New bike advice please

[rich p]

I'm an occasional mtb-er but I like doing one ride a week during the drier months.
My son rides on the road with me and I'd like to buy him an mtb for his upcoming birthday so he can join me. The budget is up to £500 for a hardtail.
Any recommendations?

 

[JohnClimber]

If you can find another couple of hundred quid you get a lot of bike for your money here
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOOPWX5/on-one-parkwood-sram-x5-mountain-bike

If you can't then this should do the job
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/carrera-kraken-mountain-bike-2015

 

[rich p]

If you can find another couple of hundred quid you get a lot of bike for your money here
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOOPWX5/on-one-parkwood-sram-x5-mountain-bike

If you can't then this should do the job
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/carrera-kraken-mountain-bike-2015

That on-one bike looks sexy!
Do I need to get into a debate about 29ers?

 

[rich p]

I've browsed the Evans website and there is a huge choice under £500.
Is 100mm or 120mm of travel an important issue for riding on grass and chalk downland?
I know so little.

 

[Pale Rider]

I've browsed the Evans website and there is a huge choice under £500.
Is 100mm or 120mm of travel an important issue for riding on grass and chalk downland?
I know so little.

No.

Longer travel forks are used by more extreme or downhill mountain bikers.

 

[rich p]

No.

Longer travel forks are used by more extreme or downhill mountain bikers.

Just seen the other thread in the correct 'What Bike' section!
Any views on this cheapo Boardman?
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bik...-bike-sport-ht-650b-limited-edition-2014#tab1

 

[Pale Rider]

Just seen the other thread in the correct 'What Bike' section!
Any views on this cheapo Boardman?
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bik...-bike-sport-ht-650b-limited-edition-2014#tab1

It's a general cross country mountain bike which I think is what you want.

Nothing wrong with a Boardman.

The spec and weight is nothing special, but it's probably on a par for £500.

I think the Voodoo Bizango, subject of other recent threads, is well worth the extra £100.

Better fork, more Shimano finishing kit.

The manager of my local bike shop is not keen on SRAM gears on mountain bikes.

"SRAM keeps us busy." he told me. "Shimano just tends to work and keep on working."

But, of course, you could keep on stretching the budget until you reach thousands of pounds.

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/voodoo-bizango-29er-mountain-bike-18#tab2

 

[Cubist]

I'm an occasional mtb-er but I like doing one ride a week during the drier months.
My son rides on the road with me and I'd like to buy him an mtb for his upcoming birthday so he can join me. The budget is up to £500 for a hardtail.
Any recommendations?

I've browsed the Evans website and there is a huge choice under £500.
Is 100mm or 120mm of travel an important issue for riding on grass and chalk downland?
I know so little.

not much difference between 100 and 120... Especially as you'll see a lot of 29ers with100s, the frame geometry means they don't have such long forks as 26ers or 650b
How old is your lad? Or I suppose the proper question is how big is he?

 

[rich p]

not much difference between 100 and 120... Especially as you'll see a lot of 29ers with100s, the frame geometry means they don't have such long forks as 26ers or 650b
How old is your lad? Or I suppose the proper question is how big is he?

5'9" and 31 - quite old but never had an mtb

 

[Cubist]

So no islabikes recommendations needed then?

 

[Cubist]

Bang for buck it's gotta be something from Decathlon, or a calibre from Go Outdoors, or a good trawl of some classifieds. You'd get a decent hard tail for £500 used, with proper components and everything. Have a look on Singeltrackworld or even post a wanted ad. You could try pink bike or eBay, it ain't rocket science, but the old buyer beware, it's easy to get stung.
Thing is, I hear you say, what is good componentry?
As a rule of thumb, for that money, used, I'd be looking for a hard tail, alloy or steel, with Rockshox, Fox or Xfusion fork, Shimano or SRAM chainset, (most likely Deore, Slx or xt cranks) pref Shimano brakes, and you'll find a mix of 9 or 10 speed at that budget. Don't get hung up on cassette or chainring wear, it's cheap enough to swap it for new, and you may even find some decent wheel sets on bikes at that budget.

I'll go and have a browse.

 

[rich p]

Bang for buck it's gotta be something from Decathlon, or a calibre from Go Outdoors, or a good trawl of some classifieds. You'd get a decent hard tail for £500 used, with proper components and everything. Have a look on Singeltrackworld or even post a wanted ad. You could try pink bike or eBay, it ain't rocket science, but the old buyer beware, it's easy to get stung.
Thing is, I hear you say, what is good componentry?
As a rule of thumb, for that money, used, I'd be looking for a hard tail, alloy or steel, with Rockshox, Fox or Xfusion fork, Shimano or SRAM chainset, (most likely Deore, Slx or xt cranks) pref Shimano brakes, and you'll find a mix of 9 or 10 speed at that budget. Don't get hung up on cassette or chainring wear, it's cheap enough to swap it for new, and you may even find some decent wheel sets on bikes at that budget.

I'll go and have a browse.

Cheers!

 

[Crackle]

The only thing I'd say about the Go Outdoors one is it's an uninspiring looking bike in the flesh but spec is good and those Rockshock forks are OK, springy but better than crap Suntour's.

27.5" replacement forks still command a premium over 26" forks which makes a fork swop uneconomical if you bought new and upgraded as opposed to just paying a bit more for the bike.

 

[rich p]

27.5" replacement forks still command a premium over 26" forks which makes a fork swop uneconomical if you bought new and upgraded as opposed to just paying a bit more for the bike.

Errrm, eh?

 

[Crackle]

Errrm, eh?

I said the forks are going to be the weakpoint for 500 squid and it's probably not cost effective to change them.