morgothaod

I was wondering if you could give me some tips on how to find a nice mountain bike. Maybe such things as: brands such as ____________ have a good reputation or look for ________ part(s), etc. I just want something that'll stay in gear and not make a lot of annoying sounds (squeaking for example). If you had a budget of $400, what would you look for? I had a Trek Mountain Track 800 for a few years but sold it because I had issues with noise and the chain getting out of gear. Also for my height of 5'7" (male), should I be looking for a 17" frame? Thanks.

hillyman

Might ask this in Mountain Bike forum too. Mountain bikes prices are about worse than road bikes for what you 'need'. Hope you can find a good deal used in your budget.

JayKay3000

I'd personally save up some more $$ and go for something good, that way you won't be buying clunkers.

Personally if I was in the market for a mountain bike a friend of mine loved his Giant Anthem and you can get them for under $1k if you check interwebs.

Also depends whether you want suspension, front, or front and rear and what trails you ride as that will change peoples advice, DH, XC (anthem is XC) and whether you care about wheel size, 26, 27b 29.

I've seen a Trek 4300 in your price range or a Trek fuel ex5 near(ish) your price range. Fantastic bike the fuel.

From my riding experience a mountain bike is a tool of sorts and you really want the best tool for the job. But then again, you don't want to end up over-biked with a downhill bike if what you ride isn't that gnar and loads are trails can be ridden on medium travel hard tail.

Phil_gretz

Please describe how you intend to use this bike. Single track? Gravel riding? Street commuting? Paved path riding?

How you expect to ride will drive what type of "mountain bike" you should be seeking. Whether or not the bike has a suspension, and whether a hardtail can get the job done for you...these need to be discussed.

morgothaod

I plan on riding on mostly smooth flat surfaces. I may go up or down a hill from time to time but I won't be riding on mountain bike trails.

Phil_gretz

Then, depending on your locale, you'll want a rigid fork, steel MTB from the 1990s or so. Many can be found in the $100 range, which will give you room for a bike shop to repack the bearings, replace cables, true rims and the like. Also, margin for 26 x 1.5" slick tires, maybe a saddle to your liking.

Where are you located? Folks on this site love to find Craigslist ads to help you spend your money.

hillyman

Maybe a flat bar road bike. I hesitate to call it a hybrid. Those are sweet

hillyman

$400 new from bikes direct

morgothaod

St. Petersburg, FL

alcjphil

Given the further information from the OP: You don't need or even want a "mountain bike" you said "I had a Trek Mountain Track 800 for a few years but sold it because I had issues with noise and the chain getting out of gear." How much maintenance did you do while you owned it? Squeaking while pedalling mostly indicates a chain needing lubrication. If you ride a bike until something goes wrong, it is inevitable that something will go wrong, without fail, no matter how good a bike it was when you bought it. Bicycles need to be cared for, cleaning them is good for them. Lubricating them extends their useful life. Replacing worn parts extends their lifespan. If you just ride a bike until it breaks down, it will break down

morgothaod

Unfortunately the only things I know how to do are clean/lube chain and put a new tire tube in. I'm not sure how to spot a potential problem before I actually have a problem.

hillyman

That was my concern if you buy a used bike. Might be well taken care of. Might need no telling what replaced. Can get expensive having bike shop work on it. New should be good for quite awhile and with YouTube and bikeforums you can learn to do most things yourself.

Maelochs

Okay.

First off, in all likelihood your old bike needed a good cleaning a five minutes of adjustment and would have been excellent.

If you cannot do basic maintenance, take it to a shop. If you are not going to do maintenance yourself or pay someone else, don't get a bike.

No problem if you cannot do any bike mechanics and/or don't want to. no reason you should---spend your time doing things you'd rather do. But if you don't spend time you will have to spend money, because nothing doesn't need maintenance. if you have ever owned a car, you either know this, or are going to find out soon in a big, big way.

Good thing is, if you keep on top of it, you can keep a bike running like new for very little money.

Obviously you need to clean the chain, and lube it. Chains will last a long time, particularly if you don't ride hard or long. But if you let them get dirty and wet, then let them sit, then ride them without cleaning, you can tear up your chain and also your cassettes and chain ring.

Bike mostly shift via cables, and cables stretch after a while, and need to be readjusted. Also, your rear derailleur could use a little cleaning now and then (just scraping off the caked-on dirty grease with a screwdriver is often a huge improvement.) And when the chain keeps jumping out of gear, you probably need the derailleur adjusted. it could be a link in the chain is tuck (which is why you keep it clean) or it could be there is a huge mass of hard greasy dirt on one of the idler pulleys, but most likely you need a little adjustment. Any bike shop can do it for you, or you can learn to do it yourself with an online-video from Park Tools or YouTube. Either way .... throwing a bike away because it needs a 30-second adjustment is not generally considered economically sound.

As for buying a used bike .... how could you tell if the bike was a piece of junk which would die ten miles down the road, or a solid deal which just needed some clean-up, a few simple parts, and some basic maintenance? Many used bikes need new cables, new tubes, maybe tires if the tires are dry-rotted, often a new chain, and often a sound cleaning and some re-lubrication.

However, a person could take a bike with shot bearings, a pitted headset, and a sloppy bottom bracket and jam, wedge, and cram all the loose parts tight, and loosen the tight parts and pack them with grease, and fool someone who didn't know any better.

if I were you I would consider a new bike.

Also ... I have a LOT of experience with BikesDirect. (In fact, I still have one of their bikes on my rack, ready to ride, right now.) Great place to get bikes if you are not trying to impress people with the decals, but want a solid bike at a very good price.

You must be aware: You will need to do minor assembly (straighten and tighten the handlebars, insert the wheels, insert and tighten the seat,) and the bike will need adjustment. If I were a new rider buying from BikesDirect, i would visit my local shop and ask them how much they would charge to adjust the brakes and shifters and tighten the spokes. Also, after a few weeks you would need to bring it back for a second check, so bargain for that in the original price.

I was on a tour that used 24 BikesDirect bikes, and in every case, after we did the initial set-up and then checked all the wheels after several days, the bikes rode flawlessly for about 3000 miles---All of them. And I still have one which still works just fine, five years later.

Further: I am not sure why you think you want a mountain bike if you live in St. Pete. I used to ride all over Central Florida and took a few trips to St. Pete. if anything it is flatter than where I live now.

A mountain bike tends to be built for abuse, which means it will be strong but heavy. You will not benefit from the strength in St. Pete, but you will feel the weight. You can buy whatever you want .... but I see a lot of people who spend a lot of money on giant-sized four-wheel-drive SUVs with all the heavy-duty everything who won't even drive across a lawn. All that extra equipment does is cost them fuel mileage and insurance premiums.

Buying a mountain bike for the city is sort of like buying that 4WD HD SUV for the city .... no gain, much loss.

I would suggest a flat-bar road bike, or if you like to ride off curbs but can't lift the front end, maybe a hybrid---but anything with front suspension is either going to be a huge waste or a huge cost (you cannot get a good, cheap suspension front fork---o at least I have never seen one.)

I would suggest a bike with flat handlebars, an upright riding position, and room for wider tires (38-45 mm should be enough.) With that you should get all the comfort, good vision and visibility (important in St. Pete, where quite a few cyclists end up under cars) and the whole bike, even with lights, a lock, a rack, and tubes/tools/etc., won't weight enough to make overpasses and such an issue.

alo

Look into people selling new mountain bikes on the internet. Some work on high volume and low profit margin.

Paul Barnard

$400 can get you a very nice used mountain bike. When you test ride it, you'll run it through all the gears, check the brakes and see if the fork seems to do what it is supposed to do. A quick visual of all of the welds, and you can be reasonably certain that you would have uncovered any issues. Bike brands and part brands don't really matter. Even at the lower price points they can be remarkably functional and reliable. The market isn't heavy with what you are looking for, but with a little patience you can land a good deal. Facebook marketplace and Craigslist are good places to look.

I am a hesitant to broach this topic, but I'll enter into it delicately. A lot of people are going to be facing financial difficulties on account of COVID. Many will need cash to get by until they get back to work. A part of me feels like it would be predatory to scoop up their bargains and a part of me would feel like I was helping them get by in tough times. Irrespective of how you feel about it personally, I believe the market will be rich with good deals on toys in the near future.

Lastly I will touch on the topic of maintenance. I am not selling myself short when I say that I am horrible with mechanical things. Moreover I do not generally learn well independently. I learn better in a master/apprentice face to face relationship. I am pleasantly surprised with what I have been able to accomplish watching videos, particularly those sponsored by Park Tools. You can do 80% of the tuning/maintenance with noting more than a Phillips head screwdriver and a set of metric hex head tools.

Maelochs

Quoted for emphasis.

Phil_gretz

fify

katsup

I was thinking the same and was expecting to buy some nice used bikes. However, the opposite appears to have happened, bikes shops that remain open have gotten very busy and there is significantly more people on the MUP. I now see it has a time to sell my extra bikes and components and they have been moving quickly.

I think that the under $500 market will be hot, unsure about the over $1000 category.

MRT2

I agree with others questioning 1. why you want a mountain bike given that you live in super flat St. Pete and 2. you plan to ride your bike on the street. and 3.Why you sold your old Trek 800 since it sounds like all it needs was some light maintenance.

If you had an old Trek 800, I would say to just fix it up with some street tires and ride it. But since you are starting over, I would suggest a hybrid or maybe even a drop bar bike like the Kona Rove, which is sort of a road bike, but with much wider tires for a more comfortable ride. I like drop bars for their versatility and comfort. Others prefer flat bars.for a more upright riding position and somewhat better control. A flat bar hybrid like the Jamis Coda, Trek FX series or the Giant Escape will be a little cheaper than comparable quality drop bar bikes, so there is that.

Than there is the issue of maintenance. Bikes can last a couple of decades if well maintained, maybe a year or two if neglected. Your choice.

MRT2

I pretty much agree with all your points.

RE: the issue of maintenance. I just got my bike back from my bike mechanic. It was mostly preventive maintenance, but he pointed out to me some issues I had been neglecting. I was rather surprised as there was nothing much wrong with my bike, but even so, he showed me a bunch of issues, including a bottom bracket that was not just in need of lube, but had a buildup of grime that if left another few months, a corroded bold on the stem (and a recommendation to replace the stem), would probably have destroyed the bottom bracket, a seatpost that needed lubrication, some grime built up on the drivetrain, and pivot points that needed lubrication. I have a complete tuneup just 18 months ago, including spraying the inside of the frame with framesaver, but even so, 18 months of use did this.

morgothaod

I appreciate everyone taking the time to help me out. After I sold my Trek bike, I bought a Jamis Citizen 2. I wanted something with a bit more comfortable riding position. So far, I have no problems with it and it is comfortable to ride. However, I feel like I'm going slower on this bike. I also miss the sharper handling, better traction, and better braking of the Trek. From time to time I ride the Ream Wilson Clearwater Trail and feel safer on a Mountain bike (Going down hill at fast speed and having to brake quickly or make a sharp turn). I'll use my Jamis most of the time for my exercise (I do laps in a big parking lot) and the mountain bike for more adventurous riding. How often should I lube the chain if it is not really getting dirty? Also, a bike shop by me offers a $20 tune-up consisting of adjusting brakes/gears, safety check, true wheels, check axles, crank, fork, oil and lube. How often should I have this done to my bicycle? Thanks.

MRT2

Clean the chain with degreaser, then lube with an appropriate chain lube. I use Finish Line Wet, and Finish Line Dry. Not too much, as a chain soaked with lube attracts dirt. You do it as needed. It could be every couple of weeks, or every couple of rides, depending on the conditions you ride in. Obviously, if you ride in wet weather, or ride on dirt or gravel, things will be dirtier than if you only ride on pavement or paved trails in dry weather.

As far as bikes go, if you want something fast, go with a road bike, or a flat bar road bike. I already gave you a few recommendations. (Trek FX, Jamis Coda, Kona Dew, Giant Fastroad ) Mountain bikes ride like tanks on pavement.

As far as the bike shop $20 tuneup, IDK how they can do all that for $20 and still make money.

alcjphil

Well, you miss the sharper handling. Part and parcel of the more relaxed riding position. If you sit up and beg, you will go slower and you will distribute less weight onto the front tire which will contribute to sluggish handling.. Why would you feel that laps of a parking lot could possibly be a worthwhile cycling experience? Riding a bike should be an adventure, every time out. The proper bike for you should be fun and exciting every time. You need the right bike, not a "mountain bike" that you seem to think that you need. Your Trek was probably close to perfect, you chose to dump it when it needed proper maintenance

hillyman

Go with what calls you. I ride a mountain bike because not much in full size folding bikes I can take on the rode with me. Change tires from skinny for rode or fatter for rails to trails. And I don't care about speed anymore. Ride the way that makes you happy.

morgothaod

I like to ride on trails but they are a 30 minute drive from me. The parking lot is next door, so it is just more convenient. I also don't like being around cars (Too many bad drivers here). I did have the Trek serviced a few times but I still ended up having issues. As far as a road bike, I have no idea if I'll like it since I have never been on one!