Do I really need a front fork lock out?

[Heathwood]

Hi folks,

I'm looking to grab myself a relatively cheap hard-tail mountain bike. I haven't ridden a bike in about 20 years and only plan to use it for steady pottering around on road and trails. It's unlikely to get ridden hard or get much abuse.

I only want to spend up to around £350 (new, not second hand). My local bike shop has suggested I need front fork lockouts (amongst other features, such as disc brakes) which reduces my options somewhat considering my budget. I'm not likely to be hunched over the handle bars sprinting up hills, so is this really necessary?

Any thoughts / opinions much appreciated.

[Mr E]

£350 - do you want a MTB, or would a hybrid be more suitable?

That sort of money will only get you cable discs; which I'd avoid. V-brakes are good.

Lockout useful on long travel forks, again for 350 quid you won't be getting those either.

[Jimbo.]

No, you don't need it, particularly for the use you describe. Find another shop.

[Heathwood]

Yeah, a hybrid probably would be more suitable, but I'm not keen on them for some reason.

I understood that I wasn't gonna get any fancy toys (hydraulic disks, fork lock outs etc) for my £350 within 5mins of starting my search. I was quite comfortable with that until I visited my local bike shop, where I was encouraged to spend a bit more to gain these things.

Just trying to work out what is genuinely useful / desirable, bearing in mind my intended usage and the fact that surely I won't miss what i've never had.

[Heathwood]

Jimbo. said:

No, you don't need it, particularly for the use you describe. Find another shop.

Thanks Jimbo

[mat777]

As said, lockouts aren't necessary unless you spend your days standing up to cane it up steep hills. However, for gods sake opt for cable discs over rim brakes. they are way easier to maintain, have much better stopping power and still work if the wheel is a little bit wet or dirty, without making an awful squeak. Once you've tried discs, you'll never go back!

[Mr E]

If you can find an extra few quid, I suspect a cube aim will do everything you want (along with a lockout)

[MadDad]

Sounds like your shop is manned by sales people, not cyclists!!!!

First off, find a shop where the staff ride, and can share their experiences with you, given what you have said so far on the forum hey have offered bad advice.

You don't NEED discs, for the riding you describe canti's would be fine, and you really don't need front lock out unless you are planning some epic climbs, in fact you probably don't need front sus unless you are planning some bumpy downhills or xc riding.

It's a very sad fact that £350 does not buy you much in the way of new bikes in these times of modern bike eingineering, you are probably better off looking in the used market. For light trails, road work and general 'usibility' consider a hybrid, there are always plenty of used 'nearly new' bikes on the market where the owners bought the on the cycle to work scheme and then didn't use them as it was a little like hard work.

Whatever you do, find a new shop!

[Taffer]

If it's just a bike for general pottering about on with moderate off-road use, might I suggest the Vitus Vee range? Last year's Vitus Vee-1 26" got good reviews as a no-nonsense single speed urban bike. This year they've added a 29er single speed and a 27-speed model to the lineup:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/SearchResults.a...

[rhinochopig]

mat777 said:

As said, lockouts aren't necessary unless you spend your days standing up to cane it up steep hills. However, for gods sake opt for cable discs over rim brakes. they are way easier to maintain, have much better stopping power and still work if the wheel is a little bit wet or dirty, without making an awful squeak. Once you've tried discs, you'll never go back!

Nonsense. If that's been your experience then you haven't set them up properly.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with well set-up rim brakes. They used them for DH back in the day and even then were doing big stops from 30mph.

I have everything from full on DH specific brakes to a set of Avid and Shimano V brakes and the V brakes are good enough to lock the rear and send you over the bars in dry and wet weather.

My winter bike is fitted with Vs and never once when out with my mates have I wished it was fitted with discs, despite riding in all weathers and terrains.

Discs are more consistent when used hard and offer more heat resistance than V brakes but they're also much heavier and complicated. For the OP's use they're more than adequate.

[MadDad]

Heathwood said:

Hi folks,

I'm looking to grab myself a relatively cheap hard-tail mountain bike. I haven't ridden a bike in about 20 years and only plan to use it for steady pottering around on road and trails. It's unlikely to get ridden hard or get much abuse.

I only want to spend up to around £350 (new, not second hand). My local bike shop has suggested I need front fork lockouts (amongst other features, such as disc brakes) which reduces my options somewhat considering my budget. I'm not likely to be hunched over the handle bars sprinting up hills, so is this really necessary?

Any thoughts / opinions much appreciated.

Here are a couple of options I would consider, if I were in your shoes I would probably look at the Giant Roam;

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/29891/Marin-Kentfiel...

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/34479/Giant-Bikes-Ro...

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m9b...

If you want something a bit more MTB then here are a couple of options;

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b...

http://www.cyclelane.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b48...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...

[caiss4]

I really don't know why you exclude second-hand. Both my bikes were bought second-hand, a 1 year old hardly used Marin for £400 and a three year old Trek for £220. Both have Avid hydraulic disc brakes and lock-out forks. Having said that I rarely lock them out and am more inclined to do so on fast smooth descents than climbing.

You'll get so much more for your money but, of course, you do need to wait for the right one to appear on e-bay for example.

But if you are wedded to buying new for your intended riding then you absolutely don't need lock-out forks and V-brakes will be more than adequate. The problem will be if you get in to it more you might find some limitations in the future.

Edited by caiss4 on Monday 12th March 09:34

[ewenm]

Alternatively, you probably don't need front shocks at all. The obsession with every "mountain" bike having front shocks regardless of how heavy/cheap they are is disappointing.

Oh for the days of Kona Project 2 and Pace RC30 forks being a desirable addition to a bike

[ratbane]

ewenm said:

Alternatively, you probably don't need front shocks at all. The obsession with every "mountain" bike having front shocks regardless of how heavy/cheap they are is disappointing.

Oh for the days of Kona Project 2 and Pace RC30 forks being a desirable addition to a bike

+1

[lemonslap]

+1, All my MTB friends harp on about is that I must buy a fully sprung setup with discs..
I will keep my old Kona with front shock and Avid single digit v-brakes thank you!(btw tristop pads are very good!)

I say go with a decent second hand bike that has the kit that YOU need.

[Torquey]

lemonslap said:

+1, All my MTB friends harp on about is that I must buy a fully sprung setup with discs..

I've heard this and whilst everyone may have their own preferences I'm extremely happy with my setup.

My preferences are:
Lock out on forks is a must - I only unlock them when going downhill fast or downhill offroad. At all other times they are locked out. You are just wasting energy otherwise.

V-Brakes are sufficent - every bike I've tried with disks weigh a lot more than mine does and a major contributing factor is the brakes. V-brakes do the job well and save weight. Priceless when you have a hill to tackle.

I dont see that I'll ever have a need for rear suspension either.

Its blumming hard finding a decent bike with V-brakes though.

[rhinochopig]

Torquey said:

I've heard this and whilst everyone may have their own preferences I'm extremely happy with my setup.

My preferences are:
Lock out on forks is a must - I only unlock them when going downhill fast or downhill offroad. At all other times they are locked out. You are just wasting energy otherwise.

V-Brakes are sufficent - every bike I've tried with disks weigh a lot more than mine does and a major contributing factor is the brakes. V-brakes do the job well and save weight. Priceless when you have a hill to tackle.

I dont see that I'll ever have a need for rear suspension either.

Its blumming hard finding a decent bike with V-brakes though.

Buy a frame and start from there was what I found works best for a v-brake set-up - but obviously doesn't work with OPs budget as component build > off the shelf in cost terms.

[mdavids]

Having lockout isn't strictly necessary as the rubbish suntour forks you get on bikes in that price range barely move anyway unless you're standing up giving it some on a steep hill. You might get an inch or two of travel over bumpy ground downhill so they're worth having over rigid's for that bit extra comfort.

Edited by mdavids on Monday 12th March 12:11

[shouldbworking]

rockrider 5.3 - http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-53-2011-id_81...

It's completely overkill for what you want to use it for, but its what you've asked for pretty much

What I think you'd prefer would be something like a specialized sirrus

http://www.leisurewheels.co.uk/products.php?plid=m...

lower spec, but faster / easier on road

[Reardy Mister]

I would dispute that cable discs work better that rim brakes as a rule.

The Oros on my Cube were very mediocre. The rim brakes on my 92 Kona are better (Not tried them in the wet yet mind you).

I found a remote lockout on the Rock Shox though very useful. Flick it off for commuting or long fire roads,(it still allows about 5-8mm travel) and flick it back off road or for lumpy descents. Worth every penny.