Recommend (to) me a £300 bike.

[rfisher]

Right. Not a biker at all. Never been in this rather odd smelling bit of PH in the last almost 14 years. But;

I'd like to get a bike so we can all (5 in total) go out and about while on hols.

SWMBO and all sprogs are already kitted out with appropriate wheels but I don't have one.

Not allowed to follow on in the Tam sadly.

Mainly road and a bit of track / woods type riding.

I'd like disc brakes, front forks and a nice squishy gel saddle. 6ft so probably 21" frame, alloy not steel so it doesn't weigh too much and 21 gears to play with.

Any suggestions?

Ta.

[nyt]

I was thinking about: http://www.rutlandcycling.com/281904/products/sara...

Out of stock there in your size though.

[Magic919]

Have a look in Decathlon. Forget the gel saddle as it doesn't equate to comfort. All the bikes will have front forks, it's how they hold the front wheel :-)

[rfisher]

OK thanks.

Front shocks is what I was thinking of.

[Gizmoish]

For 300, you don't want front suspension forks. They'll be heavy and st.

Get something like a Trek FX secondhand, or a Carrera Gryphon, Boardman MX, or similar.

[TheLemming]

Bit of overkill for that sort of riding but that budget should be able to get a Carrera Vulcan.
Currently £360, one of the frequent 10% off offers and a 10% british cycling discount should take it to £288.

There MAY be a sale on these soon when the newer models are released.

120mm travel front shock, hydraulic discs, full sram X7 groupset - it's really overkill for the sort of riding you'd be doing and its a total bargain.

I put about a thousand miles of offroading (singletrack and XC) on one last year and only recently sold it as I'd upgraded and it was a bit big for me. (went from an 18" to a 16" frame).

The only downside is its a little heavy compared to higher end kit - it was a featherweight compared to the bike I had before however and you wont get better for the money.

My new mountain bike is 3kg lighter, and cost 3 and a half times as much...

My thoughts and experience echo the reviews

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mount...

[TheLemming]

Alternatively a Voodoo Marasa comes in slightly cheaper and has the rigid fork that makes it both lighter and quicker (and easier) on the road or dirt trails etc.

If the budget would stretch I'd point to a Boardman CX Comp and say "the answer to everything is a CX bike"

[Watchman]

As mentioned, bin the idea of front suspension, and try to get 29 or 700c wheels. If you're adamant about discs, get hydraulic ones although I doubt you will for that price.

Second hand might get you to where you want to be. If you buy off Ebay, make sure you get the original receipt. So many are stolen.

[_Neal_]

Very novice biker here - having read various good reviews, I've just bought a Saracen Tufftrax from Evans for road/forest tracks/out and about with a kiddie seat on the back. Been pleased so far, seems well made and (at least to me) it's a nice-looking thing.

[Mopey]

Generally for someone around 5ft 11-6 ft what frame size is recommended?

On Halfords website it the 18" top end is 5 ft 11 and 20" bottom end is 5ft 11?

I may have a look at that voodoo bike, not done much cycling before but like the idea of getting into it, but cheaply!

[_Neal_]

Mopey said:

Generally for someone around 5ft 11-6 ft what frame size is recommended?

On Halfords website it the 18" top end is 5 ft 11 and 20" bottom end is 5ft 11?

I may have a look at that voodoo bike, not done much cycling before but like the idea of getting into it, but cheaply!

I think it depends on leg length too. I'm 5'11.5", 31" inside leg, and an 18" is definitely right for me. Arm length also a factor in terms of the reach to the bars. You need to go and sit on the bike to find out, really.

[village idiot]

last weekend I walked into decathlon and bought a b-twin rockrider 500 for about £230.00

it has a full sram groupset, mechanical disks and suntour suspension fork. sure it weighs a ton, but it rides really rather well.

I know a bit about bikes as the others in my stable include a Yeti SB66, a Cannondale Carbon 650b Scalpel (which weighs in at 20lbs dead!) and a Giant TCR Advanced road bike. The Rockrider was basically bought so I could put the child seat on the back and take mini-me to nursery.

I was really genuinely surprised by what I got for the money. the seatpost on my SB66 cost considerably more than the Rockrider!

[b19rak]

Look at the following thread and get a £400 bike for £300

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/22-off-any-purchas...