New mountain bike help

[Rhodri27]

Hi,

Looking to get back into mountain biking after a few years of road riding.

Budget is around the grand mark will want something for the local trails and cross country.

Thanks

[wizard4]

I'd go second hand for that price range, but if you want new maybe try Decathlon, they have some nice cheaper bikes!

[gbbird]

Some great new MTBs within that price range. Check out Trek, Cube or Orange for starters

[yellowjack]

Look for previous years' bargains.

I had a similar budget, and ended up on a 2015 Giant Anthem 3. Full retail had been £1499 but I was in the saddle for £899 in March this year. A (fairly) local shop wanted £1099 for it, but a bit of time spent on Google rustled up a shop further away (both stores had an internet presence too) who had theirs up for £899 and a price-match was agreed.

Also, at £1000 you could quite easily find yourself on something like the Bird Zero, which is insane value for money. If I hadn't bought the Anthem, I'd have bought the (hard tail) Bird. Unfortunately at the time they had component supply issues (awaiting wheels from overseas) and they got back to me with a solution the day after I bought the Anthem. Bird Cycleworks, Eversley, Hampshire... http://shop.birdmtb.com/zero.html ...'Clearance Edition' Mk 1 Zero bikes from £895

The newer, lighter 'Zero TR' is available as a complete bike from £999... http://shop.birdmtb.com/zero-tr/zero-tr3.html

The Trek Superfly (29"er in all but the smallest frame size) is far more of a 'Cross Country' MTB and the Superfly 5 is bang on the button at £1000... http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/trek-superfly-5-... ...and if bought from Pedal On you can use their 'Podium Points' scheme to score some free clothing or accessories via a section on their website too.

Edited by yellowjack on Thursday 19th May 10:11

[P-Jay]

Have a look at this:

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-bossnut-full-s...

Not a well known brand, I believe it's Go Outdoors own, but it's smashing group tests of MTB in that price bracket and whilst the spec is pretty modest, it's good, reliable stuff so unlike most bikes at this price point you won't need to change a lot of stuff within the first few months when the hidden crap OE stiff fails.

http://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/27-5-full-suspension-...

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

http://twowheelsbetter.cc/best-of/is-this-the-best...

[anonymous-user]

http://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/hardtail/mbr-hardtail...

[The_Jackal]

For a full sus the main two choices are the Bossnut as above and the Boardman FS Team.
Very well specced bikes and the mags recommend them. I think the Bossnut was bike of the year last year.