Mountain Bikes on a Budget

[Smossy]

I contacted a local bike shop to see about getting thumb shifters, rear and front disk brakes, and front suspension added to my bike - and disk brakes, new front derailleur and new front suspension to my girls, because there seems to be problems with the shocks Ive read about in the reviews. 

Trigger shifters and front suspension should be relatively easy, and they might even have some used take off parts for a decent price. 

Disks will be more difficult as wheels, hubs, frame, and front suspension have to be designed for it, or retrofit-able.  At that age, the frame, suspension, wheels and hubs are likely not disc ready.  And that's where cost of upgrading will easily outpace the cost/value of the older bike.  So in the end, you will likely decide that sticking with what you have (v brake versus disc) and saving for another used with disc is the better option.  I have been down that road. 

If the bike shop tells you otherwise, I'd find another bike shop.

Makes sense, I wasnt aware of that part of the change. I dont REALLY have a problem with V brakes, the ones on my bike stop on a dime and my girls front brakes are kinda soft but the rears work great.
Glad to have you guys around

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

I've just found even the stiffest v brakes ever won't stop me and my gear coming out of the gates.  Logging roads get steep.  With extra weight from meat it could get dangerous.  But as long as you two are safe about it I'm sure you'll be fine.  That's a nice bike for her.

[Smossy]

Took them out on a 3 1/2 mile pretty crazy logging road today to really feel them out, Ive came to the conclusion that I absolutely need front shocks and ABSOLUTELY need a new seat, I think a stick up my rear would have been less painful. Spent most my time on my legs. V brakes lock up real good. There was a really steep about 1/4 mile stretch that I got to play with my brakes on, They lock up with absolutely no play. That was only using the rear brakes, With a combo of both Im just sliding sideways. Im not sure that were gonna use these for meat haulers but we will see.

[JPhelps]

DONT change seats. It will go away within a week or two of riding and the narrow uncomfortable seat will be the best.

[JLS]

DONT change seats. It will go away within a week or two of riding and the narrow uncomfortable seat will be the best.

Agreed.  Give your butt time to adapt.

I still ride rim brakes also.  They are okay, you just have to know the limitations.  I've been on rides before when my rim was too hot to touch after a long downhill, and I could really feel the braking power fade.

If you are going to haul meat on a trailer just be smart and take your time.

Are your shocks adjustable?  Some you can add air to them, don't know what kind yours are.

[Smossy]

DONT change seats. It will go away within a week or two of riding and the narrow uncomfortable seat will be the best.

You serious phelps?

DONT change seats. It will go away within a week or two of riding and the narrow uncomfortable seat will be the best.

Agreed.  Give your butt time to adapt.

I still ride rim brakes also.  They are okay, you just have to know the limitations.  I've been on rides before when my rim was too hot to touch after a long downhill, and I could really feel the braking power fade.

If you are going to haul meat on a trailer just be smart and take your time.

Are your shocks adjustable?  Some you can add air to them, don't know what kind yours are.

I dont even have shocks, That's what I mean, Its rough having hard fronts. Just gotta get new front forks with shocks on them and my bike should be good to go. That and thumb shifters, I have twist shifters which work good I just dont like how they take up handle space and they're uncomfortable.

[JLS]

Okay, I'm with you now.  Look on Craigslist, I see front forks on there all the time.  Also, check the local bike shop for used stuff other folks have taken off when they upgraded.

Front suspension is one of those must haves.

I hate grip shifters.

[washelkhunter]

DONT change seats. It will go away within a week or two of riding and the narrow uncomfortable seat will be the best.

Ugh. Give your toockus and your sex life a break, buy a big comfy saddle for your sittin bones to cushion the never ending rocks and
bumps of those ole FS roads.

[JPhelps]

I swear the seat will suck for a week or two but once you push through it the smaller seat is better.

The big cushiony clown seats rub the inside of your legs, prevent you from peddling straight down (power) and It hurt my knees because my legs were flared out at an awkward angle.

[Fl0und3rz]

That jives with my experience, too.  If anything, a narrow gel seat with good cushioning for the boney areas that contact the seat will serve you well.

Also, I don't know how the bike hunting crowd does it, but a good pair of cushioned shorts go a along way to alleviating the problem as well.  I'd expect to wear the shorts for the majority of biking and then change into hunting clothes once the destination is reached. They don't have to be the neon green spandex type either.  They make them in all sorts of subdued colors.  I have a cargo short type that provides utility and comfort.

[JLS]

I have camo spandex 

[Easy-E]

Do not wear typical under garment underwear when riding. The seams will rub your nether regions raw. Straight Spandex or padded riding shorts.

Check out the MTB mountain bike saddles. I've been pretty happy with mine and they're affordable.

[Becky]

That jives with my experience, too.  If anything, a narrow gel seat with good cushioning for the boney areas that contact the seat will serve you well.

I think the bike I got has a gel seat then.. if anything we're going to get him one like mine. It's the same shape as his, narrow diameter but has a V cut out in the back. I don't have strong muscles yet for riding (haven't ridden a bike since I was a 10 year old kid) and so I was sitting a lot of the time and you can actually sit on my seat with some decent comfortableness. His is really like sitting on a funky sharp rock, I can't even ride his bike because the seat hurts too much lol.

[kentrek]

I swear the seat will suck for a week or two but once you push through it the smaller seat is better.

The big cushiony clown seats rub the inside of your legs, prevent you from peddling straight down (power) and It hurt my knees because my legs were flared out at an awkward angle.

  if you plan on putting any amount of miles on these bikes the advantages of a skinny seat will be there...ride often an you'll never have a sore....rear....until you try riding out with an elk quarter on your back  then you know why bike hunters use trailers 

[bracer40]

As previously mentioned, DO NOT get a wider or gel covered seat. I raced bikes (road) for 10 years beginning the year I turned 40. I put on 120-200 miles a week, every week year round. I used the same little skinny, rock hard seats you might have seen on professional road racers bikes (they can ride 300-500 miles a week during high mileage training weeks). The purpose of these seats IS NOT to save weight, but to be comfortable (bikes have gotten so light they sometimes have to add weight to keep in compliance with UCI standards).
If you're seated right now, reach under one cheek with your fingertips and feel where your leg bone connects to the hip bone (helps if you sing it too). These are known in the riding world as your "sit bones." Real scientific huh? Anyhow, those two points (one on each side) are what you want to be supported by a  firm seat. When you're in the riding position with your weight distributed across your seat, your pedals and your handlebars, most of your weight in the saddle is resting on your sit bones relieving  the soft tissues (aka, your junk) from excessive compression.
When I started teaching spin classes about 5-6 years ago, the seats on the gym bikes were the over stuffed, too wide types and my A** killed me for weeks until I got use to them. But I still can't stay down on them for much more than 15-20 minutes at a time before I need to get up on the pedals to "decompress." Whereas with my road bike & mtn. bike saddles allow me to stay seated comfortably for hours at a time.
Good luck and have fun.