Now that I have my ALDI mountain bike, I was wondering what I should set of with.
I am a complete off-road beginner but was thinking of a trail helmet, puncture kit and emergency toolkit.
Any other gear you would recommend and the best place to buy would be appreciated. Happy riding!
I will be starting at Lysterfield which I understand has a few different tracks ranging in difficulty.
When I first moved to the area I looked at bikes and quickly got into the 3k+ range. I'm not spending that sort of money before I ride even 1 trail so I ended up with nothing.
I am a beginner so if I like it and ride every weekend I will upgrade. If not and the bike sits in the shed, I have only wasted a few hundred bucks. I think the "best" bike is whatever gets you out, and I am just finishing my coffee before heading off to test it out now.
As someone who used your logic of the "best" bike is whatever gets you out there. Can totally recommend starting with something like this.
I started off with a used $200 giant mtb with almost exactly the same spec level. I used it for 2 years and did quite a few rides - including some longer mtb events and bikepacking the goldfields trail. Sure it wasn't the best MTB - and having since stepped up, i can appreciate its limitations. But it definately will get you around the track. Just don't expect to be doing it as fast or hard as others on the tracks (though saying that skill and fitness play a lot into it as well!).
Enjoy it, and if you decide you're enjoying it and want to step up, pick up something nicer that'll suit your needs.
My greatest issue with the cheaper bikes wasn't the gears (sure they're not as nice - but whatever). It was the fork. The coil forks just didn't have the control that my nicer air forks have and that at times could be uncomfortable and dangerous - but you learn to ride with those limitations and expectations.
don't forget a charged mobile phone, can help if you have coverage.
Also ambulance cover is worth it.
I've been MTB nearly 25 years, so don't worry on what you're riding, have fun!!
Today's Aldi bike would smash the rims off my old skool Giant that I used to tear up the Port Hills with.
I've been MTB nearly 25 years, so don't worry on what you're riding, have fun!!
You have more experience than me. How can you say that, and potentially put someone in danger. You have to ride a bike suitable for the trail. Imagine hauling down the flow trail at thredbo on an aldi bike. My hardtail trek rattled loose and I avoided serious injury by feeling it and stopping in time, imagine a face plant at 60kmh from a skewered and not through axle bike wheel coming off.
You sound like my mate who is a complete and utter bell end when it comes to MTB riding.
He won’t take anyone with him who doesn’t have a certain set of min specs on their bike. Must have 200mm disc up front and min 180mm on the rear with hydraulic calipers. Dual suspension only with dropper seat tube. Single speed front… Axle sizes, tyre sizes, bar width… the list of his bullshit goes on.
I got left out of their Canberra trip because my carbon frame bike is a hard tail. Even though I outride this plonker on his hyperMTB on every other trail…
OP is asking about this bike as a beginner, I hardly think he is going to take it up and throw it down all the hardest trails they can do. This bike will be more than adequate for what OP wants to do with it. @kelpi3 is spot on, you just sounds like the typical elitist MTB type.
OP is asking about this bike as a beginner
Nice assumption. As you can see it is undefined and I have clearly asked above what riding he will be doing? its not unheard of that somebody hits a trail way above their means.
Also, most of canberra can be done on a hard tail, maybe bits if tuggeranong or the stromlo DH you'll struggle but most canberra trails are XC orientated. Thredbo advertise their flow trail for beginners (go look on their website) and I personally know somebody that fell for the advertising. One lap on an entry level hardtail will see your rear wheel coming off due to braking bumps, brake fade among other issues, all at high speed and it is quite dangerous.
Obviously you and your mate have no idea what you are talking about seemingly as canberra has multiple bike hire places hiring specalised stumpjumpers out for a measly sum of $100 a day. Cheap insurance. particularly for a weekend away and also not alot of coin as you would likely be paying for a hotel anyway.
Are you salty you got left behind?
@TheBilly: a beginner is going to start out easy and fairly quickly find out their limits of 1) fear or 2) equipment. Depending on which limit is found first will determine if they need to upgrade the bike or not. I started out MTB riding in my 20s with the equuivalent of the Aldi bike, entry level at best and it had a lot les features than the current technology. It coped with beginner trials just fine. However, I quickly found the limits of the equipment and upgraded, twice in a bit over a year, tripling the price of the bike each time. Now, having recently updated again and in my 40s have found the limits of fear and the bike is way more capable than I am, but it’s stil fun.
As for Pegaxs mate, he sounds like a douchebag and all that is wrong with MTB riders who don’t get that riding in the bush is fun no matter what level gear you have.
riding in the bush is fun no matter what level gear you have.
I totally agree. I built my own bike up from scratch and put the parts on it that I wanted. I found the “fear” limit and can’t ride anywhere near the “engineering” limits of the bike. I have just as much fun as the guys on their $7,000+ bikes, it at a fraction of the cost and there is no way they are any safer, faster or having more fun just because of their bikes costs or features.
And no, Billy, I’m not salty I got left behind. Two things I can’t stand are elitist circlejerks over a topic, where a bunch of ignorant, know nothing idiots stroke their own ego over how their bike is better than everyone else’s. I didn’t have to sit in the car and listen to 4 hours of that shit. The other thing I can’t stand is people not putting their money where their mouth is and having to wait at the bottom of a run for the elitist morons to finally arrive and then have to listen to all of their excuses and explanations… And it’s people like that that turn new people off getting into the sport.
Maybe my experience is different and it has shaped my view, I started on hard tail which was the equivalent of a Kmart / Aldi bike and within 1 ride the suspension was shot, the brakes were fading and the skewer holding in the wheel was sketchy at best and I stacked it BAD. Literally the next week I upgraded to a hard tail (aluminium, 120 mm travel) - think Giant Talon, Trek Ex-calibre (around $1,000) and that is all I have ridden ever since. For the last 8 years I have ridden cheaper end good quality hard tails exclusively, only last year I purchased my first dual suspension high end bike in the order of $4,000 but this only comes out on bike park days (thredbo 2 to 3 times a year). I'm not promoting expensive wanky gear, I am just promoting safe gear. I almost exclusively ride hard tails and I love it. But there is nothing wanky about riding a safe bike or promoting the safe use of gear and I don't believe Aldi or Kmart or any other company like that delivers on this front. Encouraging people to spend $1000 on a good quality giant or trek is good practice. I'm not telling anyone to go out and get a stump jumper, reign or remedy but having had severe stacks on poor quality bikes due to bike failure has shaped my view that spending on a good brand who's reputation is on the line is definitely worth it - go for a good brand but go cheap in their range and you will be fine.
Also I honestly think you have shitty mates and probably need to re think riding with them. I am a down riding hill nut, but I regularly ride with my Lycra clad XC mates - no judgement and some of them shred way harder than I do. I don't care what people use as long as it is done safely and the gear is suitable for the environment. However I do care about safety as I am VERY passionate about mountain biking and unsafe practices affect everyone in the community. If people go out there and break bones, get hurt or severely injured, this only results in governments and authorities retracting funding for new trails and facilities and shutting existing trails down. When the sport can be enjoyed by a larger number of people safely, it attracts more funding and better facilities. This was recently put in practice where my local trail has had a lot of nice technical features removed because people could not ride it safely and too many newbies were being taken out and injuring themselves badly. If you ride in Western Sydney you'll know which one I'm talking about. Safety affects everyone and if I'm wanky for telling somebody to buy something slightly better than a Aldi bike so be it.
@TheBilly: the current Aldi $349 bike is a long way removed from a Kmart bike. It is a real bike and if Giant, Trek etc was selling it would be over $600 with almost the same spec and quite possibly out of the same frame factory. Read the original review by Flow magazine, they rated it as terrific value, and they usually ride mega buck bikes.
If I didn’t already have a fleet of bikes I’d grab one of the Aldi bikes and put it to use. I’d have no problems taking it on XC trails and wouldn’t have to constantly worry about an expensive MTB being left at the campsite or on the back of the car to go on a non-riding holiday.
That's fair enough, I didn't know Flow have reviewed this and said that. They're quite reputable.
Thanks, mobile is definitely a must and should have some coverage around Lysterfield. Just about to head out now.
Hope you enjoy your ride! Take it easy to start, but most of all just enjoy it.
Thanks. Just got back without stacking it, breaking the bike or getting a flat. My hands hurt, legs feel like lead and bike is now covered in dirt but had a great time.
@benderz: winning!
You’ll find that if you have regularly ridden on the road and are ‘cycle fit’ that MTB gives your upper body a great workout too. If I haven’t been out in the scrub for a while I usually end up with sore shoulders.
It's a bike, just ride it.
Camel water pack
Or at least a water bottle.
I carry a spare tube. It's more convenient to replace than repair on the trail. I repair the old tube when I get home and carry it as my spare. A pump is also required. You should have a set of rigid plastic tyre levers.
I also carry a master link and my tool has a chain breaker. If the chain breaks - push out the pins and use the master link. It's saved me a walk back to the car on a couple of occasions.
You should also carry water. Either a bottle in a cage attached to your frame or a hydration pack. I use the hydration pack because it makes it convenient to keep hydrated by taking frequent small sips. Plus all the repair gear goes into the pack. However if you don't like the idea or cost of a hydration pack, just get a bottle and cage and get riding.
What do you mean a ‘trail helmet’? You don’t need as special helmet unless you start riding black level downhill trails. A pair of gloves is a good idea.
I’ve been riding MTB since last century and often don’t take more than a water bottle. Most of my rides are within a km or two of the car or start point and if your tyres are inflated properly flats are fairly rare. Still, I’d recommend taking a spare tube, pump, water and a bike specific multi tool.
If you are heading out for a long day exploring, you need more, but you’ll work out what you need as you go and often you can pool resources with riding buddies. Eg he takes the pump, you bring the tools. .
The ALDI bike will get you plenty of places, just don’t expect it to put up with hammering down rocky descents or getting big air. Gravel trails and single track will be fine.
The "trail" helmets just seem to have a bit more protection at the back of the head than my 10 year old road one.
Thanks, the ALDI bike is just a starter to see if I like mountain biking. If I go regularly I will probably look at something more robust.
Fair enough. I’ve only ever worn a ‘normal’ mountain bike helmet, which originally were just a standard helmet with a visor on it.
Just ride to your skill and equipment level.
Yeh what trongy said….chain link and some duct tape they can save you a long walk out😀
Are you actually planning to ride mountain bike trails with this, like proper single track with berms rock gardens, drops etc? I would probably start with saving up for a new bike because it wont last long.
BUT - spare tube, pump, tyre levers and then everything else will come on a needs basis. You'll figure it out.