Help me choose a mountain bike!!

[devastata]

Hi guys & gals!

So I've decided I wanted to start biking again to and from work with some mountain biking on the weekend. Ever since I remember I've had one of those canadian tire type bikes but now I'm a little older (22) and decided I wanted to get a GOOD bike!

I'm in ottawa, ontario so if you guys can recommend a good bike shop I'm all ears. At first I wanted to spend somewhere in the 200-300 range but after doing some looking around I noticed I'd probably have to bump that up to the 300-400 range and even that might be cutting it kinf of tight but that's really all I want to spend as I'm just getting into it.

I've visited bushtukah and narrowed it down to 2 bikes but I'm not quite sure which to choose or if there is something better I can be getting for the same money.

I get a 10% discount at bushtakah (and all there bikes come with 2 years free tune ups) so the folowing bike come up to the price I list before tax:

TREK 3700 - $332
CLICK HERE (http://bushtukah.com/itemdetails.cfm?catalogId=348&id=541)

GARY FISHER TARPON - $332
CLICK HERE (http://bushtukah.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=675)


If you guys can take a look at the specs of both bikes and recommend one or the other that would be great. Also, If you can recommend some good bike shops in the ottawa area or some better bikes I can find here for the same price that would also be great!

Thanks alot!

[Rx-87]

Up to you, both are relatively the same specifications (part wise).

I like gary fisher more than Trek though.. unjustified bias but meh lol.

[TenzoR]

I would definitely try both out before you buy. If the components are similar, it just comes down to what feel better when you ride it.

[devastata]

What about price though? Is that a reasonable price for what I'm getting? I'm no expert so someone with more experience would definately like to hear our input.

[longo]

I bought a Trek 4500 like 7 years ago and it's still good. I believe it's another model up from the one you're looking at. I got mine from a store called sportable, they used to have one in the east and west end locations. But then ended up closing the east end one. Not sure if the westend one is still there. It was only 2 or 3 buildings down from MEC.

But like other people say, ride them and whichever one you like better go for it. The specs are pretty much identical. If you want to go with brand name, my vote is for Trek

[Oni-kun]

You guys do know that Trek owns Gary Fisher right? It looks like they're identical bikes save for the frame colour. I'd even go as far to same the frame is probrably the same.

[wushudrew]

for $332 minus 10%, i think youre getting a good deal. $332 is probably somewhere close to the MSRP anyway.

i dont know of any other bikes around that price range - you may want to check out bikes by giant as well.

[Oni-kun]

Yeah I paid 369.99 for the trek 3700. so you're getting a deal. I like it so far. Put maybe 150KM on it.

[peppy5]

from the pictures it looks as though the gary fisher has a more relaxed seat tube angle which would mean a softer ride, good for longer rides as it would be more comfortable. the trek has a bit more agreesive angles on it meaning you would get more power to the pedals and a marginally harsher ride.
parts are identical so it should be down to fit for you.

[devastata]

for $332 minus 10%, i think youre getting a good deal. $332 is probably somewhere close to the MSRP anyway.

i dont know of any other bikes around that price range - you may want to check out bikes by giant as well.

Sorry I'm not suer if I was too clear, the $332 is already with the 10% discount. They are regular $369

[devastata]

from the pictures it looks as though the gary fisher has a more relaxed seat tube angle which would mean a softer ride, good for longer rides as it would be more comfortable. the trek has a bit more agreesive angles on it meaning you would get more power to the pedals and a marginally harsher ride.
parts are identical so it should be down to fit for you.


I can't really notice the difference from the pics... can u explain?

Thanks though that's something I didnt know

[foam]

Specs. are almost identical. Take each one for a test ride, spend some time with the bike shop to get the right frame size, seat position etc. Whichever feels best should be your bike. The frames may be the same because of Trek owning Fisher, the frames may be identical, pick the one that looks better.

At your price point, most people go to Canadian Tire or Sportchek . Your doing the right thing by going to a bikeshop. THe free tune-ups is great. If you plan on riding alot, you need one or two tune-ups a year. At $35-50 per tuneup, you'll be saving a couple hundred!! Just learn how to do them yourself over the two years so you can do your own later.

[devastata]

Specs. are almost identical. Take each one for a test ride, spend some time with the bike shop to get the right frame size, seat position etc. Whichever feels best should be your bike. The frames may be the same because of Trek owning Fisher, the frames may be identical, pick the one that looks better.

At your price point, most people go to Canadian Tire or Sportchek . Your doing the right thing by going to a bikeshop. THe free tune-ups is great. If you plan on riding alot, you need one or two tune-ups a year. At $35-50 per tuneup, you'll be saving a couple hundred!! Just learn how to do them yourself over the two years so you can do your own later.

Thanks for all your comments and recommendations! I'll definately be asking questions here and there while I get my tune-ups so I can do them myself later on!

[peppy5]

I can't really notice the difference from the pics... can u explain?

Thanks though that's something I didnt know

looks like i'm wrong, i was judging it by just looking at the the two pictures but through research, the trek will have a softer ride as the frames are not identical.
check this website for the trek bike and click on view geometry
http://www.trekbikes.com/int/en/bikes/2008/mountain_hardtail/3_series/3700/
this is the one for the gary fisher
http://www.fisherbikes.com/bike/model/tarpon/geometry