bikes

Post by **Friday** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:22 pm

this is the one i got joe: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-AU/bik ... 169/22446/

great bike and served him well until it got stolen on the weekend

Post by **breaksRbest** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:25 pm

I've got this, except with front & rear disc breaks...

http://www.thinking.ru/images/gt-avalan ... -black.jpg

gets me to the pub & back just fine

Charlie73 · Post by **Charlie73** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:44 pm

check out www.bikeexchange.com.au - kinda like trading post but for bikes only

mrj · Post by **mrj** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:41 pm

Dboy - if you stick with majorish brands you really can't go wrong, its really just about what you want to spend. Certain brands like Cannondale you pay more for. GT and certinaly Giant and more reasonably priced. I reckon for value for money Avanti and Norco are pretty good. Maybe Kona too, at least in their Free ride range, I don't know about hard tails.

So yeah, Avanti or Norco I reckon are good solid bikes that you can thrash and are well priced.

nic · Post by **nic** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:51 pm

Avanti have a weird image problem in my eyes.
Kind of a bit 'oz' or something. Giant are too 'china'

GT and Cannondale have good 'racing heritage' in my eyes
Kona are good too - got the 'Canada' feel

The bike shop just off chapel in windsor has great prices/but average service. You can get really good deals on last season bikes as well

Stray · Post by **Stray** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:55 pm

nic wrote:Avanti have a weird image problem in my eyes.
Kind of a bit 'oz' or something.

It's because they are from New Zealand

nic · Post by **nic** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:21 pm

lol i knew something was off!

mrj · Post by **mrj** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:39 pm

nic wrote:Avanti have a weird image problem in my eyes.
Kind of a bit 'oz' or something. Giant are too 'china'

GT and Cannondale have good 'racing heritage' in my eyes
Kona are good too - got the 'Canada' feel

The bike shop just off chapel in windsor has great prices/but average service. You can get really good deals on last season bikes as well

Its true what Stray says, they are New Zealand bikes. But unless Dboy plan on getting a very top of the line hard tail or a full suspension bike then there is little to no difference to speak of with other major brands apart from whether they use SRAM or Shimano groupsets and how much money its going to cost you. Full suspension bikes vary a lot between brands though due to the difference in designs.

Yeah GT and Cannondale do have many years of racing heritage, and if you are buying a bike for racing that would be important. If I was buying a top of the line Downhill bike to race and I had cash to burn then I probably wouldn't reach for an Avanti straight away, I'd go a Yeti, Intense, Santa Cruz, or Foes. Or especially a Turner :drool:. But at price points below 3k it makes little difference.

I agree Giant are a bit "china" but nearly all these bikes are. My old GT frame was made in Taiwan ffs. Of course that bike snapped at the head tube so its prob not the best example to use. Giant make fine bikes. There are plenty of of Chinese grandmas working in these factories who can weld a shitload better than some of the (comparatively) overpaid jockeys in the US.

DBoy · Post by **DBoy** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:51 pm

I actually have no idea what kinda cost will get me what. I guess I am thinking about 400 - 500. IS that bottom of the line, or middle? maybe I will look at 2nd hand? What are the things to look out for in 2nd hand bikes?

cj the taniwha · Post by **cj the taniwha** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:08 pm

If you are only going to spend $500 I would try and get a 2nd hand bike from someone who is going overseas or interstate or has a genuine reason for selling their bike that doesn't include putting a tiny crack in the frame in it and wanting to flog it to some sucker....

I sold my bike on ebay but there were more on the gumtree and the trading post as well. Make sure that the bike has good grade shimano gears etc and it looks well maintained - (no rust and the chain/gears looks clean), take it for a ride and give it hell, does it creak or make any funny noises?

There will be some good bikes out there, you could get a new bike that would be alright for $500 but you will get a bike that originally cost at least $1500 a couple of years ago. Check out the melbourne bicycle centre if you want a new one - big yellow building on queens parade clifton hill, - they have another smaller branch referred to previously as the place off chapel - they always seem to have good deals and push them to throw in or give to you at cost helmet/lock/lights.

stovequeen · Post by **stovequeen** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:39 pm

Reckon you need to spend about a grand to get a quality bike that you feel proud to cruise.

You get what you pay for.

Buy local made if possible.

Post by **breaksRbest** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:26 pm

mine was only $650 and I reckon it's rad.

Matt Black styles FTW!

Post by **Friday** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:31 pm

joes's was about $800-$900 from memory. to get all the features that he wanted that was the minumum you could spend really to get one new.

otherwise look second hand for sure dboy...

Post by **system** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:45 pm

you can get a pretty decent general use bike for ~$500.

retzie · Post by **retzie** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:20 pm

DBoy, if you can, maybe consider bumping up to the $700 - $800 price bracket. When you're working sub-$1000, a couple of hundred bucks can make a BIG difference.

I've got an Avanti - one a these. It's been nothing but great. Have just put slicks on to do Around the Bay and so far all the extra kms haven't made a dent.

As for bike shops, I cannot recommend Walkers Wheels highly enough (ph. 9432 2113). It is far far away (Montmorency), but it is so very, very worth it. Not the biggest range in-shop, but they will order in and they have bestest service ever. Prices are stupidly good (plus a RRR subscriber discount!) and everything has a full shop backing (I've had many bits and bobs tuned up for nix).

The owner Marcus is a complete legend (does the Saturday morning bike segment on RRR) - knows his stuff and completely doesn't do the dreaded 'bike shop attitude'. He can hook you up with second hand stuff too, on which I'd trust his opinion completely. He is also known to accept (if not demand) payment in beer...

The distance is a bit of a pain, but it is right near the train station and not far from the end of the Main Yarra Trail.

same o · Post by **same o** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:52 pm

giant crx 4's are good if u want a hybrid...
there speedy as

nhd · Post by **nhd** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:53 pm

I bought a Surly Steamroller fixed bike.
its light, fast, minimal and has allready survived its first crash!

$1k straight up, no regrets (tho i need to get the frame resprayed a brighter colour)

nic · Post by **nic** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 5:04 pm

nhd wrote:I bought a Surly Steamroller fixed bike.
its light, fast, minimal and has allready survived its first crash!

$1k straight up, no regrets (tho i need to get the frame resprayed a brighter colour)

sick bike!
love surly frames, wanted one for ages
matte black / chrome no stickers etc.

Fents · Post by **Fents** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 5:11 pm

i brought my girly one of these

http://www.avantibikes.com/comp-mtb/montari.aspx?bid=40

Im gonna get an avanti too, my cuz works at Doncaster cycles so its mad hookups anyway!

Post by **huge** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:14 pm

zomg i just bought a bike on impulse. mega cheap from brunny st bikes.

Post by **breaksRbest** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:17 pm

Fents wrote:i brought my girly one of these

http://www.avantibikes.com/comp-mtb/montari.aspx?bid=40

Im gonna get an avanti too, my cuz works at Doncaster cycles so its mad hookups anyway!

are you going to get matching lycra outfits too?

Fents · Post by **Fents** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:18 pm

breaksRbest wrote:
Fents wrote:i brought my girly one of these

http://www.avantibikes.com/comp-mtb/montari.aspx?bid=40

Im gonna get an avanti too, my cuz works at Doncaster cycles so its mad hookups anyway!

are you going to get matching lycra outfits too?

lycra's only for bedtime sessions mate....you got a camera?

nic · Post by **nic** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:37 pm

nice one huhughe
are they 29" wheels?

no more public trannies for you!

Post by **huge** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:41 pm

yer 29er. for cruising, the guy in the shop said i will have mad cred now.

nic · Post by **nic** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:53 pm

sure will - mad cred with 2 a's even
easy rolling over children with those wheels

retzie · Post by **retzie** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 6:12 pm

If anyone else here rides the Main Yarra trail (or any others really), watch yourselves - it be snake season!

Scared the fuck out of myself yesterday by almost riding over a tiger snake...

stovequeen · Post by **stovequeen** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 1:33 pm

www.bikeexchange.com.au

Good place to find a second hand bike as well as heaps of general info for the bike community

Charlie73 · Post by **Charlie73** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:23 pm

stovequeen wrote:www.bikeexchange.com.au

Good place to find a second hand bike as well as heaps of general info for the bike community

that be our site

I thought i had posted it up here? must not have....

Stray · Post by **Stray** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:21 pm

I would love to have a go on one of these!

https://www.ktrakcycle.com/index.html

gnat · Post by **gnat** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:23 pm

huge wrote:yer 29er. for cruising, the guy in the shop said i will have mad cred now.

may that 10 min ride be a little less taxing huge

lol

Stray · Post by **Stray** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:29 pm

Post by **breaksRbest** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:35 pm

Looks like the most enjoyable way to kill yourself that's ever been invented

RAD!

same o · Post by **same o** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 1:47 pm

i keep getting punctures do they sell reinforced tubing for racers??

nhd · Post by **nhd** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 1:50 pm

aye pete do you lock your bike up in the 120 collins carpark ??

same o · Post by **same o** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 1:54 pm

nhd wrote:aye pete do you lock your bike up in the 120 collins carpark ??

nah usually just out the front, but not latley due to fucken punctures,
it is annoying the shit out of me

nhd · Post by **nhd** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 8:09 pm

my only advice would be to put more pressure in your tyres so they are rock hard.
Also i think you can get kevlar reinforced road tyres.....maybe.

Brunswick st Cycles know whats up, theres one on elizabeth st too .

Post by **fooishbar** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 8:21 pm

Stray wrote:

NEED!

mrj · Post by **mrj** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 1:30 pm

Looks just like a modified Norco downhill frame yeah?

fukkin wikked though

Post by **fooishbar** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 7:27 pm

mrj wrote:Looks just like a modified Norco downhill frame yeah?

fukkin wikked though

according to their site, it's just a kit which you can attach to any bike with 26" wheels. they aven have loads of dealers in australia (but none in finland, argh).

mixtress · Post by **mixtress** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:33 pm

I'm not a bike person, so I haven't checked this thread, but has anyone seen these???

Called Street Surfers, made in Oz

Here's a news story about em

Post by **huge** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:37 pm

fairly gay

mixtress · Post by **mixtress** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:40 pm

fairly?? Fucking totally

Apparently they let you do serious sharp corners and shit. Like I said, not a bike person so don't really know how that would be of benefit.

kronz · Post by **kronz** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:12 pm

GO CATS!

nic · Post by **nic** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:00 pm

pusssy smashaerz

kronz · Post by **kronz** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 12:57 am

GO CATS!

Stray · Post by **Stray** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:17 pm

att:: mountain bike riders.

If anyone is interested, myself and some friends are heading over to Forrest for the weekend of the 9th-10th of December for some proper offroad action.

There is a brand new course consisting of 50km of trails through the otways.

Check it out here

Will probably camp in tents somewhere on the beach.. wye river or skenes creek, maybe apollo bay.

The more the merrier!

Spherix · Post by **Spherix** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:32 pm

J Gal · Post by **J Gal** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:38 pm

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/gt-power ... 08-ind.jpg

my new baby

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 3:32 pm

the worst thing about bikes is bike accidents

owww

retzie · Post by **retzie** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 3:46 pm

What happened?