What Mountain Bike?
Discussion
Good evening,
In the coming weeks I plan to purchase my first bike since the days of my paper run and I was looking for some advice on what bike to go for - I thought a bike was a bike until I went into one of the shops and seen such variation...
I have a rough budget of between £400 and £500 however I think it will be closer to the £400 mark unless there is a great improvement in quality for a little extra money. I appreciate this puts me in the region of a hardtail. The main use of the bike will be for reaching the start of some of the more remote Munros in Scotland, however it will still be used on country roads and cycle paths. I don't plan on taking the bike up any major hills, so the tracks will mainly be dirt/deer stalking paths.
I live on the west coast of Scotland and the bike shops nearby to me are Evans Cycles at xscape & Tiso Outdoor experience in Glasgow.
I would be most grateful for some advice on what's the best buy for me.
Many thanks,
Allan
In the coming weeks I plan to purchase my first bike since the days of my paper run and I was looking for some advice on what bike to go for - I thought a bike was a bike until I went into one of the shops and seen such variation...
I have a rough budget of between £400 and £500 however I think it will be closer to the £400 mark unless there is a great improvement in quality for a little extra money. I appreciate this puts me in the region of a hardtail. The main use of the bike will be for reaching the start of some of the more remote Munros in Scotland, however it will still be used on country roads and cycle paths. I don't plan on taking the bike up any major hills, so the tracks will mainly be dirt/deer stalking paths.
I live on the west coast of Scotland and the bike shops nearby to me are Evans Cycles at xscape & Tiso Outdoor experience in Glasgow.
I would be most grateful for some advice on what's the best buy for me.
Many thanks,
Allan
I bought a Specialised Hard Rock Disk for £400 at the end of last year, for the money it seems great.
I don't really have a good frame of reference, as it replaced an aged knackered Kona. However, hydraulic discs, strong frame, the reviews say for the price it's a great bike.
I took it to Brechfa yesterday and it took the red (Gorlech) trail in its stride, although I'd expected it to be easier on climbs, given how much lighter it was than the Kona!
ETA - It's a 29er, my first. Didn't cause me any issues on the trickier singletrack bits.
I don't really have a good frame of reference, as it replaced an aged knackered Kona. However, hydraulic discs, strong frame, the reviews say for the price it's a great bike.
I took it to Brechfa yesterday and it took the red (Gorlech) trail in its stride, although I'd expected it to be easier on climbs, given how much lighter it was than the Kona!
ETA - It's a 29er, my first. Didn't cause me any issues on the trickier singletrack bits.
Couple of suggestions:
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/... - last years model but don't worry about that. Good quality, great spec inc an air fork.
This is a full-sus at £480: http://www.decathlon.co.uk/btwin-rockrider-520-s-m... - rear sus is air, front is coil.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/... - last years model but don't worry about that. Good quality, great spec inc an air fork.
This is a full-sus at £480: http://www.decathlon.co.uk/btwin-rockrider-520-s-m... - rear sus is air, front is coil.
Hardtail. If it must be new then the Rockriders from Decathlon are usually the best at the price : http://www.decathlon.co.uk/C-359112-mountain-bikes... or you might strike lucky with a good end of season deal from Pauls Cycles : http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s2p0/Mountain-Bik...
Don't discount second hand. You should get a very good bike - lighter and with a better spec at that price
Don't discount second hand. You should get a very good bike - lighter and with a better spec at that price
At that price point you can't go much wronger than the already mentioned Hardrock.
Ultimatly you should try as many as you can and buy the one that feels right. You should be able to get disc brakes and a half decent fork. Don't worry too much about the gears etc, just upgrade them as they fail.
Ultimatly you should try as many as you can and buy the one that feels right. You should be able to get disc brakes and a half decent fork. Don't worry too much about the gears etc, just upgrade them as they fail.
Maybe a bit over budget - but I was in a similar situation to you last year.
I went for a cube analog (from memory £520), quite high spec with pretty decent parts for the money.
I have got a bit addicted and this bike has had a hard time, covered nearly 1500 miles all mountain; it has only had a new rear wheel, new front dérailleur (bad crash) and very little maintenance.
I have just ordered a £3k full suspension, but will definitely be keeping the cube!
I went for a cube analog (from memory £520), quite high spec with pretty decent parts for the money.
I have got a bit addicted and this bike has had a hard time, covered nearly 1500 miles all mountain; it has only had a new rear wheel, new front dérailleur (bad crash) and very little maintenance.
I have just ordered a £3k full suspension, but will definitely be keeping the cube!
Gizmoish said:
Couple of suggestions:
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/... - last years model but don't worry about that. Good quality, great spec inc an air fork.
I own two Boardman's so im a bit biased, but dont forget you can save loads off the retail pricehttp://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/... - last years model but don't worry about that. Good quality, great spec inc an air fork.
1) wait till theres a 10% deal (theres a limited discount on at the mo)
2) Join British Cycling to get a further 10% off (plus for the rest of the year, absolutely anything in halfords is 10% off)
3) Order vouchers at 10% off face value and pay with them - instructions below
4) Sign up to Quidco and order on the halfords website through their portal - usually get 3% cashback
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
something like this - it's not going to go for much more than the starting price.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Specialized-Hardrock-Mou...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Specialized-Hardrock-Mou...
+1 on trying to find discounted 2013 bikes, this one at Pauls Cycles looks good value to me...
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s2p5082/SCOTT-ASP...
I saved about 40% off the RRP on my 2013 Scott Scale 920 last October
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s2p5082/SCOTT-ASP...
I saved about 40% off the RRP on my 2013 Scott Scale 920 last October
This is a lot of bike for the money
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-six-70-2013/
£358, 9 speed cassette, hydraulic disks
leaving you some cash for helmet, lights etc.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-six-70-2013/
£358, 9 speed cassette, hydraulic disks
leaving you some cash for helmet, lights etc.
campionissimo said:
I'd go secondhand - you could get a really decent bike for £400.
I've just picked up a couple hybrid bikes, both Trek, one for £175 (£550 new) and the other for £195 (£450 new).
Not a scratch on either - they might have been used 3 times between them.
There's some real junk out there but also some real gems.I've just picked up a couple hybrid bikes, both Trek, one for £175 (£550 new) and the other for £195 (£450 new).
Not a scratch on either - they might have been used 3 times between them.
I got my 2013 Trek Cobia for £500 in January. They were listed at £950 last summer. Barely used.
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