Cycle to work scheme MTB for 1k.

[Milzy]

I'm going to get a mountain bike for the summer to do some single track in the beautiful forests of the U.k.
What's the best bang for buck MTB for a grand?

I would like 2 chain rings at the front as opposed to 3 ideally.

Kind regards.

 

[ColinJ]

Don't they check to see if you are actually using the bike to ride to work on?

(If not, then they ought to, otherwise it is just a taxpayer-subsidised fun bike.)

 

[Milzy]

It's not policed as they have important things to do like trying to win orders & not close the place down. However I will take it to work but not every single day. Fun bike

 

[ColinJ]

Ok!

 

[Roadrider48]

Does it really matter what he uses the bike for?

 

[Pale Rider]

Bewildering choice.

That may be reduced by your scheme, which may only allow you to buy from certain retailers.

Leaving that aside, I liked the look of a couple of Whyte bikes I saw the other day.

One of their X8 series hardtails might suit:

http://whyte.bike/gb/models/crosscountrytrail/x-8-performance-hardtail-27-5-650b/805-2/

 

[ColinJ]

Does it really matter what he uses the bike for?

What I am getting at is that somebody has to pay for the bike subsidy. It is one thing to subsidise bikes to get people not to drive to work, but another thing to subsidise fun bikes.

I don't expect other people to subsidise my fun bikes, but I would be happy to take a subsidy to cycle to work!

 

[screenman]

Some of us cannot even get on the scheme. Mind you of the 8 people at one firm I know of that bought bikes only 2 still ride them, the rest just have a monthly bill and a bike in the shed.

 

[Pale Rider]

Thread drift is one thing, but to do so in the first reply is a bit early.

Might I politely suggest that in this thread we stick to helping the OP choose a bike?

Use/misuse of the scheme could be discussed in another thread.

 

[Roadrider48]

Getting people on a bike is the main issue.
Personally for me I think there is much more important things to worry about in life.
But if some people are offended by this heinous misuse of public funds maybe they should telephone the relevant government department immediately. And maybe then all of the bike riding criminals will be incarcerated until they repent.

 

[Milzy]

SRAM X5/X7 2x10speed drivetrain but the picture shows 3 front chain rings. Very nice though & it's British. It is a sure contender. I can always get them to alter the drive anyway.

 

[Pale Rider]

SRAM X5/X7 2x10speed drivetrain but the picture shows 3 front chain rings. Very nice though & it's British. It is a sure contender. I can always get them to alter the drive anyway.

Are you male or female?

The compact model - shorter reach and cranks - is aimed at the ladies.

I've sat on a few mountain bikes from various makers recently, I found the reach on one or two was a bit short.

I don't think I'm particularly fussy when it comes to fit, but found inch or two either way makes a difference.

 

[Milzy]

It is in the mens MTB section though? My friends who like to bomb down single track who are male all prefer to have a compact chain ring on for clearance issues, plus they never really need to be pedaling so fast when negotiating technical obstacles.

 

[Pale Rider]

It is in the mens MTB section though? .

True, but you get a 'custom women's fit saddle', whatever one of those is.

Don't suppose it matters, but it's certainly worth trying both compact and ordinary to see which suits best.

http://whyte.bike/gb/models/crosscountrytrail/x-8-performance-hardtail-27-5-650b/806-compact/

 

[Roadrider48]

Milzy. I wrongly assumed you were male. Pale rider mentions a womens saddle, so it got me thinking.
Sorry about that.