Boardman MTX 8.8

[clukem]

Hi

I'm looking at buying a Boardman MTX 8.8. Has anyone any experience of this bike? There isn't a great deal of information to find online. What I have found mentioned, tends to focus on the 2 following issues

Poor paintwork: Scratches very easily.

Not all Gears are available: It is a 2 x 10, but one comment said, that only the top 7 on the big ring and bottom 7 on the small ring are available due to the chain rubbing against the inside / outside plate

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/2352-mtx-8.8-2021.html

Has anyone any experience of this bike? In particular these or any other issues

 

[vickster]

Hi

I'm looking at buying a Boardman MTX 8.8. Has anyone any experience of this bike? There isn't a great deal of information to find online. What I have found mentioned, tends to focus on the 2 following issues

Poor paintwork: Scratches very easily.

Not all Gears are available: It is a 2 x 10, but one comment said, that only the top 7 on the big ring and bottom 7 on the small ring are available due to the chain rubbing against the inside / outside plate

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/2352-mtx-8.8-2021.html

Has anyone any experience of this bike? In particular these or any other issues

1) Paintwork can get scratched on any bike, you can put protective tape on the bits most prone
2) Sounds like an issue with the set up of the gears. However, you shouldn't cross chain on any bike and out of the 20 possible gears, there'll be some overlap depending on the number of teeth on the front and the back

It's a hybrid with suspension, where how/do you plan to use the bike? If on roads, there'll be far better choices

 

[vickster]

There are some other discussions of that model via the search function
https://www.cyclechat.net/search/19...t&c[child_nodes]=1&c[nodes][0]=39&o=relevance

 

[clukem]

1) Paintwork can get scratched on any bike, you can put protective tape on the bits most prone
2) Sounds like an issue with the set up of the gears. However, you shouldn't cross chain on any bike and out of the 20 possible gears, there'll be some overlap depending on the number of teeth on the front and the back

It's a hybrid with suspension, where how/do you plan to use the bike? If on roads, there'll be far better choices

1) The paintwork came up in most reviews on Halford's website.

Great bike, Shame about the paint job

Excellent bike with great parts. Very smooth ride and really pleased. Would have given it 5 stars however the first time I propped it against a rail to lock it up I noticed spots in the paintwork straight away. A gentle tap between the frame and the rail makes it look like someone hit it with a hammer and it now looks like it has acne.

 

[clukem]

The above comment was an example of one.

I would say 60% is off road. I avoid roads where possible. I could take a route using cycle paths, but get off road as soon as I can. I could use a fixed fork bike as that's what I have at the minute, but wanted more comfortable journey and the option to explore more routes

 

[Cycleops]

Both issues you’ve highlighted are present on any number of bikes. The FD rubbing is quite a common with certain gearing set ups and can often be adjusted out. In the gears where the chain is liable rub you’re unlikely to use these ratios too often anyway.
Boardmans are quite well regarded on here and there are numerous owners who I’m sure will give you their opinions.
Looking at the bike I’d say you be better off looking for a model without the suspension fork, especially if using it mainly on road. It won’t add much comfort on rougher ground and fork will be fairly rudimentary at that price point. It will only increase weight without any benefit.
Consider something like the 8.8:
https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/2346-hyb-8.8-2021.html
No suspension and no FD to worry about! Saving nearly 2.5 kg into the bargain.

 

[vickster]

The above comment was an example of one.

I would say 60% is off road. I avoid roads where possible. I could take a route using cycle paths, but get off road as soon as I can. I could use a fixed fork bike as that's what I have at the minute, but wanted more comfortable journey and the option to explore more routes

Buy something else then if concerned by reviews Whyte sell excellent rigid or suspension fork hybrids for example, as do Merida to name two. If happy to buy online, the Vitus range from Wiggle/Chain Reaction can represent good value

 

[clukem]

I have considered 1 x drive trains because when I have my chain come off, it has always been when moving the front derailleur. Downside is people mention the lack of gear range, but with cross chaining and duplicated gear ratios. I don't see this as an issue. I have noticed that bikes in the Boardman 8.8 HYB class (Trek FX3, SIRRUS X 3.0, Giant Escape) all have lowest gear ratios of between 0.95 and 1. The suspension models have the ratio between 0.83 and 0.89. I need all the help I can get, getting up hills.

The suspension forks in all honesty I probably don't need. Maybe I'm over estimating the comfort I will get from them. When you look at them, they look impressive and that's maybe what I'm getting drawn in by.

 

[vickster]

Go and test ride a bike or two with a suspension fork and see what you think. Don’t restrict yourself to the big global brands you name above, you’ll often be paying extra for the Branding.
a decent LBS should offer test rides, Halfords don’t (other than e bikes afaik)
within reason, gear ratios can be played with using different chainrings and cassettes

 

[clukem]

Since my last mail on this thread, I have taken a suspension fork bike for a test ride. I hired a Giant Roam 2 from Rutland Cycles and took it on a run around Rutland Water, which has a mixture of smooth and rough paths. I had a problem with one of the front Derailleurs and had to take it back to the store to be replaced. I was edging towards a 1 x drive train before and this convinced me further. The problem I found with the suspension forks was, I was using the lock out for paved paths, but then forgetting to take the lock out again for the rough paths and vice versa. So not getting any real benefit.

Following this test ride, I was about to order the Boardman 8.8 HYB recommended above, but then decided to have a look at some of the other brands recommended. One of these brands was Whytes. Found a Whytes Pimlico, which had all the requirements I wanted and had 15% off the rrp. Still a bit dearer than the Boardman bikes I was looking at, but got everything I wanted without compromising too much (including low gear ratio 0.82).

https://whytebikes.com/products/pimlico?variant=39459273277509


Took it up to Rutland Water yesterday to take it on a test run, that I knew well. At the minute, couldn't be happier. I was getting up hills that I would normally get off and walk. It also was so much better having a 1 x drive train. Instead of wondering whether the better gear was on the other derailleur. Making sure you're in the right gear to avoid cross chaining etc.

So thanks very much for the advice above, that lead to this choice

 

[vickster]

Since my last mail on this thread, I have taken a suspension fork bike for a test ride. I hired a Giant Roam 2 from Rutland Cycles and took it on a run around Rutland Water, which has a mixture of smooth and rough paths. I had a problem with one of the front Derailleurs and had to take it back to the store to be replaced. I was edging towards a 1 x drive train before and this convinced me further. The problem I found with the suspension forks was, I was using the lock out for paved paths, but then forgetting to take the lock out again for the rough paths and vice versa. So not getting any real benefit.

Following this test ride, I was about to order the Boardman 8.8 HYB recommended above, but then decided to have a look at some of the other brands recommended. One of these brands was Whytes. Found a Whytes Pimlico, which had all the requirements I wanted and had 15% off the rrp. Still a bit dearer than the Boardman bikes I was looking at, but got everything I wanted without compromising too much (including low gear ratio 0.82).

https://whytebikes.com/products/pimlico?variant=39459273277509


Took it up to Rutland Water yesterday to take it on a test run, that I knew well. At the minute, couldn't be happier. I was getting up hills that I would normally get off and walk. It also was so much better having a 1 x drive train. Instead of wondering whether the better gear was on the other derailleur. Making sure you're in the right gear to avoid cross chaining etc.

So thanks very much for the advice above, that lead to this choice

Good choice. Whyte should have better exposure than they do (they’re known among MTBers but less elsewhere)

 

[Cycleops]

Good, glad you're happy with your eventual buy. I guess you can now appreciate that a suspension fork is pretty much a waste of money for your needs.