About a month ago, I decided that it was time for a new bicycle. My existing bike (Schwinn Impact Pro) was very old (25 years??). It was still working great and the steel frame was plenty stout. The problem that I was having was that it was so old that upgrading components was very hard. I hate hard. I hate ordering something, waiting a week for it to show up, and then finding that it doesn’t fit and/or won’t work. I hate that. The other problem was that the frame was a tad bit small for me and there is no way to fix that.
I initially started looking at new mountain bikes. Wow! Most of those prices are REAL serious! I didn’t want low end junk but sure didn’t have $2,500 to spend either. So, I started watching Craigslist. I found a number of bikes that interested me but they were being sold really quick – like before I even called to get more info. So, I figured I’d have to get real serious if I was to find a deal.
The funny thing about this process is that you learn a lot about bikes. Reviews for all the makes, models, and components are all over the web so a lot of time is spent in learning mode. As with all reviews, you have to learn to separate the wheat from the chaff.
After a couple weeks of watching and waiting, the opportunity presented itself! A Specialized Rockhopper. It was a 2005-2006 Rockhopper frame with a custom build. The MTB components and frame were reasonably good so I rushed to see it. I was able to talk the seller down to my price range and off I went with my new bike. Yippee!!
The short list is:
- SRAM X-4 Rear Derailleur
- Shimano Deore XT Front Derailleur
- SRAM X-7 Shifters
- Forte Hubs
- Terra Max Rims
- Bontrage Stem and Bar
- Manitou Splice Fork
- RaceFace Cranks
I realize that none of those items are high end and some (like the forks) aren’t really all the great. However; it got me into the game in an affordable way and was all in good working order so I am pleased.
You probably saw some photos of my new baby on my Barite Mine and Box Canyon ride report. Here are a few more.
Since getting the bike, I’ve installed new Shimano M-424 pedals, a slightly shorter stem, and my Terry Liberator () seat. I am very pleased. It is certainly a step up from what I had. I’ve learned that suspension forks make a HUGE difference on trails and especially when coming downhill is rough stuff.
Sadly, I must admit that this month has been a really bad month for riding. I’ve not been out half as much as I would have like/needed. I’m not going to get bummed though, I can only fix what I can fix so much riding planned for this week. I then have a couple of trips planned in November which will give me lots of recovery time!! 🙂
Buying anything used comes with some risk. You try hard to spot the big problems but until you get the item and use it a few times, you just don’t know what will pop up. In my case, nothing! I try really hard to research enough to know what I am getting into and what a reasonable value is. I then figure out what fits into my budget and am really strict about not exceeding that budget. I know many folks get caught up in the bidding war and the love at first site issues. I can avoid those pretty easily.
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