skwitz

I'm looking to buy a new HT mtb in the $300 price range. i'm not planning on doing any heavy duty trail riding, just some city riding on badly paved roads and once in a while a trail. i don't want a road bike b/c i'll kill the rims. i mean there r so many pot holes a guy driving needs to be careful. i don't want a hybrid either b/c i don't like the upright position. i like to be able to easily lean low for less wind resistance. also i do occasionally hit the trail so i'd rather a mtb.

so i'm looking at these to bikes and i'd like to know ur opinion on which one is better. one is a Gravity BaseCamp 2.0 for $320. Save up to 60% off new Mountain Bikes - MTB - Front Suspension Gravity FSX 2.0
the other is a Dawes Haymaker 1000 for $310. Save up to 60% off new Mountain Bikes - MTB - Dawes Haymaker 1000

i don't want to buy used. and the LBS only has a Raleigh bike with same brakes and shifters for $420.

i just want to know which one is better nothing else. thanx.

Singlespeed92

It depends on where your priorities are on 2 counts...the Gravity has the better fork in that Suntour has an upgrade program allowing one to upgrade from one Suntour fork to a better one on the cheap (not aware of RST having similar-they may have,IDK...),but IMO the Dawes has the better drivetrain. These would be minor differences,as the bikes will perform amazingly similar,weigh about the same/etc-my opinion is based on personal bias from experience with Truvativ drivetrain bits (I'll pick those over almost any other,up to upper-mid level anyways,LOL),and from owning a previous generation RST Cappa (THAT specific fork,the one I personally had,LOL,I always referred to it as the CRAPPA,the new ones may be marginally better,and where I say tomater,you may say tomah-toe). Look at the sizing charts and geo of each,and if possible check a LBS for something similar to get a feel for how it might fit you (comfort and fit are much more important than a few grams worth of drivetrain or suspension bits).

Those brakes will squeal on you (same models that came on my Gravity G29),and that's practically impossible to stop-swap in some Cool Stop pads will help but it will come back. Not horribly so,and their stopping power (ability to lock up either wheel) is decent,modulation isn't so great,BUT,if you tinker with setup until you get it "just right" for your riding style,they'll work fine (I ran them for a couple of months myself,the main reason I upgraded to Avid bb7's is because I had a set of them already in my parts bin from another bike). Keep check on wheel true-ness,considering the potholes you mentioned. Just score a spoke wrench to fit your wheels (or a good multi-tool,which is handy to carry regardless),and do the hold-it-off-the-ground-and-spin (while looking at the rim and fork/chainstays,not the brakes or tire) to check for wobbles,trial and error is simple and not too big of a deal to keep them reasonably true with the method (and much simpler/less expensive than running to the LBS to true your wheels for every wobble),discs are much more forgiving in that respect too (v-brakes would rub with a minor wobble,for eg,discs won't).

Contrary to what some will tell you,there's nothing wrong with buying a lower end bike (especially given the plans you stated for usage),and nothing wrong with bikesdirect.com...I've owned two bikes from them (bikesdirect.com),both in the price range you're looking at (both were 29"er SS's,a Dawes Deadeye I picked up used from a friend,and a Gravity G29 I bought new last year Save up to 60% off new Mountain Bikes - MTB - Gravity 29 SS Single Speed 29er Mountain Bikes ),I was satisfied with the investment of both for their intended purposes and my personal uses for them,and found their customer service honest and first rate.For comparison's sake,I've owned 2 bikes from them,but I've also owned singlespeed (geared as well,but for comparison sake...) bikes that I hand picked every part for and spent a few thousand in years past (can't afford that now tho,LMBO!) and have been mtn biking since the mid 80's...none of that makes my opinion gospel or "right",but they're edumicated opinions anyways,LOL

Have fun with it,my friend,welcome to here,and looking forward to seeing a pic of whichever you decide on,especially dirty pics (LOL,like of the bike mud covered ),nice to "meet you"

skwitz

So i decided to buy the Haymaker because i have no plans of upgrading any of the critical components. I'll update when i get it on monday.

I'm just curious about the bike tool and dvd guide bundle from BD. Do you know if it's good?

Singlespeed92

Cool,can't wait to see it No I don't...mine didn't come with either...didn't know that they did,must be something new since Spring '13,or maybe they missed mine? It didn't take much for final assembly out of the box (bearing in mind mine was a singlespeed). I may have been mtn biking for almost 30 years now...but I'm not the most mechanically inclined (and have a mediocre tool kit size-wise...see ZINN and the Art of Mtn Bike Maintenance book,about half of the Phase I took kit,LOL),I got mine all together in under an hour without rushing,ad in a bit of time for dialing your shifty bits and you'll be rolling pretty quickly,methinks If you run into any problems that I know how to fix,I'll be happy to help all I can (as I'm sure others might here too)

skwitz

it doesn't come with the bike. it's just a multi tool kit plus dvd for 29.95 here's the link.
DVD, CD and Vuelta XRP Mini Tool Kit

i just want to know if those tools are good quality, and if the dvd is worth it, or if i should get more widely known stuff.

i'm not so worried about assembly. it's more the maintenance that daunts me. i'm used to old fashioned bikes. i have no idea how disc breaks work or how to adjust suspension, or how to tune the indexing on the rapid fire shifters.

Singlespeed92

Oh,gotcha...I'd have no way to know of it's quality then,never held any of it in hand/watched the dvd. The discs work really similar to V's in that as you squeeze the lever,cable is pulled,working the mechanism that moves the pads towards/away from the rotors-once you have it in front of you to see,it's simple,and changing pads out is as well when you want/need to. You'll have what any adjustments do down pretty quickly,not a great lot to them,especially at this price point,it may (should) come with a basic manual that will show you too. Have no worries,my friend,you won't have any problems,a bike is still a bike