# Attention Beginners - Great Deals on Mountain Bikes at Nashbar!



## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

Right now Nashbar has some pretty darn good deals on clearance items. For instance, here is a Breezer Thunder for $399 shipped, and that is an EXCELLENT DEAL!

Breezer Thunder with Shimano Alivio Mountain Bike - Mountain Bikes

Anyway, just thought I'd share for anyone who is looking. They also have some other higher end Breezers on clearance for really good prices, so I'd act now if you have the cash! :thumbsup:


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## hadeone (Oct 21, 2012)

Just curious, how is this bike better than what you can get on bikesdirect for around the same price?

Sent from my cm_tenderloin using Tapatalk 2


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

hadeone said:


> Just curious, how is this bike better than what you can get on bikesdirect for around the same price?


Well, I guess that is a matter of opinion, but I will give you my informed opinion based on experience with Bikes Direct and somewhat informed opinion based on a brief test ride I did on a Breezer at a local sporting goods store.

I've owned several Bikes Direct bikes, and overall, I'd say I've been happy with my purchases based on my skill level as a mountain biker at the time I made my purchases. The first one I owned was a Windsor Cliff 4500 I purchased for $300, and the second one was a Motobecane 600HT I purchased on clearance for $360.

At first, the Windsor seemed ok, but it took my a while to get used to the sizing and feel of the bike because I was used to riding slightly larger bikes. After I got used to it, I really liked it, but I was also practically brand new to mountain biking. Given my newbie skill level, I thought it performed reasonably well off road but not long after I purchased it, I took it out on more challenging terrain and I noticed something was loose on the front part of the bike. At first, I thought it was the fork, but it turned out to be the headset, which I could never seem to get on tight enough. The frame also developed an annoying "tick" or creak which never went away. Eventually, I ended up using some of the parts of the Windsor on my other bikes, and donated what was left of it to a community bike store. But hey, the bike was really inexpensive and served its purpose for a few months.

A few months after I purchased the Windsor, I rebuilt a Trek 820 with better parts, and the Trek 820 performed noticeably better off road compared to the Windsor. I guess part of this had to do with the better parts I had on the Trek, but at the same time, the Trek 820 frame, which clearly had awkward geometry because of the travel adjustment with the new fork, (63mm to 80mm of travel), was still much better than the Windsor.

My purchase of the Motobecane 600HT was a much better experience than the Windsor, as the parts were similar in quality to the parts on the Trek 820 rebuild. At first, when I test rode it in the parking lot of my apartment complex, I didn't like it at all, but after taking it off road, I really loved it. I also noticed that after several time trails on a local mountain bike course, it was several minutes faster than my Schwinn Rocket Comp full suspension bike, and because the 600HT outperformed the FS, I sold the Schwinn. If you dig through my posts, you will see the thread I created on the 600HT, and my time trials.

The demise of the 600HT occurred after 2 things:

1. Once again, I was dealing with a "tick" or frame creak.

2. I bent a jockey wheel on my rear derailleur, causing my bike to do some rather annoying things. This, of course, had nothing to do with the quality of the Motobecane...at some point, I hit something, and the bike was never the same. I will say that it drove me crazy though, and I didn't like the bike nearly as much as I did at first. The other thing I noticed was that for some reason, the middle chainring got bent, so I had to replace it as well. Not long afterward, I turned the 600HT into a single speed, put some of the parts from the 600HT on my other bike, and then sold it for $300.

While I didn't notice it much, my friend who is a much better rider and more picky than me about mountain bikes, said that both the Windsor and the Motobecane felt unstable. Of course, he also said the same thing about the Trek and my current bike, so what does he know (he is spoiled and currently rides a $4500 Niner Air 9), but he seemed to have the biggest instability problems with the Windsor and the Moto. Again, just his opinion, though.

Getting back to the original question, how does the Breezer stand up to Bikes Direct bikes? Well, Joe Breezer is one of the pioneers in mountain biking, and is a bike designer. In fact, Breezer is technically the first and oldest mountain bike brand. My guess is that the frame has better geometry than what you can pick up at Bikes Direct at a similar price point. Please note that I'm not talking quality, but in overall design and innovation. I absolutely LOVED the Breezer I test rode at the sporting goods store, but didn't buy it because it was a little too big. The bike I test rode, I think, was this one, for $499 at Nashbar:

Breezer Thunder Sport with Shimano Deore Mountain Bike - Overweight Code H Restricted

Also, overall, the quality of components on Bikes Direct bikes is going DOWN while the prices are going UP. The $400 Breezer has BETTER parts than the $400 Windsor Cliff 4700, and much better components than the brand new $550 Motobecane 650HT.

Save up to 60% off new Mountain Bikes - MTB - Windsor Cliff4700

Save up to 60% off Mountain Bikes - MTB - Motobecane 750HT

Honestly, I practically have to restrain myself from buying a Breezer, because those are really really really good deals! Believe me, I'm not trying to knock Bikes Direct as I still ride a Motobecane Fantom Cyclocross, but if it were my money, I'd go with the Breezer, and you had better act fast because those bikes won't last long.


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## hadeone (Oct 21, 2012)

Thanks for that write-up. The Thunder Sport does look like an awesome deal.


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## enV (Dec 5, 2012)

Thanks for the in-depth info


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## DannyPacMan (Dec 7, 2012)

This was a great read man. I'm looking to pick up my first rig and have a few prospects on craigslist but these prices are definitely in my budget.
Thanks for the info!


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

Glad I can help you guys out! Just for the record, the $500 Brezeer uses an external bottom bracket. I've NEVER seen a bike priced that low with an external bb! I read up a little more on these Breezer bikes and others have said they handle like a dream. If anyone ends up getting one, please post a photo here!


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## DannyPacMan (Dec 7, 2012)

I would really consider snagging that breezer. Especially since the medium seems like the perfect fit at 18.5" for the frame and me being about 5'8". But $500 is just out of the range and they're probably going to sell out by the time I can get the extra cash. I have a thread in the bike & equipment forum where I'm trying to find a solid used mtb, if anyone can take a look at the 8 or so bikes I've got my eye on and get some feedback on anything to keep an eye on or if any of those bikes are good deals, I'd be most grateful.


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

DannyPacMan said:


> I would really consider snagging that breezer. Especially since the medium seems like the perfect fit at 18.5" for the frame and me being about 5'8". But $500 is just out of the range and they're probably going to sell out by the time I can get the extra cash. I have a thread in the bike & equipment forum where I'm trying to find a solid used mtb, if anyone can take a look at the 8 or so bikes I've got my eye on and get some feedback on anything to keep an eye on or if any of those bikes are good deals, I'd be most grateful.


If you can afford $400, I think you are still getting a very good deal on the Breezer. The parts on the $400 Breezer aren't all that spectacular, but this would have been a $500 - $700 bike store bike 3 years ago, and an $800 bike now. I mean, check out the specs compared to this $809 Trek 4300 - the specs on the Breezer are better!

Trek Bicycle

Also, I think the 17" Breezer might fit you. I'm 5'7 and my 17" Leader frame feels a tad big for me at times. I don't notice it so much on the road or on basic singletrack, but I notice it a lot more when the terrain gets more technical. I think others in this forum would agree. Some people who are 5'10 or even 6' tall will ride a 17", because they can "wing" the bike a lot more, so I think you would be ok with that size, assuming you ride more technical stuff.


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## GelatiCruiser (Oct 11, 2012)

I really want to talk a buddy of mine into getting one of these, but he's looking for a 29er in that price range...or maybe even with a smaller budget.


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

GelatiCruiser said:


> I really want to talk a buddy of mine into getting one of these, but he's looking for a 29er in that price range...or maybe even with a smaller budget.


Ugh. There are some 29ers at Bikes Direct in that price range, but nothing fancy. Here is a link to their 29er page - the lower priced bikes are toward the bottom of the page:

29er Mountain Bikes | Full Suspension 29er | Hardtail 29er Mountain bikes | Titanium 29er Mountain Bikes | Singlespeed 29er Bikes


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## DannyPacMan (Dec 7, 2012)

getagrip said:


> If you can afford $400, I think you are still getting a very good deal on the Breezer. The parts on the $400 Breezer aren't all that spectacular, but this would have been a $500 - $700 bike store bike 3 years ago, and an $800 bike now. I mean, check out the specs compared to this $809 Trek 4300 - the specs on the Breezer are better!
> 
> Trek Bicycle
> 
> Also, I think the 17" Breezer might fit you. I'm 5'7 and my 17" Leader frame feels a tad big for me at times. I don't notice it so much on the road or on basic singletrack, but I notice it a lot more when the terrain gets more technical. I think others in this forum would agree. Some people who are 5'10 or even 6' tall will ride a 17", because they can "wing" the bike a lot more, so I think you would be ok with that size, assuming you ride more technical stuff.


Now is this the Breezer your talking about?

Breezer Thunder

Because... Yes... I'd get that **** in a heartbeat. Hahaha


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

DannyPacMan said:


> Now is this the Breezer your talking about?
> 
> Breezer Thunder
> 
> Because... Yes... I'd get that **** in a heartbeat. Hahaha


Yeah, that's the one! The $500 is better, but this is still a pretty good deal for $400. :thumbsup:


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## DannyPacMan (Dec 7, 2012)

Just ordered it! I just wanted to make sure man! I'd really like to stretch for the extra hundo. But that one still needs pedals, and I'm definitely going to be spending the extra money on equipment I'm gunna need.


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

DannyPacMan said:


> Just ordered it! I just wanted to make sure man! I'd really like to stretch for the extra hundo. But that one still needs pedals, and I'm definitely going to be spending the extra money on equipment I'm gunna need.


Congrats, man! What size did you end up going with?

Make sure to post photos after you get it, and even during the assembly process. You are right - figure around $50 between pedals and a helmet. You may also want to invest in a Camelbak. Anyway, congrats on your purchase. I don't think you will regret it, and I hope you have many hours of fun riding it!


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## CDaleATL (Nov 2, 2012)

Alivo is what makes people give up on mountain biking... It's the Sora of mountain biking groupsets.


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

CDaleATL said:


> Alivo is what makes people give up on mountain biking... It's the Sora of mountain biking groupsets.


Well, it beats the heck out of Acera, Altus, and Tourney. Just for the record, my friend has won mountain bike races with the Alivio derailleur that used to be on my Windsor (yes, I gave it to him since he worked on my bike for free). Above and beyond that, the Breezer is upgradable...anyone who buys this bike can upgrade to Deore or XT or whatever at a later time. You can't expect a $100 derailleur on a $400 bike!


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## DannyPacMan (Dec 7, 2012)

getagrip said:


> Congrats, man! What size did you end up going with?
> 
> Make sure to post photos after you get it, and even during the assembly process. You are right - figure around $50 between pedals and a helmet. You may also want to invest in a Camelbak. Anyway, congrats on your purchase. I don't think you will regret it, and I hope you have many hours of fun riding it!


Thanks man! I ended up going with the 17" frame. I figured it people three to four inches taller than me are still riding small frames, it couldn't hurt to go as small as possible.

I have one more question though, so I got a little excited and forgot to order pedals when I ordered my bike. Hehe, so I checked with my lbs and the cheapest they have are like $55. So I went back to nashbar and found these Nashbar Soho pedals for $40, and I just really really like how flat they are so I can get a good grip with my shoe. My only experience with pedals are really no clips from back in the tweenage days, and clip ons when I started riding road bikes with pops. I'm not opposed to being clipped into my bike, I'm pretty comfortable with it, but I think I'd just like to get away from that for a while. Am I making the right decision with those soho pedals?

I also like theseShimano PD-M530 for 32. Anyways, just trying to get some feedback before I spend some more money. Thanks so much for everyone's help so far.

Edit: Ok and these  Nashbar Clipless Mountain Pedals are even cheaper than the shimano PD-m530's AND they match the bike. Haha, sorry I'm sure this shouldn't be something I need advice on, but I'm new to this and any input helps my decision


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

DannyPacMan said:


> Thanks man! I ended up going with the 17" frame. I figured it people three to four inches taller than me are still riding small frames, it couldn't hurt to go as small as possible.
> 
> I have one more question though, so I got a little excited and forgot to order pedals when I ordered my bike. Hehe, so I checked with my lbs and the cheapest they have are like $55. So I went back to nashbar and found these Nashbar Soho pedals for $40, and I just really really like how flat they are so I can get a good grip with my shoe. My only experience with pedals are really no clips from back in the tweenage days, and clip ons when I started riding road bikes with pops. I'm not opposed to being clipped into my bike, I'm pretty comfortable with it, but I think I'd just like to get away from that for a while. Am I making the right decision with those soho pedals?
> 
> ...


As far as the sizing is concerned, if the bike feels a tad small on pavement or gravel, give it a week and you will most likely get used to it. When you take it out on a technical trail, the bike will feel a little bigger, and the smaller frame size will come in handy, especially if you have to plant your feet or when you find yourself jumping on and off the bike in really technical terrain. You will also like it better on jumps.

I don't know anything about the Nashbar pedals, but I did notice that the Shimano ones are sold out until 12/24/12. Here is a good pair of entry level SPD pedals from Shimano:

Nashbar - Welcome!

If you are ok with riding clipless, you will need to pick up a pair of Clipless shoes too that are designed for mountain biking. I have a set of these from Pricepoint, and they have worked well for me:

Sette Element MTB Shoes at Price Point

Pricepoint also has pedals - here they are sorted from low to high. If you have not ridden a mountain bike off road with clipless pedals, it may be best to start with platform pedals, and then move onto clipless pedals. Maybe order them at the same time so you have both in case you are not quite ready for clipless.

Pedals/Mountain at Price Point

Pricepoint doesn't have reviews next to each item like Nashbar, but what you can do if you find a set you might want to buy, go to Google and type something like "mtbr.com + Name of pedal", and you will find reviews here at mtbr on a lot of products.

Also, when installing pedals on your bike, there is a right and left pedal. Make sure you have got it right - otherwise, you might strip the threads in the cranks! It doesn't hurt to use a little grease when instlaling pedals, but I suppose not everyone would agree with that.


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

By the way, you may want to pick up the book "Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance". The most challenging aspects of the bike setup will be adjusting the rear derailleur and properly installing the stem and handlebars because of the way the headset works (its really quite easy, but you have to know how to do it). Otherwise, you can put it together and take it to the bike store for adjustments, which should not cost more than $30.


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

Hey DannyPacMan, did the bike arrive? If so, how do you like it?


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## Johanneson (May 24, 2012)

Thanks for the info


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## ZeroSkillet (Dec 22, 2012)

Nice looking out!


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## Edirty6 (Jun 23, 2012)

lets see some pics of the bike when you get it man. its not on the website anymore, and im interested to see what you got


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

Edirty6 said:


> lets see some pics of the bike when you get it man. its not on the website anymore, and im interested to see what you got


Strange. None of the Breezers are on the website anymore. I don't think they were all sold out in EVERY size in EVERY model they carried, so perhaps they were drop shipping or something along those lines and too many orders came in, Either that or its a website error....


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## DannyPacMan (Dec 7, 2012)

Hey everybody!
i appreciate ur patience. if you've been wondering if I picked up the breezer thunder, the answer is yes! I love it at the 17" frame. It feels super comfortable. I've had it for about two weeks and with all the rain the central coast has been having, I've gotten her pretty dirty. It's definitely been a learning experience, from climbing to cornering, braking to body positioning. Even got kicked off some private property for the first time yesterday. Anyways, here's a few pix of babs.

p.s. I have no idea what order there in. But there's a few unboxing pics and a few muddy ones.


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

DannyPacMan said:


> Hey everybody!
> i appreciate ur patience. if you've been wondering if I picked up the breezer thunder, the answer is yes! I love it at the 17" frame. It feels super comfortable. I've had it for about two weeks and with all the rain the central coast has been having, I've gotten her pretty dirty. It's definitely been a learning experience, from climbing to cornering, braking to body positioning. Even got kicked off some private property for the first time yesterday. Anyways, here's a few pix of babs.
> 
> p.s. I have no idea what order there in. But there's a few unboxing pics and a few muddy ones.


Awesome! From the pictures it looks like you are having a good time! I was a little nervous that I recommended a size that might be a tad small since you were looking at the 18.5"...but I'm glad to know that the 17" fits. For your reference, here is the company website for Breezer:

Breezer Bikes - Home

And a little bit of mountain bike history on Joe Breeze:

Joe Breeze - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anyway, glad you like it. As you gain experience and tackle more technical terrain, you can start thinking about upgrades, but I wouldn't worry about that just yet. Well, happy riding!


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