What mountain bike
Posted by: TerryFranks on 10 January 2012
What bike budget between 1500 2000 any ideas tel
Posted on: 10 January 2012 by Bruce Woodhouse
The short answer is....find a good local bike shop and go see them for personal service and above all a bike that fits you.
Another short answer begins with...if you are failry new to MTB's etc you will do a lot worse than looking at the Specialized range usually very straight forward good value and well designed kit. Trek another solid company. There is a HUGE amount of choice out there though.
The long answer begns with..tell me more about what sort of riding you want to do, current bike etc etc. Are we talking lots of hurly burly off-road or tracks and tarmac?
Bruce (Orange R8 hardtail, reformed full-sus owner)
Posted on: 10 January 2012 by winkyincanada
Unless you are doing technical trails, get a hardtail. All the major brands are very competitive...
But as Bruce says, get advice from your local bike shop.
winky
Posted on: 10 January 2012 by Huwge
As Winky and Bruce, not sure where you are but you could do worse than Cube. Definitely try before you buy and be sure you are really "sure" if you buy a full suspension bike. I've had back surgery and whilst I appreciated the cushions whilst I was in my recovery period, I prefer hard tails now. Given the range, you really need to think about how you are going to use the bike and then get some good advice.
If you are riding other than recreational stuff, then factor in the extras for pedals and shoes and a good bonce protector
Posted on: 10 January 2012 by GML
Posted on: 10 January 2012 by TerryFranks
Thanks for all your advice tel
Posted on: 10 January 2012 by lutyens
GML, great cycling forum, thank you.
james
Posted on: 10 January 2012 by roo
I'd say that if you don't know what bike you're after in that price range you should revise your budget downwards. You can get a decent hard tail for less than a grand and i find the bit that normally needs upgrading is the rider. I remember riding a race where one of the semi pros blitzed everyone on a Raleigh Activator a week before he was due to get a mega bucks ride just to prove it was more about the rider than the steed. Enjoy the trails whatever you choose.
Posted on: 10 January 2012 by TerryFranks
Hi to the naimes there's a bike show at the exel in east London this weekend am going to check it out tel
Posted on: 10 January 2012 by Klout10
Very happy Cube owner here...
Regards,
Michel
Posted on: 11 January 2012 by The Hawk
Terry, you've received great advice here. I was in the business for twenty years, and you must find a good local shop you can trust. Getting the right fit will be key. You can't go wrong, as Bruce has said, staying with large firms like Trek and Specialized, among others. Try and get the best pair of front shocks you can, otherwise you'll be disappointed with the ride.
Dave
Posted on: 11 January 2012 by Steven Shaw
I can't stand full suspension. If your hammering down any bumpy trail you'd be out of the saddle anyway. I'd definitely get a hard tail. The added bonus that in your price range you will get a really good spec hard tail for that price.
I really like specialised bikes and thats what I would probably choose now, but plenty of decent makes at that price point. I always lusted after an orange or pace back in the 90's but not sure what they're like now.
Posted on: 18 January 2012 by Ricardo Tubbs
I own a Cannondale Scalpel 2 2011 which is a full-suspension racer, it's actually more a soft-tail.
A little bit over your budget.
Before I owned a TREK 8500 2009. Great bike, and good value for money. A lot of Shimano XT, good wheels, good frame. The 2012 modell is still an interesting offer.
Posted on: 18 January 2012 by Bruce Woodhouse
Ricardo,
I had a first generation Scalpel, with a brilliant Lefty fork. Super bike, and perhaps all the suspension I really needed but I did have a problem; where the shock attached to the downtube started to get some paint cracking and then failed. Cannondale gave me a complete refund, but at the time I refused a repacement and bought something else (Santa Cruz Blur XC).
i suspect the new ones have sorted this problem, in fact I think they are quite a different design but it did shake my confidence in the brand!
Bruce
