Mountain Biking - Where do I start?

[anonymous-user]

It is something I want to get into. Last time I tried downhill MB'ing my front wheel got jammed in a crevice at an enthusiastic pace launching me over the handle bars. (about 8 years a go).
Now I'm physically grown up I want to get back into it.
Can I have reasonable fun on a full suspension bike for under £200? Any recommendations?
Any recommendations on gear?
There are a lot of good tracks near where I live. Have Sherwood and Kinver Edge which I used to go to lots as a child. And then lots of smaller places I could go.

[skibum]

First place to start would be over in the Pedal Powered section! They'll be better placed to provide guidance on kit, places, expectations, etc..

[anonymous-user]

I had no idea there was such section!
Sorry. Mods could you move this please?

[Engineer1]

£200 is that two hundred or did you miss off a zero? If it is £200 avoid adding any complexity to the bike, I initially purchased a £200 full suspension bike it was st so bad the first one went back for an exchange and I got a credit note when I took the second one back, I've now got a £400 bike in bits in the shed and a £2.2k bike bought in the sales for £1.4k.

The £200 full sus bike was truly crap the back triangle went out of true and couldn't be fixed the gearing never indexed correctly and all the spring did was absorb pedalling energy rather than smooth bumps.

[theshrew]

Forget full suss for that price you will buy a load of rubbish. Not much you cant do on a hardtail anyway tbh.

Id be on classifieds, ebay etc looking for a 2nd hand hardtail. Its been a while since ive looked but think you would get a Specialized for that much.

As for gear just get a helmet and gloves to start with. Then build your kit up.

[anonymous-user]

Anyone suggest a good front suspension bike in my budget?
I am a complete novice and they all look the same to me!

[Mr E]

GravelMachineGun said:

Can I have reasonable fun on a full suspension bike for under £200? Any recommendations?

No.

GravelMachineGun said:

Anyone suggest a good front suspension bike in my budget?

Not really, no.

Absolute bear minimum spend for something half decent is probably £400-£500. And that won't be suitable for downhilling.

What exactly do you want to do on the bike. Really straight into DH as a complete novice? Or do you actually want something you can ride around the local trail centre?

This is downhilling;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFcQi7DvuFM

Edited by Mr E on Wednesday 7th August 10:42

[anonymous-user]

Mr E said:

Not really, no.

Absolute bear minimum spend for something half decent is probably £400-£500. And that won't be suitable for downhilling.

What exactly do you want to do on the bike. Really straight into DH as a complete novice? Or do you actually want something you can ride around the local trail centre?

This is downhilling;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFcQi7DvuFM

Edited by Mr E on Wednesday 7th August 10:42

I never said I want to do downhilling. Just mentioned last time I tried it I fell off in a dramatic fashion.
But the latter of what you said. So I can deal with some tricky terrain as a relative novice

[Mr E]

Ok, understood.

Brand new entry level hardtail will be ~£500 for something half decent that you'll enjoy riding.

Avoid full-sussers like the plague at this price point, they will be st.

I'd suggest you consider a used bike perhaps?

[ewenm]

I still ride a fully rigid bike. You don't need suspension to have fun and arguably you learn better bike-handling and trail-reading skills by starting on a fully rigid bike. Unfortunately it's pretty hard to find fully rigid bikes now and the bottom of the range machines usually have a rubbish suspension fork on them.

[RCBRG]

ewenm said:

I still ride a fully rigid bike. You don't need suspension to have fun and arguably you learn better bike-handling and trail-reading skills by starting on a fully rigid bike. Unfortunately it's pretty hard to find fully rigid bikes now and the bottom of the range machines usually have a rubbish suspension fork on them.

i feel rigid is probably as good as you need for entry level XC riding. as you said, the forks fitted to any sub £1k bike is usually utter trash

[Sarkmeister]

RCBRG said:

i feel rigid is probably as good as you need for entry level XC riding. as you said, the forks fitted to any sub £1k bike is usually utter trash

I wouldn't agree with that at all. There are plenty of sub £1k bikes with perfectly good forks. I'd just aim for air forks not coil and you'll be alright (lighter, more adjustable etc).

My advice would be to look at the Carrera/Voodoo range at Halfords at around £500-£600, especially the Carrera Fury. Alternatively look for the same bikes 2nd hand, for probably £300-£400. Decathlon have a good range of hardtails at the same price range, definitely worth a look if there is one nearby.

[theshrew]

This is about as good as your going to get for the price

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Specialized-Hardrock-Mou...

[Callismichael]

I've done a lot of research into a first decent mtb and as people have said, don't go full suspension at this price. I got a carrera Vulcan hardtail from halfords for £360 and I think it's a cracking bike

[Ruskie]

Nothing to add really but budget £500+ otherwise you will be disappointed.

[BlackST]

While we have some bike enthusiasts in here does anybody care to value this bike for me?


Seems a guy on eBay has pretty much the same one brand new bar the tyres.
http://bit.ly/14oRsbG

[RobDickinson]

I'd guess 200 would get you a 2-3 year old HT of a reasonable spec. Giant or specialized etc so long as it has 100mm ok suspension on the front and hydraulic disk brakes and isn't beat to death it will be fine.

[P-Jay]

Get the best second-hand hardtail you can find for your budget - my wife found a slightly ratty GT 2 year-old hardtail on Gumtree for £150 last year, I stripped it, cleaned it and banged on some of my spare bits for a bit of an upgrade and it works fine. Prices will be high right now on eBay, but will fall like a stone when the weather turns.

You'll want a helmet and some gloves too.

[P-Jay]

BlackST said:

While we have some bike enthusiasts in here does anybody care to value this bike for me?


Seems a guy on eBay has pretty much the same one brand new bar the tyres.
http://bit.ly/14oRsbG

2009 Specialized XC Expert FSR?

General rule of thumb is 40% depreciation in year one, 10% a year there after:

RRP was £1200 in 2009

£720 in 2010
£648 in 2011
£583 in 2012
£524 in 2013

Loads of other factors though - Specialized always one of the more popular brands which is a plus - but sadly the XC FSR isn't the 'cooler' Stumpjumper, Pitch or Enduro model - slight minus. Condition plays a part of course, if it's just got a few wear marks and everything feels tight and new you can ask more.

That guy on eBay is being a bit optimistic, but might get away with it because it's an XL and they don't come around all the time - but he has to accept that whilst he might have paid £1200 for it 3-4 years ago - after Sept 2009 when the 2010 models came out it would have been on sale for £900-£1000 brand new, with a lifetime frame warranty.

Edited by P-Jay on Thursday 8th August 11:09

[BlackST]

P-Jay said:

BlackST said:

While we have some bike enthusiasts in here does anybody care to value this bike for me?


Seems a guy on eBay has pretty much the same one brand new bar the tyres.
http://bit.ly/14oRsbG

2009 Specialized XC Expert FSR?

General rule of thumb is 40% depreciation in year one, 10% a year there after:

RRP was £1200 in 2009

£720 in 2010
£648 in 2011
£583 in 2012
£524 in 2013

Loads of other factors though - Specialized always one of the more popular brands which is a plus - but sadly the XC FSR isn't the 'cooler' Stumpjumper, Pitch or Enduro model - slight minus. Condition plays a part of course, if it's just got a few wear marks and everything feels tight and new you can ask more.

That guy on eBay is being a bit optimistic, but might get away with it because it's an XL and they don't come around all the time - but he has to accept that whilst he might have paid £1200 for it 3-4 years ago - after Sept 2009 when the 2010 models came out it would have been on sale for £900-£1000 brand new, with a lifetime frame warranty.

Edited by P-Jay on Thursday 8th August 11:09

Thanks P-Jay.
It's my young brothers. Going to get it on eBay for him, so will try and aim for the £500 mark
I wonder if a buy it now price of £600 or nearest offer would get much attraction? Considering the guy on eBay wants £900.