I’ll be getting this bike to ride around the streets with mates and around the block. I don’t want to spend alot but I want something decent. I won’t be using a helmet.

What bike should I get, how much does it cost and is it BMX or mountain?

I don’t really get the gears on bikes, anyone care to explain?

Wheres a good bike shop in Australia/Melbourne? Theirs a gold cross close to my house.

Would I need to buy any accessories?

Do I have to do some modifications to the bike? Because I’m looking for something to use at stock.

Thanks.

You should get the same style bike as your mates. IF they have mountain bikes, you’ll find it hard to keep up if you have a BMX’er.

Gears are made to help you get up hills. They also help you pop wheelies and go fast. Most bmx bikes do not have gears, while most mountain bikes do.

No accesories are needed for tooling around town. A helmet is a good idea and I recommend you look into one. Mountain and BMX’ing is a dangerous undertaking, and sooner or later you will wipe out good unless you ride like an old lady. They make some kool looking ones nowadays, and you can take it one step further by slapping decals or painting yours.

Modifications are a personal thing. Lots of times a new saddle is warrented, but nothing else really unless you get to be a serious biker.

am looking into buying these downhill forks from ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2009-Fox-40-RC2-Downhill-Mountain-Bike-Fork-Freeride_W0QQitemZ390115106713QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCycling_Parts_Accessories?hash=item5ad4ac1f99
please take a look, they have some damage (scratches etc)
but should i still go for em?
thanks
also, its says the adjustments…

EXTERNAL ADJUSTMENTS
- Low speed compression
- High speed compression
- Coil spring preload
- Rebound

does any of that mean the compression can be locked off?

When buying forks, the biggest thing you want to watch out for is damage to the stanchions. A severely scratched stanchion will allow dirt and debris to get under your seals, creating leaks and damaging the fork internals.

For $799…. I would definately buy those. New a Fox 40 will run you about $1400-$1600 depending on where you get it. The lowers on those look like they’ve been well used but the stanchions look perfect so I’d be inclined to believe the guy when he says they and the crown were just replaced. Keep in mind though that these are legit DH products meant to take some abuse… I wouldnt let the scratches on the lowers worry me.

As for the adjustments…. Low speed compression (LSC) refers to ’soft’ impacts in which the fork is compressed fairly slowly. Small bumps and slow speed bumps really. The HSC refers to the compression damping settings on big hits, hits where the fork is forced to compress very quickly. The coil spring preload is what adjusts the initial firmness of the fork and is used to set your sag. The rebound damping adjuster controls how quickly the fork extends again after having been compressed. You can use these adjusters to tune in how the fork handles.

Edit – @ twowheeler… thanks for the laugh, that was good…. Comparing a Fox 40 to a Boxxer Race. There’s a reason a Boxxer Race is $700 new and a Fox 40 is $1600. As far as Boxxers go, if it’s not the WC it’s not worth buying… and only then if you’re a true weight-weenie. Personally, I ride Marzocchi but if I had to, I’d ride a beat old Fox 40 over a brand new Boxxer just about any day.