Advice on mountain bike needed

[Bzji]

I have a cheap one right now. A CCM that I picked up from CT a couple years ago. The rear wheel is a little warped and makes braking very hard. I was wondering how much does a rear wheel usually cost? Because I was thinking if its too expensive, I might as well buy a new bike since the current one was only $150.
I don't use it for any hardcore mountain biking, only for riding to school.

Thanks

[Bzji]

nobody?
i'm also looking for advice on a solid build mountain bike then. What are some good brands? I'm looking to spend $250-$300 max. I see CT regularly carries Raleigh, Schwinn, and supercycle. Any of those brands good?

I live in Mississauga, so if anyone can recommend a bike shop other than CT that'd be good too.

[goretexpretzels]

if it's just a bit warped, you can have your rims 'trued'....adjusting the tension in the spokes to straighten the rim.

[humansoul]

I suggest going to an actual bicycle shop. you may also want to visit pinkbike.com, it's a community/forum all about bikes...there you can inquire about the wheel and possibly purchase one for your bike

many are willing to answer all your questions...if you are looking for a new bike, $200-$300 can get you a decent bike...some stores also have used, but good condition bikes.

I've experienced good things at Bayview Cycle...you may want to check em out...

hope that helps!

[Bzji]

cool. I'll visit some bike shops and check out the forum. Thanks

[mtharvey]

http://forums.mtbr.com/


do a search of mountain bike in redflags. lots of discussion about mtn bikes.if you are using the bike just for roads, pick up cheap bike from canadian tire. take it to bike shop to tune it up. a lot of the time the bikes are not assembed right. my bike from sportcheck was not assembled right.

if you are going to do mountain biking, the subject is quite complicated. you need to make sure you get right size. if you dont have time to learn, then go to bike shop. it will be worth the extra cost to get right size and bike suited to your needs. the bikes at canadian tire that have front and rear shocks are pretty much useless. not functional and heavy.

[mustanglover76]

i bought a nice bike from Sportchek 2 years ago...good price and solid bike...different budgets to.

[Div]

Skiis and Bikes have good prices sometimes if you can find last year's models.

[MrDisco]

i just ordered a new moutain bike and need a few parts. can anyone recommend a good/quality:

helmet
gloves
seat (something cushy for my fat butt)

as well any stores in the GTA that would be a good place to buy them from? thanks in advance.

[fishcurry]

http://forums.mtbr.com/


do a search of mountain bike in redflags. lots of discussion about mtn bikes.if you are using the bike just for roads, pick up cheap bike from canadian tire. take it to bike shop to tune it up. a lot of the time the bikes are not assembed right. my bike from sportcheck was not assembled right.

if you are going to do mountain biking, the subject is quite complicated. you need to make sure you get right size. if you dont have time to learn, then go to bike shop. it will be worth the extra cost to get right size and bike suited to your needs. the bikes at canadian tire that have front and rear shocks are pretty much useless. not functional and heavy.

I would actually not take this route personally. The op already has a ccm bike with a warped wheel and I think he would want a step up from a can tire bike. Mountain biking sizing is not actually a difficult task, but it is important to ensure you have the right bike to suit your riding. Most mountain bikes that are hardtail (ie. have shocks on the front, no shocks on the back) are sized in terms of the size of the frame, measured by the tube that runs vertically from the seat post (called the seat tube). They are usually made in sizes of 13", 15", 17", 19", and 21" inches, with some manufacturers choosing to use even number sizes, 14", 16", 18", 20", 22", and some manufacturers offering all sizes, from 12", 13", etc.

Anyways, what I was trying to say is that there are just a few sizes to pick for the bike. Just be sure to pick the right one. ==>

The general rule of thumb for sizing mountain bikes is that you want the distance from your crotch (wear some tight bike shorts to do this) to that big ass tube that runs lengthwise of the frame to be about 3 - 5 inches. So straddle the bike with your riding shoes, with the seat right behind you and you should have about 3 - 5 inches between your crotch and the top of the bike. To give you an idea, I'm 6'0 and ride a 17 inch bike, but should probably be riding a 19 inch bike. If you're between 5'6 to 5' 10, you'll probably be deciding between a 16" to 18" bike. And if you're 6'0 you'll probably get an 18 or 19 inch. And if you're 6'2 - 6'4 and above you'll probably be getting a big 20 inch or larger. This is just a generalization of course, be sure to google bike fitting websites for details.

If you want to get a good deal on the bike, I would for sure check out your local bike shops and look around. I would not recommend getting mail order unless you know exactly what you want, but getting used off local sellers is a good way of getting a deal. www.pinkbike.com is good, www.mec.ca has some bike / equipment swap boards, www.mtbr.com has lots of forums, but they are american oriented. Be patient however, and shop around for prices. I would highly recommend not going to Canadian tire if you are slightly serious about riding or riding for fitness.

[fishcurry]

i just ordered a new moutain bike and need a few parts. can anyone recommend a good/quality:

helmet
gloves
seat (something cushy for my fat butt)

as well any stores in the GTA that would be a good place to buy them from? thanks in advance.

there are tons of brands of helmets and gloves and seats out there that it is impossible to keep up with, but if you really want to read reviews, www.mtbr.com is good for that. Otherwise, there tons of shops in Toronto, the only one I ever went to was silent sports in north york, yonge and steeles.

skiis and bikes (new one by don mills and eglinton north of eglinton) sporting life by yonge and eglinton, d'ornellas in scarborough, http://www.dornellas.com/
www.silentsports.com
but ya, there are lots... what location are you at? I personally look for the sales, but still make sure they have all the features of a decent helmet.

- you want to make sure it's the "in-mold" type, where the outer shell is molded into the inner shell, and not taped.
- you might think a visor is cool, but just to let you know all the pros rarely use them, most mountain helmets that are not dorky looking look more like road helmets (theres no difference between the two, it's just the style)
- decent amount of ventilation
- make sure the fastening system is easy to use, most of the nicer ones have a nice "webbing" at the back instead of just two straps that go over the ears.

gloves - if you do mountain bike on trails, i would go for full fingered. they protect better and your hands won't get as dirty from fixing your chain or mud. plus they are 'cooler'. open fingered look so 1990's...

seat - big subject here... my seat is hard as a rock but is very narrow and light. again, look around for something on sale but not too hard and not too soft. most newbies usually go for the big, soft ones, and i'll admit they are more comfortable, but they do take a little bit out of the power you transfer to the pedals. best advice if you don't know what to look for is to find a happy medium. or just ask again on these forums.

[Hozy]

Thebikezone, Gears or Skiisandbiikes