First, let me give you a little background.
In the 90's I loved the BMX/freestyle/flatland genre of biking. Between the ages of 10 and 14 I could often be found on my MOSH skooled freestyle bike tearing up the quiet streets of Nashville, Indiana. I also rode all over my parents' hometown of Union City, Indiana. I enjoyed the freedom and responsibility that biking gave me at that age, and I have many fond memories of spending countless hours trying to perfect tricks that now seem plain or silly.
At 15 years old I discovered cars and driving, and never gave bicycling a second thought. I was in love with internal combustion and 4-wheel conveyance and spent all of high school driving riced-out tuner cars (Civic and Integra). Again I think it was the feeling of freedom that cruising on a summer evening brings that I was really addicted to.
As a married adult with children I was given a 26" Schwinn mountain bike by my father-in-law. It was something he picked up at a garage sale and he thought I'd enjoy riding with the kids. He was right, and my wife and I have enjoyed many neighborhood bike rides with our kids.
The bike I was gifted was a mid-90's model Schwinn that probably sold new for $150 at Walmart. It worked for the easy tasks I used it for, but its heavy steel frame, clunky front suspension, outdated rim brakes, and awkward grip shifter left it totally unfit for any serious riding (especially off-road riding).
Which brings us to today.
Recently I had been considering spending more time on a bicycle. I had various motivations for this idea, like wanting to spend more time outdoors, having a hobby that actually increased my fitness level, and having fun while shaking off work and family stress. Then I had to decide between road biking and mountain biking. Though road biking is probably more practical for me as a suburbanite, the draw of wooded trails and challenging terrain was just too much for me to ignore. That, and I don't do Spandex.
So mountain biking it is. And as with any new endeavor that I set my sights on, first came the research phase. I quickly found that, like guns, the learning curve for mountain biking is quite steep. I found myself much like the newbie INGOer, searching for an acronym glossary and explanations as to the various hobby-specific terminology. Some of the more technical articles I found appeared to be written in an entirely different language. And once I started to figure out the bikes themselves, I was still clueless as to all the other facets, like accessories, riding styles and techniques, common enthusiast debates, and industry issues.
While in my research phase I was lucky enough to come across an acquaintance who rides trails a couple times a week after work. Though we had never met he was kind enough to invite me out to Southwestway Park on the southwest side of Indy to ride for a few hours. I took along my not-so-trusty Schwinn and tried my best to keep up. I didn't. After the first 20 minutes I thought my lungs were going to explode and that I had made a terrible mistake. But after sticking with it I learned a few things and had an absolute blast. It was a great experience and it gave me a taste of what the hobby was about. I was hooked.
But I needed a different bike. I realize that new gear won't make up for a lack of experience or bad technique, but the ol' Schwinn was an accident waiting to happen. I wanted to benefit from the advances in bicycle technology over the past 20 years.
There were two pieces of shopping advice for noobs that I kept seeing, so I thought they had some merit:
At first I considered finding a bike on Craigslist, as there appeared to be many "good deals" on gently used bikes priced much lower than retail. But I stuck to the above advice and looking back I'm glad I did. I visited 2 local bike shops and got a chance to ride and compare 5 different bikes. Though they were all somewhat similar, it was the small differences that made one fit more comfortably over another.
My first stop was at Bicycle Garage Indy South. The sales lady was very nice and helpful. I started by trying a 19" frame but quickly found it didn't quite fit my short-legged long-torso body. I was stretching too much and it was locking out my arms. Switching to a 17.5" frame was the solution. Knowing that, I then tried entry-level mountain bikes from Trek, Giant, and Cannondale. Of those I liked the Trek best, then the Cannondale, then the Giant.
Next stop was at Gray Goat Sports. I liked the salesman there better than the gal at BGI. While working on an initial fitting he agreed that the 17.5" frame was best suited to me. He showed me bikes from Specialized and Raleigh. I knew in the first 10 seconds of riding that the Specialized was my fit. It's tough to describe, but I simply felt more natural and in control on the Specialized.
I'll admit to experiencing some initial sticker shock when I first began shopping for a bike. Coming from guns I understand that quality parts cost more $$, but I still wasn't expecting to see price tags in the $3,000-$12,000 range for something I first enjoyed as a child (and that I power myself). After that initial shock I did find that entry-level bikes for beginners can be found for around $600. So that's where I was aiming.
The bike I finally settled on was a 2014 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc 29er from Gray Goat Sports. I felt this bike fit me the best, and I liked the people at the shop. One thing they offer is complimentary tune-ups for the first 5 years. As someone new to biking this maintenance-free aspect was very enticing. BGI didn't offer such a warranty. Gray Goat also offered complimentary fitting, wherein they adjust various features of the bike to optimize the controls for me personally. BGI offered a $35 coupon toward their $100 fitting service. Gray Goat gives their customers 10% off all accessory purchases for the first year, while BGI gives 10% off accessories with the initial bike purchase. I paid $669 for the bike which came to $715.83 after tax. For my money I got a new-generation bike that I can begin exploring the hobby with, and a local shop that will stand behind me as I go. I went looking for a good value and I think I found it.
The day after purchase I went back to Gray Goat Sports to browse their selection of accessories. One of the sales guys, Ben, spent over an hour with me going over everything from helmets to riding shorts to gloves to headlights to clipless pedals and beyond. I ended up buying my first ever bike helmet. I also stayed for their free Tuesday night maintenance clinic, wherein they let customers bring in their bikes and teach them how to perform basic maintenance functions. Did I mention this education was FREE? I was paired up with one of their part-time techs and he showed me how to repair a flat tire while on the trail. I removed my own rear tire on my own bike, once under supervision and once on my own. It was a cool learning experience and it helped to take some of the mystery out of the bike. I look forward to attending more of the clinics.
And of course, as these things go, between work and the rain, I've gotten about 20 minutes of riding in over the past 4 days. I'm dying to get out and break in the bike on some back roads. Then I'll take it back to the shop to have things tightened and re-adjusted before I hit more trails.
So that's where I'm currently at. Still VERY new, but knowing more now than I did 4 weeks ago. There was a moment during my first trail ride when I was all alone (because I'm slow . . . ) and I was able to look around, admire the scenery, and take in a big deep breath. It was amazingly relaxing, yet exciting, and I'm looking forward to spending more time out there learning something new.
I'll continue to update this thread as I progress. I realize its not gun-related but I consider all INGOers to be my friends and have enjoyed sharing other experiences with the group. Do we have any other mountain bikers here in the Great Outdoors subforum? I'd love to hear your thoughts on best practices and perhaps pitfalls to avoid for a noob.
Oh yeah, almost forgot the obligitory picture . . .
In the 90's I loved the BMX/freestyle/flatland genre of biking. Between the ages of 10 and 14 I could often be found on my MOSH skooled freestyle bike tearing up the quiet streets of Nashville, Indiana. I also rode all over my parents' hometown of Union City, Indiana. I enjoyed the freedom and responsibility that biking gave me at that age, and I have many fond memories of spending countless hours trying to perfect tricks that now seem plain or silly.
At 15 years old I discovered cars and driving, and never gave bicycling a second thought. I was in love with internal combustion and 4-wheel conveyance and spent all of high school driving riced-out tuner cars (Civic and Integra). Again I think it was the feeling of freedom that cruising on a summer evening brings that I was really addicted to.
As a married adult with children I was given a 26" Schwinn mountain bike by my father-in-law. It was something he picked up at a garage sale and he thought I'd enjoy riding with the kids. He was right, and my wife and I have enjoyed many neighborhood bike rides with our kids.
The bike I was gifted was a mid-90's model Schwinn that probably sold new for $150 at Walmart. It worked for the easy tasks I used it for, but its heavy steel frame, clunky front suspension, outdated rim brakes, and awkward grip shifter left it totally unfit for any serious riding (especially off-road riding).
Which brings us to today.
Recently I had been considering spending more time on a bicycle. I had various motivations for this idea, like wanting to spend more time outdoors, having a hobby that actually increased my fitness level, and having fun while shaking off work and family stress. Then I had to decide between road biking and mountain biking. Though road biking is probably more practical for me as a suburbanite, the draw of wooded trails and challenging terrain was just too much for me to ignore. That, and I don't do Spandex.
So mountain biking it is. And as with any new endeavor that I set my sights on, first came the research phase. I quickly found that, like guns, the learning curve for mountain biking is quite steep. I found myself much like the newbie INGOer, searching for an acronym glossary and explanations as to the various hobby-specific terminology. Some of the more technical articles I found appeared to be written in an entirely different language. And once I started to figure out the bikes themselves, I was still clueless as to all the other facets, like accessories, riding styles and techniques, common enthusiast debates, and industry issues.
While in my research phase I was lucky enough to come across an acquaintance who rides trails a couple times a week after work. Though we had never met he was kind enough to invite me out to Southwestway Park on the southwest side of Indy to ride for a few hours. I took along my not-so-trusty Schwinn and tried my best to keep up. I didn't. After the first 20 minutes I thought my lungs were going to explode and that I had made a terrible mistake. But after sticking with it I learned a few things and had an absolute blast. It was a great experience and it gave me a taste of what the hobby was about. I was hooked.
But I needed a different bike. I realize that new gear won't make up for a lack of experience or bad technique, but the ol' Schwinn was an accident waiting to happen. I wanted to benefit from the advances in bicycle technology over the past 20 years.
There were two pieces of shopping advice for noobs that I kept seeing, so I thought they had some merit:
- Buy the right size bike that fits your body and riding style
- Buy from a local bike shop so you can ride and compare bikes to find the one that fits you best
At first I considered finding a bike on Craigslist, as there appeared to be many "good deals" on gently used bikes priced much lower than retail. But I stuck to the above advice and looking back I'm glad I did. I visited 2 local bike shops and got a chance to ride and compare 5 different bikes. Though they were all somewhat similar, it was the small differences that made one fit more comfortably over another.
My first stop was at Bicycle Garage Indy South. The sales lady was very nice and helpful. I started by trying a 19" frame but quickly found it didn't quite fit my short-legged long-torso body. I was stretching too much and it was locking out my arms. Switching to a 17.5" frame was the solution. Knowing that, I then tried entry-level mountain bikes from Trek, Giant, and Cannondale. Of those I liked the Trek best, then the Cannondale, then the Giant.
Next stop was at Gray Goat Sports. I liked the salesman there better than the gal at BGI. While working on an initial fitting he agreed that the 17.5" frame was best suited to me. He showed me bikes from Specialized and Raleigh. I knew in the first 10 seconds of riding that the Specialized was my fit. It's tough to describe, but I simply felt more natural and in control on the Specialized.
I'll admit to experiencing some initial sticker shock when I first began shopping for a bike. Coming from guns I understand that quality parts cost more $$, but I still wasn't expecting to see price tags in the $3,000-$12,000 range for something I first enjoyed as a child (and that I power myself). After that initial shock I did find that entry-level bikes for beginners can be found for around $600. So that's where I was aiming.
The bike I finally settled on was a 2014 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc 29er from Gray Goat Sports. I felt this bike fit me the best, and I liked the people at the shop. One thing they offer is complimentary tune-ups for the first 5 years. As someone new to biking this maintenance-free aspect was very enticing. BGI didn't offer such a warranty. Gray Goat also offered complimentary fitting, wherein they adjust various features of the bike to optimize the controls for me personally. BGI offered a $35 coupon toward their $100 fitting service. Gray Goat gives their customers 10% off all accessory purchases for the first year, while BGI gives 10% off accessories with the initial bike purchase. I paid $669 for the bike which came to $715.83 after tax. For my money I got a new-generation bike that I can begin exploring the hobby with, and a local shop that will stand behind me as I go. I went looking for a good value and I think I found it.
The day after purchase I went back to Gray Goat Sports to browse their selection of accessories. One of the sales guys, Ben, spent over an hour with me going over everything from helmets to riding shorts to gloves to headlights to clipless pedals and beyond. I ended up buying my first ever bike helmet. I also stayed for their free Tuesday night maintenance clinic, wherein they let customers bring in their bikes and teach them how to perform basic maintenance functions. Did I mention this education was FREE? I was paired up with one of their part-time techs and he showed me how to repair a flat tire while on the trail. I removed my own rear tire on my own bike, once under supervision and once on my own. It was a cool learning experience and it helped to take some of the mystery out of the bike. I look forward to attending more of the clinics.
And of course, as these things go, between work and the rain, I've gotten about 20 minutes of riding in over the past 4 days. I'm dying to get out and break in the bike on some back roads. Then I'll take it back to the shop to have things tightened and re-adjusted before I hit more trails.
So that's where I'm currently at. Still VERY new, but knowing more now than I did 4 weeks ago. There was a moment during my first trail ride when I was all alone (because I'm slow . . . ) and I was able to look around, admire the scenery, and take in a big deep breath. It was amazingly relaxing, yet exciting, and I'm looking forward to spending more time out there learning something new.
I'll continue to update this thread as I progress. I realize its not gun-related but I consider all INGOers to be my friends and have enjoyed sharing other experiences with the group. Do we have any other mountain bikers here in the Great Outdoors subforum? I'd love to hear your thoughts on best practices and perhaps pitfalls to avoid for a noob.
Oh yeah, almost forgot the obligitory picture . . .
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