Topic: Any Mountain Bikers in here?

[DaytonGuy]

Trying to get a bike up and running.  I just picked up a Mongoose Otero Super frame for $70.  It's new, never built, so I think I got a GREAT deal.....now I just need to start buying parts.  Sounds like the beginning of any SOHC4 thread.

Anyone want to share pics of their MTB?

[Glenn Stauffer]

No pics, but I ride a fairly old school Bridgestone MB-1.  No suspension and now done over as a single speed since I got bored with shifting and don't have the time or condition I once had.  Still a great way to get back to the trout streams in the woods or to ride a rail trail with my 5 year old daughter.

[Trav-i]

I ride too.  Both on and off road, but lately I've been doing some spin classes at the gym since I've been to busy to get out to the trails.  I have 3 different rigs right now, 1st is my 08 Scott Scale 70, it might be the entry level bike in that line but it has some great parts on it.  I ride pretty hard (and yes I do get hurt pretty often ), and this bike keeps up with me so I'm pretty happy with it.  2nd is my 04 Giant TCR road bike.  Mostly Ultegra drivetrain, and 105 brakes although I think I should have spent the extra 500 dollars and gone carbon instead of alum.  Then lastly is my fixie.  Currently running a 48-16 setup, I made it out of an early 90's Specialized Allez Comp.

Here are a couple of pics,

My Scott



My Fixed Grear



My Giant TCR

[Duanob]

Too busy ridin' to take pics  All my MTBs are FSR Specialized. Just picked up a sweet older FSR for my wife. Just did a 14 mile muddy buddy ride last weekend complete with bear killed deer carcass. Now we have snow and ice and 20 degrees. I may have to go for a ride today  Definitely not getting on the Honda anytime soon 

[tramp]

got a trek 850 thats about 10yrs old
keep it clean and oiled
just back roads here to ride
2nd set of tires
good for another 10yr's

[754]

I am into fat tire original ballooners..

 But lately keep looking at snowbikes.. cant buy one right now. But could modify a cruiser, if I had a wheelset. I figure 3.8inch  tires would be cush enough to get over curbs for daily use without suspension. They look pretty cool.

 Saw nice ones the other day with 2 discs for 1499.00

[DaytonGuy]

Sweet pics!  I have an 1992 Trek 1200 that I tore down and had repainted.  I upgraded the downtube shifters to 9 speed Ultegra integrated shifters.  That's my primary rider.  I have an older pacific Mountain bike that I'm going to repaint and turn into a fixie.  That will become my "grocery getter" for short trips to the store, hair cut, etc.  It won’t hurt so much if someone decides to run off with it.  I'm going to make a conscious effort to ride more this coming year and leave the Jeep at home when I can.  Save money, help the environment, and most importantly...loose weight!

I've started buying parts for my Otero.  I have a Rock Shox Tora disc fork, and a sweet set of Vuelta, all mountain wheels in white coming in the mail.  So far my wish list of parts is just over $1,000, but I'm going to do my best on ebay and see if I can get the final tally down in the $600 - $700 range. 

Here are a couple pics:

Otero Frame...



Road Bike...

[Trav-i]

That's one thing I have found out the hard way, building a bike is so much more expensive then buying one already done.  The only mod I have done to any of them (save for the fixed gear) is to run a Ritchey rear tire on the Scott, I like the more agressive tread pattern.  At some point the Scott will get discs, it already has disc hubs but they only fit Shimano spline discs.  And I will probably use Avid BB7 calipers just because they're bullet proof.  Other then that no big big plans for any of them right now, except to get a full suspension Epic someday.

[DaytonGuy]

It may be more expensive, but you get what you want and know what you have.  Actually when the Otero was new, fully built the MSRP was $1,000, so I'll be in the ballpark. 

I'm with you on the Avid BB7's.  They are on my wish list, althought I'm watching a set of Juicy's on ebay right now.  I may try to pick those up if the price in right.  I'll put pictures up of the build along the way for those interested.

[socalenduro]

Mountain biking is my first love, i even used to own a shop






i say build away. however make sure you love that frame, not just that youre using it because its a great deal, as you will defn spend way more building it than you could just going and getting a new bike. If you really build that bike for around 1100-1200 your doing good, 1k is about the minimum to get a real trail bike.
Spend the money on hydraulic discs. the price has feel so far these days and the worst hydros are better than the best mechanicals.
www.jensonusa.com www.cambriabike.com and www.pricepoint.com will be your best friends (unless you support your local shop, but its hard)

[tramp]

never used hydralic brakes before
are they that much better than mechanical?

[DaytonGuy]

Well since this is my first mountain bike, I'm not sure if I'll love the frame or not, but I'm about to find out.     I know Mongoose has a bad reputation because of the junk they sell at walmart and such, but they make higher end stuff too.  The Otero is their entry level bike in their high quality bikes.  They range from $700 - $1000.  Their Canaan and Teocali models sells for $4000.  I'm sure I'll be happy with it.  I'm going to try and keep the weight down the best my budget will allow.  Will I love it?  Only time will tell.

That's a pretty sweet bike by the way.

I've never used hydraulic brakes either, but I've always heard the same thing.....the worst hydraulics will be better than the best mechanical brakes in terms of stopping power and feel.

[socalenduro]

mongoose has turned them selves around...they used to have a different parent company or something. but they do make nice bikes now.
they even carry a full sponsored team

yes hydros are sooo much better. most mechanicals are still a slave piston and only one dynamic piston, vs most hydros except the super cheap ones are floating caliper... plus the obvious power and modulation. you can get a set of last years or 08s hayes for around a hundred bucks, and are well worth the money.

[DaytonGuy]

socal...

Would you go with the Hayes El Camino or the Hayes HFX-9?  I found a set of Avid Juicy 3 but they are in Hong Kong and I'm afraid they would be knockoffs or something.  Anyway, I assume either of the Hayes sets here would be comparable?

Any help would be great.

Thanks,

[socalenduro]

both are great breaks.
i have juicy 7s on mine and im not overly happy with them. I ride pretty aggressively and they just seem to lack a little bit of stopping power. I used to ride fx-9's with 8" rotors and loved them, i think the el caminos are a newer model and a little nicer.
for a cross country rig either of those will be killer brakes with 6" rotors.

what kind of prices are you finding? with a quick look i found

http://wheelworld.com/product/hayes-hayes-el-camino-brakes-3471.htm
http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/18123-115_HAYRD8-3-Parts-158-Brakes/Disc/Hayes-Stroker-Ryde-Disc-Brake.htm

[DaytonGuy]

Thanks.

I found both set (front and rear) in the $85 range + shipping.  Neither set includes rotors.

[socalenduro]

new or used?

you'll also need brand specific adaptors. They are around $10 each (also specify the size of the rotors when ordering)
there are also two types of rotors now. the standard bolt ons, and shimano's splined. i dont think either are better than the other, just depends on what wheelset you get

[DaytonGuy]

They are both advertised as new.  The El Caminos were a take off items from new bike, so they are not in original packaging. 

I figured I'll need adapters.  The frame is an IS mount.  I'm not sure about my fork as I am buying a Rock Shox Tora from my friend and haven't seen the fork and haven't asked him about the mount type.  So do I get the adapters from Hayes?  I'll need standard 6 bolt rotors.

Thanks for you input on these things.  It's nice to bounce these things off of someone who knows a whole lot more than I do.

[754]

.. Nobody likes the Snow bikes...

[DaytonGuy]

It's not that I don't like snow bikes, I just don't know much about them.  In Ohio it only snows about 3 months a year, so I'm not sure how practical they are for snow riding compaired to the cost.

If you just like the look of a fat tire bike, then by all mean, ride on!   

I like the look, but all I can think about is rolling resistance.  Those things probably wouldn't make very good road or path bikes....at least not very efficient anyway.

+1 on the cool factor.

[socalenduro]

i like ALL bikes

you'll need something like this for the rear

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/11305-115_HAYR00-3-Parts-158-Brakes/Disc/Hayes-Disc-Brake-Adapter-Rear-International-Standard-Mount.htm

i THINK the hayes bolt right onto a rockshox (its 74 post vs 51 IS for forks)

These are the items i try to go to a non chain local shop to buy. They will give you great advice and it will only cost you like 5-10 bucks more total. (i use the internet too, as its hard to pay $50-150 extra just to support your local)
Just tell them the fork and the brakes you have and they should have this stuff in stock.