Im a beginner and true n00b to the hardcore mountian biking scene. I, of course, have ridden bikes since I could walk but only recreationally around the neighborhood and crap like that. But I want to go big. The thought of screaming down a mountin trial or menuvering through rocky terrain or hitting dirt jumps and landing drops thrills me and I cant wait to get into that stuff. But like everything else in the world its very speciallized and you have to start small. And being the novice that I am I dont know too much about REAL mounting biking.. alot of the terms used in the sport mean nothing to me and I have no idea what some of the components of a bike do or what can be done to improve my riding and technical ability. But Im trying to learn as much as I can.
I am currently looking at a 2006 Iron Horse Maverick Trail SE. After talking to the guys at the bike shop (its actually Dicks Sporting Goods) I figured that this would be a good entry level bike that I can use to get my feet wet, learn about bikes, and upgrade it with aftermarket parts to turn it into a pretty decent bike. I am also going to get a pretty good deal on it, about $350, not bad considering the $600 MSRP. I know $600 is a cheap bike compared to the high end stuff, but im just starting out! Around here where I live (Greenville SC) there arent really any super hardcore trails that I know of, so most of my riding will be light to medium cross country action. Does this bike sound like a good buy for me??? What else could possibly be a good bike? And what should be my first upgrade or modification after buying the bike?
Also, what are the real differences between the riding classifications? I keep seeing terms like Cross County (XC), All Mountain, Free-ride (FR), and Down Hill (DH). If someone could explain what each of these terms refers to and what kind of terrain is assosiated with them that would be awesome.
I am currently looking at a 2006 Iron Horse Maverick Trail SE. After talking to the guys at the bike shop (its actually Dicks Sporting Goods) I figured that this would be a good entry level bike that I can use to get my feet wet, learn about bikes, and upgrade it with aftermarket parts to turn it into a pretty decent bike. I am also going to get a pretty good deal on it, about $350, not bad considering the $600 MSRP. I know $600 is a cheap bike compared to the high end stuff, but im just starting out! Around here where I live (Greenville SC) there arent really any super hardcore trails that I know of, so most of my riding will be light to medium cross country action. Does this bike sound like a good buy for me??? What else could possibly be a good bike? And what should be my first upgrade or modification after buying the bike?
Also, what are the real differences between the riding classifications? I keep seeing terms like Cross County (XC), All Mountain, Free-ride (FR), and Down Hill (DH). If someone could explain what each of these terms refers to and what kind of terrain is assosiated with them that would be awesome.