OP
Does that rack contact the frame in any way, or does it support the bike by the wheels?
Ibis Ripmo
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
Does that rack contact the frame in any way, or does it support the bike by the wheels?
The front wheel is held in place with a bar (which can lock), the back wheel with a strap. Also has a retractable locking cable which can go around the frame, otherwise, no contact on the frame. Very stable. You can get multiple models, I only needed the single.
https://www.thule.com/en-us/bike-rack/hitch-bike-racks/thule-t1-_-9041
OP
@Chris You either have a very understanding wife or you handle all of the expenses and as long as necessities are met, she does not care?...lol If it works, keep doing it.
OP
The letter of the two. I handle the expenses and as long as things are paid for she doesn’t care.
It works, so I can’t complain.
It’s a good thing I am in charge of the expenses too, because she’s terrible with that stuff
Don't think that way! There are plenty of perfectly good, economical bikes to suit any purpose.. to start. Even the lower end bikes have much better technology incorporated into them than they did even just a few years ago. Big companies like Trek, Specialized, etc. make great bikes suited to people that can't and won't spend $1,500+ on a bike. You'll most likely have to settle for a few things but what that does is get you much closer to what you really want or what is much more suited to your style of riding, etc.
You can get into it for waaaaaaay less than that man. I was into it in the 90s but let it fall by the wayside - I decided two years ago to get back into it, so I found a year-old Specialized hardtail for $500. It's a good bike with entry-level components, and I used it for a couple of years to decide if the sport was still for me. Now that I've fallen back in love with it I've gotten myself something a little nicer because now I know exactly what I want.
Point is you don't have to spend thousands to get into mountain biking. You don't need buttery soft full suspension, carbon handlebars, rolex-like derailleurs, or clip pedals. Figure out your budget, hit craigslist, and go pedal outside wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and work gloves.
I was really impressed by what I got for $500 when I bought this 2017 Specialized Pitch hardtail compared to the bricks I raced with in the 90's. Aluminum frame, disc brakes, pretty crisp switchgear...Most dudes raced steel framed bikes, some had front forks, some didn't. Derailleurs sucked, everything was heavy as shit and always needing adjusting. I've ridden the hell out of this thing, it works great. I
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Another thought. I was in Colorado visiting my sister and rented a $2,500 Giant for a few days. Because I was renting it I just went all out and it was way more than I needed for the riding I was doing but who cares! Some of the things I took from that did factor into what I wanted with my new one. Just a few tho 
OP
That actually reminds me...my wife wants a mountain bike now, but she has insisted on something cheap since she doesn't want to do any of the stuff I might try to do.
I need to see if I can find her something good to learn on maybe for around $1500 or less.
We shall see!
I need to see if I can find her something good to learn on maybe for around $1500 or less.
We shall see!
CL is your friend here too. It may need some stuff you can’t see, like bearings, derailleur, tune up, but it’s out there and usually not hard to find. If it’s 1-3 years old and not ridden much, your in good shape
OP
Most bike shops will have some used bikes cycling through. If it’s a big enough town they’ll have a recyclery. Deals can be made. Don’t hesitate to ask. Ride several bikes before deciding on one. Don’t forget CL though, the best deals are there
I’d recommend the Intense lineup for anyone wanting to buy new. These bikes are incredible value. All Carbon frame and wheels, $3,500 out the door. Components are NX, but work fine for me and I can upgrade to GX later if these are toast. Fox shocks. 28lbs medium. There’s not a better value for the quality out there. I researched for 3 months. An equivalent Pivot would be $6-8k
Holy shit man...If you're wife is into it, great. But fer crying out loud. I bought my wife a 75 dollar bike used on Craigslist. We ride around town, go get ice cream, that kinda shit. I'd buy her a nice bike, if she wanted to ride trails and stuff, but for what she wants, there is no WAY she needs a 1500 dollar bike.
For what its worth, I have just over 2K into my "new" bike. Retail parts prices would be around 4K. I have a buddy that just bought a very similar, brand new, Santa Cruz Chameleon Carbon S+. He got it for 2300 dollars. Same drivetrain as I have, but I think my wheels are slightly better and my fork is better.
Falling into this trap of needing the best...even mid-level components are SO good now. I can't remember the last time I skipped a shift or has a chain fall off, and I'm not running top line gear. SRAM GX and NX.
OP
Well, she just mentioned something with full suspension, and truthfully, I haven't looked at what entry level "full suspension" bikes cost. Honestly, she could probably just use a hardtail.
SRAM GX is good from what I've heard, and the components aren't insane expensive, so I'm not surprised to hear that.
She actually has a bike now that I bought her, it's a Trek Verse hybrid bike.
She had just mentioned that if she wanted to go some of the places I was planning to go, that, "Wouldn't I need a bike with full suspension?".
But like I said, I haven't looked at what a bike like that could cost on Craigslist used. It sounds like I can get something for even cheaper, in which case, good. I was always under the impression that full suspension bikes were just a lot more expensive in general.
They are, in general, But a good hardtail is WAY better than a bad full-squish. If she wants to go where you're going, than go for it. I guess I read that she didn't want to go all the places you do. Maybe I was just projecting a bit (my wife has ZERO desire to mtn bike with me). Sorry about the confusion.
OP
Honestly, I have no idea. She said she wants a bike she can take "off-road", but I think she is just talking about going through fields and some of the forest trails around here.
I don't think she has an actual desire to mountain bike like I'm trying to do. With her Trek Verse though, she's pretty much limited to paved trails and roads. You could of course take it through a field, but it would probably be a jarring experience.
I picked up a decent hardtail with okay equipment a few years ago and did just fine. I upgraded to a nice FS last week because a lot of the trails nearby that I like to ride have a shitload of rocks and I don't feel like getting good enough to make that pleasurable on a hardtail.