# 1998 Specialized Rockhopper Comp FS ?



## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

For under 100$ I found most of what I believe to be this bike: 
1998 Specialized Rockhopper Comp FS - BikePedia

Rundown of specs: no wheels/tires/gearset. Any recommends for what I should get to complete the bike are appreciated. Price in an object, so keep that in mind please and thank you.

19" Specialized Rockhopper Ritchey Logic Pro Nitanium tubing taper butted direct drive steel frame

Answer Manitou threadless fork

Avid Single Digit 3 v-brake arms w/ well worn pads

Bontrager 620mm wide 9 degree bend 6061-T6 aluminum 25.4 handlebars

350mm alloy seat post

Specialized 130mm threadless stem

quick release seat post clamp

square taper bottom bracket with crank bolts

Specialized body geometry saddle

Specialized top cap

Ritchey threadless headset w/ 3 headset spacers

Specialized water bottle cage

Shimano Deore XT front derailleur


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## peter.thedrake (Aug 6, 2009)

I am an unabashed fan of steel rockhoppers, but it's not like it's a collectors item so you can do it up any way you like.


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

peter.thedrake said:


> I am an unabashed fan of steel rockhoppers, but it's not like it's a collectors item so you can do it up any way you like.


It's going to need wheels, tires, crank, gearset and such. Was wondering if there was anything of quality for a decent (not expensive), parts to buy.


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## Jak0zilla (May 16, 2010)

Dribear said:


> Was wondering if there was anything of quality for a decent (not expensive), parts to buy.


Sounds more like a question for your local bike shop than a question for an internet forum. It's hard to form much more of an answer than "buy one of whatever is missing."


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

Jak0zilla said:


> Sounds more like a question for your local bike shop than a question for an internet forum. It's hard to form much more of an answer than "buy one of whatever is missing."


Someone mentioned in my intro thread that I should post over in this section to get more info/advice. I guess they were wrong.

I know that ultimately I am the one deciding what to buy. I was just hoping for constructive criticism and advice about what to look for, quality level of components/brands, 'stay away from chinexican made low end crap' , what kind 'cassette'/crank, wheel and tire type, etc.

Can/should I go 10 speed for the rear? Will doing this potentially allow me to swap over to something newer? Or stay with 9x? I'd like to run a 3x crank (not sure technical term for all this stuff yet) 
I'm not expecting to have someone hold my hand, but I also do not think that this is a dumb question either. Unless someone can give me a valid reason it is.
In the past week or so I have been searching on here I see LOTS of 'I have XXXX amount of money, I don't know what bike to buy, pick something for me me to throw my money at. ' threads. And when it comes down to it, the simple answer to that is 'go ride bikes'.

Having pieces to a puzzle and putting it together to create something is more difficult than that. As far as bikes go, they are a different animal to me. I am mechanically inclined, auto tech by trade, and have the ability to build and create things.


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

Would a Trek 4300 circa 2009 2009 Trek 4300 - BikePedia
Be a decent bike to swap parts from? 
Can get one on CL local for about 60$ I would consider riding that, but it has a 16" frame and I am 6'2 approx 230lb.


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## peter.thedrake (Aug 6, 2009)

Dribear, I think the general assumption on this forum is that folks have a general idea of parts manufacturers and the different lines when they ask that question on this forum. That may be why you did not get specific answers.

You did get one specific answer though and that was from Jak0zilla. Go talk to the folks at your local bike shop. They should be a good resource.

If you want an online resource to learn up on bikes in general then there is no better place than the dear departed Sheldon Brown's website Sheldon Brown-Bicycle Technical Information

I personally would not use the parts off that Trek. They're pretty low end and unless the bike was well taken care of I don't think they would be in very good condition now.

For my own "cheap" steel mountain bike build I went with a mix of new and used Shimano 9 speed shifting with Deore as the low end of the Shimano line that I considered acceptable and the remaining parts I needed were just whatever I could pick up at a bargain.

If you want to go with used parts you can base your build off the original spec listed in bikepedia link in your first post. Nothing wrong with 1998 Shimano Deore XT or STX. Check ebay and craigslist. And your idea of using a donor bike is great too. Sometimes that's the cheapest way to get a full group.

The take away for you should be that you have some research ahead of you if you want to build the bike up on your own. You will get the best answers from this forum if you have specific questions.


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

Bolt-on disc brake caliper mount. Do these exist? Or should I just stay with v-brakes on this build?

If I cannot find a used set of wheels, I was thinking about purchasing these
Sun Rhyno Lite Black 26 Wheelset Shimano Disc or V Brake Hubs [740496] - $99.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike

Should I go with integrated brake lever/shifter? 
Amazon.com : Shimano Mountain Bike Shifter Brake Lever Set - ST-EF51 (Black - 3X9 SPEED - ST-EF51-4A) : Bike Shifters And Parts : Sports & Outdoors
Or, separate shifters and brake levers? 
http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B002P7Z4...olid=9YDX3YVV3BBK&coliid=I22U8IMZHGP613&psc=1

Dich


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## peter.thedrake (Aug 6, 2009)

v-brakes

those wheels are good

I like separate brake/shift units


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WrW3rwLnMkGr4UBW-qys6D_qPw6ZGlNC4Q/view?usp=docslist_api

Frame. Fork and other parts that came with it arrived yesterday

Dich


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

Rear derailluer.. How much difference between short and long cage? I am aware that.the long cage will effectively hang lower, but what all exactly does this effect?

Dich


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## Spec44 (Aug 17, 2013)

It affects the range of "slack" the derailleur will be able to make available from one extreme of the gearing (big front, big rear) and the other extreme (small/small). Whether you can use a short cage will depend on the gearing you choose to run.


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

I bought this crankset http://m.ebay.com/itm/311523856871?_mwBanner=1

Would like to run a 9 speed cassette in the rear. 
Is it one of those 'if in doubt, go long cage' or is there a good way to check?

Dich


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

Would this: 
Mongoose 21 speed XR75
Be worth the 5$ (If that is not a typo), for at least the wheels and tires? To get my bike rolling?


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## redstain (Aug 7, 2011)

You have a splined bottom bracket in your 98 Rockhopper?


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

redstain said:


> You have a splined bottom bracket in your 98 Rockhopper?


There currently is one. But I have the hardware to use the crank I purchased.


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

Is the "correct" tool required for removing splined bottom bracket to replace with a non-splined one?

Will "any" QR skewers do? 
Possibly looking at picking up these, if I do not end up getting wheels with skewers included. 
Amazon.com : Ventura Bicycle Quick Release Skewer Set, Silver : Sports & Outdoors


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## redstain (Aug 7, 2011)

Currently, you have a square taper bottom bracket installed. You'll need a tool to remove it.







A shop would probably do it for you for a few bucks. I personally would have went with square taper cranks, but I'm curious to see how your splined hollow spindle set works out.
The skewers will work fine.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Before you spend any more money on new parts, you need to start looking at that old fork. I'm sure that it at minimum needs to be rebuilt. Vast majority of people never bother with servicing their suspension. The big question is whether you can get parts (new seals and such) for that fork, or whether it's destined for the junk heap. A replacement fork can harm your budget for this bike. You CAN put a rigid fork on it, but it'll still hurt the budget if you're not expecting to need to replace it.

Disc brake adapters for the rear end of old hardtails WERE made. You might get lucky and find an old one for sale somewhere. Brake Therapy, A2Z, Specialized Shark Fin, etc.

Whatever you do, don't do THIS:










My vote is to use whatever brakes you've got, at least for now. One of those adapters will be hard to find. You may not even find one, for that matter. And disc brakes are going to add expense when you could spend it better on things like wheels, or getting that fork serviced.

I wouldn't touch department store bikes, even to scrap for parts. The wheels won't be worth your time. They'll have a freewheel on the rear, and one thing about rear hubs with freewheels is that you'll probably break a lot of axles trying to mtb on those. Find a reasonable rear wheel with a freehub. Older, good quality 26er wheels should be going for a good price. Especially if they're rim brake only (another reason to stay with rim brakes, you'd have to buy disc compatible wheels).


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## oneupme (Jan 4, 2016)

I also vote for not throwing money into this bike. Like the OP, I bought an older bike for a good price, a 2002 Gary Fisher Sugar 3+, for $150. However, my bike was complete, and came with a some what modern front and rear shocks. I figured I would upgrade parts if they broke.

At about the same time, I started building a new bike from frame up, looking for good deals. After a while, I realized just how unrealistic upgrading an old bike is. Even with great deals, the cost of the new parts would be so significant that it would eclipse whatever savings were had on the old bike itself. Think about it, it's going to cost you:

$100 for a wheelset
$20 for a cassette
$40 for a shifter set
$30 for new brake levers
$30 for a rear derailleur
$15 for a front derailleur
$60 for a crankset
$20 for a chain
$40 for new tube and tires

You are at $365 already, plus what you paid for the frame and shipping. And in the end you still just have a really old bike with some newer parts. If that fork is problematic, well, that's another $150-$200 easily.

So you could potentially be looking at a $700 final price, and you can find very nice new hard tails for that price. 

Don't do it.


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

I understand what you are saying. And in a way I have thought about just "buying a new bike", that was my original plan. 
The bike frame, fork, handle bars, etc that I got in the auction.. $62
Deore hollowtech II crank set - NIB 55$ 
Wheels/tires - found some on ebay for 60$ 
Front derailleur - came with bike, appears to function properly - $0
V-brake pads - $5
And if I just add the rest I do not have, according to your list, 322$ 
plus misc, saddle, grips, etc. maybe $350 
I understand why someone would not see this as ideal. But, cheaper than something NEW with reasonable components.

Not sure if you read my introduction thread. Abridged version, this is not going to be for what most here consider "mountain-biking". Mostly to assist and motivate me to exercise and get off my fat-ass more. But, I want the capability of an MTB vs a "road bike". 
If I find that I end up doing "more-hardcore" and more difficult stuff after I get riding with this, then a NEW ( or NEWER "better") bike will be there. I have some paypal and amazon credit, so its more cost-effective for me. Unless you can convince me of a bike that is available "Amazon Prime" that is more worth my while. 
Since I have been looking, I am always searching for a good deal. There have been a few newer (early 2000's) Stumpjumper (few others as well) bikes that I was attempting to acquire on ebay.

Unfortunately, my local CL and even ebay currently most people want too much for some bikes.



oneupme said:


> I also vote for not throwing money into this bike. Like the OP, I bought an older bike for a good price, a 2002 Gary Fisher Sugar 3+, for $150. However, my bike was complete, and came with a some what modern front and rear shocks. I figured I would upgrade parts if they broke.
> 
> At about the same time, I started building a new bike from frame up, looking for good deals. After a while, I realized just how unrealistic upgrading an old bike is. Even with great deals, the cost of the new parts would be so significant that it would eclipse whatever savings were had on the old bike itself. Think about it, it's going to cost you:
> 
> ...


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## oneupme (Jan 4, 2016)

I commend you on your efforts to get healthy. I am just saying that this is a very round-about way to get to a bike. You are not going to be saving any money and the bike is not going to ride as well as something else in the same total-cost price range.

Not sure how far you are from these deals:

https://ventura.craigslist.org/bik/5454528723.html
https://ventura.craigslist.org/bik/5451187387.html
https://santabarbara.craigslist.org/bik/5431350786.html


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

1st one -- too small
2nd, probably too small
3rd, probably fit, but not in my budget
Those are 2-3 hours away from me. 
At the very least, I need a large or 19"+ bike. I am 6'2 ~230lb



oneupme said:


> I commend you on your efforts to get healthy. I am just saying that this is a very round-about way to get to a bike. You are not going to be saving any money and the bike is not going to ride as well as something else in the same total-cost price range.
> 
> Not sure how far you are from these deals:
> 
> ...


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

Picked up this bike local for 100$ 
http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?year=2001&brand=GT&model=iDrive+4.0

Overall, decent shape. front derailleur needs adjustment, same with brakes. 
Should I swap parts to my Rockhopper? And potentially upgrade it, or just fix/adjust and ride it?

Dich


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

Bought shimano slx shadow 9 speed rear derailleur, 9 speed cassette and a set of used wheels/tires off ebay for under 100$. Need to buy bb tool, cassette tool, and a chain whip. I'll pick those up on amazon. Probably buy shifters, brake levers and cables as well. 

Dich


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## fatcat (Mar 11, 2006)

Dribear said:


> Bought shimano slx shadow 9 speed rear derailleur, 9 speed cassette and a set of used wheels/tires off ebay for under 100$. Need to buy bb tool, cassette tool, and a chain whip. I'll pick those up on amazon. Probably buy shifters, brake levers and cables as well.
> 
> Dich


Rats..I'm too late..I was going to tell you to forget it, its cheaper buying a complete used bike


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## oneupme (Jan 4, 2016)

You are not too late, the rest of us wasted our time telling the OP exactly this.


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

fatcat said:


> Rats..I'm too late..I was going to tell you to forget it, its cheaper buying a complete used bike





oneupme said:


> You are not too late, the rest of us wasted our time telling the OP exactly this.


Why is there so much negativity on this site? I've been searching for bikes local CL, ebay, etc. Most of the people want too much money for the bikes I have looked at. 
I do not have the cash or credit to outright spends hundreds of dollars on a bike, especially if it it going to potentially need MORE money thrown at it.
I've got a decent amount of money on my amazon card that I could potentially buy a new bike. But, even there that seems to be a chunk of change. 
Should I just buy this:
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...3DOE5EEOB4EYY&psc=1&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl
or this:
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product//B013JMII4U/ref=twister_dp_update?ie=UTF8&psc=1
And let it be?

If any of you care to help me find "something better" my local CL is slo.craigslist.org


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## fatcat (Mar 11, 2006)

Not negative at all but very positive. Believe it or not I enjoy hearing success stories. Before the age of 30 I saved up $100k (1991) and it was from good investments, not so much buying inexpensive stuff just because it was cheap. Now I live in a $1.5 million house just because I bought it 10 yrs ago for $700k. But enough about me.

Here's a good tip. Although those bikes you listed are indeed good buys, they are worthless the moment you receive one. I advise this entry level lovely:

KONA BIKES | 2016 BIKES | ORIGINALS | Lana'i

Konas are always sought after in the used market. Lord knows why but they are. I've owned about 7 of them and they were so easy to resell. I even bought a junky 10 year old Kona hard tail complete bike on eBay, built it up with better used parts, rode it for a year, re-painted it & put the stickers back on and it sold immediately.

The reason I bring this up is because as an avid cyclist, we are never satisfied with our rides. We either fix them up to the max & get tired of them or just want something else. Its like the opposite of getting married. (to most ppl)
Good luck!


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

The negative comment was not directed towards you. YOu have been the most helpful to me thus far. I understand your last bit, being into Jeep Cherokee and Comanche's ( I own a few), and it's never ending. Although, for me, they serve a greater purpose on a daily basis, and for hobby/sport than a MTB will for me. If my truck was "finished", then dropping a wad of cash on a bike would be less difficult.
I just want to potentially lose some weight, get in better shape. 
A few hundred dollars spanned over a few bikes doesn't seem like a terrible thing to me. Especially since I can do it over a span of time, vs all at once or using my credit.



fatcat said:


> Not negative at all but very positive. Believe it or not I enjoy hearing success stories. Before the age of 30 I saved up $100k (1991) and it was from good investments, not so much buying inexpensive stuff just because it was cheap. Now I live in a $1.5 million house just because I bought it 10 yrs ago for $700k. But enough about me.
> 
> Here's a good tip. Although those bikes you listed are indeed good buys, they are worthless the moment you receive one. I advise this entry level lovely:
> 
> ...


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

there was another thread recently where a guy got what seemed like a great deal on a new bike from REI. He had his local REI order the bike for him from another location and it was shipped. I didn't know they did that but you may consider looking at REI online for a new bike on sale or go in to your local REI and ask them if they can find something in your price range on sale and have it shipped to your store.

I looked. little at SLO craigslist and yeah, bikes seem over priced but there are a lot of nice looking used bikes. you may not be cmfortable enough yet to go check one ut and say "this is what I can pay." all I am saying is there are a lot of bikes on C List there that sould sll for your price range, you just may have to find the one guy who is sick of having to re-post his ad and finally realizes that his bike aint worth what he thinks it is worth. There is a Kona 29er in your range that I saw, it keeps popping up throiugh different locations and looks spray painted. My senses tell me it is stolenso I dn't recommend you buy it, but it could be worth looking at to see if it fits and so forth.


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## Rhodyman (Aug 7, 2015)

cjsb said:


> there was another thread recently where a guy got what seemed like a great deal on a new bike from REI. He had his local REI order the bike for him from another location and it was shipped. I didn't know they did that but you may consider looking at REI online for a new bike on sale or go in to your local REI and ask them if they can find something in your price range on sale and have it shipped to your store.


Here it is:

This bike may be worth a look. This mtbr member just ordered one.

New to Mountain Biking, Need Budget Bike Advice (<$500)

>>>I ended up calling my local REI and they could order the 2015 Ponderosa 29er for $550 and it was too good of a deal to pass up so I went ahead and ordered it. They only had 8 in the entire system at the time so now there are at max 7 left.

Thanks for the help everyone, now I just need to buy everything else and get out there and ride it.


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

Thank you. But closest REI is 60 miles away, would offset the 'deal'. And REI is a corporate sponsor of the Sierra Club, who is anti-OHV. That said, I prefer not to support those that are against what I do. 
I know that sometimes is not much one can do about that though. 

Dich


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

Dribear said:


> Why is there so much negativity on this site? I've been searching for bikes local CL, ebay, etc. Most of the people want too much money for the bikes I have looked at.
> I do not have the cash or credit to outright spends hundreds of dollars on a bike, especially if it it going to potentially need MORE money thrown at it.
> I've got a decent amount of money on my amazon card that I could potentially buy a new bike. But, even there that seems to be a chunk of change.
> Should I just buy this:
> ...


I read through this thread and I don't see any negativity from posters, but there are quite a few who are pointing out the challenges that you have chosen. To be honest, what you are doing is very difficult for your budget. If you can pull it off that is awesome, but I wouldn't expect even a modest number of people to reply to your thread with detailed advice, precisely because the vast majority of us do not want to go down this route. it is a slow painful process that will likely cost more than you think. however, it is an amazing elarnign experience or at least can be.

Have you heard for the Youtube channel "Bikeman4u" or maybe he spells it out? Anyway, just do a search and scroll through his voluminous videos. he works on all kinds of **** and ****-bikes and probably can help you. maybe he takes emails, too?


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)




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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Dribear said:


> Why is there so much negativity on this site? I've been searching for bikes local CL, ebay, etc. Most of the people want too much money for the bikes I have looked at.
> I do not have the cash or credit to outright spends hundreds of dollars on a bike, especially if it it going to potentially need MORE money thrown at it.


There is a cost of entry for a serviceable mountain bike. Not everyone can afford it. Hate to say it, but that's how it is. That's how it's always been. I've been through times in my life where I couldn't afford one thing or another. I made do with what I had.

Even now, I couldn't even just walk out the door now and drop $500 on a new bike. I saved for a whole year for my last bike. I've built bikes from the frame up, too. Whatever your budget is, double it. Although for a new rider who's unfamiliar with things, that may not be enough of a margin for error. You will make mistakes that cost you money.



Dribear said:


> Thank you. But closest REI is 60 miles away, would offset the 'deal'. And REI is a corporate sponsor of the Sierra Club, who is anti-OHV. That said, I prefer not to support those that are against what I do.
> I know that sometimes is not much one can do about that though.
> 
> Dich


REI supports organizations that fit with their goals as a company. Yes, they support hiking and nature groups. They also pump a lot of money into mountain bike groups. My local mtb group gets thousands every year from the local REI, as well as a couple of volunteer work days with employee labor every year. Moto stuff isn't even on their radar because they don't sell moto stuff. Will you refuse to shop at bike shops because the bike shops support bicycle organizations, which generally have an anti-motor bent whether they're road or mountain? You wanna talk about something that'll make you scratch your head...Cummins (the diesel engine people) are big supporters of the local mtb club. Let that sink in for a sec.


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

REI is too far away from me, so that doesn't matter anyways. I understand that some org/companies whatever typically go one way or the other and not both. 
I also prefer not to deal with Big Box/chain stores if I can help it. I do attempt to support local business, but sometimes the markup/cost of items of components is unnecessary and I'll shop on amazon or whatever.

On the note of "supporters", I do not drink Sierra Nevada beer anymore because they are VERY anti-OHV. Besides, there are better beer out there. Including my local favorites, Tap It Brewing and ManRock Brewing.



Harold said:


> REI supports organizations that fit with their goals as a company. Yes, they support hiking and nature groups. They also pump a lot of money into mountain bike groups. My local mtb group gets thousands every year from the local REI, as well as a couple of volunteer work days with employee labor every year. Moto stuff isn't even on their radar because they don't sell moto stuff. Will you refuse to shop at bike shops because the bike shops support bicycle organizations, which generally have an anti-motor bent whether they're road or mountain? You wanna talk about something that'll make you scratch your head...Cummins (the diesel engine people) are big supporters of the local mtb club. Let that sink in for a sec.


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## oneupme (Jan 4, 2016)

Dribear said:


> Why is there so much negativity on this site? I've been searching for bikes local CL, ebay, etc. Most of the people want too much money for the bikes I have looked at.
> I do not have the cash or credit to outright spends hundreds of dollars on a bike, especially if it it going to potentially need MORE money thrown at it.
> I've got a decent amount of money on my amazon card that I could potentially buy a new bike. But, even there that seems to be a chunk of change.
> Should I just buy this:
> ...


This one is pretty nice for $450, older, but very nice, and arguably worth upgrading:
Stumpjumper Specialized M4 - hardly used

This one looks ready to ride for $250
Raleigh 26"LG

This one may be too small, but would have been a good deal:
Giant Iguana Mountain Bike

This is just a quick look.

If you want a new Diamondback 29er, this bike is $400 today plus $15 shipping with coupon code 79426

Diamondback Overdrive Expert 29er Mountain Bike - Nashbar Exclusive

However, I'd use the coupon and spend the extra $40 and get this:

Diamondback Overdrive Sport 29er Mountain Bike - Nashbar Exclusive

This extra $40 gets you a 3x9 drivetrain, hydraulic brakes, and an XCR fork. The XCR is nothing magical, but it's a tiny bit better than XCT or XCM. The overdrive line of bikes top out at $1400, meaning you can have some room to work with upgrades in the future without feeling like you are throwing away money on a low end frame. One downside to this frame is that theadtube is not tapered, so you'll have to get an adapter lower cup in the future if you want to upgrade to a nicer tapered fork. But now we are getting into small details. This is a turn-key solution for you with no headaches.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Dribear said:


> sometimes the markup/cost of items of components is unnecessary and I'll shop on amazon or whatever.


Unnecessary, eh? And what makes you the expert on that?


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

Harold said:


> Unnecessary, eh? And what makes you the expert on that?


I guess I worded that incorrectly. What I meant was, as much as I like supporting local business I am not willing to pay MORE money for the same product that I can online/somewhere else.


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

Pinnkbike classieds has a ton of bikes under $500

2001 Santa Cruz Chameleon For Sale


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

or hit some garage sales and pick up a $20 beater just to get riding


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

I guess no one paid attention to the post that did not have any "tech" in it since there was no picture. Copied from the 26er thread. 
I picked this up last weekend. 
http://forums.mtbr.com/26/roll-call-all-26er-riders-956845-19.html#post12489508

It needs tires, so that is partially why I bought wheel/tire combo. The other stuff I was already bidding on and ended up winning from the same seller, so cheaper/combined shipping, etc.
But so far everything I have purchased will swap between the bikes essentially.


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

Dribear said:


> I guess no one paid attention to the post that did not have any "tech" in it since there was no picture. Copied from the 26er thread.
> I picked this up last weekend.
> http://forums.mtbr.com/26/roll-call-all-26er-riders-956845-19.html#post12489508
> 
> ...


Good luck.


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

Just found out one of my LBS is having a 'tax time' sale thru april 15. Unfortunately their website sucks and does not show what bikes they have in stock. But they state to have these brands and more. Norco, Bianchi, State, Rocky Mountain. 
Unfortunately, it's one of the shops furthest away where I don't typically get to. Maybe, when I get some cash to potantially drop on a bike I'll make time on a Saturday to check out what they have. 

Dich


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## StuntmanMike (Jul 2, 2012)

In my opinion this is a waste of money, and more important, time. You'll spend more money than if you had just bought a ready to ride modern bike, and you could have been out riding it already instead of spending all this time scrounging around for parts. Upgrading a '98 bike with '01 parts is really no upgrade, who knows how many miles are on those parts and how many times they've been crashed. For 500-ish you can get something decent for your purposes from an online retailer, they're always having sales. Nashbar runs their 20-25% off sale every few weeks, you can save a good chunk there.

In my experience, whenever I've tried to save money and piece things together, I've spent more money than I would have had I just done it right the first time.


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## idividebyzero (Sep 25, 2014)

my advice is to stop spending money on bikes that old since they are money pits, the Rockhopper was a waste of 100 bucks and you dont want to waste more

Used bikes can be great deals but not when theyre that old. A few hundred bucks and some patience can get a really good bike on CL with modern technology. Go to the bikes section and put in a minimum price (like $150 or $200) that filters out the junk and about 100 bucks over your max, dont put any keywords and sort by newest and then bookmark that page to check every day, eventually someone will put up a good deal on a relatively new bike. I wouldnt go older than 2004, and at that age it needs to be a high end bike.


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

At this point in time, I am not really looking to buy anything else. I have what I have and already paid for what I am getting. 
I figure that the parts I have purchased will work to replace parts on a number of bikes besides what I have in my possession. 
So, if I do not find anything.. If picked up a good later model frame, inexpensive enough, like this or different
21" Large Fuji SLM 2 0 26" C10 Carbon Fiber Hardtail MTB Bike Frame Disc Slv New | eBay

Is something like that worth building?


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## oneupme (Jan 4, 2016)

Again, you are going to spend several hundred dollars and end up with a Frankenstein of a bike. Turn away and minimize your losses.


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## Dribear (Feb 3, 2016)

Specialized Rockhopper A1 FS $150! like new just tuned!
Is this worth it? Or close? What should I offer? I have friends that could pick up for me, not sure how much they know about bikes though. In some searching I did, appears to be Circa 2002. 
Or should I just drop "finding used"?

Anyone know about this "Limited Edition" mumbojumbo? Or is it just that? 
Limited Edition Xl Specialized Rockhopper 29er


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