Need a new bike...........

[Notshortnottall]

As above, used to really be into cross-country / downhill stuff and had a GT i-drive but sold it.

Now trying to get back into doing a bit more on the bikes (currently have a Claud Butler) but could really do with a full suspension bike as we get a bit more adventurous.

Having been out of the "scene" for a while I'm struggling to find something I like and what to look for. A mate has just bought a Nukeproof whilst my other bike friend is using his LaPierre.

Not really wanting to spend 2k+ as they have, but sub-1k is more to my liking at the moment. What are decent frames / set-ups / equipment at the moment?

My real problem (and forgive me if this isn't possible), is that I do a good combination of off-road as well as on-road. For example, we recently rode from our houses to Delamere Forest in Cheshire (approx. 35 miles e/w) and so I'd want something which can lock-out the rear suspension to effectively make a hardtail bike.

Also, is it possible to have a separate set of wheels for the same bike, but with road tyres on? Sorry if that's a daft question but at least that way the bike could serve a couple of purposes depending on if we're doing majority road-riding or off-roading.

Cheers in advance.

[nammynake]

You will get a very good hardtail for £1k or a second hand full suss. Hardtail will be fine for all but full-on downhill. If you want to ride on roads then why not get two secondhand bikes - a road bike and a hardtail?

[Notshortnottall]

nammynake said:

You will get a very good hardtail for £1k or a second hand full suss. Hardtail will be fine for all but full-on downhill. If you want to ride on roads then why not get two secondhand bikes - a road bike and a hardtail?

Full-suss is essential really - I'm trying to save space by getting rid of 2 bikes (I have a Boardman racer too at the minute) and I'm trying to de-clutter and amalgamate, if possible, 2 bikes into 1 which will do neither excellently, but will be able to cope with both road and off-road riding.

[Engineer1]

Put the Boardman into storage for a week buy a 1K full susser in the sales then having done some road miles on the full susser get the road bike back out because full suss mountain bikes really aren't designed for on road. I've got a full susser and a hardtail and the hardtail can struggle speed wise to keep up with my wife's hybrid bike the tyres don't roll well, the gearing isn't set for speed on the road. Besides the Rules say n+1 and there is a reason for this each bike does something better than the rest.

[Gizmoish]

Engineer1 said:

Put the Boardman into storage for a week buy a 1K full susser in the sales then having done some road miles on the full susser get the road bike back out because full suss mountain bikes really aren't designed for on road. I've got a full susser and a hardtail and the hardtail can struggle speed wise to keep up with my wife's hybrid bike the tyres don't roll well, the gearing isn't set for speed on the road. Besides the Rules say n+1 and there is a reason for this each bike does something better than the rest.

Exactly. Millions in R&D is being spent making FS bikes faster over big holes, hard tails faster along big paths and road bikes faster up big hills. If you want something that does all three... Well, a 29er hard tail hybrid works pretty well.