First Bike Advice

First apologies if this question is not appropriate to this group.

I am about to buy a bike again after a number of years not cycling. I
would plan to use it to get a little exercise and would be cycling on
roads and off road cycle paths etc. so no extreme mountain biking.

I have looked in my local bike shop and seen a Raleigh Mountain bike(Max
Aero). This is a basic Mountain bike with ridged forks and a Chromeoly
?? frame. Parts all look reasonable quality (Shimano gears, EZ rapid
fire shifters, Pro Max Brakes) and although it is obviously an old model
it apparently had a UK RRP of 190 pounds. It is on offer for 90
pounds in a sale.

Is this a good buy for a novice like me to start with? I've tried it for
size etc. and it feels ok. In all honesty I can't afford to spend a
great deal and all of the other bikes in this price range were makes I
had never heard of. I understand that when paying this sort of money I
can't expect a serious mountain bike.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Marc

Marc Jennings wrote:
First apologies if this question is not appropriate to this group.

I am about to buy a bike again after a number of years not cycling. I
would plan to use it to get a little exercise and would be cycling on
roads and off road cycle paths etc. so no extreme mountain biking.

I have looked in my local bike shop and seen a Raleigh Mountain
bike(Max Aero). This is a basic Mountain bike with ridged forks and a
Chromeoly ?? frame. Parts all look reasonable quality (Shimano gears,
EZ rapid fire shifters, Pro Max Brakes) and although it is obviously
an old model it apparently had a UK RRP of 190 pounds. It is on offer
for 90
pounds in a sale.

Is this a good buy for a novice like me to start with? I've tried it
for size etc. and it feels ok. In all honesty I can't afford to spend
a great deal and all of the other bikes in this price range were
makes I had never heard of. I understand that when paying this sort
of money I can't expect a serious mountain bike.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

For the type of riding you're anticipating doing, this sounds like a good
choice to me. Not "boingy" for smooth paths and trails; rugged enough to
handle a few rocks 'n roots here and there.

Bill "I say go for it" S.

On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 14:02:38 +0000, Marc Jennings wrote:

I have looked in my local bike shop and seen a Raleigh Mountain bike(Max
Aero). This is a basic Mountain bike with ridged forks and a Chromeoly
?? frame. Parts all look reasonable quality (Shimano gears, EZ rapid
fire shifters, Pro Max Brakes) and although it is obviously an old model
it apparently had a UK RRP of 190 pounds. It is on offer for 90
pounds in a sale.

I'd be very surprised if it had a cro-mo frame for that price. I'd
double-check that the salesman hasn't been telling you porkies. Much more
likely to be high tensile steel.

Is this a good buy for a novice like me to start with? I've tried it for
size etc. and it feels ok.

If it fits, and you have no real intention of actually mountain biking
with it, then it should be fine.

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