Originally Posted by
Obeast
I have saved up around $1200 and looking for a once-upon-a-time high end 26 mountain bike (hard tail), probably made somewhere around 2005-2015, that most people considered obsolete nowadays. What brands or models should I be looking at? I ride mostly old steel 26 mountain bikes for commute but I want to upgrade to this thing called disc brakes for the snowy winter.
Obeast
In the late '90s,
Jamis began making the
Dragon mountain bike in Reynolds 853 steel with very good components. In the ~1999-2004 vintage, prices can be down to a couple $hundred when they do pop up. More-recent vintages can get very pricey. As for bang-for-buck, I'd put them on the list as being a darned good example. Made up through 2015MY.
From the
Jamis 2004 catalog (p. 19, PDF file):
.
.
Nothing says you’re serious about XC performance than a quality hardtail, and the Dragon is one of the best factory-built examples you’ll find. Reynolds 853 steel main tubes and double-tapered chrome-moly stays give you the rugged front-end stiffness you need for pedaling efficiency and precision cornering, with the suppleness of steel’s signature ride. We kit it out with a full Shimano XTR drivetrain, and multi-adjustable Fox F80RLT fork with lockout. We even include up-spec Mavic CrossMax Disc SL UST wheels and Hutchinson tubeless Python tires, with Time’s ATAC Classic pedals. All you need is a number plate.
Frame: Reynolds 853 seamless air-hardened cromo main tubes, double tapered cromo stays, Jamis lost wax dropouts
Fork:Fox F80RLT, Terra Logic inertia valve technology, 80mm travel
Wheels: Mavic CrossMax Disc SL, Maxtal SUP rims, FTS sealed cartridge hubs, Zicral spokes Tires:Hutchinson Python Kevlar, 26 x 2.0”, Tubeless
Drivetrain: Shimano XTR rear & front derailleurs, XTR 27-speed Dual Control shifters, XTR 2-piece hollowtech crankset
Brakeset: Shimano XTR disc brakes with XTR Dual Control levers
Cockpit: TruVativ Team flatbar, Team stem, XR double clamp seatpost, Fi:zi’k Gobi saddle
Sizes:13”, 15”, 17”, 19”, 21”
Color:Radium Blue/Gloss Black
Weight:22.50 lbs.