Mountain bike for beginner - £750ish

[Evanivitch]

DailyHack said:

So +1 for Calibres, if you can stretch to £1000 the Calibre Bossnut (if you fancy full suspension) is a gem, and gets excellent reviews!

I have my eye on a bossnut, not sure I'll ever find one...

[TV8]

I similar size to you and bought a GT in large after trying a few bikes for size at Evans. Very pleased with it apart from the chain showing a bit of rust after being left in the lean to.

Do try a few side by side as I was shocked how much stem length and angle affected back comfort and knee clearance. Sounds obvious but worth checking.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

At 750 I'd buy used. 750 buys rubbish at that price range new.

[Evanivitch]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

At 750 I'd buy used. 750 buys rubbish at that price range new.

Not for a hardtail.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Evanivitch said:

Not for a hardtail.

Its not going to buy half decent suspension forks for a start.

[Evanivitch]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

Evanivitch said:

Not for a hardtail.

Its not going to buy half decent suspension forks for a start.

Let me guess, OP needs to spend £1500 on forks to save 500g so he can ride black routes within 12 months of taking to trails? Grow up.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Evanivitch said:

Let me guess, OP needs to spend £1500 on forks to save 500g so he can ride black routes within 12 months of taking to trails? Grow up.

A cheap new 29er nowadays has cheap kit and basic forks due to the $ and yen/market. It doesn't feel great, that's what cycling is about shifting feel, sorted geometry and decent forks.

Decent forks aren't all about shaving grams unlike road biking. Decent forks start with stiffness and decent internals.

Buy nearly new, take the opportunity to upgrade.

[Evanivitch]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

A cheap new 29er nowadays has cheap kit and basic forks due to the $ and yen/market. It doesn't feel great, that's what cycling is about shifting feel, sorted geometry and decent forks.

Decent forks aren't all about shaving grams unlike road biking. Decent forks start with stiffness and decent internals.

Buy nearly new, take the opportunity to upgrade.

So if £750 doesn't even get you a set of forks, what are you suggesting the budget should be for a nearly-new bike? £2500?

[Hugo Stiglitz]

I paid 1000 for a nearly new Genesis Tarn 29 with pike forks during lockdown.

[Evanivitch]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

I paid 1000 for a nearly new Genesis Tarn 29 with pike forks during lockdown.

So you bought a nearly new £2200 bike for £1000 during lockdown, with forks that you would describe as not even "half decent".

Was it nicked?

[Hugo Stiglitz]

New £750 bikes don't come with Pikes. Do you ride mountain bikes?

[Evanivitch]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

New £750 bikes don't come with Pikes. Do you ride mountain bikes?

Yes, I actually ride them more than I spend looking in the parts catalogue

[LordHaveMurci]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

At 750 I'd buy used. 750 buys rubbish at that price range new.

All the reviews I read on the Bizango before I bought two (for a lot less than £750) were glowing.

It seems you kbow better than many others, I’ll be sure to PM you in future rather than rely on Google

[Hugo Stiglitz]

I think I've made my opinion clear. Its labouring the same point going over it again.

[heisthegaffer]

LordHaveMurci said:

Hugo Stiglitz said:

At 750 I'd buy used. 750 buys rubbish at that price range new.

All the reviews I read on the Bizango before I bought two (for a lot less than £750) were glowing.

It seems you kbow better than many others, I’ll be sure to PM you in future rather than rely on Google

I'm ordering a Bizango Thurs all being well.

[LordHaveMurci]

heisthegaffer said:

I'm ordering a Bizango Thurs all being well.

You’ve clearly accepted that it’ll be rubbish

Have you signed up to BC for your 10% discount?

[heisthegaffer]

LordHaveMurci said:

heisthegaffer said:

I'm ordering a Bizango Thurs all being well.

You’ve clearly accepted that it’ll be rubbish

Have you signed up to BC for your 10% discount?

Well it's replacing a 15 year old 250 quid bike so have high hopes for it. Unless 250 quid 15 years ago equates to 650 now of course??

What is the BC discount please? I'm doing via cycle2work scheme to save the tax, I wonder if I can get a discount too?

[Hugo Stiglitz]

OP what did you hire at Peebles and what did you like and dislike about it?

[Bowside]

If it helps, I’ve just picked up a cannondale Trial 5, that you linked to earlier. Very very happy with it, as I’m more used to road and TT bikes, the 1x feels mad, but I’m thoroughly enjoying it in the cold weather.

The challenge you might have is finding stock as there seems to be little available.

[Gin and Ultrasonic]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

OP what did you hire at Peebles and what did you like and dislike about it?

Good question. It was a few years ago, but both times I'd just hired a basic hardtail which had internal hub gears (8 speed I think) rather than a derailleur setup. At the time it would have had 27.5 wheels I guess.

I liked the simplicity of only shifting in one place (i.e. no front chainring), and the whole experience of riding the trails was good fun - although having only watched MTB online, I didn't realise you had to cycle to the top I don't think I had any issues with the forks - not being used to suspension I basically had them either locked going up, or unlocked going down, which seemed to work for me. The level of suspension seemed fine for the speed I was going down the trails at.

It was really heavy though, and I felt it when pedalling up bumpy trails in the lowest gear when my friends with derailleurs seemed to be able to spin a much higher cadence. I lost momentum a few times and had to get off and push over rocky uphill bits that they seemed able to spin / roll over - probably a lot due to my lack of skills, but maybe a 29er would be better?

On the plus side, no-one mocked me for my full road gear