£400 hardtail - recommendations?

[Percy]

Sorry, another 'which bike' post, but... well, I'm going to do it anyway.

Interested to hear if anyone's seen any good end of season bargins for a hardtail around the £400 mark - or any recommendations generally.

Any thoughts on the price bracket too? Would I be better off going up to £500, for example, if there's a bit of a jump in spec/quality?

I don't particularly want the lightest/highest spec (obviously, otherwise I'd be spending a lot more!), just something for some fun on trails/hills, as an alternative to my usual road riding.

Cheers.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

If you can raise your budget to £500 you can get this. It is a hell of a lot of bike for the money!

 

[cjb]

Sorry, another 'which bike' post, but... well, I'm going to do it anyway.

Interested to hear if anyone's seen any good end of season bargins for a hardtail around the £400 mark - or any recommendations generally.

Any thoughts on the price bracket too? Would I be better off going up to £500, for example, if there's a bit of a jump in spec/quality?

I don't particularly want the lightest/highest spec (obviously, otherwise I'd be spending a lot more!), just something for some fun on trails/hills, as an alternative to my usual road riding.

Cheers.

 

[cjb]

At that sort of price I would advise secondhand. If you check all the For Sale sites or even ebay there is always someone who's bought a bike, ridden maybe 50 miles on it, and decided it wasn't suitable (for whatever reason). Buying a £400 bike for off-road use is not a good idea IMHO.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

At that sort of price I would advise secondhand. If you check all the For Sale sites or even ebay there is always someone who's bought a bike, ridden maybe 50 miles on it, and decided it wasn't suitable (for whatever reason). Buying a £400 bike for off-road use is not a good idea IMHO.

Take a look at the specs of the two bikes suggested and rethink your statement.

 

[mcshroom]

Take a look at the specs of the two bikes suggested and rethink your statement.

AFS, if everyone had the same opinion then forums would be pretty pointless.

I agree that the Rockrider looks good

 

[Percy]

Buying a £400 bike for off-road use is not a good idea IMHO.

Does seem a rather rash statement - are you seriously suggesting that something like this (as a quickly-found example):

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-avalanche-30-disc-hydro-2011/#more

or this:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/giant-revel-0-2011/#more

or the (very good) example Angelfishsolo gave are best not - or even dangerous if - ridden 'off road'? What are you saying might happen if they were?

I take the point of second hand though and it is something I am considering. I know my way around road/touring bikes very well but not so much suspension foks/disc brakes. I think they're a little bit of a gamble from ebay etc. too as, by their nature, tend to be ridden a bit rougher and the components take a bit more of a battering - I am looking though.

I'm not looking for a project (I've just completed one of those) and nor am I looking for the best in its class ready for top-level downhill racing. I just want a reasonble hardtail for some off-road fun.

 

[cjb]

Does seem a rather rash statement - are you seriously suggesting that something like this (as a quickly-found example):

http://www.wiggle.co...ydro-2011/#more

or this:

http://www.wiggle.co...el-0-2011/#more

or the (very good) example Angelfishsolo gave are best not - or even dangerous if - ridden 'off road'? What are you saying might happen if they were?

I take the point of second hand though and it is something I am considering. I know my way around road/touring bikes very well but not so much suspension foks/disc brakes. I think they're a little bit of a gamble from ebay etc. too as, by their nature, tend to be ridden a bit rougher and the components take a bit more of a battering - I am looking though.

I'm not looking for a project (I've just completed one of those) and nor am I looking for the best in its class ready for top-level downhill racing. I just want a reasonble hardtail for some off-road fun.

A friend of mine goes through cheap off-road bikes with some frequency - it's a durability issue, not one of safety.

My secondhand reference was to purchasing a nearly new bike that someone, for whatever reason, was anxious to sell after only nominal mileage.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

A friend of mine goes through cheap off-road bikes with some frequency - it's a durability issue, not one of safety.

My secondhand reference was to purchasing a nearly new bike that someone, for whatever reason, was anxious to sell after only nominal mileage.

Could you possibly give us the make and models of those bikes please?

 

[cjb]

Could you possibly give us the make and models of those bikes please?

He's had bottom of the range Ridgebacks and GTs (can't give you the model) so far, and we're talking about the off-road riding in all weathers and terrains here.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

He's had bottom of the range Ridgebacks and GTs (can't give you the model) so far, and we're talking about the off-road riding in all weathers and terrains here.

OK thanks. Neither of the bikes listed are close to BotR however. The Decathlon bike would be good value at double the price in my eyes if it were not for the weight of the machine.

 

[Percy]

He's had bottom of the range Ridgebacks and GTs (can't give you the model) so far, and we're talking about the off-road riding in all weathers and terrains here.

It's interesting to hear. What problems is he having? By that I mean, what is it on the bikes that's failing? Wheels? Drivetrain? Specific components? Frames?!

If it's serious enough that he is having to replace whole bikes each time I'd be interested to know at what level and frequency he rides. I mean, if he's out four times a week on tough trails/downhill, a £400 GT/Giant probably isn't the best bike for him, but it'd be useful to note for comparison purposes.

 

[cjb]

It's interesting to hear. What problems is he having? By that I mean, what is it on the bikes that's failing? Wheels? Drivetrain? Specific components? Frames?!

If it's serious enough that he is having to replace whole bikes each time I'd be interested to know at what level and frequency he rides. I mean, if he's out four times a week on tough trails/downhill, a £400 GT/Giant probably isn't the best bike for him, but it'd be useful to note for comparison purposes.

My friend has no understanding of mechanical things (he's an accountant, if that excuses him!!). He grinds his gears, puts his bike away unwashed, uses a bike shop for all his servicing, and eventually they tell him that the bike is not worth repairing. I think that if you are doing serious off-road, as opposed to riding the local canal towpath, you should buy the best MTB you can afford (and look after it).

 

[Percy]

He grinds his gears, puts his bike away unwashed, uses a bike shop for all his servicing, and eventually they tell him that the bike is not worth repairing.

If you had told me that in the first place, we need never have had this conversation. In fact, you've just countered your own original statement of "buying a £400 bike for off-road use is not a good idea IMHO" by explaining that it's not the bikes that are the problem, rather the way your friend treats them.

As it is, we're back to the beginning. Anyone got any recommendations for £400-ish hardtails?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

My friend has no understanding of mechanical things (he's an accountant, if that excuses him!!). He grinds his gears, puts his bike away unwashed, uses a bike shop for all his servicing, and eventually they tell him that the bike is not worth repairing. I think that if you are doing serious off-road, as opposed to riding the local canal towpath, you should buy the best MTB you can afford (and look after it).

Then by the sound of it your friend would trash a £3000 bike just as easily!!!