Want a new cheap bike - false economy?

[Chris Type R]

XitUp said:

Yeah, we don't want to be doing any serious rock crawling just yet. Deffo go down and check them out this weekend...then buy through quidco and rob some young oik of his commission.

I think I might go for this - http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

Girlfriend will probably go for this - http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

You can get QuidCo instore if you register your credit card on Quidco. I know it sounds odd, but I've made a couple of purchases which have tracked ok.

[anonymous-user]

curlie467 said:

It depends what you are after, do you have one in mind? The cape wrath mountain bikes are meant to be good but i feel you can get better for the money.

I was looking at the Trailridge and the Pagan

[Gooby]

XitUp said:

I'm thinking about getting one of those Carrera ones from Halfords this weekend while the offer is on. I hope you bike geeks are right and its a good bike for the money.
Any idea if the wimins equivalent is as good as my girlfriend wants one too?

I know I will get called a bike snob again (truth doesnt actually hurt at all) but you could probably pedal a cheap careera around the streets for years, even use it on the odd fire trail but if you took it mountain biking it wouldnt last 2 weeks of the riding I do and it isnt the toughest riding in the world.

[XitUp]

Chris Type R said:

You can get QuidCo instore if you register your credit card on Quidco. I know it sounds odd, but I've made a couple of purchases which have tracked ok.

Worth looking into, cheers.

Gooby said:

I know I will get called a bike snob again (truth doesnt actually hurt at all) but you could probably pedal a cheap careera around the streets for years, even use it on the odd fire trail but if you took it mountain biking it wouldnt last 2 weeks of the riding I do and it isnt the toughest riding in the world.

If it failed after two weeks would I not be able to take it back and say "oi, not fit for purpose"?

[E21_Ross]

XitUp said:

Chris Type R said:

You can get QuidCo instore if you register your credit card on Quidco. I know it sounds odd, but I've made a couple of purchases which have tracked ok.

Worth looking into, cheers.

Gooby said:

I know I will get called a bike snob again (truth doesnt actually hurt at all) but you could probably pedal a cheap careera around the streets for years, even use it on the odd fire trail but if you took it mountain biking it wouldnt last 2 weeks of the riding I do and it isnt the toughest riding in the world.

If it failed after two weeks would I not be able to take it back and say "oi, not fit for purpose"?

those bikes aren't designed as proper mountain bikes though, they just look like them. no, really. i've had 2 "mountain bikes" under £350....each year i go away on mountain biking holidays (as well as some trips through the year) and both bikes under £350 started to fall to bits after 5 or so tough rides. they just aren't built for it.

my £900 Orange hardtail has done many, many more rides than both those bikes put together and it's been fine and still going strong. like i said earlier, if you aren't taking your mountain bikes proper mountain biking, they'll be fine.

[jayfish]

Nyphur said:

curlie467 said:

It depends what you are after, do you have one in mind? The cape wrath mountain bikes are meant to be good but i feel you can get better for the money.

I was looking at the Trailridge and the Pagan

I'm two weeks into ownership of a Trailridge, really pleased with it so far but yet to do anything too strenuous on it, a light trail centre ride so far plus my daily commute.

If I was to criticise it my first thought would be that it isn't light and secondly those plastic pedals have got to go.
The brakes are excellent and the gears shift precisely and smoothly, ratios give a fairly large top end and good climbing at the other end.
The fork is a basic Suntour adjustable spring one, fine for what I use the bike for and upgradable to something with more play and tune if you need (although a 'proper' fork will cost at least as much as this bike sets you back.
Black rims look nice but don't know too much about them.
But lots of nice attention to detail, little rubber bushes on the brake and gear lines to stop wear against the headset, suggest that thought has gone into the deisgn.

Not too much to go on, as I've not had it long enough, hope it helps though.

[Engineer1]

Gooby said:

I know I will get called a bike snob again (truth doesnt actually hurt at all) but you could probably pedal a cheap careera around the streets for years, even use it on the odd fire trail but if you took it mountain biking it wouldnt last 2 weeks of the riding I do and it isnt the toughest riding in the world.

Too true, even the GT's from Halfords are borderline, I have ridden the Dog three times and on each trip something has needed tweaking or adjusting, but I can do 30 miles of canal toe path or cycle routes with no problems.

[anonymous-user]

Right back again. Tomorrow is decision day.

I went into 2 local bike shops today. The first couldn't have cared less about me once I told them that I didn't want to spend a great deal more than £300 (notice my budget is creeping....) - despite the fact that they had several bikes in that price range. The second were very nice, and gave me some advice, but didn't really have anything suitable until around £500.

So - I ended up at Halfords. Having taken a bit of a shining to the Carrera Kraken earlier in this thread....

Nyphur said:

Especially like the look of this, but its out of my budget:
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/2010-carrera-kra...

I was drawn over to it immediately. I'd read some good things on BikeRadar (and from you guys here) about the Vengeance Ltd and the Kraken, so asked for some advice from the guy in store. It went along these lines...

Me - Hi, please can you tell me how much the Carrera Kraken is? There's no price on it
Him - Its £379, but you get 20% off, so it'd be around £340 after discount
Me - That's not right, it'd be.... around £305.
Him - Oh yeah...
Me - Can you take me though the differences between the Kraken and the Vengeance please?
Him - Well for me the Vengeance is just a much better all round ride, its the one I'd go for.
Me - Oh... ok, but why?
Him - The components are all just that little bit better, better shocks, better brakes, better frame.
Me - The frames look to be near enough identical? And why the Vengeance cheaper if the components are all better?
Him - (realising he'd made a mistake) erm.... well it's just a better deal at the moment really.

Can anyone who knows what they're talking about please let me know where the extra money is going if I buy the Kraken over the Vengeance?

Thanks

[anonymous-user]

jayfish said:

Info

Thanks for the info mate. I went and had a look at one today, and I didn't like it really. It looked well built and everything, it just didn't really do anything for me. Thanks for taking the time to give me your feedback though

[Roman]

Nyphur said:

Right back again. Tomorrow is decision day.

I went into 2 local bike shops today. The first couldn't have cared less about me once I told them that I didn't want to spend a great deal more than £300 (notice my budget is creeping....) - despite the fact that they had several bikes in that price range. The second were very nice, and gave me some advice, but didn't really have anything suitable until around £500.

So - I ended up at Halfords. Having taken a bit of a shining to the Carrera Kraken earlier in this thread....

Nyphur said:

Especially like the look of this, but its out of my budget:
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/2010-carrera-kra...

I was drawn over to it immediately. I'd read some good things on BikeRadar (and from you guys here) about the Vengeance Ltd and the Kraken, so asked for some advice from the guy in store. It went along these lines...

Me - Hi, please can you tell me how much the Carrera Kraken is? There's no price on it
Him - Its £379, but you get 20% off, so it'd be around £340 after discount
Me - That's not right, it'd be.... around £305.
Him - Oh yeah...
Me - Can you take me though the differences between the Kraken and the Vengeance please?
Him - Well for me the Vengeance is just a much better all round ride, its the one I'd go for.
Me - Oh... ok, but why?
Him - The components are all just that little bit better, better shocks, better brakes, better frame.
Me - The frames look to be near enough identical? And why the Vengeance cheaper if the components are all better?
Him - (realising he'd made a mistake) erm.... well it's just a better deal at the moment really.

Can anyone who knows what they're talking about please let me know where the extra money is going if I buy the Kraken over the Vengeance?

Thanks

Kraken advantages:
Over 1kg lighter (according to Halfords)
Higher quality 27speed SRAM transmission over 24speed Shimano
Continental 2.3 tyres
longer travel forks (though Rockshox are usually better quality than Suntour)

Kraken has the same higher quality frame, transmission & tyres as the £550 Carrera Fury which is highly rated. You cant rely on Halfords RRP for guidance tbh, the sale prices are a truer reflection of model heirachy.

Get the Kraken.

[anonymous-user]

Roman said:

Higher quality 27speed SRAM transmission over 24speed Shimano

Apologies for my idiotic question, but is SRAM the "brand" of transmission?

[Roman]

Nyphur said:

Roman said:

Higher quality 27speed SRAM transmission over 24speed Shimano

Apologies for my idiotic question, but is SRAM the "brand" of transmission?

Yes SRAM is a brand on a par with Shimano and 27speed components are higher quality than 24speed and compatible with more expensive component ranges (X7, X9, SLX & XT) if you get serious and want to upgrade at a later date. As manufacturers move to 30speed you will be able to buy high quality 27speed parts at bargain prices.

[shalmaneser]

Roman said:

Kraken advantages:
Over 1kg lighter (according to Halfords)
Higher quality 27speed SRAM transmission over 24speed Shimano
Continental 2.3 tyres
longer travel forks (though Rockshox are usually better quality than Suntour)

Kraken has the same higher quality frame, transmission & tyres as the £550 Carrera Fury which is highly rated. You cant rely on Halfords RRP for guidance tbh, the sale prices are a truer reflection of model heirachy.

Get the Kraken.

+1.

[anonymous-user]

Kraken bought, and had my first ride. Very pleased with it; its a world of difference to the bike I was borrowing (to the extent that I nearly went arse over tit the first time I came off a bump and the suspension compressed )

I'm not particularly pleased with the attention to detail shown by Halfords though, and the bike will be going back tomorrow for some tweaks (but all minor niggles really), but all in all I'm very pleased

Thanks everyone for the advice, I'll get some pictures posted up soon

[E21_Ross]

Nyphur said:

Kraken bought, and had my first ride. Very pleased with it; its a world of difference to the bike I was borrowing (to the extent that I nearly went arse over tit the first time I came off a bump and the suspension compressed )

I'm not particularly pleased with the attention to detail shown by Halfords though, and the bike will be going back tomorrow for some tweaks (but all minor niggles really), but all in all I'm very pleased

Thanks everyone for the advice, I'll get some pictures posted up soon

glad you're generally pleased with it. i bought mine from halfords, the first fault developed in a mile, and that was the front reflector above the front wheel (in front of the tube/headset) fell off

as said, if it's anything like my old kraken it'll cope with a little offroad and paths with ease.

enjoy!!

Ross