jmoney1981

To anyone with knowledge on components. I know everyone would like me to go to the LBS and ride each one. The issue is they don't carry my size 21.5" or 22", and the only way they'll order it is if im going to buy it. So... here are the two links to the bikes I'm looking at..

https://www.feltbicycles.com/USA/2010...ries/Q620.aspx

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...4_series/4500/



If anyone with knowledge of components could please help me. I know the frames are good, its the components I don't really know a lot about. I want to make sure I get the most for the money I can spend, not to mention one I can upgrade later to make a nicer trail bike. Also if anyone has any other ideas on bike combos within a $800 limit, please let me know. I use it to commute everyday and I like to hit the trails as well, but I am a newbie. Thanks in advance.

dminor 

Many of the components are the same or similar; but I would choose the Felt over the Trek. Felt bikes' fit-and-finish and attention to detail are superior (just IMO - take it for what it is) and you avoid getting a bike bristling with Trek's house-brand Bontrager crap. Two other pluses: the Felt's head angle is a full degree more slack (that alone would be big in my book) and you get Shimano hydraulic discs over BB5 mechanicals.

samburger

I would go with the Felt for the same reasons listed above--no Bontrager parts & hydraulic disc brakes.

samburger

Oh & the Felt also has double-wall rims. A little heavier so if you're a gram-cruncher they may not be so appealing, but you'll be glad you have them when you start hauling ass over big roots & taking small-medium sized drop-offs & you don't have to true/replace your rims after every few rides.

BurnNotice

Ahhhh, another almost Felt owner! We seem to be so few for some reason. You will love the the Felt Q 620! LIke I stated in another post...........I have the 720 and made a $999 bike into a $1700 plus sweeeet ride for a hardtail!

ed 

Felt makes MTB's...I thought they just made roadies and recreational hybrids

ed 

Just b/c you're anti-Trek...doesn't mean you have to be pro-Felt.

Of the two mentioned...I'd get a Rockhopper.

dminor 

I know Felt mostly from their way-cool vintage-moto-inspired cruisers and their burly BMXs.

Isn't that reason enough?
Seriously, I got acquainted with Felt because my sponsoring shop is a Felt dealer, so the darn things are in my face all the time. [Sure wish I'd gotten the Vintage Iron Pursang while I had the chance!]

samburger

Second that.

jmoney1981

Ok..Thanks for all the great input. I did like the Felt more so than the Trek, simply because not everyone has one, but I really didn't know the parts either. No offense to trek guys. But a couple of you mentioned the Rockhopper

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/...enuItemId=9253

What makes it better than the Felt Q620 or the Trek? The reason I ask is cause in the end the frame is what matters to me most, I can always upgrade to better components...right? Keep in mind I will probably ride 70% of the time with the Lockout on cause I ride to work, with the occasional rookie trails.

Just to throw this out there as well, being a bigger guy would I like a 29er better? and would it be just as efficiant on the trails? Pro's and con's?

samburger

The Rockhopper has the lightest frame in the price range. That's its biggest appeal. Everything else can be upgrading relatively inexpensively. (well, expensive after it's all said & done, but inexpensively when you upgrade one part at a time) It also comes with a RockShox Dart 3, which is better than just about anything Suntour makes that I've seen. And the fork has a lockout for commuting. Also has SRAM X5 rear derailleur which shifts better than the Shimano Deore from my experience. The only downside from the Felt would be that it has mechanical disc brakes instead of hydraulics. But I prefer mechanical over hydraulic--they're much easier to maintain & tune. This is all referring to the Rockhopper Comp Disc, BTW. Not the entry level Rochhopper. The Comp Disc is in the same price range as the Trek so I'm assuming that wouldn't be an issue.

As for the 29er, it's just about what you prefer. I would think that the 29er would be a better option because you're commuting most of the time & road bikes have 29" wheels, but I could be wrong about that. Off road, the advantages are: more speed, easier rollover. The disadvantages are: harder to pedal (most people can't tell the difference though), bend more easily. For rookie mountain biking, I wouldn't be worried about the wheels bending. I would think the wheel size would make much of a difference with the size of the rider since most of the ergonomics are determined by frame size, stem, handlebars, seat, etc. But again, I could be wrong.

TwoHeadsBrewing

If it has to be one of those two, I'd go with the Trek. I'd rather have the simplicity of BB5 mechs than low-end hydraulics. Unless you plan on doing some crazy downhill, mechanicals will serve you just fine and deliver plenty of stopping power. They are very similar bike, and either one will get the job done.

If you're not worried about ordering on the internet and assembling a bike on your own, check out bikesdirect. I have two bikes from them, a Windsor Knight road bike and a Windsor Cliff Pro 29er. The Cliff was $700 delivered and came with a Tora Solo Air fork, Avid Juicy Five hydraulic brakes, SRAM X-7 shifters and deraillers, and a Truvativ FiveD crankset. It's worth a look, especially if you're a DIY kind of person. I've railed that bike pretty hard, and crashed it several times over the past few months and it's held up fine to the abuse. On top of that, the suspension action and shifting are super smooth, much better than a typical entry-level priced bike.

Copper Clyde

Im a large one myself (6'4", 260) and Ive been eyeballin' this one. Lets see if this n00b can link?https://www.diamondback.com/bikes/mtn.../overdrive-10/ It runs around $650.

Fam

The problem with that Diamondback is the Dart3 shock. From everything I've read it's barely decent for an average size rider. They usually recommend the Rock Shox Tora, 318 preferrably, as lowest grade shock for us Clydes.

samburger

The Dart Series is still better than anything Suntour or RST, & you aren't going to find anything better than that on a bike <$1000 unless you go to bikesdirect.com & know how to put the bike together & tune it yourself.

bikingsoul

I dont know. That Felt looks AWSOME..........

dminor 

Watch yourself, there, before you start telling more than you know.

samburger

Fair enough. I forget sometimes that RST does make some really nice stuff. I stand by my work for Suntour though. Minus the Axon series.

common man

sheesh, the 26 vs 29er topic is another 200 threads by itself! they say that big guys find a better fit with the 29ers. besides, it'll look funny with a tall guy like you sitting on a donut size 26er! there are many "back and forth" pros and cons that are not proven and are contradicted by various people with different experiences...you should go to the shop and try out both and see for your self

supposed pros for the 26: (1) smaller wheels have lower rotational inertia and accelerate faster. commuters who stop and start often at lights and stops signs may benefit from this. (2) has better handling for getting through tough spots (3) tried and tested for a long time...hence much wider selection of tires, forks, etc. the geometry is probably optimized by now.

supposed pros for the 29er: (1) better fit for big guys (2) better ride quality because the larger tires are even cushier (3) more slack geometry, at least in the case of GF. this can be a good thing (for me) or a bad thing depending on you. (4) less likely to endo (5) higher up handlebars (i like this) by design of the geometry rather than odd stem angle or steerer extender which may fudge with the geometry (6) better traction because greater angle of attack

somethings i said like higher handlebars - you can check for yourself with specific models. forum discussions are for you to know what qualities to look for but ultimately you decide when you test it out. if you search for the 100s of 26 vs 29 (you'll get bored after so many threads), you'll see contradictions. some say the 26 climbs better while others say the 29. i wonder if the terrain matters too (they never mention). of course a 29er will climb faster when the terrain has big roots and obstructions...it just rolls over them easier.

because i'm a conservative shopper, i usually go with things that are tried and tested...the 26. i'm not sure on the 29er just yet. only a few years ago trek / gf revised the geometry to genesis g2. it seems like all they did was change the fork offset. it seems to me like the 29er is still in the process of being optimized. yet, i'm willing to give the 29er a chance and am leaning towards it. sadly at 5'9" i'm not a big guy like you and trek raised the standover heights for all the models by almost an inch. maybe next year for me.

definitely try them out and take your time with your purchase. i personally like the fact that everyone has a trek...it's like a toyota (before the brake problem)...it's tried, tested, and reliable. that's a good thing

common man

i agree with you on mechanical vs low-end hydraulics. i usually try to discourage people from spending too much money but in this case i strongly recommend upgrading the bb5 for a bb7. i hear that the bb5 requires adjusting before every ride! that's ridiculous. i've heard horror stories (just recently) about what a PITA bb5s were! i've heard always good things for the bb7 except from those who use hydraulics and like to knock on mechanicals.

jmoney1981

29er sounds like it would be exactly what Im looking for. Is the diamondback a good bike for what I intend to do? I saw someone said that the Dart 3 shocks aren't that good, any opinions? I can always upgrade later...

samburger

No fork on a bike <$1000 is going to be any better than the Dart 3. https://blueskycycling.com has the RockShox Tora 302 for $150. That's about the best deal you're going to find as far as an upgrade, unless you can find a better used one.

Copper Clyde

The problem Ive found is LBS doesnt seem to carry that many 29ers to compare with (along with tall MTBs.) Seems my timing is bad with the 2011s supposedly coming out soon. Out of all the bike websites Ive visited most of the <$1000 bikes do come with either RST or SR Suntour. Thats the problem with having limited funds when searching for a new toy. Ya gotta decide where to cut coners.

naiku

I have the 2009 version of this bike, highly recommended, I have had mine for about 18 months now and it has never once let me down. So far the only things I different from stock are the brake levers (switched to Avid Speed Dial 7's) and put on some SPD pedals.

BB5's do not have to be adjusted before every ride, and once you know how to, they are actually easy to adjust. The BB7's are easier in that they have adjusters on the inboard and outboard pads, BB5's only have it on the inboard pad. I have had no issues with mine, however, I do want to upgrade to the BB7's.

samburger

I've read/heard mixed reviews on the BB5's. Half the people say they're utter crap & have to be adjusted constantly, others say they're great & have had no problems at all. So it seems like not all BB5's are created equal. BB7's, on the other hand, are great all the time from what I've heard. And from blueskycycling.com, they're only $42 a piece. So it seems like a no-brainer to me since you can get BB7's for the same price most BB5's sell for.