Cheap mountain bikes
17 March 2011, 04:48 PM
#63
Guest
Posts: n/a
Cheers, it's not that I don't have the money, it's the fact I have plenty of other things to spend money on (family) and not fork out on expensive things for myself when cheap will do!
I'll keep trawling ebay.
Also this was £200 (albeit at Argos) so at £99 should this be better than the other £100 ones?
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...NTAIN+BIKE.htm
I'll keep trawling ebay.
Also this was £200 (albeit at Argos) so at £99 should this be better than the other £100 ones?
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...NTAIN+BIKE.htm
17 March 2011, 06:29 PM
#64
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Zed Ess Won Hay Tee
Posts: 21,611
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good thread 
A few of my chubby mates have started getting into this, its the problem with middle age and getting cushy jobs that pay you for doing **** all.
Anyway they have all started the rides out and are loving it, yet i could not get involved as i have nowhere to store a bike at my flat.
Lucky for me i move into a nice house in a few weeks time with a nice standalone garage, so i will be after a bike myself.
I used to love my old mountain bike
until i passed my driving test 
Cant wait to get back into it now, changed my job for a proper intensive one (lost 1 and a quarter stones in weight since the start of the year
) need to get out on a bike and work on the fitness
A few of my chubby mates have started getting into this, its the problem with middle age and getting cushy jobs that pay you for doing **** all.
Anyway they have all started the rides out and are loving it, yet i could not get involved as i have nowhere to store a bike at my flat.
Lucky for me i move into a nice house in a few weeks time with a nice standalone garage, so i will be after a bike myself.
I used to love my old mountain bike
until i passed my driving test Cant wait to get back into it now, changed my job for a proper intensive one (lost 1 and a quarter stones in weight since the start of the year
) need to get out on a bike and work on the fitness
17 March 2011, 07:45 PM
#65
Scooby Senior
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Radiator Springs
Posts: 14,810
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Also this was £200 (albeit at Argos) so at £99 should this be better than the other £100 ones?
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...NTAIN+BIKE.htm
Spend around 5-600 quid and get something half decent
If you want to spend £100, hire one a few times cos that's all you'll do with a £100 bike
17 March 2011, 08:14 PM
#66
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: A big town with sh1t shops: Northampton
Posts: 21,366
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
17 March 2011, 08:23 PM
#67
Guest
Posts: n/a
17 March 2011, 11:03 PM
#68
Guest
Posts: n/a
Right what's this one like being alloy frame:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/...-bike-ec020886
Got an Evans Cycles 10 miles away.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/...-bike-ec020886
Got an Evans Cycles 10 miles away.
17 March 2011, 11:09 PM
#69
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: A big town with sh1t shops: Northampton
Posts: 21,366
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Right what's this one like being alloy frame:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/...-bike-ec020886
Got an Evans Cycles 10 miles away.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/...-bike-ec020886
Got an Evans Cycles 10 miles away.
What actually are you going to do with this bike? Are you going to be doing lots of off-roading, or is it distance = fitness you are after. To be honest, if it's the latter, you may be better of with a hybrid anyway....
Have you set up a search on eBay for your size etc.? I get it to email me about dresses
17 March 2011, 11:26 PM
#70
Guest
Posts: n/a
Selling on isn't an issue as my current mountain bike is 20+ years old I wont be doing lots of extreme off-roading, it's going to be for leisure and exercise. I live on quite a high ridge and where I intend to ride to and back involves going down the steep side of that ridge then along the flat lanes and muddy bumpy foot paths through all the quiet countryside and then back up that steep ridge. I wont be going on main roads with it, will be going on as many paths across fields I can get away with (will only come across the occasional dog walker)
I'd looked at the cheapest Carrera on the Halford's site and it's £260 and you say that's still crap? Unfortunately I can't do expensive so will only be able to get a crap one, just want the least crappiest of the crap ones!
I wont be doing lots of extreme off-roading, it's going to be for leisure and exercise. I live on quite a high ridge and where I intend to ride to and back involves going down the steep side of that ridge then along the flat lanes and muddy bumpy foot paths through all the quiet countryside and then back up that steep ridge. I wont be going on main roads with it, will be going on as many paths across fields I can get away with (will only come across the occasional dog walker)I'd looked at the cheapest Carrera on the Halford's site and it's £260 and you say that's still crap? Unfortunately I can't do expensive so will only be able to get a crap one, just want the least crappiest of the crap ones!
17 March 2011, 11:37 PM
#71
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: A big town with sh1t shops: Northampton
Posts: 21,366
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Then it's GOT to be second hand then, cos anything new at below say £300 is going to be a bit crap. You get what you pay for etc.... I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's sort of true 
What frame size do you need? Just did a search on MTBs on eBay and there's some really nice ones on there - second hand garage ornaments, not new ones - just that you may have to travel to pick them up and know what your frame size is so you can search on it.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Specialized-Ha...8#ht_785wt_932
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Specialized-Ha...#ht_1137wt_932
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mountatin-Bike...7#ht_509wt_932
What frame size do you need? Just did a search on MTBs on eBay and there's some really nice ones on there - second hand garage ornaments, not new ones - just that you may have to travel to pick them up and know what your frame size is so you can search on it.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Specialized-Ha...8#ht_785wt_932
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Specialized-Ha...#ht_1137wt_932
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mountatin-Bike...7#ht_509wt_932
17 March 2011, 11:47 PM
#72
Guest
Posts: n/a
I need 20"minimum (from the charts i've looked at) and the searches i've done on ebay bring up everything being far away and stupid/expensive journey times to do the local pick up. I'm not driving a couple of hundred miles round trip to buy a second hand bike! I live in Kent so anywhere further North than London takes bloody ages to get to!
18 March 2011, 07:40 AM
#73
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Some country and western
Posts: 13,488
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I thought about how much to spend on bikes for ages. In the end I bought a pair of road bike for 800 each and a pair of mountain bikes for 600 each.
I've not used the mountain bike as much but the amount of time I have spend on the road bikes makes them fantastic value for money. Probably about 2500 miles in a year. 150+ hours. Because of this I'd happily spend 2k on a road bike and feel I'd get value for money. I spend way more on motocross and am lucky to spend 20 hours a year on it!
Once you consider how much the individual parts cost, gears, wheels, chainset etc, then it becomes impossible to build anything any good that costs much less than £500.
You can also look in the bikeradar classifieds, and gumtree for more local stuff.
I've not used the mountain bike as much but the amount of time I have spend on the road bikes makes them fantastic value for money. Probably about 2500 miles in a year. 150+ hours. Because of this I'd happily spend 2k on a road bike and feel I'd get value for money. I spend way more on motocross and am lucky to spend 20 hours a year on it!
Once you consider how much the individual parts cost, gears, wheels, chainset etc, then it becomes impossible to build anything any good that costs much less than £500.
You can also look in the bikeradar classifieds, and gumtree for more local stuff.
18 March 2011, 09:10 AM
#74
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Some country and western
Posts: 13,488
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Another thought, the Carrera Subway bike is supposed to be pretty good. It's a hybrid, but would be ideal for cycle tracks/paths.
£258 brand new?
£258 brand new?
18 March 2011, 09:24 AM
#75
Guest
Posts: n/a
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165499
My budget has improved (£250 max), I sent back my ipad last night as it had a fault and a refund is pending.
18 March 2011, 09:43 AM
#76
Moderator
Join Date: Dec 1998
Location: Staffs
Posts: 23,573
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
18 March 2011, 09:53 AM
#77
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Some country and western
Posts: 13,488
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OK on that one what is better about it than the Carrera mountain bike at the same price?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165499
My budget has improved (£250 max), I sent back my ipad last night as it had a fault and a refund is pending.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165499
My budget has improved (£250 max), I sent back my ipad last night as it had a fault and a refund is pending.
The MTB also has forks, which of course cost money and weight more.
Because they cost more than normal forks, it may well have cheaper (heavier) wheels and gears.
18 March 2011, 09:56 AM
#78
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Some country and western
Posts: 13,488
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
...saying that the MTB gets a good review.
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...lcan-07-27707/
Although you need to be aware that review is 4 years old, and components now cost a lot more. That same spec bike now would be £360. The 2011 model will have lower spec components.
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...-subway-1-8831
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...lcan-07-27707/
Although you need to be aware that review is 4 years old, and components now cost a lot more. That same spec bike now would be £360. The 2011 model will have lower spec components.
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...-subway-1-8831
18 March 2011, 10:51 AM
#80
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Some country and western
Posts: 13,488
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was going to get one too, but went to a local cycle shop and got a pair of Giant FCRs instead. We got £100 off for buying a pair, so paid £700 and sold them for about 500 2 yeas later.
I know it's snobbish, but I didn't want to ride around on something that said I bought it from Halfords, however good it is!
Still a good bike though.
I know it's snobbish, but I didn't want to ride around on something that said I bought it from Halfords, however good it is!
Still a good bike though.
18 March 2011, 10:55 AM
#81
Scooby Senior
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Radiator Springs
Posts: 14,810
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think that should read that the MTB has suspension forks. The hybrid has rigid forks.
Suspension forks alone that cost £250 aren't great so you can imagine what they're like when the whole bike costs £250!
I'd agree that the hybrid would be a better choice than the MTB. You'd still be better spending more though...I know you don't want to but cheap bikes really are **** and you won't ride it, you may as well not bother!
The hybrid has rigid forks.Suspension forks alone that cost £250 aren't great so you can imagine what they're like when the whole bike costs £250!
I'd agree that the hybrid would be a better choice than the MTB. You'd still be better spending more though...I know you don't want to but cheap bikes really are **** and you won't ride it, you may as well not bother!
18 March 2011, 10:56 AM
#82
Guest
Posts: n/a
But isn't a hybrid more for commuting on and therefore flat roads? The paths i'll be goin on aren't concrete/gravel nicley defined paths, they are more like mud tracks. I've got to pop to Canary Wharf this morning so will have a quick look in Evans Cycles whilst there just to see what they have and check sizes etc.
18 March 2011, 11:04 AM
#83
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Some country and western
Posts: 13,488
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Depends how muddy, you could always get knobbly tyres later?
Evans are a good place to start, staff are not your usually halford grunters!
Let us know how the visit goes.
Evans are a good place to start, staff are not your usually halford grunters!
Let us know how the visit goes.
18 March 2011, 11:29 AM
#84
Scooby Senior
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Radiator Springs
Posts: 14,810
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The bottom spec suspension forks add nothing to the riding experience, in fact they'll detract from it by flopping about all over the place and wasting energy. Avoid
18 March 2011, 12:03 PM
#85
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: A big town with sh1t shops: Northampton
Posts: 21,366
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We did miles and miles and miles on our hybrids, on tracks, road everything! Dave even took me down a muddy track last year on our racing bikes and even though I didn't like it much, it still coped. But as he said, they cost £800 each, so not your bottom spec....
I love my MTB at £600, but is still heavy and I do not want to ride it on the road much for long distances. It's great on muddy trails, but 90% of the time you're on paths which would be OK for a thinner wheeled hybrid. You can also get further and go faster on a hybrid, and I don't need to mention road bikes, do I!?
I still vote for a second hand good bike, rather than a cheap new one.
I love my MTB at £600, but is still heavy and I do not want to ride it on the road much for long distances. It's great on muddy trails, but 90% of the time you're on paths which would be OK for a thinner wheeled hybrid. You can also get further and go faster on a hybrid, and I don't need to mention road bikes, do I!?
I still vote for a second hand good bike, rather than a cheap new one.
18 March 2011, 12:05 PM
#86
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: A big town with sh1t shops: Northampton
Posts: 21,366
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
But as someone mentioned earlier in the thread, Evans do 0% finance, so it may be more cost effective to buy a better bike this way.
18 March 2011, 01:34 PM
#87
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 2,966
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you're not sure then try it out in store and then buy it cheaper second hand on ebay
I like mine and i'm glad I didn't spend silly money on it.
Infact, mine is this one in DavyBoy's link
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...lcan-07-27707/
'This bike could genuinely run competitively with a lot of £500 bikes, making it an absolute bargain for half that price.'
Last edited by Flaps; 18 March 2011 at 01:36 PM.
18 March 2011, 01:45 PM
#88
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Some country and western
Posts: 13,488
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Problem is components cost a lot more now, so a £500 3 years ago, would now be worth £600 or £700.
To make it remain at £500 then it must have lesser components.
Bikes a few years old are way better specced for the same money.
To make it remain at £500 then it must have lesser components.
Bikes a few years old are way better specced for the same money.
18 March 2011, 02:17 PM
#89
Guest
Posts: n/a
Well Evans shop was a waste of time, all the bloke did was show me the website and read me stuff I can look at myself. He didn't actually give me any advice or say what were good bikes or suggest anything. I've had better advice in Halfords before when buying the kids bikes as at least they seemed to have at least some knowledge of what they were selling.
I'm going to pick out the ones I like from the Evans website to £250 and then compare with the Carrera at Halfords for £258/£259 and post up the ones I want to choose from.
I'm going to pick out the ones I like from the Evans website to £250 and then compare with the Carrera at Halfords for £258/£259 and post up the ones I want to choose from.
18 March 2011, 02:23 PM
#90
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: A big town with sh1t shops: Northampton
Posts: 21,366
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That's a shame they weren't very helpful.... The guys in Milton Keynes are exceptional. Perhaps it's just darn sarf they aren't very keen