Dual-sport fag here interested in trying out a full suspension mountain bike for the first time on some of the god tier single track in my neighborhood. Trying to stay below $500 for my first bike. Seeing as I live in BC where the supply of used mountain bikes is nearly infinite, it looks to me like you can get a pretty decent first rig for cheap.
I'm currently looking at a 2008 Specialized Pitch for $500 and have some questions.
https://vancouver.craigslist.ca/van/bik/d/2008-specialized-pitch-full/6706695756.html- As a lifelong enginefag I'm assuming my leg muscles are nowhere near ready for a 1x drivetrain, would it be wise to filter for 2x or 3x drive trains on a first MTB? I plan on doing as much uphill riding as downhill.
- In an intermediate single track environment, what requires more frequent maintenance, air shocks or coil shocks?
- Should I be considering hard tails at all for intermediate single track use?
- For a beginner, does having lockout suspension make a big difference when riding uphill?
- Should I be considering V-brakes or mechanical disc brakes in an environment that is humid, wet, and muddy for the majority of the year? Bike will also be stored outside (tent) all year.
- Are XC geometry bikes with full suspension a meme or are they genuinely a good compromise between uphill and downhill performance?
