Bike recommendations...

[Daveo]

Hi all,

It's been years since I last bought a bike so I thought I'd take the plunge and get a new one. The problem is is that they've all changed... Sturmey-Archer 3 speeds with heavyweight dynamo's don't seem to be too common now!! Anyhow, I'm after a hardtail mountain bike and have seen the 2010 Rockhopper SL Pro which by all accounts (that is, a days research on the web) looks to be a good spec for the cost, however, before I part with the cash, does anyone know of anything else out there of a similar price but consider to be better value for money or have had any experiences with the SL Pro etc...

Cheers for any pointers.
D

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Hi Daveo, welcome to the forum.

I cannot advise you about mountain bikes as I have never owned one. However I am anxious you don't buy a mountain bike for the wrong reason. Your first decision is to be certain where you will use the bike and for what purpose. If you will be cycling mainly on roads, IMHO you will be better off buying a road bike. If you will do mainly roads with occasional tracks, then a hybrid may be the way to go. If you do however intend to cycle single track regularly, then go ahead with a mountain bike.

In other words, horses for courses.

 

[Cubist]

I'm biased, but if you want a hardtail with similar spec for roughly the same money, have a look at the following bike porn:
http://www.cyclex.co.uk/product/cube_bikes-cx/cbltdr10.html

You'll have enough change for a couple of boxes of Kleenex.

 

[Daveo]

Cheers guys - advice is much appreciated. It seems that the Rockhopper Pro's in 21" frame have sold out everywhere and Specialized aren't producing any more in the UK this year - the gits!!

So Cubist... why would you go for a Cube and not a Specialized?

PS - think Handy Andies are better value for money ;-)

 

[Cubist]

Cheers guys - advice is much appreciated. It seems that the Rockhopper Pro's in 21" frame have sold out everywhere and Specialized aren't producing any more in the UK this year - the gits!!

So Cubist... why would you go for a Cube and not a Specialized?

PS - think Handy Andies are better value for money ;-)

I love 'em. The Cube Ltds tend to have a racy XC geometry. Pound for pound they tend to be well equipped, with high spec equipment. At your price point you're into XT, high end brakes, good forks, etc etc.
What's more Rockhoppers are ten-a-penny. Cube paintjobs look the absolute canine's.

 

[Scrawf]

Swiss bike?