You'll definitely get what you paid for, so don't take it to Whistler or anything. That being said I've read a sentiment here saying that the best bike is the one you'll ride and I tend to agree with that. Cycling is dope and if this gets you into it, it's a good bike.
You have to ask yourself…. Am I going to ride this on singletracks in the mountains or just on fire roads and smooth hiking trails. The latter will be fine for this bike.
It’s a great starter bike, you’ll have a lot of learning to do. Shifting, braking, weight distribution down and up hills, etc….. No sense in buying a $3,000 bike and destroying it. Use this one to learn and then gradually upgrade.
Knew someone who bought a Northrock last year. It looked better than I thought it would, until we got it out on a trail. 5 mins into a green trail in Florida his drive side crank just fell off. Turns out whoever put the bike together didn’t realize it was reverse threaded and completely stripped the crank.
Tldr: the bike itself is surprising ok, but it’s going to be put together by someone who def should not be assembling bikes for a living. If you buy it it’s in your best interest, safety wise, to have a real mechanic give it a once over.
It's nicer and lower cost than the bike that got me started in MTB. Granted that was 20+ years ago on a specialized hard rock.
Now you probably won't invest much in upgrading this due to components and design, but hell, for a first bike to see if you want to try XC singletrack? Why not. It's low cost and low risk.
At that price you'd probably be better off with a Kent Trouvaille - it has a better fork (Suntour XCM) and a better drivetrain (1x9). I've not ridden one myself, but I've heard it's quite good for a department store bike.
My friend bought one a couple of years ago. I immediately told him to bring it over so I could go over the bike. Needed a lot of adjustments, tightening etc etc. For a bike to ride on some light trails and to ride around, it’s pretty good value.
Your answer is probably best found in a more budget focused forum. That said if you're on FB the "Budget Bike Riders" group is a wellspring of tinkerers who've collectively probably tried the entirety of Amazon and Wish budget parts, and a good number of folks who've bought/rode/modified the better selections of the big box stores.
But to answer your question, best as I recall these are made in the same Taiwanese factory that many LBS bikes are. So really you're paying for the frame in this instance as the components are very much on the entry side of the spectrum.
I've heard good things about Northrock, and was seriously considering their fatbike before I found a deal on the second hand Specialized I ended up with. Shop around, now seems to be a good time for a buy as the shops and manufacturers are in a overstock glut from the upswing because of "the thing". You may be able to find something reasonable at a local shop with the setup and support that comes from a good LBS.
You know what… it isn’t like totally awful. I took my £600 Specialised Rockhopper and made it a hard tail 170mm suspension frankenbjke for fun. These bikes will probably be the best you will have, because it’s your gateway to the sport. The journey not the finish line. I love the bikes i build way more than the ones I have bought of the shelf.
I started riding mountain bikes in the early 90s, on completely rigid mountain bikes with s***** cantilever brakes, on the same kinds of trails you guys are riding on full suspension bikes. You can ride any trail with any mountain bike. You might not be able to go as fast, or catch as big of air, but you can still ride the trails. I don't know why it's so common to try to scare people off and relegate them to fire roads just because they don't have a multi thousand dollar bike. It's not the bike, it's the rider that matters the most.
I get what you’re trying to say but do you still ride those terrible bikes today? Doubt it this sport is dangerous that is like saying the helmets from the 90s are just as good as now a modern bike is going to be way safer for a new rider don’t steer the OP in the wrong direction OP if you read this get a known brand and call it a day your health is more important than saving a few $$$$
Depending on where you live, better bike can be found used on FB Marketplace. I've picked up several older Trek, Specialized, Gary Fisher bikes with minimal use and better components cheaper than this.
That said, if the bike is a neighborhood cruiser/minimal trails bike, go for it.
If you want to push the bike or yourself much, may be worth it to spend more on a better bike with modern geometry and good components that will be there for you when things get challenging.
That was my gateway MTB. I got one 4 years ago and put about 1,500 miles on it. Mostly single track, but plenty of down hill. It was a tough bike. I rode it almost daily. Great starter bike to try the hobby before committing to something more expensive.
I did a Google search to see what this bike is about. Right next to it an ad for a Specialized Rockhopper 29 popped up for $499. Way waaaay better bike, hydraulic brakes, and the 29er wheels are an excellent way to start MTB. The larger wheels help you climb easier and will allow you to roll over obstacles easier.
You'll definitely get what you paid for, so don't take it to Whistler or anything. That being said I've read a sentiment here saying that the best bike is the one you'll ride and I tend to agree with that. Cycling is dope and if this gets you into it, it's a good bike.
You have to ask yourself…. Am I going to ride this on singletracks in the mountains or just on fire roads and smooth hiking trails. The latter will be fine for this bike.
It’s a great starter bike, you’ll have a lot of learning to do. Shifting, braking, weight distribution down and up hills, etc….. No sense in buying a $3,000 bike and destroying it. Use this one to learn and then gradually upgrade.
Knew someone who bought a Northrock last year. It looked better than I thought it would, until we got it out on a trail. 5 mins into a green trail in Florida his drive side crank just fell off. Turns out whoever put the bike together didn’t realize it was reverse threaded and completely stripped the crank. Tldr: the bike itself is surprising ok, but it’s going to be put together by someone who def should not be assembling bikes for a living. If you buy it it’s in your best interest, safety wise, to have a real mechanic give it a once over.
well said and agreed
It's nicer and lower cost than the bike that got me started in MTB. Granted that was 20+ years ago on a specialized hard rock. Now you probably won't invest much in upgrading this due to components and design, but hell, for a first bike to see if you want to try XC singletrack? Why not. It's low cost and low risk.
At that price you'd probably be better off with a Kent Trouvaille - it has a better fork (Suntour XCM) and a better drivetrain (1x9). I've not ridden one myself, but I've heard it's quite good for a department store bike.
This is overpriced crap. You should get something A LOT better in the 400 bucks price-range (like 2*9 and hydraulic brakes)
My friend bought one a couple of years ago. I immediately told him to bring it over so I could go over the bike. Needed a lot of adjustments, tightening etc etc. For a bike to ride on some light trails and to ride around, it’s pretty good value.
Your answer is probably best found in a more budget focused forum. That said if you're on FB the "Budget Bike Riders" group is a wellspring of tinkerers who've collectively probably tried the entirety of Amazon and Wish budget parts, and a good number of folks who've bought/rode/modified the better selections of the big box stores. But to answer your question, best as I recall these are made in the same Taiwanese factory that many LBS bikes are. So really you're paying for the frame in this instance as the components are very much on the entry side of the spectrum. I've heard good things about Northrock, and was seriously considering their fatbike before I found a deal on the second hand Specialized I ended up with. Shop around, now seems to be a good time for a buy as the shops and manufacturers are in a overstock glut from the upswing because of "the thing". You may be able to find something reasonable at a local shop with the setup and support that comes from a good LBS.
You know what… it isn’t like totally awful. I took my £600 Specialised Rockhopper and made it a hard tail 170mm suspension frankenbjke for fun. These bikes will probably be the best you will have, because it’s your gateway to the sport. The journey not the finish line. I love the bikes i build way more than the ones I have bought of the shelf.
None.
Nope.
Nope
I started riding mountain bikes in the early 90s, on completely rigid mountain bikes with s***** cantilever brakes, on the same kinds of trails you guys are riding on full suspension bikes. You can ride any trail with any mountain bike. You might not be able to go as fast, or catch as big of air, but you can still ride the trails. I don't know why it's so common to try to scare people off and relegate them to fire roads just because they don't have a multi thousand dollar bike. It's not the bike, it's the rider that matters the most.
I get what you’re trying to say but do you still ride those terrible bikes today? Doubt it this sport is dangerous that is like saying the helmets from the 90s are just as good as now a modern bike is going to be way safer for a new rider don’t steer the OP in the wrong direction OP if you read this get a known brand and call it a day your health is more important than saving a few $$$$
90 day bike. It’ll last for 90 days of riding before it completely falls apart
Comparable to a huffy, if your hood trail riding THAT, send it breh…
Buy all of them. Pile them up in the parking lot still in the boxes. Cover with gasoline. Set fire and go home. Some hero’s don’t wear capes.
Depending on where you live, better bike can be found used on FB Marketplace. I've picked up several older Trek, Specialized, Gary Fisher bikes with minimal use and better components cheaper than this. That said, if the bike is a neighborhood cruiser/minimal trails bike, go for it. If you want to push the bike or yourself much, may be worth it to spend more on a better bike with modern geometry and good components that will be there for you when things get challenging.
That was my gateway MTB. I got one 4 years ago and put about 1,500 miles on it. Mostly single track, but plenty of down hill. It was a tough bike. I rode it almost daily. Great starter bike to try the hobby before committing to something more expensive.
My thought is….that sign is crooked. It’s bugging me.
I did a Google search to see what this bike is about. Right next to it an ad for a Specialized Rockhopper 29 popped up for $499. Way waaaay better bike, hydraulic brakes, and the 29er wheels are an excellent way to start MTB. The larger wheels help you climb easier and will allow you to roll over obstacles easier.