new bike..!

[Crash]

i got permission from my wife to start saving for a new bike...
im both surprised and excited about this...not sure what to do ...
if i start putting away now by the summer i could have about 1500-1800$$ saved...
i was like .."are you sure ??" and she was like
" you should be able to spend some of the money in yourself that you make at work to... and its your hobby...'
now married people out there can help me a little better on this ...
is there a catch.?..should i go for it blindly.?..or should i wait and see...?
i so much want to go for it but...

on the other side.... should i go out and find a bike and start doing layaway..?
or should i wait and throw the money down all at once..?
im thinking layaway cause then the price of the bike won't go up by the summer...but maybe it will go down...
and should i go for a used bike from buy and sell or go new...?


so many questions.
..i bought my first bike ( kona fire mountain)
to see if id be into it enough to want a bigger bike...now i do and im not sure where to start...
what bikes should i consider....for downhill riding...?
i really like the kona's ..
and what part of the season is the best time for deals on prices...?
should i go for the bike offered last year ?
and what stores offer the best prices...?
thought i should do some research and get some input from those who ride....
thanks for your help ,
i hope this works out im pretty stoked ...
later
crash

[b-man]

i don't know your location, so I'm not sure if its $1,500-$1,800 Canadian or US money. If its US money, I'd check out the Iron Horse series. They really got their line figured out in 2003 and its looking even better for 2004. The 2004 Konas seem very nice too.
If you want a slightly better bike for around the same price, definately check out some closeout deals from bike stores/online dealers before the new 2004 models which may have some early-run issues like the 2003's did.
Also, look used. You can get a mean bike in nearly new condition for much cheaper than you might think. I got my fork used and its amazing. check out www.mtbr.com

[Lady Gravity]

wow shawn congrats! you definitely need a more heavy-duty bike - i'd go for an xc-style dual suspension if i were you. check out the used bike stores - sports junkies, pathways, north shore sports swap. or...you might even be able to get something new.

i think you can get good deals on new bikes right now as shops are clearing out their current stock so they can get new stuff in the spring.

test ride ALL kinds of bikes - they all feel a bit different. most shops will let you ride them around the block a few times. check out specialized and brodie as well as kona.

[Rat]

1. Does your wife really know bikes (ie how much they are worth)?
2. Does she moniter the finances?
3. Do you feel OK bullshitting her that your $4000 Ripping DH rig cost you 1500 bux?
4. Much easier to pull off if you buy a used bike as well.
5.the golden rule is that they will notice a new frame but never notice new parts.

[Slamigo]

It is far easier to ask forgiveness then it is to ask permission.

Pick the bike YOU want. Put it on layaway and keep putting money on it. By the time Spring rolls around, you'll have dropped so much money on it that she won't be able to refuse you spending a little more.:D

[Curtis]

Originally posted by Rat
1. Does your wife really know bikes (ie how much they are worth)?
2. Does she moniter the finances?
3. Do you feel OK bullshitting her that your $4000 Ripping DH rig cost you 1500 bux?
4. Much easier to pull off if you buy a used bike as well.
5.the golden rule is that they will notice a new frame but never notice new parts. 3. Do you feel OK bullshitting her that your $4000 Ripping DH rig cost you 1500 bux? 3. Do you feel OK bullshitting her that your $4000 Ripping DH rig cost you 1500 bux?

Classis.

I had a buddy how used to do that sort of thing all the time with his sleds. Spend 1k on pipes and tell her they where 150. she had no clue

Edit: sorry about this post, I kinda got out of hand with some of the features doh!

[Rat]

I have taken it to a whole new level I actually have an entire bike my wife dosnt know about.

Really though this is how I look at it. My wife dosnt ride, she dosn't understand how it could posssiblycost $5000 for a bicycle and still have to shuck out 200 a month to keep it running. Nor why I think that it's cheap for what I get out of it. Really I dont think she want's to know.

In a role reversal I cant understand how it can cost $60 for a haicut. or why you need to spend $30 on body wash.
I always treat her to a spa every once in a while and it still irks me to drop 200 bucks on someone doing your nails and covering you in seaweed. I just hand over the credit card and think about the $180 I just laid down for a new set of tires.

[trail worker]

Originally posted by Rat

3. Do you feel OK bullshitting her that your $4000 Ripping DH rig cost you 1500 bux?

5.the golden rule is that they will notice a new frame but never notice new parts.
bahahaha, these are two very true rules.i use them both on my parents all the time.i spend my hard earned money...they don't chip in a cent,but if they found out that set of cranks i'm running cost 300 dollars,and that bar i'm running costs 80 dollars, i'd never hear the end of it.

[Curtis]

Originally posted by Rat
I have taken it to a whole new level I actually have an entire bike my wife dosnt know about.

Really though this is how I look at it. My wife dosnt ride, she dosn't understand how it could posssiblycost $5000 for a bicycle and still have to shuck out 200 a month to keep it running. Nor why I think that it's cheap for what I get out of it. Really I dont think she want's to know.

In a role reversal I cant understand how it can cost $60 for a haicut. or why you need to spend $30 on body wash.
I always treat her to a spa every once in a while and it still irks me to drop 200 bucks on someone doing your nails and covering you in seaweed. I just hand over the credit card and think about the $180 I just laid down for a new set of tires.

Ah marriage it's all about trade off's, I completely understand. My wife rides so she has a good understanding how much things cost it's hard to hide something's from here, not that I have to, I'm lucky. But she does wonder why I need 10 bikes.

[GrimJack]

Threadjack! ;)

Back on topic, the best time to buy is basically right now. Stores will have their '04 stock coming in soon, and are spooling down for the long winter nap, so any '03 stuff can be had for a good deal.

Likewise on the used market. All the kids are selling their rides because they are fairweather riders and they need coin for tuition, so good deals are there on the used market as well.

Early spring, on the other hand, is the sellers market.

[Curtis]

Yeah sorry 'bout that, didn't mean to jack the thread. Buying a new bike can be a difficult decsion. You can get alot of bike if your willing to buy used, there are some good deals if you have the time to look.
Even if you could buy last years model and have the shop put it on a lay away plan till next year, that's always an option.

[trail worker]

grimjack has good points.
most shops will have good deals coming up./
on the other hand,if you wait untill just after christmas,you should be able to find plenty of barely used stuff on the buy/sell for a good deal--->most of the little rich kids get new gear for xmas,meaning they have a bunch of old,barely used stuff kicking around.
the best bet would be to get something new,though.if you spend say 1600 on a new hardtail you'd have one helluva decent bike that would last you for years.
i would suggest something like this:
http://www.norco.com/bikes/2004bikes/manik.htm
the bikes retail is 1600,and you get a DC fork as well as a parts spec that will last you quite a while.

good luck and happy shopping!
oh,and it terms of buying complete or build it up...i have never bought a new bike,i've always scoured the buy/sell and bought parts as deals come up,then finally i ended up with a nice ride....
if you want to get into a FS bike for cheap,head over to pathways.
last time i was in they had a 2000 VPS2 frame they were going to let go for a round 300 bucks...grab a 2001 Jr. T and you have a decent frame/fork combo that'll last you a while(the 2000 vps' are the workhorse of the shore,it's amazing how many you see still ticking).

[Crash]

thanks guys...great ideas ... keep em coming.....i need all the help i can get...ha

[sanrensho]

Originally posted by Rat
5.the golden rule is that they will notice a new frame but never notice new parts.

:lol: Good one, Rat. This is truly classic advice. One day, my wife noticed that a new bike had showed up in the garage with a slightly different paint job from my old bike. (The old bike was a '01 Kona Fire Mountain, coincidentally).

The new bike "only cost $300" because all the parts were recycled from my old bike using worn out parts. I only paid for the frame.:lol:

Crash, you need to work on cutting down the number of questions in your post.;) It sounds to me like you need to just go out and test ride as many different types of bikes as possible. Find other riders who are willing to switch bikes for a ride. If you have a decent relationship with your LBS, they might be willing to let you borrow a rig for a short trail run. I know mine would.

Also, see Nikki's thread from a week or so back. She is in the same boat (also has a Kona FM) and is wondering what bike to buy next.

[RoBurban]

i think the wife shouldn't have a problem with a little splurging as long as you make her understand how passionate you are about the sport. show her some of the trails you ride and never stop talking about how awesome the last ride was. that's how i convince chicks that it's something cool and worth dropping mucho dolares on. but i'm no even close to being married so it may be different.

as for bike recommendation: maybe check out the specialized enduro line, or just the enduro sx frame, which is a little different/stronger than the complete bike frame. good luck.

[sanrensho]

Originally posted by RoBurban
show her some of the trails you ride and never stop talking about how awesome the last ride was.

This might be a good idea if your wife is a daredevil or also rides the same type of trails. :lol: Otherwise, I would suggest not going into detail about doing drops of x feet and riding on slippery ladder bridges that are so many feet in the air.

Especially with a new baby, I'm sure his wife has some concern about Crash getting hurt. ;)

[Curtis]

Word on the info to the wife about what you ride, especially if you have kids. My wife has life insurance on me.