For context, I am looking for a cheap beginner mountain bike to take on gravel trails for casual riding. Are either of these refurbished older bikes worth it, or should I spend a couple hundred more for a new Specialized Rockhopper Sport 29" ($500 on Erik's)? Would love to support this local, but I have no knowledge about mountain bike components. Thanks in advance!!
Raleigh Technium $310
https://store.workingbikes.org/21-raleigh-technium-mountain-8278-g4u.html
Older Specialized Rockhopper $285
https://store.workingbikes.org/21-specialized-rockhopper-3812-i4u.html
New Specialized Rockhopper $500
by youaregiants
1 Comment
I mean, if I had to head out on singletrack and I was given the choice of these three bikes, it would be the new Rockhopper without question. It has the most updated geometry, best brakes, and most modern groupset of the three. It also has 29er wheels, which gives you far more tire choices than 26ers of the older Rockhopper. The fork is pretty meh, but a decent fork costs as much as this whole bike, so I wouldn’t expect anything fancy. It’s a better bike than my first Rockhopper Comp A1 that got me started on mtbing my local trails. That had V-brakes, 26” tires and tubes which I kept over-inflated because I was afraid of pinch flats.
The Raleigh doesn’t even resemble a mountain bike by current standards, and I’m sure it would be a nice recreational bike for bike paths or short road rides, but it’s essentially a hybrid / fitness bike.