Mountain Bike amateur needing some advice;

[notxalckram]

I'm very interested in getting back into mountain biking. I live in a area where there are some great locations for some good rides and I also need to get some exercise.

I spent most of my day at work looking at bikes and i've came across the Cube brand which really interest me. My budget is roughly £500-600 but might push it out if its worth it.

I've seen the Cube Aim Disc 2012 bike which looks great and has some great specs, then there's the Cube Analog Disc 2012, and to go over the top there is the Cube Attention 2012.

Which is best for value and also for an amateur like myself?

Someone also mentioned Trek 3 Series and the Cannondale Trail SL4 2012.

Someone please help =) There are good reviews for all the bikes i've mentioned which makes it harder to choose.

 

[Globalti]

Welcome and congrats on your determination! When I think back to my own mountain biking début 23 years ago I realise that over the years you do gain an awful lot of experience. My advice to you would be not to worry too much about which bike you buy because within a year you will have a better idea of what you want and will be hankering after something else. Do go for discs though; they are one of the best innovations in mountain biking.

In the end the decision has to be based on the level of equipment and the way the bike rides; you will find that they all have different characteristics and there will be one that just feels right. Just as important is the dealer, how good they are, how close, what kind of sweetener they can offer and how much they would value a regular relationship with you. This is especially important if you are going to be depending on the dealer for repairs and servicing.

 

[notxalckram]

Thanks, yeah i'm off window shopping next week to check out the local selection. Hopefully i'll find a good deal.

There's only a couple of bike shops that I can depend on due to my location, both great for repairs and accessories etc.

 

[Globalti]

Well go into both and check out how they react to you. Then ask politely for their best price, pay promptly and begin building a relationship with the shop. You can always start buying cheap bits online in the future but for the moment you need to have a good shop handy.

 

[rusty bearing]

From what I've seen I quite like the Cube bikes and they seem decently specced. G's advice about the LBS is very useful, yes you can get a good deal on t'internet but what happens if you need to send it back under guarantee. ...much hassle. Plus of course if you buy from a reputable dealer they should give normally offer you a check over/service free after something like six weeks. Two options as the frames are much the same on all the ones you mention. Start cheap and upgrade as and when or go for the Attention.

 

[Cubist]

Nice post. I really enjoyed this post. Thanks for sharing.



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エアロスポーク

Nothing like a bit of Autospam to cheer us all up

 

[BikingChris]

I remember my first proper mtb bike was a Merlin Malt 1 Disk. Spotted it first via MTB Mag reviews and internet searching, reviews the like were'nt really available.

Visited Merlin and a few bike shops and jsut tried out all I could, too a fair bit of time but worth it.

Stuck with the Merlin it had a great frame and stuck with it for some 3 years, just upgraded the forks. Got a full sus for when needed, and the pair did great.

Mates got a Cube bike, really nice machine (sorry cant remember model) hardtail and he swares by it. have seen Cube bikes myself in past but felt that they were a bit too expensive for the spec compared to what you can get. Boils down to shopping around.

 

[Philk]

If you shop around you might be able to get a 2011 cube acid....which in my oppinion is a better bike than the 2012 acid.
I love mine, its really nice to ride,

 

[Peteaud]

My advice, go to the LBS and ride them.

I am a big Trek fan, but i bought a Giant because it suited me better. I always look at the options and then go and play.

Of your choices the cubes do look good.