MTB Advice for friend

[Whiz]

Hi all,

Friend of mine is looking to get a mountain bike on CTW scheme and wants to spend up to around £400.
Has to buy from here due to work partnership: http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/mountain-bikes/c2?sPrice=150&ePrice=450&psize=50

He's seen the Ridgeback 604LX and asked me about it but I dont know enough so said i'd post on here to get opinions or alternatives.

So, lets open up the floor. Many thanks in advance

 

[Cyclist33]

Never having ridden any Ridgeback, take my opinion with a pinch of salt!

I think they're ok, window shopped a couple of their fast hybrids a couple of times and they've been on the odd shortlist. In the end they never seemed to have the Wow factor that I so deeply crave.

So if you like it, negotiate a test ride and then see how you feel?

Stu

 

[Cyclist33]

PS, "up to around £400" ... your friend maybe needs to narrow the budget range as there's a big difference between £200 mtbs and £400 ones!

 

[Cyclist33]

One note on that model you linked to. The chainset front gearing is a la hybrid type bikes, eg it's more than halfway towards road bike gearing. It's worth thinking about, eg my (fast) roadish hybrid is a 48/36/26 which is actually lower and more towards traditional mtb gearing, than that Ridgeback.

On the plus side it'll fly on cycle paths and canalside trail!

 

[Whiz]

Stu, many thanks for your input.
When I said up , i did mean around £400 rather than £200... Although if someone knew of a £250 bike that was better than this one, I'm sure he'd appreciate the saving.

I'll mention the gearing to him and find out where he's most likely going to be using it. We don't have a mountain near us but the south downs are on doorstep as well as the local river. Tbh he'll probably only use it to pop to shops Haha