What bike

[DozyGit]

Dear All,
Thanks to the good advice of the learned PHers I am out looking for a mountain bike, now I am torn for choice, in time honoured PH fashion the budget has gone from £300 to £420 and now to £550 ...

http://www.saracen.co.uk/bikes/sport-mtb/tufftrax-...
http://www.saracen.co.uk/bikes/sport-mtb/tufftrax-...
http://www.saracen.co.uk/bikes/sport-mtb/tufftrax-...

or

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-53-mountain-b...
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-80-mountain-b...
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-81-2012-mount...

Or out of budget, but

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-91-2013-mount...

PHers please save my mortal soul :-D

[Disco You]

IIRC, canyon hard tails start at sbout,your budget, so they'll be worth a look.

[nammynake]

Disco You said:

IIRC, canyon hard tails start at sbout,your budget, so they'll be worth a look.

Usually I'd go straight to Canyon, but a quick review suggests their entire hardtail range are disgusting 29ers. Urgh!

[DozyGit]

Thanks, is it 29 or 26, what's best, I have not ridden in ages :-O

[SoliD]

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/m...

I believe this is one of the best value Hard Tails in your budget!

[duff]

DozyGit said:

Thanks, is it 29 or 26, what's best, I have not ridden in ages :-O

Depends on usage but for a hardtail I'd be looking at 29ers.

[littleandy0410]

Not very PH, going below budget, but this is getting great reviews at the moment:

http://m.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-two-two-alloy-ha...

[Gizmoish]

Whatever Boardman. You can get 20% off whatever the shop price is.

Or the Decathlon 8.1.

Either way, at that budget make sure you get an air fork, hydraulic disc brakes, and decent tyres (Maxxis / Conti / similar) or budget £50 for a set.

[DozyGit]

SoliD said:

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/m...

I believe this is one of the best value Hard Tails in your budget!

Thanks, read through the reviews, sadly I understand the 2013 model has been degraded with lower spec components!! Unbelievable!

[DozyGit]

duff said:

Depends on usage but for a hardtail I'd be looking at 29ers.

Thanks, will try to ride them and see.

[DozyGit]

littleandy0410 said:

Not very PH, going below budget, but this is getting great reviews at the moment:

http://m.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-two-two-alloy-ha...

Sounds like a good deal, thanks for the tip

[DozyGit]

Gizmoish said:

Whatever Boardman. You can get 20% off whatever the shop price is.

Or the Decathlon 8.1.

Either way, at that budget make sure you get an air fork, hydraulic disc brakes, and decent tyres (Maxxis / Conti / similar) or budget £50 for a set.

Thanks for the tips on specs, and the discounts.

[antspants]

Try this, received great reviews:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

One of the lads I work with bought one and he's been really pleased with it.

[muckymotor]

DozyGit said:

SoliD said:

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/m...

I believe this is one of the best value Hard Tails in your budget!

Thanks, read through the reviews, sadly I understand the 2013 model has been degraded with lower spec components!! Unbelievable!

I've got the model in the link rather than the newer one and it's a great bike. If you don't mind buying used there are usually quite a few lightly used examples on ebay.

[nammynake]

DozyGit said:

Thanks, is it 29 or 26, what's best, I have not ridden in ages :-O

"Best" is subjective and there are many threads here and elsewhere discussing the pros and cons. I would spend an hour or two reading and see if the arguments for 29 suit your requirements.

The sceptic in me says that 29ers are simply a marketing exercise to generate new sales....but wha do I know ;-)

[DozyGit]

Thank you all, I haven't replied as the storm had damaged my house roof and we were without electricity the whole of Xmas eve and part of Xmas, now on a generator, hope I have £££s left for the bike!