2007-03-28 17:35:12 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Cycling
There is truly no "right" answer for this question. The most important factors in a XC race bike are comfort and weight...IN THAT ORDER. A light bike will allow you to accelerate faster and climb easier, but if the bike is not comfortable for you the weight will not matter because you will fatigue before it's even a factor.
Look for a bike with a relatively light frame that FITS YOU properly. Go to a bike shop and get FITTED for a bike. Don't buy a bike for the company name...buy a bike because it fits you comfortably and allows you to hammer your competition because its "yours."
Ultimately, the best bike is the bike that you feel the best riding.
Some shops have "demo" bikes that you can test ride. If you know of a shop that has this, take advantage of it.
Happy shopping!!!
2007-03-29 00:12:26 · answer #1 · answered by iipiki_okami 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That depends on how much you are into the sport. If you just want to try racing, i would suggest an entry level or mid-grade Trek or Gary Fisher hardtail. If you really know that you like it and want to kick butt, my suggestion would be to buy a good hardtail in the $1500-$2000 range. Make sure you keep it mostly aluminium. If you are a beginner racer there is no point in going out and buying a carbon bike; you will wreck it and it may break. beginner racers topically don't have the skills that sport and expert riders do. thats not me being demeaning, that's experience. Hardtails will teach the rider better form in technical sections, downhill, and you won't lose power while pedaling hard. my personal favorite is the Gary Fisher Big Sur. it has great geometry, a nice light frame, and fair components to start with but also provides a good platform fo customiving and improvement. of course if you absolutely must have suspension, go for the Fisher HiFi or procal.
Hardtail is the best fro learning though. people who start out on suspension bikes generally tend to be lazy and sloppy with their riding technique.
Learn on a hardtail then progress from there.
By the way, you don't need disc brakes. I'm in sport and still don't use them simply because i cant afford them yet.
enjoy
Seth
2007-03-30 22:58:54 · answer #2 · answered by Seth Ritchie 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Carly---WHEW! Get something COOL like a KONA Coiler de Luxe, a Jamis Dakar Expert, a Rocky Mountain Slayer or a Haro Werx ----just get those rigs which have SRAM 9.0 pro components and mix it with top equipment ( Race Face, Kenda,Chris King, etc.----check out Price Point website ----www.pricepoint.com for details). Then you're READY TO ROCK!
2007-03-30 22:50:53 · answer #3 · answered by hummerhead2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Avalanch frame is a little heavy. The giant XTC frame isn't bad, but I would probably have to say that the Scott Scale is the daddy. Good race set up, light weight and good kit.
Luck
2007-03-29 03:56:00 · answer #4 · answered by Alice S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In my opinion thwe GT Avalanche 0.5 is a very good start and at approx aus $1,100 this bike is a bargain. Trust me, you dont want to buy a cheap bike. You will end up spending more money (as I did) when you need to upgrade it.
2007-03-29 00:40:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I found this ebay guide on Bicycles very interesting.
2007-03-31 17:44:31 · answer #6 · answered by rick m 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋