From: lloyd@leland.Stanford.EDU (William Koenig Lloyd)
Subject: Re: Mountain bikes in $1500-$2700 range >opinions
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305 USA
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 92 20:12:59 GMT

In article <1992Nov05.044021.115416@watson.ibm.com> yozzo@watson.ibm.com (Ralph Yozzo) writes:
>In article <1992Nov4.164831.980@schbbs.mot.com> A10377@waccvm.corp.mot.com (Michael Duke) writes:
>>I'm planning to buy a new mtb bike and it has been awhile since
>>I purchased my Ritchey in 1987. I haven't decided if I will buy
>>another Ritchey or not, so I'm open to any and all suggestions
>>from anyone who's recently purchased a bike or spent some time
>>riding one in this price range, $1500-$2700.
>
>Am I alone here or do others also think that bike prices in the 
>$3000 dollar range are ludicrous? 
>
>C'mon, guys we're talking about a bike.  Remember, two wheels,
>some tubing, and it does not weigh very much.  They'd have to
>make the bike out of gold or platinum before you'd catch me
>paying $3000 for a bicycle. 
>
>
>-- 
> Ralph Yozzo (yozzo@watson.ibm.com)  
> From the beautiful and historic Mid-Hudson Valley area of NY state

Don't mean to be rude, but you must've never ridden on a bike in this price
range, then.  There is an absolute difference in the way a $700 bike feels
and the way a $2700 bike feels.  Not only is the more expensive bike (often
as much as 3 or 4 pounds) lighter, but all the components work better (and
well-set up XTR works flawlessly).  If you really ride it like a mountain bike
(feeling guilty when you're on a road), you'll appreciate the difference.

Now, about good bikes in that price range (all of these bikes my friends or
I own... and they all work in shops so they have decent ideas of the good
stuff):

Fat Chance Yo Eddy!.. runs around $1100-$1200 for frame/fork.  It's light 
(around 4 lb frame).  Three of my friends ride this bike and swear by it.  I
sometimes get sick of hearing them rant and rave about how great it is.  
Another had one for 5 months and sold it because he felt the angles were too
slack (71 head/72 seat).  With suspension, it does steer a little slow, so
I guess it depends on your preferences.

Yeti ARC..  The guy who didn't like his Fat changed to an ARC.  He is now the
happiest guy in the world.  It's noticeably quicker than the Fats are, and 
it's VERY light.  Claimed weight is 3.2 pounds, and I don't think they're 
lying.  When I rode it I was very impressed, it's agile and smooth.  Yes, it's
oversized aluminum, but it certainly doesn't feel like a Klein or Cannondale.
It felt more like a titanium frame.  Of course, it also costs about the same
as a titanium frame, at $1700 for frame/fork.

Merlin..  My favorite.  Yeah, it costs a ton.  But the more you ride it, the 
more you like it.  91's frame had just the right amount of flex, but they
stiffened it up for 92.  I haven't ridden a 92 so I can't comment on them.
They're supposed to be bulletproof, and they're really light (about 3.4 pounds
for a 19/20"(medium) frame).  I'm sure it's stiffer than a Ritchey, at any
rate.

So that's what I know, and what I have ridden.  When you're looking in this
price range, it's often easiest to pick your frame and what you want on it
rather than trying to get a pre-built bike, since most shops stock so few
really nice bikes.

Hope this helps,
Bill

Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.marketplace