Rockriders

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Ladytrucker

Guest
Calling all Rockriders.... or those in the know

I'm a little flush this month and thinking of buying a new bike. Been back out on my 8 year old Raleigh £100 Halfords bike since January and starting to enjoy being out again. Not so happy with the bike, a bit rusty in parts (covered with tape), chain slipping etc and don't want to spend money repairing it so thought I'd buy a new bike. OH will fix up the Raleigh for daugher to use on the odd occasion. I don't want a road bike or a sit up hybrid I want another mtb as most of my outings are country roads and forrest paths. Currently only doing 30 - 40 miles in a week, but hope to do more as I progress.

I've been looking at the Rockrider 8.1 which is lovely but to be honest too high spec for me, I'm not going to need all the high performance parts and the cost of replacing/fixing these parts is putting me off. I am now looking at the 5.3 but don't know enough about the parts to know if it is a decent bike for the money and would it be suitable for a 5'2" female? Any lower spec than this then I am just replacing my Raleigh like for like and I want to feel like I'm upgrading my old Raleigh, do you know what I mean?

Your honest comments before I drive all the way up to Decathlon and part with £300.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-53-mountain-bike-white-id_8206682.html#avantages


Over to you CC Rockriders.....
 
02GF74

02GF74

Über Member
size wise you would be looking a S frame, certainly not bigger than M.

take a read through posts here as there may be other recommendations - and there may be bikes for sale with discount i.e. you get better spec. for your money.

don't take this the wrong way but £ 300 is bottom of the range (I have spent that on just a pair of wheels but then a) i may be slightly deranged and b) can afford it - as I don't spend much on anything else).

you would be looking at hardtail - forget fulll suspension, and if you can disc brakes, hydraulic are better than cable.

I would also recommned looking on ebay for 1,2 or 34 year old bikes that have not been used much - they would sell for 1/3 to 1/2 price when new and provided you choose wisely, nothing major i.e. expensive would need replacing.

see:

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/41056/DiamondBack_Response_WSD_Womens_2011_Bike

http://www.bikes2udirect.com/B4957.html

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/44911/Diamondback-Response-Men-s-Mountain-Bike---2011.html

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuji/nevada-16-d-2013-mountain-bike-ec041865

... and so on ....
 
OP
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L

Ladytrucker

Guest
Thanks. I know you guys spend tones of cash on bikes and bike parts, thanks for reminding me. The money is not an issue here I could just go out and buy a Trek Superfly at £1300 but the spec is too high for what I need my bike for. I'm not working it on trails or hammering miles out of it each week. I'm not looking for hydralic brakes, although having mechanical disc brakes would be an upgrade from my existing V and less expensive to repair/replace than hydraulic.

I said in my post I want to upgrade from a basic bike to this Rockrider (or similar). It looks like it meets my needs of road/forrest trails. What I'm looking for is some advice on these bikes and are the parts on them half decent or are they just rubbish. There seems to be a liking for the Triban3 Road bike on here also made by B'Twin are their mountainbikes a similar quality.

btw, the diamondback link to sent says it is out of stock. I also looked at one in Go Outdoors.Diamondblack Ridge - they don't get a great review with pieces fall off !! and fluid leaks.

I've even looked at a Fuji Nevada 1.9D black/yellow (Evans but it is too big for me).

Thanks anyone who can give me feedback on the BTwin Rockrider brand.
 
Cubist

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Yep, although I don't own one, if I was only spending £300 that is where it would go.

You make some good points, inasmuch as the bike is well-specc'd for the money, and to be fair you could spend double that and still have a poorer bike that the Rockrider.

Don't get hung up about hydraulic brakes. There are reams and reams of discussion threads about them and the comparison with mechanical disc brakes, but the biggest fans of mech disc brakes tend to be folk who have never owned hydraulic! They are (genuinely) easy to own, adjust and repair/replace You can buy entire a lever, hose and caliper from Shimano for less than £40. Occasionally Merlin or Chain Reaction throw up bargains for less than £20. They are really fit and forget, you just need to keep an eye on pad wear.

Where does that take us? Ah yes, the Rockrider. My only concern, and it's only a slight one, is the weight. 14.5kg is not svelte, but then again it's lighter than a Voodoo or Carrera at the same price point.

So, I know you have looked at the 8.1, and discounted because of the cost of replacement parts, but this is, (to me at least) a strange way to look at things. It's over a kilo and a half lighter, and at 12.85kg it's insanely well specc'd for the money. Once again, there are bikes out there for £800 plus that aren't as nice. Replacement parts is a good way to look at things, but with your sort of riding you aren't going to bork stuff very often. I build, upgrade and repair a lot of bikes both for me and for friends, and I suspect I know the parts market pretty well. I kind of know where to find the bargains, and what will replace what for the best money. Nothing on that bike is uber-bling, but it's all good functional entry level stuff. It'll be a pleasure to ride, and if you can afford it, a better deal than the 5.3.

You have obviously given it a lot of thought. If your riding is indeed the sedate country road and forest track riding that 5.3 is perfect, and excellent value for money. It will be a bit limiting if you decide you want to become a bit more adventurous, and as I have alluded to, it's a bit porky.
 
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L

Ladytrucker

Guest
Cubist said:
My only concern, and it's only a slight one, is the weight. 14.5kg is not svelte, but then again it's lighter than a Voodoo or Carrera at the same price point.

It will be a bit limiting if you decide you want to become a bit more adventurous.
Click to expand...

Cubist, thank you so much for you honest answer to my question.

I've quoted and taken on board you point regarding the weight. I assumed because the information states "Lightweight and reinforced aluminium frame" that it would be similar to my current alloy Raleigh. With this in mind, I need to visit the shop and have a good look at the bike and pick it up. I need to be able to lift it on to the car bike rack now and again and not feel like I'm pulling a ton of bricks up the hill.

I laughted at your other point, which I have quoted above. This IS me becoming adventurous, lol. At 46 I'm probably the same age as some of your mothers, would you like to see your mum wizzing down a trail on a top of the range full suspension mountain bike? Lol, No I didn't think so, I'll stick to my quiet country roads and the odd 'B' road journey. I am even thinking about joining a group and doing some of the local cycle routes that's as adventurous as I'll be getting.

My OH has full hydraulic brakes on his expensive Scott bike so I do know a little about them and I was thinking I don't need to have all that fancy stuff on mine. I'll not be doing wheelies and bouncing around. It has been a while since he purchased a bike and had not heard of the Rockrider, hence my post on here. I just need something that does the job, looks and feels like an upgrade from my current bike and not the same as my £100 Raleigh. Who knows I might decide in a few years I want a full kitted out bike for my 50th !!

If you guys think these are a good buy then I'm going to go and have a look at them next weekend before I spend all my extra money on shoes, bags and wine. I know what will happen. I will go into the shop to look at the 5.3 and see the 8.1 and fall in love with it.

Mmmm...... I might have to get the shoes and bag first! :girldance:
 
Cubist

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
46? Good grief, is the youth club shut now?

I started MTB riding at 46. I now need a hip replacement and am contemplating learning to jump. Get out and shred!

:biggrin:
 
Kestevan

Kestevan

Last of the Summer Winos
Location
Holmfirth.
Mrs Kes has a Rockrider 5.2. She's 5'4 and the Small fits her perfectly. The bike has been fine for pootling about on paths and smacking round the red route at Sherwood Pines (admittedly not overly technical, but not flat either). Only (relatively) weak point is the wheels (and the stock tyres which are absolutely naff).

She was dropping hints about upgrading the bike - she fancied a lighter frame and hydraulics, but then discovered the dark side and bought a road bike :smile:

If we were buying again, I'd definately look at the Rockriders once more, there doesnt seem to be anything to touch them at an equivalent price .... TBH though I suspect we would just bite the bullet and go for the 8.1, but if money was an issue the 5.2 is a cracking bike.
 
GrumpyGregry

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
Rockriders are fine and age is not a factor. You just take longer to heal tis all.
 
Motozulu

Motozulu

Über Member
Location
Rugeley, Staffs
I can only echo what has been said above - nothing wrong at all with the Rockrider 5.3 other than the weight issue.
May not be a massive thing but I myself (started MTBing at 49 btw) started out with a cheap bike that was'nt a brilliant spec to see 'if I liked mtbing', found myself out all summer on it and the one thing that bugged me was the porkiness factor of the bike.
Once I bit the bullet and got a lighter bike the 'enjoy' factor has gone through the roof. The climbs/miles just melt past now - go for the 8-1, also, even as a pootler there may be just one occasion when you really need those hydraulic brakes and that once will make you glad you went for them.
 
OP
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L

Ladytrucker

Guest
Thanks all, I'll let you know what I decide once I've had time to look at them. It will probably be on Saturday when I have time to go to Decathlong and have a look.
 
lukesdad

lukesdad

Guest
How a bike handles is far more important than weight or marginal gains in components 'GEOMTRY' people, geomtry!
 
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