Conference noted::bicycle

1077.0. "help needed for buying mtn bike" by KBOMFG::MACKINNON () Fri Mar 31 1989 13:32

Hate to be yet another mountain bike novice looking for help in buying a
bike but oh well, here goes..

I live in W.Germany and would like the bike mostly for cruising around trails 
and dirt roads, but also an occaisonal jaunt into the alps.

The brands over here I've seen are:
Hercules
Wheeler
Bianchi (one note was on this one)
Kettler
Cratoni
Scott (expensive)
Specialized (also expensive here >$1000


Has anybody ever heard of these brands?  I tried out a Cratoni "Hillary"
model, it looks real nice and has a lot of the trick mountain bike equipment
but it just didn't feel great.  Price was $650.    I checked out the 
Hercules "Super Competetion", which was nice, but around $900 for it.

The price range here for decent mountain bikes seems to be in this range - 
about $ 650 - $ 1000, there are cheaper ones for $400-600 and others 
that go to $1500.    Does this sound like similiar price ranges for the US?
I suspect they are a bit higher here, but maybe I'm wrong.

If someone out there could tell me:

1.  have you heard of these brands and can you recommend any
2.  how do these prices look ( I know its hard not knowing exact models..)
3.  the basic things concerned with price tradeoffs ie - the advantages
    of "Deori" vs other shifters aluminum vs steel frames etc.

thanks a lot-
Roy

    Hello Roy,
    
    	I'm in northern California these days.  (M. McHenry is in Law School,
    but that's a different story...)   The prices that you mentioned
    sound quite high.  Maybe Specialized doesn't sell the less expensive
    models over there.  Here, the least expensive model goes on sale for
    about $400 or so.
    
    	I will be coming to the UK in June.  I could probably bring a bike 
    that far as luggage.   Do you still have your Raleigh?
    
    				John Pollard

     
        The prices you mention sould quite high. A Specialized Rockhopper
    or Stumpjumper goes for about $550-$850 new. The Stumpjumper Comp
    (fully loaded) goes for $1000+. A nice mountain bike, high end Deore
    or Suntour components , starts at about $500 ($700 for the better
    known brands).