Looking for a bike - what brands?

[wavinwayne]

Fisher is a great brand. I think you will enjoy yours. My first MTB was a Fisher (pictured below). I loved that bike. I beat the ever-loving you-know-what out of that thing, and it held up well until the day I retired it. I still have the frame in my attic.

 

[Spazdog]

Gary Fishers are awesome.

mine is old enough to have a sticker that says, "Designed in the USA by the Gary Fisher Team. Made in the USA."

 

[chuckerants]

 

[chuckerants]

Mine is made in Taiwan according to the sticker. And though the frame is made from ChromeMoly (steel) , it feels MUCH lighter than the steel Treks I saw at the same time.

I also got a new seat today from the local bike shop. I first got a gel filled seat, but it was too narrow (or my BUT was too big) and it was painful to ride, so I got a W I D E seat that looks like it belongs on a cruiser.

I also ordered these Kenda tires:

 

[rshunter]

The tires look like a cyclo-cross inspired design. Should be a great all-purpose tire, with low rolling resistance on hard surfaces and nice traction in the crud. I've got a similar Kevlar armored tire on my Giant OCR Touring, which uses a cyclo-cross frame. Love 'em and wouldn't dream of using something different. Why mess with perfection?

If you don't find that the new seat suits you ideally, I'd suggest a Body Geometry saddle. Fitted to your very own ischial tuberosities, they can't be beat.

 

[FZ1]

Nice bike. I prefer Chro Moly frames. Smoother,softer, ride,and I prefer the "Feel" of Chro Moly. I prefer more of a road tire than those Kendas but that's just my preference. Have fun and be careful.

 

[chuckerants]

On second thought, I probably should have gotten 100% street tires as I really doubt I'll be getting off pavement. Oh well, more incentive for me to wear the tires out faster by riding on em.

Also, I think the frame is Chrome Moly on this bike.

Now to find the time to ride.

 

[oilboy123]

Looks like a decent bike for the price. Have fun.......

 

[SLCraig]

I also used to have an old Fisher. It was a 1997 Supercaliber team hardtail. Full XT/Mavic/Ti bits. It was a sweet machine back in the day. I traded it in for my 2006 Trek 8000, which I've since traded in for a bunch of other bikes.

My favorite overall brand is Giant, and this is coming from a current Cannondale rider (comments about being fanatical are generally true)

 

[dkryan]

Originally Posted By: cchase
Given the thoughts many on this board have about XOM and BP business practices I'm amazed Specialized isn't hated given their business practices.


Enlighten me, please.

 

[UG_Passat]

Originally Posted By: cchase
Given the thoughts many on this board have about XOM and BP business practices I'm amazed Specialized isn't hated given their business practices.


this board isn't a real bike board anyway. I've seen the hate on forums such as MTBR....

 

[izomtibor]

Originally Posted By: cchase
Given the thoughts many on this board have about XOM and BP business practices I'm amazed Specialized isn't hated given their business practices.

what do you think about that?

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: dkryan
Originally Posted By: cchase
Given the thoughts many on this board have about XOM and BP business practices I'm amazed Specialized isn't hated given their business practices.


Enlighten me, please.


There is also a lot of love for Specialized too.
Their bikes are undeniably good except for maybe a few.
The Demo8 is one of the best DH bikes you can get, and the SX trail to me appears in a league of its own almost. (I'd love one of those)

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: izomtibor
Originally Posted By: cchase
Given the thoughts many on this board have about XOM and BP business practices I'm amazed Specialized isn't hated given their business practices.

what do you think about that?


Specialized is very lawsuit happy, to put it simply. And many times they file lawsuits or get sued and end up steamrolling the "little guy" and gain access to technologies. They have ripped off designs in the past and then copyrighted them as their own. Stuff like that.

 

[teddyboy]

I personally believe that Giant delivers more bang for the buck than any of the complete bike companies.

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: teddyboy
I personally believe that Giant delivers more bang for the buck than any of the complete bike companies.


This is how I have felt for a long time.

 

[teddyboy]

The shop that I deal with has Trek, Giant, and then several high end brands. The Giant carbon road bikes are a real bargain compared to the Trek models. The Giants use higher modulus carbon and they spec high end components as compared to the Bontrager equipped Treks.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: rshunter


LeMond has lost something of late, as Trek has tried to rationalize their production. I was a much bigger fan of the older frames as LeMond was a brand that was more willing to be different. Frames made from multiple combinations of materials, used where their natural atributes were of the greatest advantage. Geometries which were less "hardcore", but just as performance oriented.

Fuji, Raleigh, Felt, the list goes on, but the top four I listed above are the core of the modern market.

Trek is no longer making LeMond bikes. I own a LeMond Reno, and it's a great bike. I think if I do have an obscene amount of money for a bike I would have Cervelo or Seven on that list, or a custom build off an Independent Fab frame.

I'd like to track down a US-built Cannondale CAAD9 if I need a reasonably used bike.

 

[Hokiefyd]

A friend of mine has a full custom Seven. He got ran over by a car years ago and insurance paid well. He knows someone at Performance Bike and got his custom Seven frame. That is one nice machine.

 

[MNgopher]

Love seeing the old Gary Fishers. I still beat the snot out of my late '90's Hookoo E koo (with some upgraded goodies on it) and it isn't missing a beat. Good old Cro-Moly... Brother in law has a slightly newer one with the same story. (and we are bigger guys - 6'0" 230 and 6'4 230!)