technology with progressive, trail-oriented geometry. To soak up every bum...

www.giant-bicycles.com

So that's a lot of bikes to consider! That's kinda what I'd be looking at if I were you. They're all good bikes and really it's about what you can get your hands on these days. They're all in the 120-130mm front travel range and most are fairly modern geo. You can nitpick through the components..I prefer Shimano but I have SRAM now and it's fine too. Keep an eye on what fork you get dollar for dollar, that can change how the bike will behave. And sometimes, it comes down to colour...

 

[noobski]

Where do you plan on biking?

Thank you.

I would bike mainly upper midwest. Driftless region, so moderate climbs and decents of 100 - 400 feet and then just long rolling trails.

Check the Canyon Neuron or Spectral 29. They are both "trail" bikes. The Neuron leans towards the XC side and the Spectral towards the Enduro side.

I mentioned the above bikes as they can be found in stock within a reasonable amount of time. There are plenty others brands that would work, but availability will be an issue.

Thank you.

I'm kind of into BMC right now. Something like this would be nice:

Speedfox AL | ONE

The Speedfox AL delivers enormous versatility in a Premium Aluminium-framed package. Big Wheel Concept 29er geometry engineers in agility and nimble handling, while 120mm of race-proven APS suspension provides pedaling efficiency and smooths rough terrain. With a 130mm travel RockShox Recon...

www.bmc-switzerland.com

Not that slack quite frankly so a bit more XC oriented.

The Trek Fuel 5 is slacker..more travel..140mm up front.

Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 - Trek Bikes (CA)

Discover your next great ride with Fuel EX 5 Deore. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now!

www.trekbikes.com

The Top Fuel 7 is less travel but much like the Fuel 5..120mm travel up front.

Top Fuel 7 SX - Trek Bikes (CA)

Discover your next great ride with Top Fuel 7 SX. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now!

www.trekbikes.com

Specialized Stumpjumper Alloy..slack and steep seat angle..more modern geo and 140mm travel.

Stumpjumper Alloy

The Stumpjumper Alloy brings all-new suspension kinematics and progressive geometry into a full-alloy package that's both lightweight and extremely dura...

www.specialized.com

Kona Hei Hei..only 120mm of travel..not so slack..

Hei Hei

The Hei Hei is fast, fun, easy to ride, climbs like a mountain goat, descends like a cheetah, is affordable, has no frills but everything you need with its 120mm of front and 100mm of rear travel. The Hei Hei is one of the best bikes we’ve ever made. It blurs the line between XC and trail bike.

konaworld.com

Canyon Neuron..nice bike..130mm..good in between bike..

Neuron 6

There’s nothing finer than a fast section of technical singletrack that only you and your crew know about, and when it comes to singletrack riding, the Neuron 6 is the best of its class. Experience the all-out fun of full-suspension riding with this versatile all-rounder.

www.canyon.com

I'll throw in one another one of my fave makers and bikes, Rocky Mountain Instinct.. Great looking bike with good kit and probably good exchange rate..

https://www.bikes.com/en/bikes/instinct/2020

And the goliath..Giant...

Trance 29 2 (2021) | bike | Giant Bicycles Canada

This super-versatile trail machine is built on a lightweight, stiff and super-strong ALUXX SL frameset that blends our latest Maestro suspension technology with progressive, trail-oriented geometry. To soak up every bum...

www.giant-bicycles.com

So that's a lot of bikes to consider! That's kinda what I'd be looking at if I were you. They're all good bikes and really it's about what you can get your hands on these days. They're all in the 120-130mm front travel range and most are fairly modern geo. You can nitpick through the components..I prefer Shimano but I have SRAM now and it's fine too. Keep an eye on what fork you get dollar for dollar, that can change how the bike will behave. And sometimes, it comes down to colour...

Wonderful. Thank you so much. this is a great list from all of you!

 

[Tom K.]

I would bike mainly upper midwest. Driftless region, so moderate climbs and decents of 100 - 400 feet and then just long rolling trails.

This is what, and where, the Top Fuel was designed for!

 

[wooglin]

I would bike mainly upper midwest. Driftless region, so moderate climbs and decents of 100 - 400 feet and then just long rolling trails.

Hi there! Can I interest you in a singlespeed?

 

[noobski]

Hi there! Can I interest you in a singlespeed?

No thanks; I still have my Diamondback Viper that I can use for that.

 

[Lvovsky /Pasha/Pavel]

Would you be able to point out some specific bikes?
Thank you.

Model Comparison Chart

	Vander T7	Vander T7 SE	Siskiu T7	Vander T8	Siskiu T8
Frame	ALX Trail 6061 Aluminum Frame	ALX Trail 6061 Aluminum Frame	ALX Trail 6061 Aluminum Frame	ALX Trail 6061 Aluminum Frame	ALX Trail 6061 Aluminum Frame
Front/Rear Travel	130/130	130/130	140/135	140/130	140/135
Fork	RockShox Recon Silver RL	RockShox Recon Silver RL	Rockshox Recon Silver-RL	RockShox Recon Gold RL	Fox 34 Rhythm
Shock	RockShox Monarch R	RockShox Monarch R	Rockshox Deluxe Select Plus	RockShox Monarch R	Fox Float DPS
Drivetrain	SRAM SX 1x12 Eagle	SRAM SX 1x12 Eagle	Shimano Deore M6100 1X12 Speed	SRAM NX/SX 1x12 Eagle	Shimano SLX M7100 1X12 Speed
Brakes	SRAM Level T, 2-Piston	SRAM Level T, 2-Piston	Tektro HD-M735	SRAM Guide RE, 4-Piston	Tektro HD-M745
Seatpost	Entity Sport, Rigid	KS Rage-I, Dropper post	Tranz-X JD-YSP23JL	KS Rage-I, Dropper post	Tranz-X JD-YSP23JL
Front/Rear Thru-Axle	15x100/12x142	15x100/12x142	15x110mm/12x148mm	15x110 Boost/12x142	15x110mm/12x148mm
Price	$1699.00	$1899.00	$1899.00		$2399.00

I'm curious what would folks recommend for @noobski and what would @noobski gravitate to from the table above...

geometry and other info is somewhere on this site: https://www.bikesonline.com/2021-polygon-siskiu-t8-dual-suspension-mountain-bi

 

[Lvovsky /Pasha/Pavel]

and this:
Jeffsy Base 29 $2,299

YT US

Jeffsy Base

us.yt-industries.com