Deciding Between 2 Bikes

[Googie85]

Hi Guys!

I was wondering if someone could assist me on which bike to buy for light weekend trail rides. Also which would be the best bike (frame) to add to in the future, bit by bit.

First is the Trek Marlin 5 - 2017

And the other is a Giant ATX 2 2018

Many Thanks For Your Time,

Matt.

 

[vickster]

Go test ride them and see which you prefer

They look like similar beasts

 

[TheDoctor]

^^That^^

They look too similar to say 'That one is better because [reason]'
Ride them both. Then you'll know. Or you'll want to ride something else.
But it's your bike, Choose the one that makes you grin wider

 

[DEFENDER01]

My bet is going with the GIANT.

 

[Googie85]

By the emoticons used in the last post, am I missing something? Hahahaha

 

[froze]

I am not a fan of low cost MTB's with suspension forks, and here's why. A low cost suspension fork, like those that are on those two bikes, are heavy, they use a spring inside the unit that is subject to failure, nor will it provide the same ride quality or respond as well on rough terrain as a good fork, they add cost to the bike which means the bike manufactures have to recover that cost to keep the price point low by putting on cheaper components and or frame. In addition the only place a suspension fork is useful is in downhill racing! So if you're not racing, which you wouldn't be if you're looking at a budget bike, there is no need to get a bike with a highly problematic suspension fork. And a good suspension fork by itself without a bike attached starts at $600, like the Manitou Mattoc Pro, which is the best deal for the money, but that gives you an idea of how much a decent starting suspension fork cost.

I use to ride mountain trails in Southern California and never had a bit of suspension, if all you'll be doing is light trails, and maybe some gravel then get a gravel bike or a cross bike. If you want a bike with some sort of suspension then look at a fat tire bike, the tires are large with low air pressure, about 20 psi, the low tire pressure with the large tires make the bike float over rough surfaces.

If you are still dead set on one of those two bikes than I would go with whatever bike you like because they both are basically identical twins of each other.

 

[DEFENDER01]

I am not a fan of low cost MTB's with suspension forks, and here's why. A low cost suspension fork, like those that are on those two bikes, are heavy, they use a spring inside the unit that is subject to failure, nor will it provide the same ride quality or respond as well on rough terrain as a good fork, they add cost to the bike which means the bike manufactures have to recover that cost to keep the price point low by putting on cheaper components and or frame. In addition the only place a suspension fork is useful is in downhill racing! So if you're not racing, which you wouldn't be if you're looking at a budget bike, there is no need to get a bike with a highly problematic suspension fork. And a good suspension fork by itself without a bike attached starts at $600, like the Manitou Mattoc Pro, which is the best deal for the money, but that gives you an idea of how much a decent starting suspension fork cost.

I use to ride mountain trails in Southern California and never had a bit of suspension, if all you'll be doing is light trails, and maybe some gravel then get a gravel bike or a cross bike. If you want a bike with some sort of suspension then look at a fat tire bike, the tires are large with low air pressure, about 20 psi, the low tire pressure with the large tires make the bike float over rough surfaces.

If you are still dead set on one of those two bikes than I would go with whatever bike you like because they both are basically identical twins of each other.

I have two bikes one e bike & a M T B both have front suspension and they certainly take a lot of jarring away from the bars.
As for them failing anything can fail but i personally don't know of one failing.
All i would say is the adjustable type are good so you can set it as you prefer.
To be honest the state of our roads around here its like having a built in safety feature.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Cheap suspension forks aren't that bad! I've ridden them quite a bit and was pretty impressed with them... they certainly make for an easier ride than the rigid bike I've got.

OP, they do both look really similar. If you wanted to choose on specs, I'd look up the parts they come with (drivetrain, brakes, wheelset etc) and google to compare reviews/opinions online. However, they might potentially ride quite differently depending on the sizing/geometry, so I'd recommend trying them out if you possibly can. Out of two near identical bikes, you might love one and hate the other and not even be able to really tell why!

 

[Boon 51]

As been said..Get a test ride and see what you like best.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Most beginners bikes are horribly overgeared.
Unless you are going to race downhill at ~35 mph, you don't need a top gear of ~120".
But you will be crawling up a silly steephill at ~3 mph, so a bottom gear of sub-25" is useful.
And the most useful gears are in the range of 65"-75" at these are the gears you will be using on the flat.
So if you like both bikes after a test ride, go for the one with the lowest gears.

 

[froze]

I guess none of you have ever taken a low end MTB with a suspension fork off road, I had better control with a rigid fork! The weight for the trek is crazy at about 33 pounds, I couldn't find the Giant weight, My 1998 Kona Lava Dome with a steel frame and steel fork only weighs 26 pounds, and both the Trek and the Giant are made of lighter aluminum which means that fork is a tank (they use the same fork) probably weighs 6 to 7 pounds; and this weight makes the bike less agile, climb like a pig, and accelerate like a snail. Suspension forks take more watts to push, not only because of it's weight but because the suspension is eating up your watts that you could have been putting to the ground but instead you have a sluggish feeling bike that is sapping your strength with each pedal stroke. Low cost forks will not bounce as controlled as a high price one making the low end ones feel like a pogo stick and can make bumps more extreme instead of less. Low cost suspension forks cannot be tuned for your weight so it's either going to be too stiff or always be bottoming out the spring because it's always compressed. Most low cost suspension forks are not serviceable they are only replaceable, even good ones require service about every 100 hours of riding.

Again the best option if you want to absorb some road and off road impact is a fat tire bike because the tires which will only have about 20 psi will swallow up rough stuff without transmitting it back to you, and your body weight can be adjusted for in the tire by adding more or removing some PSI; and tires are cheaper than a fork to replace! If you still want more smoothness in your ride then get a suspension seatpost like the ThudBuster which will far outlast a suspension fork.

I personally, meaning my opinion, is that for the kind of riding Google85 will be doing he doesn't need a suspension fork, in fact I would guess that about 80% of all MTB's sold with a suspension fork offered NO benefit for the rider because they never used the bike for what it was intended for. If you get a bike with rigid fork you'll get either a better frame or better components or both for the same amount of money.

I guarantee you I rode my rigid Kona Lave Dome in conditions that far exceeded what you will ever get even close to, and never once felt the need for a suspension fork or a fully suspended bike.

Suspension is placed on most bikes targeted toward males because it somehow gets the testosterone going.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

any suspension fork that can't be locked out isn't worth having. for light trail riding, look for something like a boardman mx at halfords…

 

[Pale Rider]

Cheap sus forks add weight but very little else.

The cromo rigid fork on my last hybrid was more comfortable on road and light trails than the budget mountain bike it replaced.

The OP won't go wrong with a Trek or a Giant, but for 'light weekend trail rides' a rigid fork bike for similar money will be easier to propel and therefore more fun.

Two inch or more wide mountain bike tyres are also not needed.

Look for something around an inch and a bit with a shallow tread.

 

[Cycleops]

Neither. Go back and choose one with regular rigid forks. You'll get better value 'cause you're not paying for something you don't need.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

^ What he (and they) said, suspension is adding weight and cost... it's there only because people somehow expect it now. Get a stiff fork, and for the same money you're getting a lighter, faster, better bike. Both of my off road / trail bikes are rigid hybrids, I've no need for a suspension MTB since I'm not going to be doing the Whistler downhill course.

If you're set on those two, go for the one that makes you smile more.