Jonalong Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Hey guys, my mountain/dh bike was stolen recently, and has given me a kick up the A$$ to get myself into trails biking! I'm now in search of a cheapo first bike until I have proven to myself that its something I'm going to be able to do long term! Theres a fair few on ebay... any tips on anything I should be looking for? Will I be able to get a proper feel for trails biking with something like this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180857014720?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_500wt_1286 or this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220998517968?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_500wt_1286 I'm 6'3" so is there any reason for me to go for a 20" or 26" or in the middle? I cant seem to find a huge amount of advice on the web, and this forum looks good, so any advise is greatly appreciated! Is there anything different maintenance-wise to what I would be used to with a full sus bike?? (except for a significant lack of parts!!) Many thanks! Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williams Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Hi mate glad you are intrested in trials! There's no reason why you can't have a 20" bike and are really tall. However the 26" might feel abit better for you since you have already ridden 26" bikes. have a look at this link. http://www.tartybikes.co.uk/media/guides/product_guide_20_inch_vs_24_inch_vs_26_inch_wheels/m8.html And the first bike you linked aren't very good... The bike is heavy with some cheap parts. The second bike looks much better with Magura hs33 hydralic rim brake, a good set of pads and the brake is awesome! I would also say, have a look at this link. Lets get to the maintenance, A trials bike uses different parts, for an example the freewheel (placed on the rear wheel, and does so you can hold the pedal still while the bike is rolling... sorry couldn't explain it better :$) the freewheel is placed on the crank arm, and a fixed cog is screwed onto the rear wheel. Many bikes also uses chain tugs or snailcams to keep the chain tight. The maguras (brakes) shouldn't need a bleed. This is my favourite: almost every rider grinds their rim with an angle grinder to roughen up the surface on the rim. This makes the brake really good if you have some decent pads, and also make a cool sound that you might have heard How-to link for rim grinding. http://www.tartybikes.co.uk/media/guides/maintenance_rim_grinding/m2.html Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonalong Posted April 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Hi mate glad you are intrested in trials! There's no reason why you can't have a 20" bike and are really tall. However the 26" might feel abit better for you since you have already ridden 26" bikes. have a look at this link. http://www.tartybikes.co.uk/media/guides/product_guide_20_inch_vs_24_inch_vs_26_inch_wheels/m8.html And the first bike you linked aren't very good... The bike is heavy with some cheap parts. The second bike looks much better with Magura hs33 hydralic rim brake, a good set of pads and the brake is awesome! I would also say, have a look at this link. Lets get to the maintenance, A trials bike uses different parts, for an example the freewheel (placed on the rear wheel, and does so you can hold the pedal still while the bike is rolling... sorry couldn't explain it better :$) the freewheel is placed on the crank arm, and a fixed cog is screwed onto the rear wheel. Many bikes also uses chain tugs or snailcams to keep the chain tight. The maguras (brakes) shouldn't need a bleed. This is my favourite: almost every rider grinds their rim with an angle grinder to roughen up the surface on the rim. This makes the brake really good if you have some decent pads, and also make a cool sound that you might have heard How-to link for rim grinding. http://www.tartybikes.co.uk/media/guides/maintenance_rim_grinding/m2.html Hope this helps! Nice one for the excellent reply mate, I've had a chance to look at your links now too and they have really sorted me out! Much more confident about getting a 20" now. That bike in the second link has sold now! Dammit, must have been a good'un! I'll keep searching, You'll probably see me posting in the injury thread as soon as I get my hands on one! Once again, Cheers Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OAP Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Hi Jon The advise you have been given is spot on. Im 6'2" and rode a mod (20") quite happily with a few tweaks. I put on a high rise stem and bars. Although saying that I now ride a stock (26"), but only because i prefer to cover a bit of ground between areas I ride. My mod is an 07 Echo Lite and it's gathering dust, so i'm selling it for £180. Only problem is it has it's original bars and stem on. So you would maybe need to get a higher stem and bars. PM me if your interested. cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny00135 Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 (edited) I'd advise you stay away from Onza (please no one argue this is just my opinion) from past experience I've found these don't tend to ride well, every ride something broke on my old Onza, it got to the point I bought a well used 05 Zoo pitbull off ebay and have not had a single problem with parts breaking... take this guys echo^... that really is a good price if it isn't half dead Edited April 11, 2012 by Danny00135 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williams Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 Nice one for the excellent reply mate, I've had a chance to look at your links now too and they have really sorted me out! Much more confident about getting a 20" now. That bike in the second link has sold now! Dammit, must have been a good'un! I'll keep searching, You'll probably see me posting in the injury thread as soon as I get my hands on one! Once again, Cheers Jon No problem mate, just glad to help. Yeah the second bike was very good for that price. But as one other here on said, I would stay away from the lower-end onza bikes. I have a onza pro and it breaks all the time! But the frame has a nice geometry though If you can go for a echo they have really good quality bikes. Hahah William Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonalong Posted April 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 Thanks again guys, do you have any more info on the Echo mate? Pics or anything? I've noticed you are from Lancashire though which is a bit of a trek! Ok, ill try and avoid a low end Onza if that's the case, glad I came on here for a look first! Cheers Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonalong Posted April 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 An update: I've had the bike for a couple of days now, and nothing has broken so far! Think I got quite a good little buy, the bike is in great nick, only looks like its been ridden a few times, and spent the rest of its life in a shed, brakes work well and pads are still pretty good There is play in the headset, I think I will probably get a new one, any suggestions? A better pic... Someone mentioned about getting a high rise stem and bars.... I cant see where exactly to measure my stem, but I think it is a 160mm one, can you see in the pic below if that looks about right? Can anyone advise on what size fitment mine will be, and what size I should be thinking about increasing it to, as I think and extra size to the bike would definitely benefit me as I am a lanky f*cker! A pic of the stem... My mate recorded a clip of me riding this morning when we were out, I'm pretty happy with my progress so far a I only started trials a few days ago and have only been out a couple of times! ...My back, shoulders and hands have taken a bit of a bashing! Nothing spectacular in the vid! Any advice greatly appreciated Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williams Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 An update: I've had the bike for a couple of days now, and nothing has broken so far! Think I got quite a good little buy, the bike is in great nick, only looks like its been ridden a few times, and spent the rest of its life in a shed, brakes work well and pads are still pretty good There is play in the headset, I think I will probably get a new one, any suggestions? A better pic... Someone mentioned about getting a high rise stem and bars.... I cant see where exactly to measure my stem, but I think it is a 160mm one, can you see in the pic below if that looks about right? Can anyone advise on what size fitment mine will be, and what size I should be thinking about increasing it to, as I think and extra size to the bike would definitely benefit me as I am a lanky f*cker! A pic of the stem... My mate recorded a clip of me riding this morning when we were out, I'm pretty happy with my progress so far a I only started trials a few days ago and have only been out a couple of times! ...My back, shoulders and hands have taken a bit of a bashing! Nothing spectacular in the vid! Any advice greatly appreciated Jon Old school bike haha The bike looks to be in a great shape. Do you like riding trials? About the headset play, every onza bike i've been testing have a small play in the headset. Don't know why. I also had it on my onza pro. But I got rid at it when I where changing top cap and star nut. I changed to another star nut and when i put the stem on the fork (without any top cap on) I hit the stem's lover part really hard with a rubber hammer, and put on the top cap, and it worked! Don't know if it where because of the top cap, but shouldn't be. Just un-screw the top cap nut, and hit the stem pretty hard with a rubber hammer, and tighten the top cap bolt again. might work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonalong Posted April 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 Old school bike haha The bike looks to be in a great shape. Do you like riding trials? About the headset play, every onza bike i've been testing have a small play in the headset. Don't know why. I also had it on my onza pro. But I got rid at it when I where changing top cap and star nut. I changed to another star nut and when i put the stem on the fork (without any top cap on) I hit the stem's lover part really hard with a rubber hammer, and put on the top cap, and it worked! Don't know if it where because of the top cap, but shouldn't be. Just un-screw the top cap nut, and hit the stem pretty hard with a rubber hammer, and tighten the top cap bolt again. might work. Ok mate, thanks for the advice! Yeah I'm loving riding trials! Always been a dream and now its turning into reality I might give that a go, i suppose it depends on whether i should change it when i get a new stem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F.N.G Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 Jon Progression! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HippY Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 as for the starting it is a perfect bike i think. i got a base t20 for 50Ł(worth around that...) and i got progression too, altough its slower than yours:D and if you think that a stock or 24 would suit you better than you will able to change that too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonalong Posted May 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2012 as for the starting it is a perfect bike i think. i got a base t20 for 50Ł(worth around that...) and i got progression too, altough its slower than yours:D and if you think that a stock or 24 would suit you better than you will able to change that too Thanks mate, I agree! Its been a great little bike so far, I will upgrade soon, will probably wait till this one breaks first though! I'm not sure really, i think i bigger bike would definitely suit me better than a mod! As for the progression, i have always messing about on bikes for years, and watching loads of videos on youtube helped! thanks though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williams Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 and watching loads of videos on youtube helped! thanks though This one is really good, whatching videos have helped me alot. They are good, and you can pick up some lines and techniques just by looking at it. And then, it's really good to meat some better riders! Happy riding mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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