As for me, part of the past month has been spent bouncing around from website to website and shop to shop in search of a mountain bike to call my own. I've sealed the deal yesterday in a place far far away from home - Bukit Rimau.
In the course of deciding on which to buy, I have learnt many things about choosing the right mountain bike, from UnkaLeong & some of the sales assistants at the numerous shops.
For starters, choose a frame that suits your riding. Riding style will determine which type of frame to get - full suspension or hardtail. I've never riden a full suspension bike before so I figured it'll be easier, and a whole lot cheaper, to go with the hardtail.
Then you'll have to decide on the frame size. The taller you are, the bigger the frame, although I'm not sure why. There must be some physics to the whole thing which is beyond me.
I also learnt about groupsets. The brakes, the gears, the accessories, and a bunch of other stuff. Some people recommend going all out and getting something hi-end right from the get go because you really save a lot in the long run. Whereas there are others who believe that you should start with the basics and slowly take the time to figure out what you need and upgrade from there on out.
After a bit of deliberation with myself, I concluded that I shall start basic and work my way up as I go along... for 2 reasons:
1. I want to be able to feel the relative difference between the lo-end and the hi-end. If I start off with a 10k bike, I will never appreciate what I have.
2. I just started my own business so income right now is relatively unstable. Better to hold back on the spending for the time being.
So, based on that, I decided that I should spend a little bit more to get a nice strong frame, and the rest can slowly be upgraded as I go along. Long story short, this is roughly what I brought home with me in the trunk of my car.
DiamondBack Topanga Comp XC with a nice chilli red skin.
Zoom 550 suspension fork
Shimano Deore LX (dual control levers, front & rear derailleurs)
TekTro front & rear disc brakes
Truvativ Isoflow 3-speed crank
9-speed cassette
Kenda Koyote 26" wheels
All the above cost me RM1,500
I am no expert, but here's my take on it. The frame is really light, but it looks strong enough and I don't do crazy shit like doing a 3ft drop anyway. The bike is pretty heavy for a small chap such as myself, I suspect due to the front fork. I'll look into having it changed later.As for the Deore LX derailleurs, 3X9 should equal 27 speeds in total. But I find that I really only get 25 due to the width of the 9-speed cassette. At the two ends of the spectrum, the chain starts scraping away at the front derailleur and the ride becomes less smooth so I avoid it entirely. Maybe there are some adjustments I can make if ever there's anyone willing to share their knowledge with me.
Also, the dual control lever for the front crank is awkwardly positioned. Dual control levers are heck nifty devices, but I can't seem to comfortably engage the front derailleur into hi with the flick of my fingers. I have to literally nudge the damn thing into gear otherwise the chain just kicks back into medium.
Well that's about all the complaints I got. I do enjoy the overall ride of the bike and I love every minute on the bike, even the uphill climb at Bukit Kiara which I failed to complete. Hey, the problem is not the bike, it's my legs!
Oh yea, just for the record, I also got a bunch of accessories together with my bike for about RM300 extra - Raleigh helmet, Raleigh handpump & a spare tube (I have had a bad experience with a puncture before), bar-ends, Topeak Comp130 cycling computer, CatEye rear light, Azonic bike gloves. They threw in a bottle cage & bottle for free.
Since getting the bike, I've done about 40km. Sore legs and a sore butt, but I'm all smiles.
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