Buying a new mountain bike tomorrow, need help asap!

[londonuk]

Alright guys,

I used to be a BMX enthusiast, doing stunts etc until I came off whilst doing a jump in the air and was in hospital for a month!

I'm now turning to the mountain bike side of things!

So, I'm buying a new mountain bike tomorrow, just need help on the sizing.

I'm 18, roughly 5'10, inside leg of 32inch/82cm.

The mountain bike has:

46cm / 18 inch frame size.
66cm / 26 inch wheel size.
Suitable from 74 to 89cm / 29 to 35 inch inside leg measurement

Would this bike be an ok size for me? I mean I want a bike that will last me, and I wont grow out of it quickly.

Just hoping this bike won't be too big.. any help appreciated guys.

Also any ideas on how to stop the chain from ruining my trousers? Usually my trousers get caught in the chain, or my trousers rub on the chain resulting in me having half black trousers!

Cheers,

LondonUK.

[DISGreece]

WTTF... put our curiosity to rest... what are you gonna buy?

Re size.. have you test ridden the bike. That is the only real way you'll understand if it is right for you.
Also, if you are gonna chuck it about a bit rather than do simple xc riding, you may find a smaller frame more suitable. But again this is personal preference.

Re trousers... wear shorts!!! You can get trousers specially made for biking that have velcro fasteners around the lower leg to avoid flapping and trapping!

[londonuk]

WTTF... put our curiosity to rest... what are you gonna buy?

Re size.. have you test ridden the bike. That is the only real way you'll understand if it is right for you.
Also, if you are gonna chuck it about a bit rather than do simple xc riding, you may find a smaller frame more suitable. But again this is personal preference.

Re trousers... wear shorts!!! You can get trousers specially made for biking that have velcro fasteners around the lower leg to avoid flapping and trapping!

I'm buying a Muddyfox Vortex.

I won't be chucking it around, I'll just be doing casual riding, as I've already stated I've had a bad experience doing that sort of stuff on bikes.

I just need to know if the bike won't be too big that's all.

Shorts in the UK? Are you thinking straight? It's far too cold for shorts, saying that the sun is out today!

[Mike7]

Welcome to the forum londonuk.

An 18" frame [about a medium/ large?] sounds about right for your height. However, sizing is a very individual thing and two riders of the same height might opt for different sizes based on the 'feel' - my current bike is an XL whereas my old bike was a L. Having come from BMX, you might feel better with a frame that feels smaller and is easier to chuck about a bit. Can you try a few different sizes out tomorrow - be well worth it!

Whichever you go for, make sure you have enough scope to lower [for techy stuff] or higher [for getting the hammer down] your seat post within the max/ min noted on the seat post. As you say, worth bearning in mind that you might not be done growin' yet! I'm sure the bike shop will also advise you with this.

Also any ideas on how to stop the chain from ruining my trousers?

Get yourself some shorts tomorrow our kid - keep your dancing pants for le disco!

[Aldo]

18" should be as close as you can get to ideal really. One of the lads at work rides my old Marin, he is of similar height and its an 18", was always to small for me...

You can always get some ankle clips for your trousers, the chicks will really dig the look!

[reevil]

Crikey, it's nearly half-price at Argos.

Get some shorts. I remember once as a lad when my trousers caught on the chainring. First thing I knew about it was when my crown jewels hit the crossbar.

[EnglishLion]

These are slightly more fashionable than the old style clips - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-Pair-Pra...#ht_5101wt_905

Looks like you've picked out a heavy bike for yourself there, at 18kg I hope you've been in training! Oh, and WTTF BTW.

[reevil]

These are slightly more fashionable than the old style clips - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-Pair-Pra...#ht_5101wt_905

Practical Fashion Bike Bicycle Velcro Elastic Pants Band Leg Strap

That sounds like it's designed to stop stuff running down your leg if you have an accident.

[Square]

Get some shorts! & if you must have trousers, what's wrong with tucking into them your sock!!!

[fredmundo]

Hi London, welcome to the forum.

I've had a google and found the bike at Argos. For the money that you are looking to spend then I would steer clear of any suspension (front or rear) at all. Not only will you get a lighter bike but you will also find that it is better made. The bikes that are I'm that price bracket and are bouncy at both ends are not worth buying. They are certainly not suited to mountain biking. The suspension not only adds lots of weight but it also is inefficient meaning that you lose a every into it every time you peddle.

If you are just looking to spend about 100 notes then you should check out decathlon. The bikes there will give you much more smiles to the pound.

Also its worth asking the question as to where you intend to ride your bike? As if you are looking seriously into riding off road then you may do a buy berret to save fur longer and invest in a better bike to start with, an extra 50 quid (or more if you can save it) will go a long way towards having a much me fun bike to ride.