Bike Help

[iowacutter]

Agreed with the other guys, if you are not able to do the work (I don't let the LBS work on any of my bikes, don't trust anyone to do it right but me, and I generally am not that great of a rider and crash a ton so being able to fix things myself is important anyway) or research yourself (bike fitting for example and knowing how bike geometry relates to your body and riding style), LBS is the way to go. Also, I spent a few months doing research before I bought a bike. BTW, bikesdirect.com have replaced my cassette (broken tooth), sent me two sets of rotor/pads for the brakes, and did not charge tax or shipping on the warranty shipping or the bike purchase, although you are required to file the tax on your tax returns. I also do frequent the LBS (I like the guys at Healthy Habits, Bettendorf best in the QCA) for stuff I can get cheaper, no shipping charges, than online or just those gotta have it now purchases.

Both online and LBS have their advantages and disadvantages, for me online got me a bike whose equiv would have been a fortune otherwise.

And, no matter what bike you get him, once he gets into this sport, he will want to change it and upgrade it anyway. Just getting him a good base bike to start that will not throw him off the sport is the most important thing. I had a friend when I live in Tulsa who bought a 500$ Haro to bike in rocky/very technical terrain (Turkey Mountain) and it broke down so often, he quit for good before he could even learn to love it.