Is it worth buying a really cheap mountain bike?

[Magog]

I've missed cycling for far too long, been out recently on bikes borrowed from friends and really enjoyed it again. When I was younger I had a couple of specialized rockhoppers that I really liked (but both ended up stolen, bds), I can't really afford to buy anything like that now, but I'd really like to get back in the saddle and get a bit fitter.

I'll probable mostly be riding on road and towpath type environments to start off with, so nothing too arduous. My question is would a really cheap mountain bike from somewhere like Halfords or Decathlon for around 100 pounds be worth it, or will it just leave me severely disappointed and put me off cycling forever.

If I really needed to I could probably stretch my budget up to 250-300 pounds, but Id then be planning to keep the bike a lot longer, and it's more money than I can really afford at the moment. I'd rather save for a bit and get a more expensive bike later on.

I also don't really want to buy secondhand as having been the victim of bike thieves previously I'm rightly or wrongly very wary about gumtree/ebay etc.

[PeteG]

I bought a cheapy cheap one from Argos - simple fact, I needed a new bike quickly and was skint. I got it for about £90, reduced from £200, and it, well, it works.

But I'm constantly adjusting brakes and gears, despite greasing everything it squeaks, and I broke the cheap pedals within a month. But it does what its designed to do. If you want a bike now, I'd recommend getting one, then saving for a better one and selling yours on Ebay in a couple of months - keep the receipts etc to prove its yours.
If you can hang on, then save up and get something properly decent, and you'll enjoy it a lot more, IMHO.

But then the extra weight gets me fitter quicker...

[waughie]

Don't buy cheap!

I would advise looking arounf the 250-300 mark. At this price point you start to see proper bikes emerging.

The Carrera Vulcan/Kraken and the Gt Aggressor/Avalanche are a few that offer good value for money and a reasonable amount.

If you buy cheap it will either put you off, or you'll end up buying something more expensive a few months down the line and wasting money!

[Engineer1]

Bike Radar rate the Decathlon stuff, which does look reasonable and is ready built up for you to inspect, I had a £140 reduced from £300 Halfords special that was squeaky, loose where it should be tight, tight where it should be loose appeared to have elastic cables etc, every ride something needed adjusting in the end I took it back before it put me off riding. If you do buy cheap buy cheap and basic as a £100 bike will have to be built down to the price.

[American iv]

I picked up a cheap, 2nd hand bike and rode for a month or so before plumbing for a GT Avalanche @ £300. The later bike served me very well for a year and I took it on a load of XC courses. It gave me the bug for XC riding to the extent I upgraded this year to a £750 hardtail.

Compared to my new to old, the GT is cheap and nasty (as I'm sure my bike would compare to a £1500 bike), but it was great at the time.

I'd be inclinded to suggest you follow the same course - look through local ads and get a very cheap 2nd bike and ride it for a bit all the while saving in order to buy a "starter" bike...

The other thing to note is that starting riding as Winter approaches isn't necessarily the wisest choice - you could end up hating it due to lack of warm winter gear...

[Mars]

Buy from Ebay if the seller has the receipt. Worth emailing them for proof. You'll get a much better bike for your cash if you're cash-limited.

[doodles19]

road type conditions, singlespeed mtb conversion?

Had mine for a month now, love it.

[fromage]

Defo second hand will get a ok bikes that will be able to take on some serious trials.

I managed to get a Boardman Comp for £290 it had the following gear:

Avid Juicy 3's
Rockshox Recon 351
Sram X9/X7
Ritchey finishing kit!

So look around and your will find a awesome second hand bike!

[mad4amanda]

Avoid any of the halfords half price tv advertised specials, They are all piles of price stunted junk! Look for last years model Carrera or boardman bikes which range from quite to very good value. Decathlon stuff is better quality but more expensive for spec. I would go secondhand and ask for the original receipt, most bikes dont get much use and there are bargains to be had.

[darkyoung1000]

I'd advise second hand from either someone you know who cycles (it's how I got my first 'good' road bike) or from a local place that does up old bikes. I'm sure you'll have one near you that you can get a decent re-furbished bike for c.£100.

Good luck & good hunting.

Cheers,
Tom

[cheeky_chops]

i spent £50 on a bike on ebay earlier in the year - it was utter ste. Immediately went and bought a entry level GT (£300) and was so much happier.

I also bought the missus a GT XC3 on ebay for £180 (new £400)last month and it is fantastic. Better shocks, oil disc brakes and "feels" great

[Coco H]

I got a couple of free mountain bikes and a road bike from freecycle - they have been great for getting back into cycling. When I get more money I shall buy something mid-ranged.

[shalmaneser]

No.

[Gooby]

Would you buy a dirt cheap 4x4 and expect decent problem free motoring?

It seems that in every other aspect people realise you simply get what you pay for. Why isnt that true for bikes?

[mad4amanda]

Gooby said:

Would you buy a dirt cheap 4x4 and expect decent problem free motoring?

It seems that in every other aspect people realise you simply get what you pay for. Why isnt that true for bikes?

I totally agree with this and furthermore think that real bikes are underpriced now compared to when we grew up. (Im 43!)I worked in an independant bike shop from the age of 11 to 16 and bikes were more expensive I think then compared to average earnings. But people appreciated the quality in a Dawes, Raleigh or Carlton compared to the frankly glitzy cheap tat you see now in halfords or worse Toys R Us.

Good Lord I think Ive FINALLY turned into my Father !

[MonkeyHanger]

Wait until the dealers start clearing old stock for the 2011 models coming in. You should pick up something farily decent then

[Hard-Drive]

I'd agree...always buy second hand, there are some bargains to be had.

However, if you really must buy new, the £99 Rockrider just did pretty well in the gadget show test! Granted, it was up against some hideous "dual suspension" monstrosities, on a TV show, however it was quite telling that it was fully rigid (as TBH at that money a suspension fork is just going to add weight and be useless). The MBUK wrecking crew did seem to be giving it some aswell and it was surviving . For £99 with a 5 year frame guarantee, for towpaths, you probably won't go far wrong.

But if you have ANY ideas of moving off towpaths and doing it "properly", do what the others have suggested.

[shalmaneser]

MonkeyHanger said:

Wait until the dealers start clearing old stock for the 2011 models coming in. You should pick up something farily decent then

Most of the 2010 stuff has gone now in decent sizes.

[R60EST]

waughie said:

Don't buy cheap!

I would advise looking arounf the 250-300 mark. At this price point you start to see proper bikes emerging.

The Carrera Vulcan/Kraken and the Gt Aggressor/Avalanche are a few that offer good value for money and a reasonable amount.

If you buy cheap it will either put you off, or you'll end up buying something more expensive a few months down the line and wasting money!

I can vouch for the GT Aggressor . I got mine from Halfords for £300 ( Reduced from £449 ) . I've had it since March , use it 2 or 3 times per week doing about 30 miles total on various bridleways / canal paths etc. I've not needed to adjust a single thing , all the gears work as they should the disc brakes are really good , the whole bike still looks and feels as new.

Prior to that I had a £100 cheap and nasty and it was crap , really crap . It needed constant adjustment , the brakes were hopeless ( especially in the wet )

[londonbabe]

If you're going to be riding on the road and towpaths I'd avoid 'mountain' bikes altogether and get something with nice thin road tyres. I had a couple of cheap mountain bikes and they made me hate cycling. Building a fixed gear from cheap bits made me love it again.
Just don't buy a Create. They are as poor as cheap MTBs.

You could buy second-hand at a community bike recycling place and not have the worry of it being hot.