I want it...Should i want it?

[TheFlyingDingo]

Ive been looking for a new bike...I dont know the last new bike i have ever had(either my Giant stiletto...or my stingray...both from 2003/5)

I just want a new bike, Im into mountain bikes now, i kind of allways have been, but none were actually REAL mountain bikes...k-mart crap.

Now, i fell in LOVE with cman's Azonic steelhead. If im not mistaken it was a single speed, i want a single speed back, im missing when i used to ride BMX all the time. I want disc brakes for aesthetics and stopping power. my giant has discs in the front, and i love the stopping power.
The newest azonic is ugly to me...Something about it doesnt compare the one Cman has(04?)
So i want a new one...
i like NEW

So...What ive wound up with:

The gary fisher rig

I went into a bike shop near me, I talked to them about single speed mtb's...
he showed me this one.
$1400....theres a layway...and if i carry it into their spring sale...i get a percentage off, ill have to anyways...

Im new to mountainbiking...but i want to learn, I am however not new to bmx...this is about as close to bmx as i can get without being bmx...
What do you guys think?

 

[ish]

Do what you want if you think you'll get $1000 of fun out of it.

That said, for that kind of money you can buy an older titanium or high end steel bike (e.g. Litespeed, Kona King Kahuna, Kona Explosif) with disc mounts and have it built up with nice new modern components. The frameset will retain most or all of its value, and will probably be more fun to ride than an aluminum bike.

 

[TheFlyingDingo]

And another thing...

Think aluminum would be good?
i mean,im not exactly a light guy...and i might want to beat on the bike once in a while

 

[deorman]

You might want to reconsider the gear situation. Once you step up from dime store grade, get real index shifting, it's like night and day. $500.oo worth of steel from a shop is light years above a K-Mart bike, and somewhat harder to kill than aluminium. :|

 

[TheFlyingDingo]

You might want to reconsider the gear situation. Once you step up from dime store grade, get real index shifting, it's like night and day. $500.oo worth of steel from a shop is light years above a K-Mart bike, and somewhat harder to kill than aluminium. :|

im pretty solid on a single speed at the moment...

How hard IS aluminum to kill?

 

[beatcad]

hmmmm.....
yes that is a nice machine, but would you rather have a gary fisher,or a carrie fisher?

 

[ish]

Any of the frame materials in decently built bikes can take a beating. Unless you weigh more than 220 - then you probably should choose a bike designed for "clydesdales" (unless you plan on dropping below 220 in the near future).

 

[TheFlyingDingo]

hmmmm.....
yes that is a nice machine, but would you rather have a gary fisher,or a carrie fisher?

Maybe then...not now

 

[deorman]

I've never had any, but know people who do. If it's top-notch, riding, and riding hard, isn't usually a problem. Bailing out, snagging a stump, van stacking, things falling on it, ugh. Puts dents in the tubing, which apparently become potential failure points. Probably someone who actually uses them can give you first hand (always better) knowledge.

 

[deorman]

hmmmm.....
yes that is a nice machine, but would you rather have a gary fisher,or a carrie fisher?

Maybe then...not now

:lol: :lol:

 

[socal_jack]

The new Rigs are sweet with the G2 geometry, can't really go wrong. Nice things is the asymmetric chainstays on those have alot of room for a fatter tire although the 29er tire sizes are just starting to catch up with 26. Got a 2008 GT Peace 29er and that would be my only complaint is max tire about 2.35 in back, like 2.5s better but can at least fit one up front. The newer Al frames made from 6000 series I find ride more like steel than 7000 series Al. 29er wheels really smooth things out too, my bike is full rigid and only miss the FS on really steep rocky DH.

Read some reviews over on mtbr.com one of the most highly reviewed bikes. If there's any complaints it might be the EBB which isn't unique to the Rig.

A REdline 6061 Al frame I built up as a fake BMX xruiser, one of the most comfortable rigids I have

The GT Peace 29er steel and nukeproof at about 35 pounds

 

[hewey]

All depends what kinda riding you'll be doing. I got my Giant hardtail back in the mid 90s when I was 16

Its nice and lite, and the aluminium frame has taken everything Ive thrown at it with ease. The rear end is super stiff, so I found on the fast and rough stuff it tended to bounce around a fair bit and you didnt feel very in control. On anything that was moderately rough through to super smooth, it was an absolute weapon. I do mostly firetrails and singletrack. If you want to go dirt jumping and dropping off things, get a steel dirt jumping rig. If you're after something for riding trails and the streets, go the Gary Fisher If you want to ride epic mountains, you'd be better off going something with a full host of gears.

Im currently giving my old hardtail a singlespeed makeover, amazing what a coat of paint and a tyre change does.

Just over a year ago I treated myself to a new dual suspension Giant, absolutely love it

 

[Ed_Straker's_Rat]

You might want to reconsider the gear situation. Once you step up from dime store grade, get real index shifting, it's like night and day. $500.oo worth of steel from a shop is light years above a K-Mart bike, and somewhat harder to kill than aluminium. :|

im pretty solid on a single speed at the moment...

How hard IS aluminum to kill?

I worked as a warranty manager for a major bike company and from what I've seen over 3 years, aluminium is pretty hard to kill. The ones that I have seen that were destroyed usually involved a pretty substantial fork-first drop onto a hard surface (I'm talking 20+ feet). The frame looks pretty beefy to me around the headset so you shouldn't have any problems. I've owned a couple of high-end Gary Fisher bikes and I rode them hard without any complaints. The frame geometry of the rear triangle makes them climb hills like no other bike I've ridden. I would think about switching to hydraulic brakes once you have put some miles on it as they tend to fade less on long hills.

Looks like a good deal to me

 

[ratina]

Ive been looking for a new bike...I dont know the last new bike i have ever had(either my Giant stiletto...or my stingray...both from 2003/5)

I just want a new bike, Im into mountain bikes now, i kind of allways have been, but none were actually REAL mountain bikes...k-mart crap.

Now, i fell in LOVE with cman's Azonic steelhead. If im not mistaken it was a single speed, i want a single speed back, im missing when i used to ride BMX all the time. I want disc brakes for aesthetics and stopping power. my giant has discs in the front, and i love the stopping power.
The newest azonic is ugly to me...Something about it doesnt compare the one Cman has(04?)
So i want a new one...
i like NEW

So...What ive wound up with:

The gary fisher rig

I went into a bike shop near me, I talked to them about single speed mtb's...
he showed me this one.
$1400....theres a layway...and if i carry it into their spring sale...i get a percentage off, ill have to anyways...

Im new to mountainbiking...but i want to learn, I am however not new to bmx...this is about as close to bmx as i can get without being bmx...
What do you guys think?

Thats a tough looking bike

 

[No cars on mars]

Do not ask me. I use old English 3 and 10 speeds with fenders on dirt rails to trails.

 

[deorman]

... involved a pretty substantial fork-first drop onto a hard surface (I'm talking 20+ feet).

:shock: Man, I hope those were bail-outs. That's bone snap city right there. :x

 

[TheFlyingDingo]

I've never had any, but know people who do. If it's top-notch, riding, and riding hard, isn't usually a problem. Bailing out, snagging a stump, van stacking, things falling on it, ugh. Puts dents in the tubing, which apparently become potential failure points. Probably someone who actually uses them can give you first hand (always better) knowledge.

I dont plan on doing much bailing out(much...)
i dont think of much else either

You might want to reconsider the gear situation. Once you step up from dime store grade, get real index shifting, it's like night and day. $500.oo worth of steel from a shop is light years above a K-Mart bike, and somewhat harder to kill than aluminium. :|

im pretty solid on a single speed at the moment...

How hard IS aluminum to kill?

I worked as a warranty manager for a major bike company and from what I've seen over 3 years, aluminium is pretty hard to kill. The ones that I have seen that were destroyed usually involved a pretty substantial fork-first drop onto a hard surface (I'm talking 20+ feet). The frame looks pretty beefy to me around the headset so you shouldn't have any problems. I've owned a couple of high-end Gary Fisher bikes and I rode them hard without any complaints. The frame geometry of the rear triangle makes them climb hills like no other bike I've ridden. I would think about switching to hydraulic brakes once you have put some miles on it as they tend to fade less on long hills.

Looks like a good deal to me

now i very much doubt id be dropping from a 20 foot surface
maybe 3 feet maximum...
I dont live near mountains...just mountain biking trails...with varying dificulties

 

[Lonewolf]

It's a great looking bike, but "off road" and "single speed" are mutually exclusive terms.

 

[deorman]

It's not completely exclusive, but it definitely presents some major limitations. You can either push and carry through technicals, :x or spin like grandma's singer on the flat. :lol: Been there, done that, love my third ring! :wink:

 

[Lonewolf]

I used to be able to get to 32 miles per hour on my trek Y22, then I could climb up a cliff with the same bike.

Mountain bikes need gears.