New 29er MtnBike Need Opinions About Bikes Direct

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Silverado12

Silverado12

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Full suspension 29er

I do a lot of city/sidewalk riding and need a full suspension bike due to my bad back (from years of my trucking job). Anybody deal with these guys at www.bikesdirect.com? Does this look like a decent bike for the price? I already know my size, which is the 21" frame. I ride primarily for exercise and to run small errands.
 
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I was hard core bike rider for years, downhill, xc, road etc. You might want to get some experience with fully sus rides. Its not going to be easy/easier than going slow on a hardtail.
I'd suggest buy something cheap from ****'s etc. Full suspension isn't going to be easy on a bad back.
 
I'm not sure what you've ridden in the past that makes you feel you need a full suspension bike, but you might be surprised at how comfortable a ride you can get from a hardtail with wide tires at lower pressure. I would strongly suggest visiting a local bike shop that can get you out on some test rides, and make your decision from there.
 
I was looking for a 29er because of my height (6'6") and because the bike I test rode did very well over curbs and other sidewalk joints that I would encounter in city riding. Unfortunately, it was priced out of my league and had some higher end components on it that I don't need. I have a 26" Giant Yukon (2006) I ride now. It has front suspension and is a mtn bike.
 
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Have you considered a suspension seatpost? For just taking the edge off, they work well and cost little compared to a new bike. For the use you describe they might just be what you need.

Cane Creek makes the best, not cheap (though still way less than a quality new bike) but they keep the distance between the saddle and pedals constant where others this distance changes.

http://www.canecreek.com/products/seatposts
 
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
Does this look like a decent bike for the price?


No. This rear suspension design is going to cause severe pedal feedback as the suspension cycles. It will also "inchworm" when you pedal up steep hills in low gears. The high forward pivot was one of the early (90s) designs that was quickly abandoned.

You're on the right track with 29ers, but bikes like everything else you get what you pay for. No way would I buy a no-name bike online not knowing if it will fit. The description says 21" fits 6'1" and up. It's going to be a poor fit for you. At 6/6 you might not be a lightweight, any inexpensive suspension bike you buy is going to wear out and get sloppy pivots in a short time.

Something else to consider, many casual riders want to sit straight up on the saddle with high handlebars like a begging dog. This definitely puts any bumps straight into your back. It's much better to have some forward lean and have some weight on your hands/arms, it takes the strain off the back and is more efficient.

This is a good time to buy a bike in a bike shop, they want to move the 2015s and are willing to deal. Craigslist is a good place to find deals on little used bikes, but you do have to have an idea what you're looking at. Saying Shimano gears means nothing, Shimano makes bike parts for $75 Walmart bikes and $7000 high end custom bikes.

Good luck and keep riding!
 
I'll be the jerk and disagree here.

I have full suspension and hard tails, and I think the full suspension is absolutely more comfortable...at any speed. Though you can make a hard tail pretty comfortable with tire pressure and a suspension post. I agree that Cane Creek makes (made?) the best...though pricey.

I would not buy the bike linked to. In that price range I would buy a hard tail. Full suspension under about $800 is usually garbage in my opinion (unless buying used.) I find that the cheaper suspension bikes pogo severely and usually lack sound engineering in the design of the suspension.

I think with a bad back, you should go into a shop and tell them what you're looking for. Be honest with them and tell them your budget. They will work with you. That being said, you may have to check out a few shops. Some shops simply don't offer that kind of service or deal in comfort bikes (and some do.) With the bad back I think riding position is going to be the most important factor and you should remain open minded on wheel size. It's really not too important for just cruising the pavement. Buying online is a real [censored] if you don't know a lot about bikes.

Hope this helps. Biking is a ton of fun...or should be :-)
 
I'm a road bike guy but I have a bike that was purchased through bikesdirect. I bought it second hand so I don't know how the buying process went but I am very happy with the bike itself.
 
OK here's another idea. I have a 26" hardtail Giant Yukon mtn bike (2006) with front suspension. Can I put 700c wheels on it and street/city tires? It has disc brakes. That along with the Cane Creek seatpost might work. The bike is actually pretty decent. It has some higher end components on it like Shimano Deore derailleur, Truvativ crank, etc.
 
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Originally Posted By: Silverado12
OK here's another idea. I have a 26" hardtail Giant Yukon mtn bike (2006) with front suspension. Can I put 700c wheels on it and street/city tires? It has disc brakes. That along with the Cane Creek seatpost might work. The bike is actually pretty decent. It has some higher end components on it like Shimano Deore derailleur, Truvativ crank, etc.


The disc brakes are a problem. I love disc but this means you will have to find disc compatible 700c wheels....no easy task, but becoming a little more common. The hub spacing in the rear is a 5mm off, but not a huge problem. The 700c wheel & tire combo would otherwise fit, but I recommend staying with your stock wheel size.

Why not buy 26" city tires? I have two different sets and both are excellent. One is the Michelin Country Rock, which has a bit of tread but is mostly smooth. The other is the Serfas Drifter. There are other really good options too.
 
I really think a test drive is needed to help reduce the field. I found that some 29ers feel very bulky, while others feel a lot more agile. Perhaps thats the case for any wheel size, but it seems more pronounced with those than my 26" MTBs or road bikes, FWIW.
 
Thank you all for the advice. Here's what I did. I ordered the Cane Creek Thudbuster seatpost in the LT (long travel) design. I also ordered a 26" X 1.9" rear city tire (Evolution is the brand on it) and tube for the rear. I have 26" X 1.5" city tires on it now. Will keep the skinny tire on the front for now and see how it rides. I will also play around with the air pressure and try to get the balance of smooth ride + rolling resistance. BTW www.nashbar.com is having their 20% sale on one item at this time. I got the tire, tube and seatpost for around 150 bucks. A whole lot cheaper than a 29er full suspension that doesn't even have the same level components as what I have now.
 
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Originally Posted By: titus5

The disc brakes are a problem. I love disc but this means you will have to find disc compatible 700c wheels....no easy task, but becoming a little more common.


Really...

There are plenty of 700c disc wheels that will fit a mountain bike frame, cleverly re-branded as "29er".

Many are narrow enough to run 28-32c width tires that will fit into most 26" frames and suspension (or suspension corrected) forks.
 
That is going to be my next step if I feel the need to, bikewhisperer. The local bike shop quoted me 40 bucks per wheel to lace on 700c rims (plus rims and spokes). There seems to be plenty of room and the mechanic told me he would test fit a spare rim he has laying around onto the frame just to make sure it will fit. I would probably use the 32c city tires with that setup.
 
Originally Posted By: BikeWhisperer
Originally Posted By: titus5

The disc brakes are a problem. I love disc but this means you will have to find disc compatible 700c wheels....no easy task, but becoming a little more common.


Really...

There are plenty of 700c disc wheels that will fit a mountain bike frame, cleverly re-branded as "29er".

Many are narrow enough to run 28-32c width tires that will fit into most 26" frames and suspension (or suspension corrected) forks.


Ha ha! Yes, well that's true I guess. Though when he said road wheels I thought he wanted something that would be compatible with all road width tires, not just the very widest.
 
I'm actually not up to par on equipment specs, that's why I ask a lot of questions. I just recently discovered that a 29er tire is basically a big 700c.
 
Silverado, I'm a little late to the party, but I totally agree with the Cane Creek seatpost on a big hardtail.
As tall as you are, take a look at the Surly Krampus. It has 29x3" wheels. Soaks up bumps really well. That and a Thudbuster... Match made in heaven.
 
Originally Posted By: fsdork
I'm not sure what you've ridden in the past that makes you feel you need a full suspension bike, but you might be surprised at how comfortable a ride you can get from a hardtail with wide tires at lower pressure. I would strongly suggest visiting a local bike shop that can get you out on some test rides, and make your decision from there.


After a while on the bike with the bigger tire in the back, you're 100% correct. Thanks for the advice!
 
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