I am fortunate to live right next to a HUGE park with miles of paved trails as well as more technical off road mountain bike trails. I can literally ride into this park from my house and be on trails in 5 minutes.

I’ve had a Schwinn that I got from Target years ago and for the gravel trails I was riding it was fine but I wanted to get something that would withstand trail riding a bit better. On an impulse I started looking at used mountain bikes. I found a GT Karakoram for a pretty good price (sub $100) so I pulled the trigger even though it was a little crusty/rusty.

It’s sucks that GT bikes are made in China now but from what I was reading online the Karakoram is a good bike and has a decent frame. I like the hard tail design. I don’t plan on doing crazy stuff so hopefully this bike will be a good entry into slightly more serious trail riding.




Now for the questions. If I do plan on any upgrades to this bike can y’all recommend any good online vendors?

Is it even worth upgrading a GT Karakoram?

What preventive maintenance is recommended on a used mtn bike? It seems pretty solid but there is some surface rust in some areas I’m going to have to clean up.

I'm no expert but I do have multiple bikes and ride quite a bit so I will give you my thoughts on your questions. As for good online vendors, https://www.competitivecyclist.com/ is good to go, the prices are just as low as Amazon and the customer service is outstanding. They have experts who can answer any questions you might have.

As for upgrading your current bike, it isn't worth it to put any money into it, it will still be a heavy hardtail with mostly crappy components. For now just ride it and see if you really want to put the time and money into riding, bikes can be super expensive. I used to ride hardtail and stayed away from full suspension bikes. Now that I'm in my 40s I won't ride hardtail, I prefer the comfort of a full suspension 29er that can soak up the bumps without beating me up. Also if you shop wisely for a good used bike you can get a several thousand dollar bike for well under a grand.

For immediate maintenance needs I would look into swapping your chain, cables, brake pads, and maybe your cassette depending on how it looks now. You can YouTube the instructions and it isn't too bad. It's much easier if you have a bike stand to do the work, or grow another arm. Just Google how to tune up your bike, you may need to adjust your derailleur if it isn't shifting well or true your rims if they need it.

Good luck with it, mountain biking is awesome, as is almost all biking. Make sure you have a good helmet and start reading up on techniques and equipment in use today to give you an idea of what you can work towards.

Welcome to a great hobby. I used to ride hundreds of miles each year similar to what you describe, with occasional rides on gnarly trails like the Potawatomie in South Central Michigan. A friend who was an avid mountain biker talked me out of a Huffy and into an entry level Gary Fisher as I wanted to ride that trail. Riders take Huffy's into that one, and both they and the bikes both come out broken. My first ride there was 18 miles, and I was hurting for 2 weeks after. Bike was battered, but ready to go when I healed. And wear a helmet. I had one separate into pieces on another ride, and was glad I had it on. Don't go too fast in the trees on tight single tracks, I hear a broken clavicle ruins a ride, especially if it is a long walk out.

Not sure who the good vendors are for parts anymore, but the best upgrade I ever did was a Rock Shox shock absorbing seat post, and a better (softer, larger) seat. I also put taller angle handlebar risers on my bikes for a more upright position for my neck and to take pressure off my hands and wrists. The experts will probably say I should have bought bikes that 'fit', but I also have neck/nerve issues, don't want to spend thousands, and like to work on my own stuff and do modifications.

I also like to take a small Camelback, spare tube, patches, multi tool, pump or inflater, and flashlight. I also like a light on my bike, or a way to attach my Surefire to the handlebars.

Since you are already experienced, you might consider bar ends. They are supposed to be a better place to grip when climbing, but I never used them for that. I liked to position them forward to protect my fingers and knuckles. Yeah, they do tend to grab stuff, but find the right ones, short with a little bend on the end, they are worth it. I would do an urban ride almost daily with routes down narrow trails along brick walls, chain link fences, and those bars are the reason I didn't end up with mangled fingers. I would turn them down till they were almost horizontal, like the horns on a charging bull. Didn't want them catching my wrists if/when I went over the handlebars. A piece of plastic cut to a rectangle to fit that bike carrier, extending out the back about 5 inches will help to keep dirt and sand off you from the rear wheel on damp or wet days. I have a rear carrier like yours set up like this on my Gary Fisher, with a breakaway front fender. Beats washing sand off my backside on a rainy day, or eating mud and goosepoop from the front wheel in the parks. Will try to post a picture after the holidays.

If you wait until fall, consider new. I bought a Cannondale F600 for a steal in November, and it is amazingly different compared to my first bike, a Gary Fisher Tassajara. If you don't buy extreme high end, plan on doing a little work on a new one to get it working right. Bought both mine new, and even though first store/shop was supposed to have a world class mechanic, the front wheel bearings were over tightened, and both had issues with the chain sticking to the sprockets. Problem with the chain sticking was burrs and sharp edges on the sprockets. Lots of riding, sand, dirt made the first bike better. Years later, a smarter me applied the fluff and buff technique to the sprockets on my second new bike once I noticed the issue. Now I take everything apart and fix or adjust as needed. Tools are cheap compared to working on cars. And keep your old bike if you buy new and have the space. Always need one for a friend to try, and bikes are like guns, each is neat in its own way.

My Gary fisher is a jeep, can't take my hands off the grips for a second or it takes a turn, but I can balance it at a crawl, and pick my way around rocks and roots like driving a Jeep. My go to bike for off road and rugged.

The Cannondale is fast! Can ride no handed if I want to, and the disc brakes are incredible! Front brake has enough control the rear wheel comes off the ground, and I don't even notice it. Still a great off road bike, but more fun on longer rides in the urban areas, and can keep up with friends on crossover or road bikes much easier.

Consider a dry chain lube, and try to keep it clean. Brush, compressed air, and rags should take care of most cleaning. When mine get really dirty, I take them apart, clean, reassemble and adjust, but you can go a long time just using a brush and making adjustments.

Consider what Zombie said about getting older, and the 29s. Big wheels take bigger bumps better, and I too am now dreaming of a full suspension. Hope I've helped.

That is a neat looking bike, you got a good deal on it. Welcome to a great hobby! Dynorat has made some good suggestions about basic maintenance and I agree and would not spend money on upgrades. If something does break or wear out you can replace it with new or improved. I would clean and oil the chain and keep good tires on it. I see you have maxxis on there now, they make the best mountain bike tires.

I bought two low end, heavy mountain bikes and as my enjoyment of the hobby grew I got frustrated with the performance. I jumped into the deep end of the pool with a full suspension, carbon frame 29er. I spent a lot on it but it is worth it to me. If you get bit by the mountain biking bug, I would move up in bike rather than spend a lot on fixing up the current one.

That bike, if it fits you, will work for a start. I would clean and lube the chain, and make sure the derailleurs work in all gears. The Park chain cleaner works very well, and I use citrus cleaner from Home Depot.

Bikes, like computers, keep getting better so I would not do many upgrades. When you are ready to move up, look for a bike with disc brakes. This is a great upgrade.

to answer your questions. Upgraded wheels are probably the best upgrade you could do! lighter rolling resitance means faster!!
second question...is the gt worth upgrading. no!! don't spend any money on it except maybe a saddle. a nice saddle can make a huge difference in comfort. I would suggest a fizik brand. but the saddle will probably cost as much as you paid for the rest of the bike. if you decide to get a better bike you can take the saddle with you.



only money I would spend otherwise is a tune up or if something breaks!!!

on further inspection your bike has a wtg wilderness trail bike saddle. they make great saddles.. so just get a tune up and ride!!!

https://www.jensonusa.com/


https://www.nashbar.com/

https://www.performancebike.com/
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/

These are probably the 4 best sights on the internet. Competive cyclist is super expensive!

All good recommendations, at this point you've made the plunge (congratulations) and you now have the tool to hit the trails. Use it and abuse it, build up your body to the rigors of the sport, know the intricacies of you bike, learn how to do tube changes and minor maintenance. We all know it's a entry-level cheapy but, that's where you start. Once you've developed a good feel for things and your finances are good, start trying out some better bikes. Out here, the ski areas change over to mtn bike parks in the Summer/Fall and the shops let you rent out premium demo bikes. Check out some of the better rental bikes that are out there, get yourself fitted so you know what to ask for. Joining a group or, getting a friend to commit to riding with you, will also help with motivation and sharing of knowledge.

last post...I forget the best upgrade any cyclist can do for improving performance. But a lot of new riders are intimidated or afraid to use them and that is clipless pedals and shoes.

nothing will make you faster for the cost!!!

I am a Cat 2 on the Mountain bike. Here are my thoughts.

Upgrade your bike knowledge first. Learn how to maintain and adjust your components. How to clean and maintain your chain, cassette and snifters. Dirt is your bikes enemy.

Next would be clipless pedals and shoes. If you upgrade your bike these can be easily moved.

Next would be clothing - stuff designed for cycling.

Ride a lot.

Then think about a new bike. Yours is a great place to start but if you really get into it you will need more bike.

I am 62 and still a hardail guy. I want all the energy transfer I can get.

Thanks for the input everyone. I’ve been having fun riding. My neighborhood has a lot of hills and elevation change so it is quite the workout just on its own. I haven’t even worked my way over to the trails yet. Soon.

high school buddy and I rode for years,

started on road bikes, then ended up on a Mountian bike and were blazing away thru the local state park (we used the hiking trails, which the park system eventually prohibited, they now have some very nice trails, but I digress)


anyhoo,,

may sound obvious,, but helmet, you need one
those funky padded biker pants helped, a lot,
normal shorts or bathing suit did not do well,

and padded palm gloves,

the hiking trails we rode were rough, and bouncing around on them, with no gloves, and my hands would go numb after an hour or so,

I still have my bike, but rarely ride it (Specialized Rock Hopper, about 30yrs old)

buddy moved on and now rides weekly, probably has 7-8 bikes, including some single speed stuff,

he hangs out at a local bike shop, and has a group of guys he rides with, (very informal stuff) and has got some good deals on bikes over the years

All great advice. Don't upgrade, but maintain and make it safe (brakes, cables, chain, tires).

Accessories - helmet, Camelbak (I like the actual Camelbak brand), tools. Learn how to use the tools. Learn how to fix a flat. Nothing sucks worse than walking a bike out miles and miles. I wouldn't do bar ends - think of the handlebar snagging on trees if you get too close. I like clipless (yes, a misnomer), but most mountain bikers I see these days have flats.

Save your money for a nice bike. If you like mountain biking, you'll want one. And it makes a difference. When considering a new bike, the, much like shoes, most important part is fit. If it doesn't fit well, you won't enjoy riding it. A good shop will guide you through the process.

This thread and the "How Old Are You" thread make me nostalgic. I've pretty much ridden my whole life. I had a 5-speed Stingray with banana seat. Also had some English 3-speed road bike that someone gave the family. It was a full size skinny tire bike and I was 10 or 12 years old, but I rode it everywhere.

And don't forget to have fun!

Personally, I'd forget about the cosmetics and instead tear down anything that has bearings (Ex. headset, wheel/axles, cassette, etc) and clean, lube, repack, and re-adjust them. Then clean and lube the chain and derailers and re-adjust everything so it works as it should. Shooting a bit of waterproof lube down the brake cable covers also is a good idea if its an older bike. Oh, and don't forget to check the condition of the brake pads. They're cheap to replace and are obviously important.

Can you guys recommend a good free fitness tracking app for cycling?

map my ride, strava, or google earth!! all gps

As said, don't upgrade that bike. Ride it and learn what you like. Your area and riding style will inform your choice, and you will KNOW what you want to buy. Good padded biking shorts, clipless pedals (I like Eggbeaters) and padded gloves will make the experience much more enjoyable.

Personally, if I were to get back into mountain biking (Central Florida isn't great mountain bike territory) I'd go 29er, with hard tail and good front suspension forks.

Ive tried a number of apps and I’ve found runkeeper to be the one I like. Gives me all the info I want with splits, speed, elevation, and gps map of the ride.

I know a number of people who use mapmyride and strava.

In my opinion, based on experience, bar ends are a safety requirement. You will only realize their importance after you have been stabbed in the thigh or abdomen during a bad spill. Bar ends reduce the chances of injury that all mountain bikers are exposed to. #2 item behind a good helmet.