MTB reccomendation

[Peteaud]

£1000 hardtail gets a lot of good bikes.

Good luck.

Ive just bought a Trek 6500 and love it, bloody quick and handles well.

 

[vickster]

How big are you? I got the female equivalent of this a little while back - a lot of bike for the pennies if you don't have to have the latest model

http://paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b7s2p1938

29ers are weird things, get a hardtail

 

[benb]

How big are you? I got the female equivalent of this a little while back - a lot of bike for the pennies if you don't have to have the latest model

http://paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b7s2p1938

29ers are weird things, get a hardtail

I'm pretty big - 6'3" (190 cm) and 96kg.

I find the mtb sizing a bit confusing - there doesn't always seem to be consistency between different makes.
I guess if I always go one smaller than the largest I should be fine.

 

[vickster]

18" will be way too small then. I am 5'9.5 and got an 18"

I am guessing a 21-22"?

Decathlon MTBs get loads of plaudits

I looked at the Specialized MTBs, weighed a ton in my price range (up to £600)!

Whyte are meant to be great for MTBs (but £££), there's a stockist in Leatherhead.

The orange bikes look nice if it's your colour http://www.cycleworks.co.uk/category/uncategorized/mountain

This shop is quite MTB oriented in Dorking too

http://www.head-for-the-hills.co.uk/2012_bike_range_mountain.htm

 

[Crackle]

Go ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110826739333?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[benb]

Cheers all, will let you know what I decide on.

 

[Cubist]

How about a Scandium hardtail with Reba forks and SLX cranks/brakes and XT gears? Bargain
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=75087

That's an incredible spec list for the money. If you don't like Konas, buy an On-One frame and swap the bits onto it from this one.

 

[benb]

How about a Scandium hardtail with Reba forks and SLX cranks/brakes and XT gears? Bargain
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=75087

That's an incredible spec list for the money. If you don't like Konas, buy an On-One frame and swap the bits onto it from this one.

That is nice!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

How about a Scandium hardtail with Reba forks and SLX cranks/brakes and XT gears? Bargain
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=75087

That's an incredible spec list for the money. If you don't like Konas, buy an On-One frame and swap the bits onto it from this one.

Now that is a plan... and it means you can buy a bike the wrong size.

 

[Crackle]

Yeah but......It's not a cheap plan though. Donor bike off e-bay and a few choice new bits would be cheaper, not that I've been googling it all lately or anything.

 

[Cubist]

Yeah but......It's not a cheap plan though. Donor bike off e-bay and a few choice new bits would be cheaper, not that I've been googling it all lately or anything.

Donor bikes on ebay are a bit hit and miss when it comes to component condition... and the sort of people that run SLX and XT tend to sell the bits off separately rather than the whole bike........(although there was a Ragley mmmmmmbop with some awesome spec that went unsold at £540 last week. ) That Kula is a bargain at that price. I built Cubester's Ragley with internet bargains, chiselling every spare penny where I could, and it still cost 1400 quid. If that Kula had been around I'd have saved myself 400.

 

[Crackle]

Donor bikes on ebay are a bit hit and miss when it comes to component condition... and the sort of people that run SLX and XT tend to sell the bits off separately rather than the whole bike........(although there was a Ragley mmmmmmbop with some awesome spec that went unsold at £540 last week. ) That Kula is a bargain at that price. I built Cubester's Ragley with internet bargains, chiselling every spare penny where I could, and it still cost 1400 quid. If that Kula had been around I'd have saved myself 400.

Which Ragley was it, Piglet or Blue Pig?

 

[Cubist]

Which Ragley was it, Piglet or Blue Pig?

mmmmbop.

 

[Crackle]

Oh I hadn't looked at the mmmbop. All the Ragley frames get very good reviews and that does look nice.

 

[benb]

OK, final shortlist. Would appreciate pointers.

Geneis Latitude 00 2011 £764.99 (I like the idea of steel, I like the springiness)
Specialized Rockhopper Comp 2011 £749.99 (Nice bike for the money
Kona Kula Deluxe 2009 £849 (Spec looks good)
Charge Duster Mid 2011 £779.99 (not entirely sure about the skinny frame)

The Genesis and the Kona are front runners ATM.