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bicycle brainstorming

stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
I work this guy who is extremely frugal. He needs a new bike badly and we've been riding a lot this year so far so I know it will get used. He has 3 items he really wants and they are as follows:
Full suspension with SPV type shock
Tubeless Tires
Disc brakes

Is is possible to get a quality complete bike for $1,500 with the above specs?

EDIT: this is an XC bike.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
jacksonpt said:
Does it have to be new? Buying complete, or can it be built up?
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NEW and complete.

Unless there is a really good deal and I may be able to convince him.
 
BurlyShirley

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
No Way on the Tubeless. You could get discs and the SPV tho, in a weyless or sette frame or something tho.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
BurlyShirley said:
No Way on the Tubeless. You could get discs and the SPV tho, in a weyless or sette frame or something tho.
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I don't know what his hang up with tubeless is, I think that may be the one thing he is willing to live without on.
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
6,791
59
Vestal, NY
I highly doubt you'll find tubeless for that price, discs will be easy, obviously... the SPV should be doable... look for deals on 05 Konas, Specalizeds, etc.
 
TreeSaw

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,806
2,117
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
(again) Not sure if you could get tubeless within that price range, but that's certainly something that could be upgraded later. Definitely check on some '05s at area bike shops.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
SkaredShtles said:
If he's frugal why doesn't he buy a used bike? That's what I did. :D
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Because I've been telling him for weeks now to take at least 2 links out of his chain because his shifting is all f'ed up. He still hasn't done it!!
I doubt he could maintain a used bike.
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
6,791
59
Vestal, NY
stosh said:
Because I've been telling him for weeks now to take at least 2 links out of his chain because his shifting is all f'ed up. He still hasn't done it!!
I doubt he could maintain a used bike.
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Have him check out the SRAM website - they give you the exact way to check chain length. I actually found that 2 links less than what they recommend works best for me... but it's some solid info from a reputable source.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
jacksonpt said:
Have him check out the SRAM website - they give you the exact way to check chain length. I actually found that 2 links less than what they recommend works best for me... but it's some solid info from a reputable source.
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It's got nothing to do with him not knowing what to do, it's got to do with him caring.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
jacksonpt said:
ah - he's going to be very good for the used bike market.
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It's a scary thought but I will be his bicycle maintenance mentor.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
SkaredShtles said:
What makes you think he could maintain a *new* bike, then? :D
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agreed, I was hoping he would get some initial help and a firm talking to from the LBS he bought it from.

Let me put it this way, he's had his front tire on backwards for about 5 rides and everytime I've told him to fix it and he hasn't. It's a f'ing QR skewer and he still won't do it.
 
SkaredShtles

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
67,383
13,943
In a van.... down by the river
stosh said:
agreed, I was hoping he would get some initial help and a firm talking to from the LBS he bought it from.

Let me put it this way, he's had his front tire on backwards for about 5 rides and everytime I've told him to fix it and he hasn't. It's a f'ing QR skewer and he still won't do it.
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Why worry about it? Front tire's on backwards. Does it slow him down? :p
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
SkaredShtles said:
Why worry about it? Front tire's on backwards. Does it slow him down? :p
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It has a very directional pattern on it as well, I'm sure he could get some more speed in the turns if he would flip it.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
jacksonpt said:
If he'd rather spend the money on a new bike than take an hour and make his work properly, what do we care?
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Hey man, bitch less ride more!!!
 
BurlyShirley

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
Well, judging from what Ive heard about this guy so far, I cant see why you're taking the effor to even help him look.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
BurlyShirley said:
Well, judging from what Ive heard about this guy so far, I cant see why you're taking the effor to even help him look.
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Because he rides 2x a week with me and his 1998 Trek 8000 just isn't cutting it.

Just because he's not a bikeophile doesn't mean he doesn't deserve me helping him out.
 
BurlyShirley

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
Well I suppose thats worth something, but if he cant handle basic advice, Id tell the guy not to ask me for any help.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
BurlyShirley said:
Well I suppose thats worth something, but if he cant handle basic advice, Id tell the guy not to ask me for any help.
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Agreed!
He's never really had anybody teach him how to crank on his bike so he's slow to learn the benefits of it.
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
6,791
59
Vestal, NY
stosh said:
Hey man, bitch less ride more!!!
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I'm not bitchin here (unfortunately, I'm not riding either)... I just don't understand why people are annoyed with the guy. If he doesn't want to take the time to fix his bike, that's his choice... and as long as it's not causing big problems on the trail, who cares? Let him buy a new bike every few years.
 
Tame Ape

Tame Ape

BUY HOPE!!!!!!!
Mar 4, 2003
2,284
1
NYC
He might benefit from a trip to the LBS too. That way he has a warranty and free tune-up and gives you a way out if it gets to be overly troublesome.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
jacksonpt said:
I'm not bitchin here (unfortunately, I'm not riding either)... I just don't understand why people are annoyed with the guy. If he doesn't want to take the time to fix his bike, that's his choice... and as long as it's not causing big problems on the trail, who cares? Let him buy a new bike every few years.
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Ha!

I will be able to bring him over to the darkside eventually. Like most of us when we first started riding we did very little maint. on our own. Most of his maintanance is done by the LBS. I need to pull him away from that because then it's not done frequetly enough.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
Tame Ape said:
He might benefit from a trip to the LBS too. That way he has a warranty and free tune-up and gives you a way out if it gets to be overly troublesome.
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Thats kind of the way he's heading but I think the price may be to high for what he wants.
 
OGRipper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,723
1,224
NORCAL is the hizzle
A tubless conversion kit is not that spendy, so he shouldn't worry about the bike coming stock with tubeless. Doing so will really limit his choices. Seems better to find a bike then convert it over if it's that important.
 
MMcG

MMcG

Ride till you puke!
Dec 10, 2002
15,457
12
Burlington, Connecticut
Have him visit an LBS - a lot of em are having spring sales right now.

Clearing out old 04s and 05s to make room for 06s and -07s.

For example, my LBS, Benidorm Bikes is having their annual Spring Consignment Sale - tons of used bikes and sale prices on their leftover stock (and some new stock).

I would think for $1500 just about any fs xc bike you'd find in that range from a decent brand would have an SPV shock of some sort.

Tubeless? Tell him to purchas a Stan's kit from the LBS and have them do the work getting it set up as they build up the bike or before he takes delivery.
 
MtnBikerChk

MtnBikerChk

Squeaky Wheel
Aug 3, 2001
5,478
38
Southern New England (where there ain't no TITUS d
MMcG said:
Have him visit an LBS - a lot of em are having spring sales right now.

Clearing out old 04s and 05s to make room for 06s and -07s.

For example, my LBS, Benidorm Bikes is having their annual Spring Consignment Sale - tons of used bikes and sale prices on their leftover stock (and some new stock).
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yeah but don't send hiim to benidorm - they'll try to sell him something more than what he needs :redhot: ;)
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
6,791
59
Vestal, NY
MMcG said:
I would think for $1500 just about any fs xc bike you'd find in that range from a decent brand would have an SPV shock of some sort.

Tubeless? Tell him to purchas a Stan's kit from the LBS and have them do the work getting it set up as they build up the bike or before he takes delivery.
Click to expand...
From what I've seen, $1500 is about the cutoff point... most bikes below that have the standard fox float (not the RP3), bike over that start getting into SPV, though some still run standard Foxes.

If he won't take the time to remove a couple of chain links (assuming it's a matter of not bothering to as opposed to not being able to) or flip his front tire, I doubt he's going to want to deal with a stans kits.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
I have new information, he is willing with my help to build a bike from scratch!!

He does want NEW or OEM parts.

So we have a 1500 budget and he really wants an SPV shock and disc brakes, any suggestions?
 
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