Which of these MTB's

Author
Discussion

Beer Man

249 posts

113 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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A bit of advicee I took from a mate who's been into, heavily, the XC scene for a long time is that whilst a bike (from Halfrauds is the example he used) seems cheap it will not last if you use it properly. Having done the red runs at Bedgebury I wouldn't want to risk a Halfrauds speshul falling apart at the first sign of something a little bit aggressive. (Saw one guy at the Gorrick 12 hr in Aug this year with his 'brand new out of the box Boardman Halfords special completely trash his bike in a minor fall)

Seriously, either spend a bit more or go good used, like this one (ok, so it's in Lincoln.....but it gives you an idea). That's probably a £500 bike new.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Merida-matts-hard-tail-m...

Beer Man

249 posts

113 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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caiss4

1,866 posts

196 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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If you're checking e-bay then look out for new bikes too. Quite a number of LBS' advertise end of season demo/display models at real knockdown prices. I bought a brand new, never ridden ex-display 2014 Giant 29'er composite a few weeks back for just over 50% of the full price. The budget was in a different league to yours but a little bit of patience could repay handsomely.

Craikeybaby

10,369 posts

224 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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I think a lot of the sales have already started, I got a Vitus Nucleus 275 for £350 (after voucher codes and cashback), but they seem to be out of stock now. They do have the 29er version in stock though.

richardxjr

7,561 posts

209 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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For that money, easy, Evans' own Pinnacle Ramin 1.
Your whole budget buys a useful fork on it's own, just, so don't buy a heavy rubbish bouncy fork.

2014 small for the missus £380, 2015 med for you £500 before discount.

Upgradeable to a decent fork like a Reba or something in the future.

It's Evans so you get your discount, C2W, and to try them out too.




anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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Just to close this off, decision made, gonna go for the Voodoo Bizango

If I can hit Halford on one of their 10% weekends, I can get a further 25% off via various work offers bringing it down to £414

Looking at the Aizan for the wife but it may be a bit weighty.

ecsrobin

17,025 posts

164 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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Beer Man said:
A bit of advicee I took from a mate who's been into, heavily, the XC scene for a long time is that whilst a bike (from Halfrauds is the example he used) seems cheap it will not last if you use it properly. Having done the red runs at Bedgebury I wouldn't want to risk a Halfrauds speshul falling apart at the first sign of something a little bit aggressive. (Saw one guy at the Gorrick 12 hr in Aug this year with his 'brand new out of the box Boardman Halfords special completely trash his bike in a minor fall)

Seriously, either spend a bit more or go good used, like this one (ok, so it's in Lincoln.....but it gives you an idea). That's probably a £500 bike new.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Merida-matts-hard-tail-m...
I'd disagree with this I had a Halfords special Apollo when I decided to properly take up mountain biking, I started changing bars and pedals before eventually getting a Raleigh aero max oh yeah I was the cool kid with an odd looking Raleigh. The point is it was bomb proof from downhill to dirt jumps, yes the wheels were cheese but it soon taught me how to build a wheel.

I know numerous people who got Saracens back in the day and some of them still have them as a memento of their youth and they stood up to some serious abuse.

Whilst i would no longer buy a bike at Halfords and have a very nice giant XC bike, they serve a purpose of getting cheap bikes out into the public for people to start riding. they are generally a good base to then build up on. certainly I wouldn't turn down a Voodoo.

PGM

2,168 posts

248 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-81-mountain-b...

Good VFM btwin bikes we've had are great and just bought this for my son

deadtom

2,552 posts

164 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
good choice, the bizango is smart. however unless you really want a 29er, then I wouldn't turn down the hoodoo just yet. You said you were after a discount bike, and if I recall that hoodoo is already discounted from £500 as it's a 2014 model?

29ers are great for canal tow paths, but if you want something thats fun to thread along narrow singletrack and maybe take off the odd jump or two then smaller wheels will be much more rewarding.

As this is PH, think of it in terms of MX5 vs range rover; which would you rather take for a rip down a twisty B road? on proper roads you just know the MX5 will be more fun, even if it's not as fashionable as the RR and probably slower in a straight line


Edited by deadtom on Friday 31st October 19:36

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
deadtom said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
good choice, the bizango is smart. however unless you really want a 29er, then I wouldn't turn down the hoodoo just yet. You said you were after a discount bike, and if I recall that hoodoo is already discounted from £500 as it's a 2014 model?

29ers are great for canal tow paths, but if you want something thats fun to thread along narrow singletrack and maybe take off the odd jump or two then smaller wheels will be much more rewarding.

As this is PH, think of it in terms of MX5 vs range rover; which would you rather take for a rip down a twisty B road? on proper roads you just know the MX5 will be more fun, even if it's not as fashionable as the RR and probably slower in a straight line


Edited by deadtom on Friday 31st October 19:36
The Voodoo was very much in with a shout but after reading up it seems a lot of the rave reviews were about an older model which had air forks, the current model has coil and so isn't quite as good.

With regard to the Bizango I appreciate what you're saying about the 29er but I read this review.

http://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/hardtail/voodoo-bizan...

In it they specifically mention Bike Park Wales and how well it performed. From what I know of BPW from my mates I think that's a pretty good test?

The other one that really tempts me is this but as its so new not a lot is known, spec looks great though and im thinking it could be a good one for my wife

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bik...

richardxjr

7,561 posts

209 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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I'm sorry but that above about 29ers and towpaths and mx5s is complete and utter bullocks.

deadtom

2,552 posts

164 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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richardxjr said:
I'm sorry but that above about 29ers and towpaths and mx5s is complete and utter bullocks.
big wheels slow down handling, increase weight and/or reduce strength and rigidity but improve rolling resistance and small bump compliance.

It's cruising comfort vs off road handling, and everyone has to work out where their priorities lie before just going for wagon wheels because it's the latest cash cow that the companies are milking for all it's worth.

As you may have guessed I am a fan of 26" wheels as I tend to give my bikes a bit of a beating.

Edited by deadtom on Friday 31st October 20:54

deadtom

2,552 posts

164 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I've never been to BPW but from what i've seen and heard yeah it sounds like a worthy test of a bike at that price point. Certainly if you want a 29er then the bizango is hard to beat, I'm just not sold on 29ers as a whole.

but maybe I'm just a curmudgeonly old technophobe who is too stuck in his ways.

that 13 bike looks pretty good, though the square taper crankset is a bit of a let down at that price point

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
deadtom said:
I've never been to BPW but from what i've seen and heard yeah it sounds like a worthy test of a bike at that price point. Certainly if you want a 29er then the bizango is hard to beat, I'm just not sold on 29ers as a whole.

but maybe I'm just a curmudgeonly old technophobe who is too stuck in his ways.

that 13 bike looks pretty good, though the square taper crankset is a bit of a let down at that price point
I'm not sure what 'square taper crankset' means smile

This is the other one I'm considering for the wife

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bik...

yellowjack

17,065 posts

165 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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anonymous said:
[redacted]


Square taper is the one on the left. Basically, it's the crank axle, and comes as part of the bottom bracket. It's the bit that the pedals are secured to. Square taper is quite old tech now, but there's nothing inherently wrong with it. Much like modern bottom bracket technologies, the measure of quality is in the bearings themselves more than the axle standard. That, and proper 'facing' (preparation) of the bottom bracket shell (part of the frame itself).

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
yellowjack said:


Square taper is the one on the left. Basically, it's the crank axle, and comes as part of the bottom bracket. It's the bit that the pedals are secured to. Square taper is quite old tech now, but there's nothing inherently wrong with it. Much like modern bottom bracket technologies, the measure of quality is in the bearings themselves more than the axle standard. That, and proper 'facing' (preparation) of the bottom bracket shell (part of the frame itself).
Ah thank you, this would be my wife's bike, I reckon 80% coastal or gentle forest stuff and the rest blue/red runs.

Does the rest of the spec look OK on the 13? Or is the known quantity of the Carerra a safer bet and maybe better for a novice rider being a specifically woman oriented bike?

ecsrobin

17,025 posts

164 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
deadtom said:
richardxjr said:
I'm sorry but that above about 29ers and towpaths and mx5s is complete and utter bullocks.
big wheels slow down handling, increase weight and/or reduce strength and rigidity but improve rolling resistance and small bump compliance.

It's cruising comfort vs off road handling, and everyone has to work out where their priorities lie before just going for wagon wheels because it's the latest cash cow that the companies are milking for all it's worth.

As you may have guessed I am a fan of 26" wheels as I tend to give my bikes a bit of a beating.

Edited by deadtom on Friday 31st October 20:54
Well if you really wanted to throw a bike around you would have a 24" wheeled bike! However clearly you haven't ridden a 29er properly as off road I am faster than my more fit 26" friends I have a better ride as small bumps are gone with the bigger wheel and once you learn that it is a slower turn in the tight sections you can adapt to it without loosing pace. Why do you think most pro XC guys and girls ride 29"? Because it's faster.

On another note I can hit most jumps on the trail and whip it on my giant anthem X29er certainly seen no weakness in the wheels.

26" is dead, except for in a park bike but then I'd certainly prefer 24"

ecsrobin

17,025 posts

164 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
The issue about square tapers is keep it torqued up, a loose crank and it will round off the crank and soon it will be a wobbly and unpleasant ride. Although a set of cranks is probably £20 so don't let that put you off.

Craikeybaby

10,369 posts

224 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
My mate is in the market for a similar bike and came to the same conclusion.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
Craikeybaby said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
My mate is in the market for a similar bike and came to the same conclusion.
Does he have any work schemes for Halfords?

By using their 10% weekend, BCA membership and a combo of voucher offers from mine and my wife's work I'll be paying in actual cash £351 for the Bizango.