Been offered a great mountain bike, help me decide...

[Sir HC]

It is a Wilderness Trail Bike Phoenix.  Made of Titanium, I have wanted a Phoenix for years, they went out of production about 4 years back, they have the dimensionst that I like (low top tube, short rear triangle, long front one) but I have seen very few for sale.  This will be big bucks, I will probably have to sell stuff to do it.  Should I?
 
 Mainly to those mountain bikers out there.

[markie]

How much is it?
 
 And what condition?
 
 
 Hardtails are out of favour right now, dont pay over the odds, especially so if it is loaded with 5 year old equipment that needs trading up.
 
 For around $1000 you could get a pretty great litespeed off of ebay.......

[markie]

Forgot to say, oh, but I definitely would:
 
 http://homepage.mac.com/halaburt/bicycles/PhotoAlbum20.html

[Sir HC]

Yes hardtails are out, but I still love them.  That is pretty much the same bike.  Killer one, everything that I could hope for for a bike for the rest of my life.  I have a litespeed, but these are rare and special bikes.  I am smitten!

[jkeisenh]

Gotta say, there's nothing that gets ya happy like riding your dream bike.  I still get a buzz from tooling about town on my surly-- and a grin knowing i built it.  Sure, it's credit card debt on wheels.  And yeah, bike storage consumes a considerable portion of my place.  But I'm soooo happy.
 
 Get it.  You'll never regret it.

[Sailor Ripley]

You buy a bike like that to ride and love, not for an investment.  So, if that's why you want it and can swing it, go for it. Hardtails may be out of favor, but that bike will outlast any full susp. bike by years and years.
 
 If you have a chance, order the recent issue of the Rivendell Reader w/ the 10 page interview with Charlie Cunningham in it.  If you don't know who Charlie is in relation to WTB, then you don't deserve that bike  

[Sir HC]

Charlie C?  Cool, I have to get that mag.  I have two of the WTB catalogs from before the Steve Potts split (seems something bad went down at WTB).  That is why I want this bike, I view my bikes like a car, it will be (ab)used that is what it is made for.  I have wanted one since Dirt Rag gave them such a glowing review about 10 years ago.

[Sailor Ripley]

Here is an online version of the interview, although I would get the hard copy, it's worth it.
 
 http://www.wombats.org/rivendell.pdf#search='rivendell%20reader%20charlie%20cunningham
 
 Make sure to post a picture if you buy that bike.
 
 edit: UBB doesn't like the link, trying again.

[Frank Gallagher]

My advice is this, and I don't know much about mtn bikes so it's not of the technical nature.
 
 Would you buy a Rolls Royce or Ferrari if you only intend to run to the grocery store in it? The point is, buy the best bike you can within your budget for the purpose it's going to be used for.
 
 When I bought my road bike I ended up with way more bike than I needed at the time, but only because it was on special offer so only $100 more than the one I was going to buy. Having said that, I am now totally and completely addicted to the damn sport so it's the best $100 I ever spent.
 
 I also have an old Trek 850 mtn bike that weighs a friggin ton and has NO suspension front or rear that I keep meaning to replace. Everytime I go through the motions of replaceing it though, I end up not buying anything because I love my Trek, even if my arse doesn't.
 
 ......just my tuppence worth.

[Sir HC]

I guess it is more like buying a Hummer (real one not that bogus H2 thing) for going in the deep back country of northern Canada.  When I mountain bike I ride single track tricky trails.  That is where the fun is.  So, it is going to be used for what it is good for.  Thanks, you helped sway me.