Getting back into it (and a bit of an "MTB: What bike?")
Discussion
The story so far:
Had a little bike with stabilisers when I was a kid. Never progressed beyond those before not-having a bike (parents can't bike so there was no real push to learn). A while later a long-lost relative of mine gave me his 10-speed mountain bike and I learned how to ride that. Then I had a Halfords bike for a bit, it did the job for what I did.
Then my Mum moved to Spain. If you're not aware, it's quite hot in Spain. I bugged her for years for a bike out there, until for my 18th birthday I was given this...
This had hundreds of km put on it in the time I was able to use it (off-term time at college, and later on when I was on holiday from work...) but it was starting to get neglected (rode it about 10 miles in the final year...) and I was getting unfit, so this summer I sold it via a local bike shop, getting 120€ for it. Not bad really, it was about 250€ new.
Anyway, I want to get rid of my beer gut, there's some nice tracks and trails around here, and I need a mountain bike because running sucks.
I'd like a hardtail, for the time being I don't need rear suspension. I don't know if I want a 29er or not really, I got on well with my 26er. I'd like disk brakes ideally, and something tough enough to survive if I should want to go to the local MTB track (has a 4x course etc) and demonstrate my love of the sissy route around obstacles. The list of components and stuff these days is confusing as anything, hence asking in one of these threads!
Budget £500, I quite like Orbea but won't say no to other brands if the price is right and the hardware knocks an Orbea offering out of the park.
Slight caveat - I want to buy from my LBS - the owner's a nice guy, will build the bike and gives free 6 week/month and the first annual service (while I build up a toolbox and spares collection) for free. This limits my brand options slightly. The choices are (from the website)...
Saracen, Ridgeback, Probike, Python, Land Rover, Raleigh, Claud Butler, Bergamont, and Dawes (I can also get an Orbea from him though, as he knows some people from Orbea UK), and there's no discounts. RRP is the price. Accessories are 10% off on the day, mind, so I may have to factor those in a bit with price!
Had a little bike with stabilisers when I was a kid. Never progressed beyond those before not-having a bike (parents can't bike so there was no real push to learn). A while later a long-lost relative of mine gave me his 10-speed mountain bike and I learned how to ride that. Then I had a Halfords bike for a bit, it did the job for what I did.
Then my Mum moved to Spain. If you're not aware, it's quite hot in Spain. I bugged her for years for a bike out there, until for my 18th birthday I was given this...
This had hundreds of km put on it in the time I was able to use it (off-term time at college, and later on when I was on holiday from work...) but it was starting to get neglected (rode it about 10 miles in the final year...) and I was getting unfit, so this summer I sold it via a local bike shop, getting 120€ for it. Not bad really, it was about 250€ new.
Anyway, I want to get rid of my beer gut, there's some nice tracks and trails around here, and I need a mountain bike because running sucks.
I'd like a hardtail, for the time being I don't need rear suspension. I don't know if I want a 29er or not really, I got on well with my 26er. I'd like disk brakes ideally, and something tough enough to survive if I should want to go to the local MTB track (has a 4x course etc) and demonstrate my love of the sissy route around obstacles. The list of components and stuff these days is confusing as anything, hence asking in one of these threads!
Budget £500, I quite like Orbea but won't say no to other brands if the price is right and the hardware knocks an Orbea offering out of the park.
Slight caveat - I want to buy from my LBS - the owner's a nice guy, will build the bike and gives free 6 week/month and the first annual service (while I build up a toolbox and spares collection) for free. This limits my brand options slightly. The choices are (from the website)...
Saracen, Ridgeback, Probike, Python, Land Rover, Raleigh, Claud Butler, Bergamont, and Dawes (I can also get an Orbea from him though, as he knows some people from Orbea UK), and there's no discounts. RRP is the price. Accessories are 10% off on the day, mind, so I may have to factor those in a bit with price!
I have to be honest, your caveat is very limiting, none of those brands are particularly inspiring and as nice as the guy in the LBS is, precious little should go wrong in the first 6 weeks warranting a service that you can not fix yourself. Cables may stretch a little but the only thing that will require attention is the indexing on the rear mech resolved by adjusting the barrel adjuster at the mech end. RRP is pretty poor too given the rest of the bike world is selling 2013 stock at anything up to 30% at the moment too and £50 of stuff for free isnt too bad but will it get you what you need?, shoes? pedals? multi-tool? saddle bag? camelbak etc....
£500 will get you something very capable from the likes of www.paulscycles.co.uk eg a Cannondale Trail SL4
I like supporting local shops too but they do ok from me on general spares and cleaning stuff/lube throughout the year when I am passing and remember I need something.
Yep, what pablo says really.
Or secondhand. Bought a *few* this year off eBay. £275 got me a good used Giant XTC 2.5, 2008, XT, Rockshox Air fork, DT Swiss wheels on XT hubs, decent tyres, all proper stuff, lightweight, did the South Downs Way on it. With the money left over buy a maint stand and tools.
Air fork and hydro disks are a must imo. When I was looking the only 2 new bikes in your budget with these were Voodoo Hoodoo (Halfords) and Decathlon's Rockrider 8.1, good reviews around on both.
A road bike will be better for weight loss though
Or secondhand. Bought a *few* this year off eBay. £275 got me a good used Giant XTC 2.5, 2008, XT, Rockshox Air fork, DT Swiss wheels on XT hubs, decent tyres, all proper stuff, lightweight, did the South Downs Way on it. With the money left over buy a maint stand and tools.
Air fork and hydro disks are a must imo. When I was looking the only 2 new bikes in your budget with these were Voodoo Hoodoo (Halfords) and Decathlon's Rockrider 8.1, good reviews around on both.
A road bike will be better for weight loss though
Bugger. Yeah, he really can't compete on prices there... for my budget at RRP I'm stuck with cable disk brakes instead of hydraulics, etc. Sod the caveat! I'll get tyres and consumables from him instead...
I don't trust the local drivers enough to get a roadie. Like, they scare the s
t out of me. I like a bit of resistance to my pedalling on any tarmac anyway
(Budget of £500 is almost a soft budget, it depends on car insurance and MOT costs in January... this is one of those long-term-plan type things!)
I don't trust the local drivers enough to get a roadie. Like, they scare the s
t out of me. I like a bit of resistance to my pedalling on any tarmac anyway (Budget of £500 is almost a soft budget, it depends on car insurance and MOT costs in January... this is one of those long-term-plan type things!)
Edited by wst on Saturday 16th November 20:26
Good luck, you will love it (again) ...Whilst your loyalty to your LBS is admirable, I would give serious thought to buying elsewhere. My choice for (just about) this budget was a B'Twin RockRider from Decathlon for £549.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-81-2012-mount...
SRAM X7 / Shimano Deore groupset
Rockshox Recon suspension forks
Avid Elixir 3 hydraulic disc brakes (which, admittedly, I have replaced with Shimano Deore brakes on mine)
Wellgo clipless pedals (which I immediately sold on eBay for £15 as I use flats)
They also give a free 6 week service, and the frame, stem and handlebars have a lifetime warranty.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-81-2012-mount...
SRAM X7 / Shimano Deore groupset
Rockshox Recon suspension forks
Avid Elixir 3 hydraulic disc brakes (which, admittedly, I have replaced with Shimano Deore brakes on mine)
Wellgo clipless pedals (which I immediately sold on eBay for £15 as I use flats)
They also give a free 6 week service, and the frame, stem and handlebars have a lifetime warranty.
Edited by schmunk on Saturday 16th November 21:49
This - new Boardman Comp http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
Some fancy footwork can get you 20% off that price - I'll explain if you're interested - and maybe 30% if you can wait until the start of Dec.
Some fancy footwork can get you 20% off that price - I'll explain if you're interested - and maybe 30% if you can wait until the start of Dec.
Wait, Halfords sell good bikes now? This is scary news.
Bike-shop wise (I'd like to check fit in the shop), I'm probably looking at Bedfordshire and the surrounding counties. Again, having not been in the loop for ages (and even when I was in the loop, I wasn't!) I don't really know what's good/isn't any more.
Schmunk, you've inadvertently stumbled on one of my main problems with bike buying! Is Shimano Deore a step up from Acera (I think that's the name) etc? I've tried looking this up but everyone seems to know already!
Bike-shop wise (I'd like to check fit in the shop), I'm probably looking at Bedfordshire and the surrounding counties. Again, having not been in the loop for ages (and even when I was in the loop, I wasn't!) I don't really know what's good/isn't any more.
Schmunk, you've inadvertently stumbled on one of my main problems with bike buying! Is Shimano Deore a step up from Acera (I think that's the name) etc? I've tried looking this up but everyone seems to know already!
Yes.
Found this on the 'net, looks about right to me at first glance, a bit out of date but a useful starting point when comparing specs.
This is for Shminano, there's also SRAM which I personally would want X7 minimum. SRAM also own [amongst other brands] AVID brakes which can be a bit of a faff and most people prefer (any) Shimano Hydros instead.
Groupset for Mountain Bikes:
Deore XTR
Saint
DXR ( Chainring)
Deore XT
SLX Zee
Hone
Deore LX /DX (Discontinued)
Deore
Alivio /400GS /Exage
Acera /300GS
Altus / 200GS
Tourney
Nexus
Groupset for Road Bikes:
Dura Ace Di2 (9070)
Dura Ace (9000)
Dura Ace (7800)
Dura Ace (7800 Triple)
Dura Ace Track (7710)
Ultegra Di2 (6770)
Ultegra (6700/6600)
Ultegra (6700/6600 Gray)
105 Silver
105 Black
Flat Bar Tiagra (4500, 4503)
Sora (3400)
2300
2200
ETA SRAM
SRAM Groupset (Best to Worst!)
Groupset for Road Bikes:
Red
Force
Rival
Apex
Quarq
S-Series
Groupset for MTB: (Speed)
XX1 (11)
XX (10)
X0 (10)
X9 (10)
X7 (10)
X5 (9/10)
X4 (8/9)
X3 (7)
Found this on the 'net, looks about right to me at first glance, a bit out of date but a useful starting point when comparing specs.
This is for Shminano, there's also SRAM which I personally would want X7 minimum. SRAM also own [amongst other brands] AVID brakes which can be a bit of a faff and most people prefer (any) Shimano Hydros instead.
Groupset for Mountain Bikes:
Deore XTR
Saint
DXR ( Chainring)
Deore XT
SLX Zee
Hone
Deore LX /DX (Discontinued)
Deore
Alivio /400GS /Exage
Acera /300GS
Altus / 200GS
Tourney
Nexus
Groupset for Road Bikes:
Dura Ace Di2 (9070)
Dura Ace (9000)
Dura Ace (7800)
Dura Ace (7800 Triple)
Dura Ace Track (7710)
Ultegra Di2 (6770)
Ultegra (6700/6600)
Ultegra (6700/6600 Gray)
105 Silver
105 Black
Flat Bar Tiagra (4500, 4503)
Sora (3400)
2300
2200
ETA SRAM
SRAM Groupset (Best to Worst!)
Groupset for Road Bikes:
Red
Force
Rival
Apex
Quarq
S-Series
Groupset for MTB: (Speed)
XX1 (11)
XX (10)
X0 (10)
X9 (10)
X7 (10)
X5 (9/10)
X4 (8/9)
X3 (7)
Edited by richardxjr on Sunday 17th November 13:58
So I did a bit of googling on this matter and found some bike shops in Milton Keynes. Popped over for a look at them yesterday, see which one had good service. I went to Corley cycles first, and the service there was great. Had a good half hour or so chat about what I'd need to get back on the saddle, had a look at some bikes, well... now I know how much (more) I have to save.
I'll have to go back in a few weeks when it's a bit drier and I'm clothed better for it so I can do a test ride of a few 29ers that caught my eye - Specialized Rockhopper... the bottom of the range one, £650, the Specialized Hardrock... the top of the range one, £500, and the Scott Scale 970. I'll also give the Scott Scale 620 a go as it's a 2013 and a few hundred quid off, but it's a 26er so we'll have to see on that front if the price and spec beats the roll-over-everything-ness of the 29ers.
I gather for that money the front shock will not be stellar but it'll be quite a bit better than my €265 Orbea was so who's worrying! They all have remote lockout as well.
Didn't bother going to any other shops after that good service! I didn't want to faff around finding a parking space or anything and then navigating The Centre so I drove off home through myriad puddles and thunderstorms.
I also had a look at the £4500 full sus something-or-other-carbon-everything bike that was nearby and it seemed adequate.
I'll have to go back in a few weeks when it's a bit drier and I'm clothed better for it so I can do a test ride of a few 29ers that caught my eye - Specialized Rockhopper... the bottom of the range one, £650, the Specialized Hardrock... the top of the range one, £500, and the Scott Scale 970. I'll also give the Scott Scale 620 a go as it's a 2013 and a few hundred quid off, but it's a 26er so we'll have to see on that front if the price and spec beats the roll-over-everything-ness of the 29ers.
I gather for that money the front shock will not be stellar but it'll be quite a bit better than my €265 Orbea was so who's worrying! They all have remote lockout as well.
Didn't bother going to any other shops after that good service! I didn't want to faff around finding a parking space or anything and then navigating The Centre so I drove off home through myriad puddles and thunderstorms.
I also had a look at the £4500 full sus something-or-other-carbon-everything bike that was nearby and it seemed adequate.
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