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Need bicycle advice

One suggestion anytime you stop by a LBS and need something done quick or have some time kill BRING BEER. Ask the guys in the back what they like and next time bring them a cold six pack.
I spent years "working" in a bike/ski shop, wasn't technically employed there just worked for shop/tool access and to hang out with people with similar addictions.
Fastest way to move to the head of the line was to be a regular at the shop and occasionally bring an offering.
 
George P. Burdell said:
Wow you must have been one of the first people running discs! From what I remember you couldn't even buy a bike with them until '99-2000.
Click to expand...

Probably, I was definitely an early adopter back then, if it was new I had to have it. I'm not sure about disc availability on production bikes, I had them on the first bike I built myself. It could have been early 98 when I got them but I know I ordered the components in 97.

Had them on an Intense Uzzi SL, it was one of the few frames you could get with disc brake tabs at the time. Back then getting a custom frame was a lot like ordering a pistol from one of the custom builders today, send in a deposit with your order and wait a few months while they built it. I was also on the waiting list for the brakes.

The frame set up was easy but the fork was tough. Standards were still being developed and no one knew exactly what would work with what so I ended up buying every adapter that Jenson had for Marzocchi forks.

In 2001 I got a longer travel Uzzi SLX and tried out a white brothers fork but couldn't find adapters to make disc work with it so I switched to a manitou dorado. That fork was a freaking a nightmare to set the brakes up on and it was a disc specific fork. I ended up running two adapters plus spacers to get the right offset for the calipers. Still have a box full of different size and shape adapters to get brakes to work on different forks.
 
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no clever name said:
Probably, I was definitely an early adopter back then, if it was new I had to have it. I'm not sure about disc availability on production bikes, I had them on the first bike I built myself. It could have been early 98 when I got them but I know I ordered the components in 97.

Had them on an Intense Uzzi SL, it was one of the few frames you could get with disc brake tabs at the time. Back then getting a custom frame was a lot like ordering a pistol from one of the custom builders today, send in a deposit with your order and wait a few months while they built it. I was also on the waiting list for the brakes.

The frame set up was easy but the fork was tough. Standards were still being developed and no one knew exactly what would work with what so I ended up buying every adapter that Jenson had for Marzocchi forks.

In 2001 I got a longer travel Uzzi SLX and tried out a white brothers fork but couldn't find adapters to make disc work with it so I switched to a manitou dorado. That fork was a freaking a nightmare to set the brakes up on and it was a disc specific fork. I ended up running two adapters plus spacers to get the right offset for the calipers. Still have a box full of different size and shape adapters to get brakes to work on different forks.
Click to expand...
Sweet! I didn't have money back then so I guess I was oblivious. I was just drooling over what was in the magazines. Still am actually...
 
I had a S-Works Stumpjumper hardtail in 94 with a Judy SL fork on it….In 95 I put a Disk up front and ran Cantilever in back for a number of years…

Before Hydraulic disks Magaura made Hydro Cantilevers….I had 2 sets of those as well….cool stuff back then….I GAVE AWAY a lot of old stuff that would be worth a MINT now!

Hydro Discs became mainstream starting around that 98-99 year model. I can remember perusing catalogs and seeing them go from 1-3 offerings to a LOT More throughout the lines….Now I have bikes that are less than $700 with decent brakes on them…

for custom build and some badass check out Hope Brakes at www.Hopetech.com---- I have been running these brakes for over 10 years and they are awesome….Billet CNC brakes that look like jewelry and perform like no ones business!!!
 
Ok so I had some time to waste today. I mistaken went to Free Flite in Marietta. Spoke with Travis, great guy, knew his stuff, and spent good time with me explaining everything. Why did I say I made a mistake? Because he showed me a Trek X-Caliber 6. GREAT BIKE. Quality components, looks awesome. but its $770! I told him I wanted to say around $300-$400 and asked about the Trek 3500s they had but he said for what I wanted to do I should get the X-Caliber. I HAD absolutely no desire to spend that kind of money on a bike so I left and went to Performance. Looked at the GT Backwoods I wanted originally and its nice but its not $770 nice. I doesn't have hydraulic brakes, has Shimano Acera rear derailleur which I understand to be low end but its fit my budget and I love the look. Once I got home I decided to call Shane at Bear Creek but hes off today, hopefully doing some shooting or something relaxing but was met with an ultra friendly guy named Macon. Let me tell you that if I would not hesitate to drive an hour to Dalton to buy a bike from Macon. We talked on the phone for a while, probably close to an hour. I love it when a shop can devote that much attention to you and don't try to rush you or seem as though they are too busy for you.

That said from what I can tell as far as bike selection, its no doubt the Trek X-Caliber is a superior bike to the GT but what I have to personally assess is it worth the extra $400-$500. Entry level rider? Not sure if I should go cheap, hit the ceiling of the bike, sell or keep as a spare or just go ahead and buy 1 bike and be done. I doubt I'd spend any more than $800 on something that doesn't have a motor.
 
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