Moose bikes of Canada.
12-21-17, 08:51 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Moose bikes of Canada.
F.W.I.W. Moose bikes headquartered in Montreal has Fatbikes for big riders.
Nice looking rides too.
Nice looking rides too.
12-22-17, 06:29 PM
#2
Newbie
If you want to buy Canadian Rocky and RSD both make better frames and come with better builds for the money.
Last edited by rangie; 12-22-17 at 06:33 PM.
12-28-17, 01:43 PM
#3
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Eh, six of one, half-dozen of the other.
Moose has been deeply discounting their bikes lately so you can get a decent build for a really good price.
Moose has been deeply discounting their bikes lately so you can get a decent build for a really good price.
12-28-17, 03:41 PM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The bag attaches quite securely and looks nice.
The only one I could get is the fat bike 1 which is their basic bike.
It is nice looking but I don't know much about components.
Maybe I should list them here.
12-28-17, 06:29 PM
#5
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OK, so you are clearly new to cycling, based on your posts here - not that there's anything wrong with that.
So here's some things for you to know:
1. The majority of the main parts of any bike - generally, the cranks, cassette, derailleur, shifters, and brakes - but potentially the wheels as well - are typically made by one of three companies: Shimano, SRAM, andCampagnolo. Of these, North American bikes will either be set up with Shimano or SRAM;
2. Both companies grade their components in tiers, and they name them. All components with the same name will be of similar quality and similar price level. So for example, within Shimano for mountain bike components you have Alievio, Deore, Deore XT, and XTR as some of the group names. As you go up the group tiers, you generally get more reliability and better materials, up until usually 1 step down from the top where the major difference to the next tier is usually weight. (So Deore XT and XTR perform the same, but XTR weighs much less).
3. There are also specialized component companies that make other parts of the bike, like seat posts, handlebars, and stems - but may include cranks, hubs, wheels, and so on (but rarely brakes and never derailleurs and shifters). These can be high-end parts like Thompson, RaceFace, and 3T, but they can also be "no-name" or "own brand" as well.
4. So if you want to be a bike company and build your own bikes, you can source all the parts you need for the build from these suppliers. First you decide Shimano or SRAM, then you decide the group tier, and then you can mix and match from either Shimano|SRAM, a specialized manufacturer, or no-name/house brand.
5. For frames, you can either build your own (from tubing or from molds), you can send your design to a Chinese framebuilder to be built to your specs, or you can buy an off-the-shelf Chinese frame from the framebuilder's catalogue.
6. Now it comes down to price. Basically, you try and choose components from the various suppliers so you can hit a specific price point, and you play mix-n-match with different component specs to try and optimize what you think are the important aspects of the build while still hitting your price point. Each model within a line represents this tradeoff between build quality and price point.
*All* bike companies work this way. It is basically building with Lego, or maybe managing a mutual fund. The bigger ones (Norco) or more boutique (DeVinci) have more options - DeVinci, for example, build their own frames (but you pay for that). Norco designs frames for Chinese manufacture. Moose is clearly aiming at affordability over all else, so they are buying 100% off-the-shelf.
When price is no object, you can spec whatever you want and it is all about the whole package. When you are trying to keep things cheap, you are painted into more of a corner - more "no-name/own-brand" components, and lower tiers of the main build group. You have less flexibility to pick and choose because you are so beholden to pricing.
If you look carefully at the bike catalogue of any manufacturer, you can see this process at work.
Now for you *specifically*, I think you are coming at this bass-ackwards. You seem to have picked a manufacturer and model and are looking for justification for that decision. But I don't feel that you've done a really good analysis of what it is you will be using the bike *for*.
The primary advantage of a fatbike over other models is that it is generally more capable over unprepared surfaces - soft soil, sand, snow, or poorly prepared trails are where it shines. But like a monster truck, it fares very poorly (compared to alternatives) on prepared surfaces like good singletrack, gravel trails, or roads. Fatbikes are "go anywhere, slowly" where road bikes, cross bikes, XC bikes etc are "go very quickly under a certain set of circumstances".
Your first step is to determine if those "special circumstances" for your specific use case exist - because then you will be *much* happier with something other than a fatbike.
Note that there are very good winter commuting tires out there. They won't cross snowy fields, but they will handle winter city streets just fine.
So here's some things for you to know:
1. The majority of the main parts of any bike - generally, the cranks, cassette, derailleur, shifters, and brakes - but potentially the wheels as well - are typically made by one of three companies: Shimano, SRAM, andCampagnolo. Of these, North American bikes will either be set up with Shimano or SRAM;
2. Both companies grade their components in tiers, and they name them. All components with the same name will be of similar quality and similar price level. So for example, within Shimano for mountain bike components you have Alievio, Deore, Deore XT, and XTR as some of the group names. As you go up the group tiers, you generally get more reliability and better materials, up until usually 1 step down from the top where the major difference to the next tier is usually weight. (So Deore XT and XTR perform the same, but XTR weighs much less).
3. There are also specialized component companies that make other parts of the bike, like seat posts, handlebars, and stems - but may include cranks, hubs, wheels, and so on (but rarely brakes and never derailleurs and shifters). These can be high-end parts like Thompson, RaceFace, and 3T, but they can also be "no-name" or "own brand" as well.
4. So if you want to be a bike company and build your own bikes, you can source all the parts you need for the build from these suppliers. First you decide Shimano or SRAM, then you decide the group tier, and then you can mix and match from either Shimano|SRAM, a specialized manufacturer, or no-name/house brand.
5. For frames, you can either build your own (from tubing or from molds), you can send your design to a Chinese framebuilder to be built to your specs, or you can buy an off-the-shelf Chinese frame from the framebuilder's catalogue.
6. Now it comes down to price. Basically, you try and choose components from the various suppliers so you can hit a specific price point, and you play mix-n-match with different component specs to try and optimize what you think are the important aspects of the build while still hitting your price point. Each model within a line represents this tradeoff between build quality and price point.
*All* bike companies work this way. It is basically building with Lego, or maybe managing a mutual fund. The bigger ones (Norco) or more boutique (DeVinci) have more options - DeVinci, for example, build their own frames (but you pay for that). Norco designs frames for Chinese manufacture. Moose is clearly aiming at affordability over all else, so they are buying 100% off-the-shelf.
When price is no object, you can spec whatever you want and it is all about the whole package. When you are trying to keep things cheap, you are painted into more of a corner - more "no-name/own-brand" components, and lower tiers of the main build group. You have less flexibility to pick and choose because you are so beholden to pricing.
If you look carefully at the bike catalogue of any manufacturer, you can see this process at work.
Now for you *specifically*, I think you are coming at this bass-ackwards. You seem to have picked a manufacturer and model and are looking for justification for that decision. But I don't feel that you've done a really good analysis of what it is you will be using the bike *for*.
The primary advantage of a fatbike over other models is that it is generally more capable over unprepared surfaces - soft soil, sand, snow, or poorly prepared trails are where it shines. But like a monster truck, it fares very poorly (compared to alternatives) on prepared surfaces like good singletrack, gravel trails, or roads. Fatbikes are "go anywhere, slowly" where road bikes, cross bikes, XC bikes etc are "go very quickly under a certain set of circumstances".
Your first step is to determine if those "special circumstances" for your specific use case exist - because then you will be *much* happier with something other than a fatbike.
Note that there are very good winter commuting tires out there. They won't cross snowy fields, but they will handle winter city streets just fine.
12-28-17, 07:28 PM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
A very concise post.
Yes I kind of did go at it in an awkward manner.
I wasn't looking at fat bikes per sé but bikes I could afford that handled my weight.
I am about two seventy now and was breaking spokes on my Norco hybrid.
Someone mentioned moose bikes and I instantly fell in love with their look.
I agree they are not what I need whatever I think of their looks.
I will probably end up with a mountain bike. My roads winter and summer are killers.
There are more potholes and cracks than pavement.
Thanks again for your frank observations.
Yes I kind of did go at it in an awkward manner.
I wasn't looking at fat bikes per sé but bikes I could afford that handled my weight.
I am about two seventy now and was breaking spokes on my Norco hybrid.
Someone mentioned moose bikes and I instantly fell in love with their look.
I agree they are not what I need whatever I think of their looks.
I will probably end up with a mountain bike. My roads winter and summer are killers.
There are more potholes and cracks than pavement.
Thanks again for your frank observations.
12-28-17, 08:33 PM
#7
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Gagetown, New Brunswick
Posts: 1,555
Bikes: Cervelo S1, Norco Faze 1 SL, Surly Big Dummy, Moose Fatbike
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OK, now we are getting somewhere.
First off, I now know your market segment - you are a "Clydesdale" (like the horse). There is a forum here already set up for you and your needs.
270 is on the heavy side for a cyclist (and I'm knocking on that door again myself; that's why I'm riding again...) but it is *well* within the weight limits of all but the most weight weenie of bikes. You don't especially need a bike made to carry extra weight.
So why are you breaking spokes on the hybrid?
That has to do with what "hybrids" really are.
It goes like this:
Guy walks into a bike shop, says he wants to buy a bike, and he's new. Hasn't ridden since he was a kid. Salesdude asks some questions, and finds out that the plan is to ride bike paths/MUP, maybe some light commuting - neighbourhood stuff. 90% pavement with maybe some hardpack dirt riding.
The natural fit for this customer is an entry-level road bike - but customer takes one look at the drop bars and panics. The drop bars conjure up images of being hunched right over like Lance on the Tour de France. Those bars scream "back pain!" and "uncomfortable!" and even though the sales dude tries to explain that you can set up drop bars to be as upright as you like and they provide a ton of hand positions (so they are WAY more comfortable) the customer can't get past his fear (he's new, right?) and he leaves.
Lost sale.
So the bike manufacturers started taking their mountain bike frames and basically sticking road bike wheels/tires on them. Even though they offer a worse riding experience than a proper road bike, they don't scare novices. BUT there's no vertical growth to this market, because once a hybrid owner figures out all that's wrong with the hybrid concept, they move over to a road bike. There are no "high-end" hybrids because a high-end hybrid is really an entry-level road bike.
And as well as being scared of drop bars, novices are SUPER price-sensitive. So they are cost-reduced as much as they possibly can.
The wheels on that hybrid are almost certainly as cheap as they can get without crossing the line to Canadian Tire CCM Bicycle Shaped Object. That is why they are breaking. You aren't too heavy for a bike, you are too heavy for junk.
I love Norco. My race MTB is a Norco. But they aren't fools and they will make and sell to *any* market segment - and when you are working to a $500 (or less) price point, you don't have much room to work with in terms of quality. Their hybrids are universally junk.
My advice to you is this:
1. Short-term, upgrade the wheels on your hybrid. This will keep you riding while you build up funds for the real solution. Depending on the setup of your bike (is it 26", 29", or 700C wheels? What hub is on it?) there are *plenty* of good used wheels you can buy that will be stronger than what you have now; and
2. What you want is a "gravel bike" (which crosses over to a cyclecross bike). This is a road bike with wider tires. Something like this: https://www.norco.com/bikes/road/adventure/search-alu/ or this https://www.norco.com/bikes/road/cyc...threshold-alu/ These come with 1" wide tires (and will fit 1.25") which makes them capable of taking on dirt roads, potholes, cracks etc comfortably. It can be set up to ride well with you as you are, and then you'll grow into it as you get fitter.
It sounds like that's out of your price range at the moment - so save up for it. I'd go with one of these three: https://www.norco.com/bikes/compare/...ch-a-105-hydro Tiagra is OK, 105 is real bike stuff, and the 105 hydro has hydraulic discs that are WAY nicer than mechanical discs.
Or you find something similar from a different manufacturer. Bottom line is road bike with wide (32mm to 45mm) tires.
Good luck!
First off, I now know your market segment - you are a "Clydesdale" (like the horse). There is a forum here already set up for you and your needs.
270 is on the heavy side for a cyclist (and I'm knocking on that door again myself; that's why I'm riding again...) but it is *well* within the weight limits of all but the most weight weenie of bikes. You don't especially need a bike made to carry extra weight.
So why are you breaking spokes on the hybrid?
That has to do with what "hybrids" really are.
It goes like this:
Guy walks into a bike shop, says he wants to buy a bike, and he's new. Hasn't ridden since he was a kid. Salesdude asks some questions, and finds out that the plan is to ride bike paths/MUP, maybe some light commuting - neighbourhood stuff. 90% pavement with maybe some hardpack dirt riding.
The natural fit for this customer is an entry-level road bike - but customer takes one look at the drop bars and panics. The drop bars conjure up images of being hunched right over like Lance on the Tour de France. Those bars scream "back pain!" and "uncomfortable!" and even though the sales dude tries to explain that you can set up drop bars to be as upright as you like and they provide a ton of hand positions (so they are WAY more comfortable) the customer can't get past his fear (he's new, right?) and he leaves.
Lost sale.
So the bike manufacturers started taking their mountain bike frames and basically sticking road bike wheels/tires on them. Even though they offer a worse riding experience than a proper road bike, they don't scare novices. BUT there's no vertical growth to this market, because once a hybrid owner figures out all that's wrong with the hybrid concept, they move over to a road bike. There are no "high-end" hybrids because a high-end hybrid is really an entry-level road bike.
And as well as being scared of drop bars, novices are SUPER price-sensitive. So they are cost-reduced as much as they possibly can.
The wheels on that hybrid are almost certainly as cheap as they can get without crossing the line to Canadian Tire CCM Bicycle Shaped Object. That is why they are breaking. You aren't too heavy for a bike, you are too heavy for junk.
I love Norco. My race MTB is a Norco. But they aren't fools and they will make and sell to *any* market segment - and when you are working to a $500 (or less) price point, you don't have much room to work with in terms of quality. Their hybrids are universally junk.
My advice to you is this:
1. Short-term, upgrade the wheels on your hybrid. This will keep you riding while you build up funds for the real solution. Depending on the setup of your bike (is it 26", 29", or 700C wheels? What hub is on it?) there are *plenty* of good used wheels you can buy that will be stronger than what you have now; and
2. What you want is a "gravel bike" (which crosses over to a cyclecross bike). This is a road bike with wider tires. Something like this: https://www.norco.com/bikes/road/adventure/search-alu/ or this https://www.norco.com/bikes/road/cyc...threshold-alu/ These come with 1" wide tires (and will fit 1.25") which makes them capable of taking on dirt roads, potholes, cracks etc comfortably. It can be set up to ride well with you as you are, and then you'll grow into it as you get fitter.
It sounds like that's out of your price range at the moment - so save up for it. I'd go with one of these three: https://www.norco.com/bikes/compare/...ch-a-105-hydro Tiagra is OK, 105 is real bike stuff, and the 105 hydro has hydraulic discs that are WAY nicer than mechanical discs.
Or you find something similar from a different manufacturer. Bottom line is road bike with wide (32mm to 45mm) tires.
Good luck!
12-28-17, 08:59 PM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
OK, now we are getting somewhere.
First off, I now know your market segment - you are a "Clydesdale" (like the horse). There is a forum here already set up for you and your needs.
270 is on the heavy side for a cyclist (and I'm knocking on that door again myself; that's why I'm riding again...) but it is *well* within the weight limits of all but the most weight weenie of bikes. You don't especially need a bike made to carry extra weight.
So why are you breaking spokes on the hybrid?
That has to do with what "hybrids" really are.
It goes like this:
Guy walks into a bike shop, says he wants to buy a bike, and he's new. Hasn't ridden since he was a kid. Salesdude asks some questions, and finds out that the plan is to ride bike paths/MUP, maybe some light commuting - neighbourhood stuff. 90% pavement with maybe some hardpack dirt riding.
The natural fit for this customer is an entry-level road bike - but customer takes one look at the drop bars and panics. The drop bars conjure up images of being hunched right over like Lance on the Tour de France. Those bars scream "back pain!" and "uncomfortable!" and even though the sales dude tries to explain that you can set up drop bars to be as upright as you like and they provide a ton of hand positions (so they are WAY more comfortable) the customer can't get past his fear (he's new, right?) and he leaves.
Lost sale.
So the bike manufacturers started taking their mountain bike frames and basically sticking road bike wheels/tires on them. Even though they offer a worse riding experience than a proper road bike, they don't scare novices. BUT there's no vertical growth to this market, because once a hybrid owner figures out all that's wrong with the hybrid concept, they move over to a road bike. There are no "high-end" hybrids because a high-end hybrid is really an entry-level road bike.
And as well as being scared of drop bars, novices are SUPER price-sensitive. So they are cost-reduced as much as they possibly can.
The wheels on that hybrid are almost certainly as cheap as they can get without crossing the line to Canadian Tire CCM Bicycle Shaped Object. That is why they are breaking. You aren't too heavy for a bike, you are too heavy for junk.
I love Norco. My race MTB is a Norco. But they aren't fools and they will make and sell to *any* market segment - and when you are working to a $500 (or less) price point, you don't have much room to work with in terms of quality. Their hybrids are universally junk.
My advice to you is this:
1. Short-term, upgrade the wheels on your hybrid. This will keep you riding while you build up funds for the real solution. Depending on the setup of your bike (is it 26", 29", or 700C wheels? What hub is on it?) there are *plenty* of good used wheels you can buy that will be stronger than what you have now; and
2. What you want is a "gravel bike" (which crosses over to a cyclecross bike). This is a road bike with wider tires. Something like this: https://www.norco.com/bikes/road/adventure/search-alu/ or this https://www.norco.com/bikes/road/cyc...threshold-alu/ These come with 1" wide tires (and will fit 1.25") which makes them capable of taking on dirt roads, potholes, cracks etc comfortably. It can be set up to ride well with you as you are, and then you'll grow into it as you get fitter.
It sounds like that's out of your price range at the moment - so save up for it. I'd go with one of these three: https://www.norco.com/bikes/compare/...ch-a-105-hydro Tiagra is OK, 105 is real bike stuff, and the 105 hydro has hydraulic discs that are WAY nicer than mechanical discs.
Or you find something similar from a different manufacturer. Bottom line is road bike with wide (32mm to 45mm) tires.
Good luck!
First off, I now know your market segment - you are a "Clydesdale" (like the horse). There is a forum here already set up for you and your needs.
270 is on the heavy side for a cyclist (and I'm knocking on that door again myself; that's why I'm riding again...) but it is *well* within the weight limits of all but the most weight weenie of bikes. You don't especially need a bike made to carry extra weight.
So why are you breaking spokes on the hybrid?
That has to do with what "hybrids" really are.
It goes like this:
Guy walks into a bike shop, says he wants to buy a bike, and he's new. Hasn't ridden since he was a kid. Salesdude asks some questions, and finds out that the plan is to ride bike paths/MUP, maybe some light commuting - neighbourhood stuff. 90% pavement with maybe some hardpack dirt riding.
The natural fit for this customer is an entry-level road bike - but customer takes one look at the drop bars and panics. The drop bars conjure up images of being hunched right over like Lance on the Tour de France. Those bars scream "back pain!" and "uncomfortable!" and even though the sales dude tries to explain that you can set up drop bars to be as upright as you like and they provide a ton of hand positions (so they are WAY more comfortable) the customer can't get past his fear (he's new, right?) and he leaves.
Lost sale.
So the bike manufacturers started taking their mountain bike frames and basically sticking road bike wheels/tires on them. Even though they offer a worse riding experience than a proper road bike, they don't scare novices. BUT there's no vertical growth to this market, because once a hybrid owner figures out all that's wrong with the hybrid concept, they move over to a road bike. There are no "high-end" hybrids because a high-end hybrid is really an entry-level road bike.
And as well as being scared of drop bars, novices are SUPER price-sensitive. So they are cost-reduced as much as they possibly can.
The wheels on that hybrid are almost certainly as cheap as they can get without crossing the line to Canadian Tire CCM Bicycle Shaped Object. That is why they are breaking. You aren't too heavy for a bike, you are too heavy for junk.
I love Norco. My race MTB is a Norco. But they aren't fools and they will make and sell to *any* market segment - and when you are working to a $500 (or less) price point, you don't have much room to work with in terms of quality. Their hybrids are universally junk.
My advice to you is this:
1. Short-term, upgrade the wheels on your hybrid. This will keep you riding while you build up funds for the real solution. Depending on the setup of your bike (is it 26", 29", or 700C wheels? What hub is on it?) there are *plenty* of good used wheels you can buy that will be stronger than what you have now; and
2. What you want is a "gravel bike" (which crosses over to a cyclecross bike). This is a road bike with wider tires. Something like this: https://www.norco.com/bikes/road/adventure/search-alu/ or this https://www.norco.com/bikes/road/cyc...threshold-alu/ These come with 1" wide tires (and will fit 1.25") which makes them capable of taking on dirt roads, potholes, cracks etc comfortably. It can be set up to ride well with you as you are, and then you'll grow into it as you get fitter.
It sounds like that's out of your price range at the moment - so save up for it. I'd go with one of these three: https://www.norco.com/bikes/compare/...ch-a-105-hydro Tiagra is OK, 105 is real bike stuff, and the 105 hydro has hydraulic discs that are WAY nicer than mechanical discs.
Or you find something similar from a different manufacturer. Bottom line is road bike with wide (32mm to 45mm) tires.
Good luck!
I will have to read that over again tomorrow.
There is a lot to digest. I will say that yes I have never liked the low handlebars.
Even more so now as I had a bad motorcycle accident including a severe concussion.
My balance is bad unless my head is over my butt.
I always,always,always wear a helmet.
Every time I hear of someone who doesn't like helmets I tell them
they should have seen me walking two steps forward and one to the side.
See you tomorrow
Last edited by PdalPowr; 12-28-17 at 09:03 PM.
12-29-17, 06:56 PM
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I am still considering what was proposed.
I know I will at least look at gravel bikes before getting a better hybrid.
My L.B.S. is offering me a very nice Cannondale hybrid for a great price.
Yes I agree prices today misled me. The last time I looked at prices was forty five years ago+ -.
That certainly made me think I was getting more bike for my buck.
I know I will at least look at gravel bikes before getting a better hybrid.
My L.B.S. is offering me a very nice Cannondale hybrid for a great price.
Yes I agree prices today misled me. The last time I looked at prices was forty five years ago+ -.
That certainly made me think I was getting more bike for my buck.
