Another what bike - MTB - £1k ish
Discussion
Apologies for another ‘what bike thread’ but I have finally decided that I need a new bike to get me re-focused on getting out and about!
I am looking to spend around £1,000 to £1,100 and was originally going to buy a Boardman Pro HT, but then their new bikes are not due for release until the end of April and I really need to get a new one before then
As I have had my heart set on a Boardman I have not really looked at other bikes, mainly because I know the spec on the Boardman is great and didn’t think anything else came close – but there must be other bikes out there either the same spec or very close too
I mainly ride my local bridle ways etc but during the summer when I am on business in Wales I usually ride at Afan, I am by no stretch a riding god but on the other hand I have been riding off road for a good few years and am not a novice
Any ideas / suggestions
I am looking to spend around £1,000 to £1,100 and was originally going to buy a Boardman Pro HT, but then their new bikes are not due for release until the end of April and I really need to get a new one before then
As I have had my heart set on a Boardman I have not really looked at other bikes, mainly because I know the spec on the Boardman is great and didn’t think anything else came close – but there must be other bikes out there either the same spec or very close too
I mainly ride my local bridle ways etc but during the summer when I am on business in Wales I usually ride at Afan, I am by no stretch a riding god but on the other hand I have been riding off road for a good few years and am not a novice
Any ideas / suggestions
given you were looking at a hardtail, i think you will be hard pushed to get a better bike than a Merlin Malt 4. they get great reviews in the magazines and are well specced as standard but you could even spec some nice upgrades and stay under £1K.
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop/Bikes/Moun...
bikes from merlin come ready built, you just need to fit a few bits like bars which are taken off for transit but the big bits like forks and cranks, the cables and pipes, mechs etc are installed already. you just need some mild tweaking before you test it
um, ok, just seen the spec of the 2010 boardman ht pro, scrap the merlin. get the 2010 ht pro, thats a feckin bargain!!!
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop/Bikes/Moun...
bikes from merlin come ready built, you just need to fit a few bits like bars which are taken off for transit but the big bits like forks and cranks, the cables and pipes, mechs etc are installed already. you just need some mild tweaking before you test it
um, ok, just seen the spec of the 2010 boardman ht pro, scrap the merlin. get the 2010 ht pro, thats a feckin bargain!!!
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 7th February 13:50
You can see why I was looking at the Boardman Pro, great value – but the 2010 model has now been out for around 15/16 months and the 2011 will be out in a couple of months. To me it seems crazy to buy something that will be upgraded/replaced in a month or so – but then I don’t want to wait either, which is why I am looking at other options
ETA: Have been to my local Halfrauds and they have only found 1 on their system (in small) which is pre-built and has been on display - I don't fancy an ex display model from Halfrauds
ETA: Have been to my local Halfrauds and they have only found 1 on their system (in small) which is pre-built and has been on display - I don't fancy an ex display model from Halfrauds
Edited by spdpug98 on Monday 7th February 16:11
I had the same requirements, and bought a 2010 Fuji MT Fuji Pro, for £899.
It's stupidly light, handles really well, and has a complete SLX groupset. I use it every day, and I have to say, it's a great bike, with good ride, excellent acceleration, lovely handling and frankly feels rather more expensive than it was. I prefer it to the stolen (and much more expensive) Connondale it replaced.
It's stupidly light, handles really well, and has a complete SLX groupset. I use it every day, and I have to say, it's a great bike, with good ride, excellent acceleration, lovely handling and frankly feels rather more expensive than it was. I prefer it to the stolen (and much more expensive) Connondale it replaced.
spdpug98 said:
You can see why I was looking at the Boardman Pro, great value – but the 2010 model has now been out for around 15/16 months and the 2011 will be out in a couple of months. To me it seems crazy to buy something that will be upgraded/replaced in a month or so – but then I don’t want to wait either, which is why I am looking at other options
the 2011 spec wont be as good as the 2010 spec guaranteed. over the last couple of years bike specs have gone down as costs have increased. a lot of this is down to the price of components as well as the weak sterling. if you wait for the 2011 bike you will end up spending more for less, or at the very best, equal spec but i cant see it myself.
pablo said:
the 2011 spec wont be as good as the 2010 spec guaranteed. over the last couple of years bike specs have gone down as costs have increased. a lot of this is down to the price of components as well as the weak sterling.
if you wait for the 2011 bike you will end up spending more for less, or at the very best, equal spec but i cant see it myself.
Yep. I found exactly this. I managed to get one of the last of a range of 2010 models which was a much higher spec than the (more expensive) 2011 successor.if you wait for the 2011 bike you will end up spending more for less, or at the very best, equal spec but i cant see it myself.
I managed to pick up the Boardman Pro FS for £1100 around Christmas time, ordered online and went through Quidco (cashback site) and got about £90 cashback so in the end cost me just over £1000. Really pleased with it, ordered it online and it was delivered pre-built to my house, took it to the local bike shop who gave it a once over for £15. Really pleased with it given the outlay.
Graham
Graham
Poloding Along said:
Its a deal,Its a steal,
its sale of the century!
Nice!
The general consensus seems to be that the Boardman bike range available through Halfords is very good spec/value, but because it's not a specialist bike shop the build/set-up can be variable.
I got a 2010 Specialised Rockhopper Expert. RRP £949, but paid £799 in the sale..it has a good spec, fairly light and a fab ride..it's better than my old steel Stumpjumper, a lot to be said for purchasing last years bike..it looks cool too-in a flat silver colour.
Though I broke my saddle rails the first minor spill, replaced with a Charge saddle which seems to be tougher/comfier..
I got a 2010 Specialised Rockhopper Expert. RRP £949, but paid £799 in the sale..it has a good spec, fairly light and a fab ride..it's better than my old steel Stumpjumper, a lot to be said for purchasing last years bike..it looks cool too-in a flat silver colour.
Though I broke my saddle rails the first minor spill, replaced with a Charge saddle which seems to be tougher/comfier..
billzeebub said:
The general consensus seems to be that the Boardman bike range available through Halfords is very good spec/value, but because it's not a specialist bike shop the build/set-up can be variable.
That sounds like classic LBS sales bullsh*t.All modern bikes are made in factories (most of these in the far east) and are boxed and shipped to importers/stores/shops. These stores/shops can be a big Halfords or a small LBS. The store/shop then swing round the handle bars, fit the wheels and pump up the tyres.
It doesn't matter if you are buying a carbon Stumpy S Works, a Cube or a Boardman HT Pro, the people selling it to you are resellers, not bicycle manufacturers.
And whilst Halfords staff/stores can be variable, they do not have the exclusive on this. Plenty of LBS are *very* variable. If you don't like your local Halfords, or your local LBS, get another Halfords or another LBS to maintain the bike after purchase.
Raven Flyer said:
That sounds like classic LBS sales bullsh*t.
All modern bikes are made in factories (most of these in the far east) and are boxed and shipped to importers/stores/shops. These stores/shops can be a big Halfords or a small LBS. The store/shop then swing round the handle bars, fit the wheels and pump up the tyres.
It doesn't matter if you are buying a carbon Stumpy S Works, a Cube or a Boardman HT Pro, the people selling it to you are resellers, not bicycle manufacturers.
And whilst Halfords staff/stores can be variable, they do not have the exclusive on this. Plenty of LBS are *very* variable. If you don't like your local Halfords, or your local LBS, get another Halfords or another LBS to maintain the bike after purchase.
Not entirley true - a bad LBS does not last long. They dont have the backing of a national motoring superstore to keep them afloat.All modern bikes are made in factories (most of these in the far east) and are boxed and shipped to importers/stores/shops. These stores/shops can be a big Halfords or a small LBS. The store/shop then swing round the handle bars, fit the wheels and pump up the tyres.
It doesn't matter if you are buying a carbon Stumpy S Works, a Cube or a Boardman HT Pro, the people selling it to you are resellers, not bicycle manufacturers.
And whilst Halfords staff/stores can be variable, they do not have the exclusive on this. Plenty of LBS are *very* variable. If you don't like your local Halfords, or your local LBS, get another Halfords or another LBS to maintain the bike after purchase.
I know some LBS that have been going for over 15 years that, after experiencing their work, I wouldn't get them to pump up a tyre for me. They rely on a constant stream of new customers as they get little or no repeat business. Complaints of shoddy work or dodgy dealing will be investigated at a large company. At an unscrupulous LBS they are met with a shrug of the shoulders or the offer of some discount next time.
If you read Halfords' annual accounts, you will see that they are motoring stores supported by a national bicycle retail business. They are the UK's largest bicycle retailer by quite some margin and cycles represent the bulk of their profit.
Some Halfords stores are staffed very poorly and some are very good. My point is if you want to buy a bike that they sell, find a good Halfords store or a good LBS to do any maintenance for you.
I suspect that most of the people that diss Halfords have no personal experience of the bikes they sell, or of their repair/maintenance work.
If you read Halfords' annual accounts, you will see that they are motoring stores supported by a national bicycle retail business. They are the UK's largest bicycle retailer by quite some margin and cycles represent the bulk of their profit.
Some Halfords stores are staffed very poorly and some are very good. My point is if you want to buy a bike that they sell, find a good Halfords store or a good LBS to do any maintenance for you.
I suspect that most of the people that diss Halfords have no personal experience of the bikes they sell, or of their repair/maintenance work.
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