Is 36.7lb stock too heavy?

[yoyoman]

There's a 2004 Haro Escape 8.3 for sale for $300 in my area. It's got hydro brakes, Deore parts, 110mm travel and apparently a super beefy frame. Every review on mtbr comments on how rugged and heavy the frame is. On bikepedia, http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2004&Brand=Haro&Model=Escape+8.3&Type=bike, it weighs in at 37.6 pounds!

Since I'm slapping a 9C (36V) motor on the bike, should I just not worry about that excessive weight? It's going to be my commuter, but as I've written before, I've got a pretty steep hill to deal with daily.

$300 seems like a steal.

 

[neptronix]

An extra 10lbs over a fairly lithe mid-range mountain bike such as a trek is not a big deal.
Hydraulic disc brakes and a good fork are a big plus.
10lbs won't slow you down. But add the eBike stuff on, especially that DD motor, and it will not be the kind of bike you want to carry up a flight of stairs.

There are definitely lighter mountain bikes out there. I think my trek 4300 is stock about 26lb.. so yeah... there are definitely lighter bikes out there.

 

[dogman dan]

Maybe not quite a steal, since 2004 is a long time ago now. ( hard to belive that) But certainly a good fair price that will get sold quick.

Looks superb if you like a hardtail. My FS commuter weighs in at 34 pounds stock, so not really all that heavy once motorized. Better heavy and strong for a good daily pounding.

 

[nuevomexicano]

...$300 seems like a steal.

It doesn't seem like a steal to me. Its the price I'd expect for a bike with 7 years of wear and tear that was just over $1K new.

I've spent a lot of time trawling Craigslist for bicycles lately and there are plenty of hopeful dreamers selling bikes on Craigslist these days. It probably has something to do with the fact that they originally paid as much for the bike as others pay for a used car and that depreciation hurts to admit. Of course, for the half dozen overpriced bikes I see reposted every couple days there's also plenty that seem to sell quick because they don't get reposted (assuming the seller didn't just give up). Perhaps it comes down to finding the right buyer who wants your exact bike.

 

[yoyoman]

ok, not a steal, but at least a good deal ... What I've been seeing lately are some slightly newer bikes, but always with much lower grade components.

I guess I'm itching to buy be/c my 9C is disc ready, but I don't have a disc ready bike yet. I'm riding the crystalyte 408 in anticipation.

 

[Drunkskunk]

Its a bike for people who ride like me
Its a heavy brick that will suck to ride up hill, but it was ment to be hardtail XC/light DH.
Abuse it or it's wasted. $300 isn't a steal, but it's not a ripoff either. priced about right if it's in good condition.

 

[dogman dan]

Exactly. No steal, but a decent price on a stout ride. Grab it if it suits your riding. Even pretty old, anything really good is hard to find much cheaper nowdays. Dang things always being sold by folks who know what it is. Even stolen and hot, they sell at that price.

One nice thing about a quality bike, it doesn't become crap just because it's a few years out of date. My 70's motobecane for example. Even today carbon road bike riders will admire it for it's timeless high quality.