specialized crosstrail

[xMoises831]

Hello i wan't to know more about this bike its a specialized crosstrail. The price is $630 at my local bike shop. let me know if any one has had one before and the pros/cons thanks.

[Scattcatt]

Checked out this link about the bike. Looks like a decent bike! I mean the parts on it aren't for a hard core mountain biker or anything but it seems to have good reception! The reviewer states that the tires and the pedals are drawbacks, but those are easily upgradeable.

It totally depends on what you are going to mostly be using the bicycle for though. @Apex will probably have more input on the specifics of the parts and stuff as I've been out of the bike parts loop for quite some time.

[xMoises831]

must be different tires on that model then because the ones that come with this bike feel great.I don't really want it for mountain biking more for the streets. But i like it because it feels good and more like a road bike. every one seems to be riding fixies and this is like one but the fixie feels like a toy to me.

[Jono]

Can't go wrong with Specialized. (I have a Gary Fisher) Haha. My next bike might be a Specialized though. I just recently put some slicks on my mtn bike. I hope to start commuting on it to campus and work in the fall/winter.

I kinda want a fixie but at the same time I don't. They cost too much for what they are and I am too lazy to build my own.

[xMoises831]

yeah i really want that white one its so nice but the black one behind it is almost the same a lil bit more thicker tires and doesn't have to disc brakes but its 400

[xMoises831]

and fixes are ok but i don't want that they feel childish to me even tho I'm 16 i don't really like them but there good but i like this higher quality bike better.

[Jono]

Originally Posted by xMoises831

yeah i really want that white one its so nice but the black one behind it is almost the same a lil bit more thicker tires and doesn't have to disc brakes but its 400

Honestly you don't really need disk brakes. Especially if you aren't gonna be hitting up and trails. My bike has the V-brakes and I don't have any issues with them. Although I would like to have disk brakes so I can be quicker on the trails. They stop much quicker. But a newbie definitely doesn't need em to learn the basics of trail riding. And you definitely don't need them for commuting.

[xMoises831]

yeah i get what your saying but sometimes i do like hitting the trails up with my friends. Its just i might regret getting it later and + i really love the tire size on the white over the black but idk. Im going by today to check them both out in more detail before i choose.

[Boom King]

I think this is the bike in the pic. Looks like your basic entry-level dual sport bike with disc brakes. Lower end components such as the Shimano Altus but they'll do the job fine otherwise. If you're going to be using it a lot for commuting on paved surfaces I would recommend getting a bike with the option to lock out the front fork.

For just about the same price, I'd check out the Giant Roam 1 if you can find one at a local bike shop. I like that it has the front fork with lockout, Acera vs Altus derailleurs, and 9 speed cassette vs 8 speed over the Specialized. Again, it all comes down to fit and personal tastes though.

Like Jono said, you may not really need disc brakes depending on your intended purposes. Serious trail riding or all-weather commuting, is where I'd say disc brakes are almost must haves. $630 seems to be the normal sticker price for that 2013 model. If you were willing to look around, I bet you could find the '12 or even the '11 model for cheaper. The specs probably wouldn't be much different if any changes at all except for perhaps the colour.

[xMoises831]

wow thanks for the link i have been trying to find out what year the bike was for a couple days now and as for the lock out feature i don't really need it i like it to be able to jump over things like curbs. thats why i want this over a fixie i like to be able to jumbo over things without a serious fear of bending the rims. there so delicate i have rode 2 so far and you have to be so careful with them. but I'm still thinking about a fixie i would just have to be a lot more carful of what I'm doing.

[Jono]

Originally Posted by xMoises831

..... and as for the lock out feature i don't really need it i like it to be able to jump over things like curbs.

You can still do that with the fork locked. And you can unlock it. So I don't see that being a problem. It is a good feature to have and I wish my bike had it. Right now I have slicks on my mtn bike and don't really have a problem with not being able to lock my forks. But I live in a pretty flat area. If I was climbing a lot of hills I would definitely want locking forks. That is one of the must have features on my next mtn bike.

And mtn bikes aren't delicate. You can beat the crap out of them and they just take it. Well, good quality bikes that is. None of those walmart/target bikes. My Gary Fisher has taken its fair share of abuse and newbie mistakes. My Dad has a 20+ year old Gary Fisher mtn bike which now has slicks and different gearing for the street but it still rides great!

You're just scared cause it is a new $600 dollar toy.

[xMoises831]

no... you misunderstood me i meant the fixie is super delicate i know the specialized will take a beating haha but i would still be sort of careful (; ahh I'm just confused because i know i will want to go on trails and just hall A** but i like fixes because there perfect for city riding .. damn i haven't made a choice this hard since Twinkie or hoho's...Jk lol I'm like 6' 145 so don't even try to say I'm fat(intended for jiggles since i know he will hop into this conversation sooner or later)

[Jono]

Oh haha. Oops.

Here is an idea. Get the best of both worlds. A single speed mtn bike. http://spotbrand.com/bikes/product-page/rocker-ss/ I know this on is a little out of you price range, but I am sure you can find cheaper ones that aren't made for racing.

[xMoises831]

omg 3300 damn it better weigh like 5 pounds lol and well idk I'm going to look at them again tomorrow fixie vs. specialized hmm maybe fixie well see...

[Jono]

Here is a nice one... http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...single_speed/#

[xMoises831]

ahh stop your making it worse.. haha

[Apex]

I've owned a fixie. I did like it, but I did hate it. I preferred just having it in SS instead of FG. When you need to hop an obstacle or a curb, it is nice being able to coast. I guess I'm not hipster enough to use FG all the time (though I did enjoy it a lot). I sold that a while back. They are nice in that no shifters are required, chain rarely breaks, and they are dead simple to keep in working order.

As for the Specialized, it looks like a Hardrock Sport Disc, but they skimped on some items to give you others. There is no reason to drop Acera RD on that thing with hydraulic brakes. Acera is ok, but it is no Georgia peach either. Personally, I'd rather have cable disc and a better rear derailleur. The fork is ok, nothing fancy, but is usual for that price range. It is capable, but it is easy to out ride it. Well, it is for me since all the trails near me are covered in roots. I get any speed going and it can bottom out if I am not careful (same fork on my Hardrock sport).

I could take my road bike to a trail and ride it...you just have to ride differently (yes, I have taken my road bike on a hardpack trail, it was actually rather fun).

The only drawback to a SS MTB is that you better have some cogs handy. When you hit the trails you will most likely need a different cog than on the street. I've debated on a SS MTB, but just needing to carry cogs (and the tools to swap them) with me just in case, well that is enough to keep me from owning one. Just something to think about. Oh, and if you vary your cog setup too much, the slide for the rear axle won't be enough for you to adjust for proper chain tension, so you will need to carry an extra chain as well.

As for MTB, I love my Gary Fisher
This is essentially my bike, they re-badged it as the Superfly, but it is the same bike. Oh, how upset I was when I found out that they went back to a Fox front shock (I have a Rock Shox).


This is the archive data sheet on my bike

[xMoises831]

There we go. Advice from a someone that rides bikes on a regular basis! And well i decided to get a fixie for now. I really wanted the crosstrail but i wasnt going to use the MTB stuff. But i will get a MTB in a few months for those times when i really want to go for a ride on the trails.Plus the fixie is only 368 and every one of my family that rides bikes has one so it will be fun to go on a ride with them. The cross trail looked like an amazing bike and hopefully i can get that soon too. It did have cable disk brakes btw (: damn i got way to attached to it haha.

[Apex]

Easy to do while window shopping. I ended up getting my Gary Fisher due to a test ride. Not on the GF, but on a friends Titus FS 26" bike. We decided to swap bikes at the end of our ride. He just got it and I absolutely flew on it. Normally I can't pull too far ahead on him on a particular trail. I'd get maybe 15-seconds ahead. When we swapped bikes, I was over a minute ahead at the end of the trail. That sold me on the FS MTB. So I started shopping and fell in love with the HiFi. Next thing I knew I was selling my Ninjette to fund the purchase. I am still glad I did, because they thing is absolutely amazing on the trails.

Enjoy the FG. They are fun, but when you need to give your butt a break from the seat, you will be wishing it was only a single speed and not a FG. lol

[xMoises831]

Haha this is the cool thing (; its flip flop hub i can reverse the FG to SS which
Im doing first thing when i
Get it or
Im just going to tell the guy when he
Puts it together

[Apex]

FF hubs are awesome. Enjoyed being able to run whatever I felt like that day. I had a 16T on the freewheel (a little taller gearing, but the freewheel gave me rest to compensate for it). I had a 18T on the FG side. I wanted something a little easier to get going when riding FG, because I had zero rest while riding in fixie mode.

[xMoises831]

heres what it's going to look like.. This was 1 of 2 colors they had in the size i needed the other was turquoise and i was like .. no haha

[Apex]

What? NO HOT PINK? What is wrong with you??!?!!???!

At least you have a brake lever!

[xMoises831]

hahaha might as well slap a victoria secret sticker on it lol and yeah haha brakes are a definite thing lol

[Jono]

Originally Posted by xMoises831

heres what it's going to look like.. This was 1 of 2 colors they had in the size i needed the other was turquoise and i was like .. no haha

That is a sexy bike!

[Apex]

I would like to see that bike with a white fork and a black seat stay and chain stay. I think that would look pretty sharp.

[xMoises831]

yes great minds think alike (; i wanted the front wheel to be white and the back black but oh well haha and hmm damn your going to make me spend more money on this arnt you.. haha

[xMoises831]

Originally Posted by Jono

That is a sexy bike!

thank you

[xMoises831]

Originally Posted by Apex

What? NO HOT PINK? What is wrong with you??!?!!???!

At least you have a brake lever!

pink

[akima]

I used to ride bicycles all the time. I'd never choose a v-brake over a hydraulic disk brake. The disk provides a much more consistent braking experience and also means you can still ride home without having to unhook your brakes when you've bent one of your rims. If I didn't have the money to get the disks, I'd have no brakes at all before going back to V-brakes!

As for what type of bike to get. That's a stupid thing to think about!! Just get one of every type starting with the one you will use the most. I'm currently down to zero bikes (they've all been stolen). My next buy will probably be a light-weight, hard-tail, cross-country bike. After that I'm going to make myself my first SS - love those things!