What is the "Haro Mary SS 29er" of 2020's?

one piece crank

Well-Known Member
Most probably buy a shitty hardtail and then either don't get into it, or they upgrade to something better. I spent like $2400 on my first bike, which I remember thinking was an insane amount of money, and more than I thought I'd ever spend on a bicycle. I justified it to myself by figuring that I would probably like mountain biking, I needed to do something for exercise, and if I spend an obscene amount of money on a bike then I'm less likely to let it collect dust in the garage. I obviously didn't know anything.
I spent $800 on my first MTB, a complete Fat Chance with a handmade frame, back in 1986. I had to eat canned beans for a month, but that was the way. Today, I get wide-eyed responses when friends ask about new bike pricing. Heck, they drop their jaw when they ask what my BMX cost. For you and me the bicycle market and purchasing is easy to navigate, but for a compelte noob, I don't know how they could interpret/decipher it.
 

JimN

Captain Wildcat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I spent $800 on my first MTB, a complete Fat Chance with a handmade frame, back in 1986.

My real first mountain bike was an early 90's Diamondback Sorrento. If I'm not mistaken, I paid $325 for it, which was pretty expensive for a 12-13 year old. It's in my basement, along with my brother's Trek 820 Antelope. Those bikes don't count, because we never went actual mountain biking on them.
 

one piece crank

Well-Known Member
I spent $800 on my first MTB, a complete Fat Chance with a handmade frame, back in 1986.
My real first mountain bike was an early 90's Diamondback Sorrento. If I'm not mistaken, I paid $325 for it, which was pretty expensive for a 12-13 year old. It's in my basement, along with my brother's Trek 820 Antelope. Those bikes don't count, because we never went actual mountain biking on them.
Keep in mind, I worked in a NJ shop for a few years, BMX-rat with a road bike. Then I moved to a MTB shop in the heart of VA between the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah mountains. Great time to ride bikes...
 

MadisonDan

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
My real first mountain bike was an early 90's Diamondback Sorrento. If I'm not mistaken, I paid $325 for it, which was pretty expensive for a 12-13 year old. It's in my basement, along with my brother's Trek 820 Antelope. Those bikes don't count, because we never went actual mountain biking on them.
I used to have the 820... the blue one.. rode it all over, including mountain biking. I had to map it out just now, because I never really knew, but it was ~4.5 mile ride on the road from my house to the greenbelt trail entrance on Lawrence Hill Road. We'd then ride the trails for like two hours, no idea how far we went, and then ride the 4.5 miles home. 1992-1995 timeframe.
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
When was the last time they made that bike, 2011?


starts at $1800 doe
If by 'that bike' you meant the El Mar it was 2015 for the SS, 2016 for the geared version...which reminds me I still haven't found one! Haro Mary SS 29" I have no idea.
 

TheGerd

Well-Known Member
I had a DB sorrento as well, my first real mountain bike bought in the very early 90’s. I rode it at Watchung, Hartshorne and probably South Mountain too. I replaced / upgraded a lot if not all the major parts on it along the way.
BDF5C972-B985-478B-97D6-77AFC09DD18C.jpeg
The take away, probably should of spent a little more and started with a better bike, but it certainly worked and gave me some hands on experience tinkering with bikes. Then I upgraded to a Jamis Diablo, a big step up from the Diamond Back, but I still wound up replacing / upgrading most of everything on that bike as well. I rode the Diamond Back for like 2 years and the Jamis for the better part of 20 years.
556E84F5-6421-4A66-A768-5F3EC9659288.jpeg
After twenty years I broke down and upgraded to a Spearfish, a full squishy and 29” wheels, what an eye opener that was. But needless to say, there have been upgrades to it as well, from 2 x 10 to 1 x 11 to 1x 12, and brakes and.……
291B2B6F-C2FE-41C0-94E5-CF615C3E6460.jpeg

Guess no matter where you jump in, entry level or full on race machine, you will always be looking to UPGRADE 😄
So I say go for the best that your budget allows you at the time and enjoy.

( I am not in that top pic from the 90’s, those are my friends)
 

Pearl

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Guess no matter where you jump in, entry level or full on race machine, you will always be looking to UPGRADE 😄
So I say go for the best that your budget allows you at the time and enjoy.
With the price of "getting into the game", I'm curious if it the price barrier is not letting people get into riding. While a rigid singlespeed surely leaves a lot to be desired, you can still have boat loads of fun for a relatively cheap entry price, which is what I'm getting at. With everyone pushing 130+mm bikes and droppers, can you walk into a local shop and get something that still handles the trails well for a decent price? Are people really, on a whim, dropping $3k on a sport they are unsure if they like?
 

mattybfat

The Opinion Police
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I'm uncertain if your just proposing a Q&A or actually looking for advise to pass on.

If the latter I would advise demo or bike rental or better yet a lender on first ride. Then demo/BR, then a bike trip with a rental. If that sucka ain't bitten by special sauce you dump him as a friend.
 

Jmann

Never gonna let you down.
My advice usually depends on the person, on whether I think they will actually ride it. Usually I say get a 29er hardtail at the max of their budget, since it still rides well on pavement and gravel if they decide they don’t like riding off road.
Pre pandemic the timberjack was a solid deal.
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
With the price of "getting into the game", I'm curious if it the price barrier is not letting people get into riding. While a rigid singlespeed surely leaves a lot to be desired, you can still have boat loads of fun for a relatively cheap entry price, which is what I'm getting at. With everyone pushing 130+mm bikes and droppers, can you walk into a local shop and get something that still handles the trails well for a decent price? Are people really, on a whim, dropping $3k on a sport they are unsure if they like?
I think the "cheap" bikes are still a great entry point. Anyone new to the sport buying a $1,200 or so hardtail is going to be buying a bike that can ride the same trails we had 10 years ago. Once you get into the mid-level components (Deore, GX, etc) the bike isn't going to be a complete POS.

There's no standout bike and I'm not even sure the Haro Mary was even it except for beginner riders at 6 mile, Allaire, Wharton etc.

My advise always to a new rider is those hard tails with components good enough to not suck. You'll figure out if you like riding and once you have enough time you'll figure out what the next "real" bike is going to be.
 

w_b

Well-Known Member
Good to see other DB Sorrento users here as the gateway MTB drug. Full rigid, steel, neon yellow, with 7 speed Shimano Biopace. $300- ish at Hays Bike Shop in Sayreville circa 1988. Rode the F out of it, making it the best bargain in bikes.

Fast forward 30+ years, the geometry and pricing has changed, but I think the formula remains the same. I’d echo some sort of name brand modern hard tail, with decent components, that won’t break the bank. A few already mentioned here fit the bill, but all the big bois make them. Big fan of the LBS vs. DTC cuz the noobs need the advice lacking with DTC.
 

jShort

2018 Fantasy Football Toilet Bowl Lead Technician
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Big fan of the LBS vs. DTC cuz the noobs need the advice lacking with DTC.
Agree but most of the LBSs didn’t have any entry level bikes in stock for the last 18 months. Seems like that’s easing up though.
 

Pearl

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
I think the "cheap" bikes are still a great entry point. Anyone new to the sport buying a $1,200 or so hardtail is going to be buying a bike that can ride the same trails we had 10 years ago. Once you get into the mid-level components (Deore, GX, etc) the bike isn't going to be a complete POS.

There's no standout bike and I'm not even sure the Haro Mary was even it except for beginner riders at 6 mile, Allaire, Wharton etc.

My advise always to a new rider is those hard tails with components good enough to not suck. You'll figure out if you like riding and once you have enough time you'll figure out what the next "real" bike is going to be.
Preaching to the choir obviously, it’s easy to see the value in bikes at that price range, but convincing someone who wants to try out a sport, it’s too much. You’d have to hope you can find someone unloading one under $1000 price range. Even the used $1000 bikes are going to be a better bet, if you can find one.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
Preaching to the choir obviously, it’s easy to see the value in bikes at that price range, but convincing someone who wants to try out a sport, it’s too much. You’d have to hope you can find someone unloading one under $1000 price range. Even the used $1000 bikes are going to be a better bet, if you can find one.
You noted a $900 from more than 10 years ago, so 1,200 is below normal inflation in that time, doe
 
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