Novara Aspen Bike

Novara Aspen Bike – Stellar mountain bike under $500.

With gas prices showing no sign of coming down, it is no surprise more and more people are looking for transportation alternitives. Sure you could go the hybrid car route and save some money there, but then you are still stuck buying gas. Scooters are great as well, but again, you still need gas. After spending a year peddling my way around Costa Rica, I have decided to get rid of gas altogether and buy a bike. Not just any bike, but the Novara Aspen Bike.

I spent some time thinking about buying a cruiser bike since I will mainly be using it around the city, but Im an outdoorsy kind of guy who would want to take it of road every now and then. Since a good bike is a mini investment, I figured Id look into decent priced mountain bikes. Since I won’t be doing any major off roading, I decided on the moderately priced Novara Aspen Bike.

The only major downfall of the Novara Aspen Bike as far as a daily commuter is concerned would be its wieght and the tires. The bike wieghs in at around 33 pounds which is heavy if you need to carry the bike to your office or something of that nature. The tires are also more than you would need for crusing down sidewalks and along the street. But, these are really only minor drawbacks compared to paying a weeks pay to fill up your gas tank.

The quick & dirty:

Where you can get one:
REI: $459

Why they rock:

• RST Gila T8 suspension fork delivers 100mm of travel to smooth out the bumps and cushion landings
• Redesigned for 2008, the sturdy 6061 aluminum frame boasts enhanced standover height and fork clearance
• Smooth-rollin’ Alex TD24 rims reduce weight where it counts; teamed-up with WTB MotoRaptor tires, they’re ready to tame the toughest singletrack
• Shimano Acera front derailleur and Alivio rear derailleur and shift levers offer smooth, reliable performance
• Streamlined and responsive Alivio Rapidfire 8-speed shifters deliver excellent on-the-fly performance
• Tektro mechanical disc brakes provide powerful off-road stopping power
• WTB Speed V Saddle provides a soft and comfortable ride
• Comes equipped with platform pedals

Seat-of-the-pants rating: 8 out of 10

If you are looking for a good commuter bike, but want something that you can take off road every now and then, the Novara Aspen Bike is worth looking into. Its well priced for what it is and it sure beats buying a new car. If you aren’t going to be hitting the trails every week, there is no need to spend more money on a bike that is designed for intense rides. Stick to the $500 or less bikes and you should find one that works for you.

Looking to buy? Check out these sites:
REI: $459