Help me choose one
- Thread starter Plax
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Sittingduck
Legendary Member
- Location
- Somewhere flat
I see no Poll 
Sittingduck
Legendary Member
- Location
- Somewhere flat
Yeah it's there... shame I didnt see this was on the MTB forum before sticking my nose in though. Lol, I know sweet FA about 'em sorry
Sittingduck
Legendary Member
- Location
- Somewhere flat
I almost got one a few weeks ago Plax. GT Agressor that was reduced to £350 in H*lfords. Seemed a great spec for the £'s. Carerra Krakken is similar price and spec I think. I have been considering getting one for the Winter!
Plax, I honestly don't know any of those bikes. I think at that price point there isn't much to choose between them.
Reading around a little bit I think I prefer the Focus because the frame seems to be the best and by implication, lightest but really there doesn't seem much between them.
I don't like the look of the GT, which is not a reason I know, the Be-One seems slightly better equipped and that would be a high 2nd and I know everyone rates the Carrera but I've never liked them.
Reading around a little bit I think I prefer the Focus because the frame seems to be the best and by implication, lightest but really there doesn't seem much between them.
I don't like the look of the GT, which is not a reason I know, the Be-One seems slightly better equipped and that would be a high 2nd and I know everyone rates the Carrera but I've never liked them.
Berger and Chips
New Member
Hmm
What about:-
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rockrider-5-2-black-34963795/
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rockrider-5-3-69568390/
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rockrider-5-xc-disc-34964379/
Here you have a £200 bike as good as some of your options, a £299 bike better in many ways and a £369 bike which is MUCH BETTER even though it goes slightly over your limit.
Basically, you have missed out by a week on the Aspire 1.0 which was shedloads better than the 2.0 and only £35 more, it was an amazing deal with Toras and 27 speed Deore groupset for £275 which is about double the spec of the 10% cheaper 1.0. I was planning to get one myself as a spare and missed out as well.
Personally, I dont know how good Dart 1's are, but the Aspire 1.0 seems to have some really weak parts on it compared to the 2.0, like an ugly, cheesy, plastic coated mild steel Tourney chainset and Altus shifters. These parts are right at the very bottom of Shimano's groupsets. I also have serious doubts about Dart 1's expecting them only to be about as good as Insync Grind or cheap Suntour jobbies but with the Rock Shox cred branding.
The £369 Decathlon blows away the Focus, its slightly lighter, it has a MUCH better, higher end fork from the same company (Suntour), hydraulic disc brakes (which are superior to mechanical discs or v brakes), better (disc ready) wheels than the Focus, etc, etc.
The Focus is otherwise about the same level as the Decathlon, but with cheaper wheels, brakes and forks.
I have a Vulcan V spec (although I fitted £200 Magura Odurs to it), its quite a good bike for under £250 and lasted a couple of thousand miles before the parts started to wear out.
I would find the extra £20 and buy the Decathlon, you may need to ring them and ask them to order one if the nearest store to you does not have the one you want in your size in stock. If you just want a good, cheap bike for one occassion the £199 Decathlon is about as good as the Vulcan or the Aspire and cheaper.
Secondly I would go for the Aspire 2.0 assuming that Darts SHOULD be better than the cheap Suntour forks on the others and because it has £160 off but I am still dubious about the Tourney and Altus bits.
Thirdly the Carrera Vulcan is a good value bike if you go for the V spec. Ignore the Disc spec, they are only crappy mechanical tektro's (which will prove more hassle in the long run) for an extra £100 and the rest of the bike is the same and I cannot see why anyone would want to pay £100 extra for mechanical discs over V's.
I dont know the GT but the Focus has some crap parts at that price, especially when you take the supposed full price into account, unlike the Focus Black Forest which at £700 is basically a bike with £600 forks!
What about:-
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rockrider-5-2-black-34963795/
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rockrider-5-3-69568390/
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rockrider-5-xc-disc-34964379/
Here you have a £200 bike as good as some of your options, a £299 bike better in many ways and a £369 bike which is MUCH BETTER even though it goes slightly over your limit.
Basically, you have missed out by a week on the Aspire 1.0 which was shedloads better than the 2.0 and only £35 more, it was an amazing deal with Toras and 27 speed Deore groupset for £275 which is about double the spec of the 10% cheaper 1.0. I was planning to get one myself as a spare and missed out as well.
Personally, I dont know how good Dart 1's are, but the Aspire 1.0 seems to have some really weak parts on it compared to the 2.0, like an ugly, cheesy, plastic coated mild steel Tourney chainset and Altus shifters. These parts are right at the very bottom of Shimano's groupsets. I also have serious doubts about Dart 1's expecting them only to be about as good as Insync Grind or cheap Suntour jobbies but with the Rock Shox cred branding.
The £369 Decathlon blows away the Focus, its slightly lighter, it has a MUCH better, higher end fork from the same company (Suntour), hydraulic disc brakes (which are superior to mechanical discs or v brakes), better (disc ready) wheels than the Focus, etc, etc.
The Focus is otherwise about the same level as the Decathlon, but with cheaper wheels, brakes and forks.
I have a Vulcan V spec (although I fitted £200 Magura Odurs to it), its quite a good bike for under £250 and lasted a couple of thousand miles before the parts started to wear out.
I would find the extra £20 and buy the Decathlon, you may need to ring them and ask them to order one if the nearest store to you does not have the one you want in your size in stock. If you just want a good, cheap bike for one occassion the £199 Decathlon is about as good as the Vulcan or the Aspire and cheaper.
Secondly I would go for the Aspire 2.0 assuming that Darts SHOULD be better than the cheap Suntour forks on the others and because it has £160 off but I am still dubious about the Tourney and Altus bits.
Thirdly the Carrera Vulcan is a good value bike if you go for the V spec. Ignore the Disc spec, they are only crappy mechanical tektro's (which will prove more hassle in the long run) for an extra £100 and the rest of the bike is the same and I cannot see why anyone would want to pay £100 extra for mechanical discs over V's.
I dont know the GT but the Focus has some crap parts at that price, especially when you take the supposed full price into account, unlike the Focus Black Forest which at £700 is basically a bike with £600 forks!
Panter
Just call me Chris...
- Location
- Sittingbourne, Kent
As above, the Rockriders always get rave reviews for the money although I've never ridden one personally.
Otherwise, out of your choice, I'd go for the GT purely because I like their bikes.
Otherwise, out of your choice, I'd go for the GT purely because I like their bikes.
Lisa21
Mooching.............
- Location
- North Wales
Plax-I know absolutely nothing about bikes
but mine is a Carerra Vulcan and I am completely 100% happy with him.
ahem, I mean it. With IT.
but mine is a Carerra Vulcan and I am completely 100% happy with him.ahem, I mean it. With IT.
Berger and Chips
New Member
Just been on Chain Reaction and noticed the Avalanche 3.0 at £199.
That is a very sound choice too.
Its basically the same level of bike as the Carrera Vulcan V spec (or for that matter Decathlon 5.1) , with the same forks as the Vulcan, but some people will think GT to be a cooler make than Carrera.
I personally ride both brands, my (10 yr old) GT is converted to a road bike and I ride it to work most days.
Allegedly most cheap mtb frames come from the same factory these days anyway so you might find all of these bike frames were built in the same place.
That is a very sound choice too.
Its basically the same level of bike as the Carrera Vulcan V spec (or for that matter Decathlon 5.1) , with the same forks as the Vulcan, but some people will think GT to be a cooler make than Carrera.
I personally ride both brands, my (10 yr old) GT is converted to a road bike and I ride it to work most days.
Allegedly most cheap mtb frames come from the same factory these days anyway so you might find all of these bike frames were built in the same place.
Cheers B&C, those Decathlon bikes do look like crackers but I'm over by Llanberis and the nearest store is looking to be in Stockport a 100 or so miles away and it doesn't look like they deliver.
I'm a bit tied at the moment between the Vulcan and the Focus. There's a Carrera Kraken for £380ish similar forks as the Decathlon bike I think (Suntour XCR-D), which has also caught my eye.
Decisions! Decisions!
Lisa - how do you get on with your suspension? I don't believe you can lock the forks on the Vulcan so wonder how that affects sudden braking & handling etc on flat roads. Don't suppose it would be too noticeable if you can adjust it to suit.
I'm a bit tied at the moment between the Vulcan and the Focus. There's a Carrera Kraken for £380ish similar forks as the Decathlon bike I think (Suntour XCR-D), which has also caught my eye.
Decisions! Decisions!
Lisa - how do you get on with your suspension? I don't believe you can lock the forks on the Vulcan so wonder how that affects sudden braking & handling etc on flat roads. Don't suppose it would be too noticeable if you can adjust it to suit.
Berger and Chips
New Member
The xcm forks don't have lock out.
I used to ride mine (current model Vulcan), still with its original forks, to work when the GT was out of action and it was fine on the road, no excessive bobbing to really eat into the forward motion and no noticeable dive under braking.
They do have pre-load adjusters and if you crank the pre-load right up they will be stiffer, some people say you should always unwind the pre-load after a ride.
You're right, Decathlon do not deliver, I have to drive to Merry Hill from Bristol if I want something, I usually combine it with a trip to Dudley zoo or something to make it worthwhile.
I used to ride mine (current model Vulcan), still with its original forks, to work when the GT was out of action and it was fine on the road, no excessive bobbing to really eat into the forward motion and no noticeable dive under braking.
They do have pre-load adjusters and if you crank the pre-load right up they will be stiffer, some people say you should always unwind the pre-load after a ride.
You're right, Decathlon do not deliver, I have to drive to Merry Hill from Bristol if I want something, I usually combine it with a trip to Dudley zoo or something to make it worthwhile.
What's the difference between VCT & XCT forks? the 08 & 09 models seem to have different forks and the Suntour website seems to just list the XCT ones. I'll probably err towards the V-Brake Vulcan(aye Crackle it's for Central America) but now need to decide on the 08 or 09 model which seem pretty similar bar colour and forks.
EDIT - Have they done a typo? The description & spec varies for the 08 model. Says XCM in the description and in the spec says VCT-V2? The pic has XCM on it.
Have I answered my own question here - 08 has better forks than 09 model?
EDIT - Have they done a typo? The description & spec varies for the 08 model. Says XCM in the description and in the spec says VCT-V2? The pic has XCM on it.
Have I answered my own question here - 08 has better forks than 09 model?
