Hey people, new to the forum and pretty new to bikes in general. About a year ago I purchased a 2017 Specialized Diverge as my first entry into cycling as an adult and to lose some weight. Almost a year on, lost some weight but really not into drop bars. Who knew…
As such, I’m looking to sell the Diverge and get into some light mountain biking/ bikepacking. I’m 31 from Melbourne, so I doubt I’ll be bombing many hills any time soon, so looking at either a hardtail or rigid and really need someone to show me the ropes.
Also if anyone in Vic is selling something that might suit, or has a spare bike and wants to do a trade for my Diverge then let me know! I’m around 5’ 10” - 11”.
I can’t really help with the MTB stuff but I just wanted to advise against selling your Diverge. Unless you really need the money, just keep it. You won’t get back anywhere near what you paid and you just never know when you need a 2nd bike. As you get fitter and faster you might find that you prefer the drops for road riding. Different bikes for different conditions. MTBs can be a slow pain on a flat smooth road when everyone else is racing past.
Thanks Big Banana Bob. Unfortunately I will need the money so the diverge will have to go. It would be ideal if I could find someone with a hardtail who might want to trade. Best way to not lose value I can think of.
Hey Owen,
Melbourne’s a good town to SSMTB. The trails lend themselves to it - fairly flat, with pinchy climbs. Singlespeed will teach you good flow and you can focus on other aspects of riding such as braking, corners and jumping, rather than what gear you should be in. Look to start with a ratio of 32-18, seems to work for a lot of legs.
Unfortunately I’m not there any more so I can’t show you the ropes personally. Can however recommend you look to buy a cheap steel singlespeed - Kona Unit 29 immediately springs to mind. if you can buy new or near new that is advisable with mountain bikes, as parts get thrashed fairly quickly on mtbs( think mud, sandy soil and water and what they do to metal and grease).
The other thing to look for is a bike shop that has the riding culture you like. I always found the guys at Commuter Cycles to be onto it and rode the same sort of thing as me. Hope this helps. Btw Rotorburn is rife with douchebaggery, it doesn’t really reflect the whole Mtb community unfortunately.
Good luck
Ps - the SSMTBWC is over in Rotorua next month so if you fancy a reckless weekend with a big bunch of SS fruits (myself included) come on over.