Recommend me a mountain bike!

[JulesMaximus]

Looks like you need a new bike.

:thumbsup: Awesome!

 

[JulesMaximus]

Here is the actual bike. I just ordered a 70 oz camelback so the cages and water bottles will be coming off once I get that. I had the cages laying around (they're all beat up but they were free) and the bike shop threw in the water bottles for free (mine are all nasty and old and my wife has been destroying my road bike bottles for a while now-I needed new ones).

 

[Drako]

Here is the actual bike. I just ordered a 70 oz camelback so the cages and water bottles will be coming off once I get that. I had the cages laying around (they're all beat up but they were free) and the bike shop threw in the water bottles for free (mine are all nasty and old and my wife has been destroying my road bike bottles for a while now-I needed new ones).

Even with the camelback, you should keep a bottle cage on there. For longer rides it's nice to carry an energy drink.

 

[Drako]

LOL, I just noticed you have the same cat tree that we do.

Back on topic, are you going to get some bar ends?

 

[JulesMaximus]

LOL, I just noticed you have the same cat tree that we do.

Back on topic, are you going to get some bar ends?

I don't think so. The bars are really wide so I think it wouldn't really be a comfortable place to put my hands.

I might keep one bottle cage. Maybe I'll get one that is anodized red.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Hmm, depending on how my finances develop over the next 6 months I might look at an off-road bike as well. But I'm not sure about the 29ers, they look so big and unwieldy, while only adding weight (and cost) over a smaller wheeled bike. I suppose the advantage is when trying to do cyclo-cross style riding with it, and stability and power delivery become more important?

The 29er wheels roll over things slightly easier while loosing a tiny bit of nimbleness. Cost is pretty much the same now since everybody rides 29ers . Think Giant is dumping their 26ers line in the lower end models completely and going 650b and 29er only. Really it just comes down to personal preference kind of like full suspension vs hard tail vs rigid.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Hmm, depending on how my finances develop over the next 6 months I might look at an off-road bike as well. But I'm not sure about the 29ers, they look so big and unwieldy, while only adding weight (and cost) over a smaller wheeled bike. I suppose the advantage is when trying to do cyclo-cross style riding with it, and stability and power delivery become more important?

You should test ride a few before making a decision. I really like the way the 29ers ride, much prefer it to 26" wheels.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Went on a nice hour and a half ride with a friend of mine on Saturday. We rode some trails down to the beach and rode along the beach and back (there are trails along the beach where we were that were mostly hard packed dirt). It was overcast and cool and the trails were in good shape. Bike handled perfectly, shifting was precise and I felt comfortable on the bike. Those 29 inch wheels roll over anything but they don't like deep sand (no bike likes deep sand though).

Can't wait to get out and ride it some more.

I replaced the pedals with some Shimano SPD pedals (the old pedals I had were SPD but they were cheap and I noticed grease leaking out around the spindle on one of them after the ride so I tossed them in the trash).

I also ordered a 70oz camelback pack.

 

[FleshLight]

Pugsleys like loosed pack sand though. Also, be sure to wrap an old tube around your drive side chainstay to protect it from chain slap and reduce the noise.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Pugsleys like loosed pack sand though. Also, be sure to wrap an old tube around your drive side chainstay to protect it from chain slap and reduce the noise.

There is a clear plastic tape on there now but I'm not sure how much protection that offers.

 

[BassBomb]

Which pedals did you get?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Which pedals did you get?

Shimano PD-M520

$39.99 at Performance Bike. I didn't want to spend $100 or more on pedals.

 

[BassBomb]

I have the ones with the larger platform around it, so far OK

 

[CraigRT]

Shimano PD-M520

$39.99 at Performance Bike. I didn't want to spend $100 or more on pedals.

I have used 520's for ages, they last forever and work just fine.
You will love them.

 

[Drako]

I have used 520's for ages, they last forever and work just fine.
You will love them.

That's what I have as well. The only negative I can say about them is that they are comparatively heavy, but they are very durable.

 

[JulesMaximus]

That's what I have as well. The only negative I can say about them is that they are comparatively heavy, but they are very durable.

I was looking at the XT PD-M780 pedal for $100 ($60 more than the pedals I bought) and all that $60 gets you is 27 grams less weight. If you go crazy and get the XTR pedal, which is $180, you shave another 33 grams over the XT pedals.

$140 = 60 grams or 2 oz. :biggrin:

 

[Drako]

I was looking at the XT PD-M780 pedal for $100 ($60 more than the pedals I bought) and all that $60 gets you is 27 grams less weight. If you go crazy and get the XTR pedal, which is $180, you shave another 33 grams over the XT pedals.

$140 = 60 grams or 2 oz. :biggrin:

You should have gone with some PD-M980s, and you would have saved 66 grams .

 

[BassBomb]

Are the differences only really weight with higher end SPD pedals?

 

[thedarkwolf]

Should have dumped the SPDs all together and went with Time the best pedals .

 

[JulesMaximus]

Are the differences only really weight with higher end SPD pedals?

Yes

 

[JulesMaximus]

Should have dumped the SPDs all together and went with Time the best pedals .

What makes them better? They are 3 times the price and they use an SPD type cleat plus they weigh slightly more than the pedals I bought.

If anything I was thinking I should have gone with the eggbeaters. They have a set of pedals that are markedly lighter than the SPD pedals I bought but only $10 more expensive.

 

[Drako]

Should have dumped the SPDs all together and went with Time the best pedals .

Crank Bros are the best

Just kidding. I ride with a guy that has their eggbeaters - they just look dumb to me

 

[EliteRetard]

Well that was entertaining.

 

[Dirigible]

Crank Bros are the best

Just kidding. I ride with a guy that has their eggbeaters - they just look dumb to me

A lot of people like the eggbeaters.

But they seem to spend a lot more time on pedal maintenance than I do and the cleats wear out a lot faster.


My main bike has spd m959 pedals. IIRC I got these pedals in 2001 and they have provided thousands and thousands of miles of trouble-free service. This is the fourth bike I've used them with.

Those 520s you got are a great product, Jules.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Sweet looking Giant, Jules. enjoy!