Hard tail for beginner
Discussion
This is not a sub forum I venture to often (or ever) so be nice please 
In the name of exercise I'm looking at getting a bike. I'm not after anything that is built for road use, it'll be for off road fun, think forests, trails and that sort of thing. If I can buy the bike through works bike scheme I'd estimate a budget of £500-600 with extra for accessories.
I've done a little reading around the topic and I'm a bit confused as to where to start. So I'm here in search of education and illumination from you!
What bike should I look at and why?
In the name of exercise I'm looking at getting a bike. I'm not after anything that is built for road use, it'll be for off road fun, think forests, trails and that sort of thing. If I can buy the bike through works bike scheme I'd estimate a budget of £500-600 with extra for accessories.
I've done a little reading around the topic and I'm a bit confused as to where to start. So I'm here in search of education and illumination from you!
What bike should I look at and why?
I've not ridden one but every one will say the voodoo bizango. Don't worry about having to visit halfords to buy one, if you have doubts about their staff when you visit, order it online, collect it boxed and then spend the night fettling. It will be 90% complete already with gears and brakes set up at the factory. You'll just need to fit the handlebars and align them.
That all said halfords bike staff are very hit or miss, some shops near me have good knowledgable staff, others are just ignorant to bicycles in general.
Read the bizango reviews though, they do seem to be highly regarded.
That all said halfords bike staff are very hit or miss, some shops near me have good knowledgable staff, others are just ignorant to bicycles in general.
Read the bizango reviews though, they do seem to be highly regarded.
Rutland are selling these 27.5 Giants at the moment
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/284961/products/2015...
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/284961/products/2015...
MBR made this their £500 and under winner...
[link]http://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/hardtail/trek-marlin-7-2015-review[/link]
Personally, bikes are so subjective that its difficult to recommend except as a starting point. If I were starting out now I'd buy from a shop, not online, but then I like buying from a good physical local shop even though I like to think I know what I'm doing. I have a choice of a handful of really good local bike shops, you may not, so that might swing your decision.
You'll get good value from the likes of Cube and Saracen with the support of a physical shop. You'll get even more bang for your money with online sellers like Canyon.
As mentioned, the Voodoo Bizango regularly gets touted as the best bike for around £600, and the spec certainly backs this up from what I've seen.
Your first decision after budget will be wheel size, 29er or 27.5, both have merits and some prefer one and not the other (I like both for different applications).
[link]http://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/hardtail/trek-marlin-7-2015-review[/link]
Personally, bikes are so subjective that its difficult to recommend except as a starting point. If I were starting out now I'd buy from a shop, not online, but then I like buying from a good physical local shop even though I like to think I know what I'm doing. I have a choice of a handful of really good local bike shops, you may not, so that might swing your decision.
You'll get good value from the likes of Cube and Saracen with the support of a physical shop. You'll get even more bang for your money with online sellers like Canyon.
As mentioned, the Voodoo Bizango regularly gets touted as the best bike for around £600, and the spec certainly backs this up from what I've seen.
Your first decision after budget will be wheel size, 29er or 27.5, both have merits and some prefer one and not the other (I like both for different applications).
Just back from a lunchtime wander through Tesco and two magazines have buying guides, so I will have a look through those as well.
I guess, on reflection my question is a little bit like, what's the best car to buy for £xxxx... It's a tricky one to answer. What I find confusing at the moment is all the talk about geometry, what's the importance or value of that? What are they talking about exactly?
I guess, on reflection my question is a little bit like, what's the best car to buy for £xxxx... It's a tricky one to answer. What I find confusing at the moment is all the talk about geometry, what's the importance or value of that? What are they talking about exactly?
I just went through exactly the same thought process as you OP. I ended up going for the Voodoo Bizango which I will pick up on Wednesday. They had 10% off as well (which I think ended Sunday unfortunately), plus I had some vouchers from a birthday recently - cost me £500 in the end (when considering the vouchers and 10% discount). It has good reviews everywhere I looked and is fairly light for the price bracket (just over 13kg). I was very close to taking the plunge on one of the Decathlon bikes (B'Twin Rafal 740 or the Rockrider 560), but they didn't have my size.
theboyfold said:
What I find confusing at the moment is all the talk about geometry, what's the importance or value of that? What are they talking about exactly?
This may help Bike Radar articleDon1 said:
theboyfold said:
What I find confusing at the moment is all the talk about geometry, what's the importance or value of that? What are they talking about exactly?
This may help Bike Radar articleDaveyraveygravey said:
You won't get Rose Canyon or the other German online firm (Radon?) on any cycle to work scheme as far,as I know. Go Outdoors do mountain bikes that get good reviews, bit like Decathlon and Btwin.
I'd go secondhand or ebay personally, but you need some knowledge really.
I can't go 2nd hand with the scheme, so that's out of the question. I'd go secondhand or ebay personally, but you need some knowledge really.
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