# haro flightline 1 dx, first time purchase



## stevenwh (Apr 18, 2009)

I am looking at buying a haro flightline 1 dx. any comments or reviews on this bike, or other suggestions for a comparable ride for the price. i am mostly going to do light trail riding.

thanks


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## BuckshotJones (Aug 25, 2008)

Hey Steven, Welcome to MTBR!

The Flightline is a great series of bikes from Haro that will take care of you and give you a great gateway into this sport. They're versatile, fit well, and lots of fun. I started out on the Flightline Sport and I love that bike. I still ride it today. 

A few questions, what is your budget? How tall are you and how much do you weigh? These are all things to consider when purchasing a new bike.

The 1DX model is a very basic introduction that comes with a few nice things like the mech disc brakes, but with a 63 mm travel fork and Acera rear derailleur, the component set leaves something to be desired. Depending on your budget you may want to look a few steps up. The 2DX maintains the disc brakes and gives you a slightly better fork in the SR Suntour 75mm, but also gives you some double walled rims so you wont have to get them trued after every few rides. Or you can go to the sport which gives you 100mm of travel in the SR Suntour fork, disc brakes, double walled rims, and the Alivio rear derailleur is a derailleur that can take a decent amount of abuse. The sport MSRPs at 545 (us) and the other models are slightly less. 

Definitely spend some time researching and ask plenty of questions. That's what we're here for. Visit the bike shop again, and test ride this bike and other models. Visit some other shops as well and try some different brands. Specialized has some great entry level hardtails as do Giant, Cannondale, and others. 

Good luck on your search, I hope you find something that fits you well. See you on the trails!


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## stevenwh (Apr 18, 2009)

my budget is around 400 to 450, i am 5'11", 185 lbs. i just went back to the bike shop and the flightline 1 dx i looked at was gone. the shop suggested a specialized hardrock, but it was lacking the disk brakes. what do you think, are disc brakes something i should have?


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## JimC. (Dec 30, 2003)

*if it is ever*

wet or muddy where and when you ride, discs are a must. If you live where it's dry, not so much. Low end bikes offer low end Vbrakes which don't work as well as high end expensive VBrakes...IMHO if you can find a way, get a bike with disc brakes. Upgrades to disc brakes later are too expensive on a starter bike, you'll need a whole new bike then.

Jim


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## BuckshotJones (Aug 25, 2008)

stevenwh said:


> my budget is around 400 to 450, i am 5'11", 185 lbs. i just went back to the bike shop and the flightline 1 dx i looked at was gone. the shop suggested a specialized hardrock, but it was lacking the disk brakes. what do you think, are disc brakes something i should have?


Discs aren't absolutely necessary, but as Jim said, wet or muddy they're a blessing, and when it comes time to upgrade, you'll be thankful you already had them because it makes it that much easier. Having said that, the hardrock is a decent bike as well. Solid frame, entry level components, and a solid warranty goes a long way. My girlfriend has a Specialized Myka, basically the same bike but women specific, with rim brakes and she has just as good a time on that bike as she does on her Specialized Safire.

Something else you can do if you're looking for more options is try to find some clearout models. There are some great deals to be had on remaining 08 models. Just gotta ask around and see if they can get ya into what you need. And don't be afraid to ask if they can order one for you too. Lots of shops have access to more, they'd just have to order them.

At 400-450 dollars, you're going to get pretty much the same level of bike from all manufacturers. Pushing your budget up by another 100 will get you something better and a little more capable, but you can still get what you need for what you're looking to spend. Just be sure to try them all out and choose what feels best to you.


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