Top Gun

I've got a Hardrock Comp and would rate it as an excellent bike, especially as you say he will be thrashing about on it, it has a very strong frame (which is good for upgrading if he gets more serious) and strong wheels which are VERY ding resistant. Dunno about those prices, List is £400 in the UK, and I dunno how that translates to Euros.

Loadsa bike info on www.bikemagic.co.uk

If you want any more info on the Hardrock just ask.

HTH

TG

GTI

GT is the way to go, got one and it is a fantastic bike cost me £300 reduced from £700 in January sales 4 years ago now, never looked back.
Avalanche always gets very good reviews and brakes are supposed to be quite good for the price.

MooseRacer

Another vote for the Hardrock - great budget bikes

Brendan Hughes

Thanks guys .

Ian - no idea about the hub mountings, I didn't know they existed, I will have to look! As for the rest of the frame geometry - umm, no idea! Are the DM20 rims good, or if we needed new hubs would we just buy new wheels? (I have built a few wheels in my time if need be).

I looked up Judy TT and Elixr 523 forks on mtbr.com, neither seem wonderful but the Judys look to be, umm, less criticised. They were begrudged whereas the 523s seem to be hated!

Not worth me(him) suffering the 523 fork just to get those SR Suntour disc brakes, then?

MarkO

Bit of a shame you're not in the UK. There's some top quality well-maintained ex-Hire bikes for sale at The Hub at Glentress. Giant Terrago for £349 - and they're in better nick than most brand new bikes.

BTW, anyone know the owner of the Bug-eyed STi, reg xxxxCZV who was at Glentress this morning? Anyone on Scoobynet?

Brendan Hughes

Yup, and my UK base is in Sussex, so by the time we got to Scotland we'd have paid the difference in travelling costs...

MarkO, what's your opinion of the above choices?

MarkO

Brendan, no idea about the above choices - it's so long since I knew what bikes were available for what money/spec, I'm just not the person to ask. I'm 're-learning' it all now myself, and wouldn't even have a clue what I'd buy, let alone somebody else!

IWatkins

Brendan,

Yep, the hubs for disc brakes obviously need somewhere to mount the actual disc. This is usually a six pointed star shaped moulding in the hub but on the outside of the spokes. If the hubs don't have these you are looking at new hubs before you can use a disc kit. No great shakes if you can build your own wheels though.

Cheers

Ian

Brendan Hughes

Thanks anyway.

Saw a Trek 4100 for €500 today, with Grimec (?) disk brakes and an exceed 266 front fork. I see what you mean about the hubs Ian, thanks for that - no it doesn't have them .

Will keep looking...

MooseRacer

Brendan, for god's sake don't get hung up about the hubs, they're cheap to replace for disk versions, and you can get your wheel rebuilt for peanuts too.

Brendan Hughes

Hi all

I want to buy a hardtail mountainbike for my son, who’s about to turn 15, and not growing as fast as he used to; he’s now 178cm and about 59kg. I think he would like to use it for thrashing and downhill rather than long towpath tours. He’s never done it before – he had a heap when he was 11 which he rode round a skate park, but that’s it. I know zero about mountain bikes since I sold mine in 1989 ( ), so searched and read scoobynet yesterday, also mtbr.com (very good). Went to the shops today, wrote down the spec of 2 specialized, 2 scott and a GT. I think none are bad, but which is best?

Can I have your opinions on the best frame/fork/ components for the budget? Two stand out; the Specialized hardrock comp, but the 17" frame *might* be too small for the future (depending on how he grows), and the GT avalanche 2.0 as it came with disc brakes (which he loves as a gadget, but maybe they are cheap and nasty ones, I dunno). I think maybe a small frame is not so bad if he doesn’t want to go long-distance touring – more manoeuverable.

So, given the above, which would you think I should go for from the following, and why? Many thanks!

Specialized hardrock comp (yellow) €516 (reduced from €645). 2002 model, last one in stock, offer ends in 3 days time. Only 17” frame left!!
rockshock judy tt fork
ritchey stem, headset
shim alivio levers
shim alivio rear, acera front mechs
alexrims dm20, rockster tyres
specialised chainset


Specialized hardrock white €449
RST Capa TL fork 80mm
Aheadset (no name stem)
shim Acera f,r mechs
shimano CI-DECK plus levers
truvativ chainset
alexrims dm20, enduro tyres

(both have disc brake mountings)

Scott yz2 €489
scott fork
ahead, scott stem
shim acera f/r, ci-deck levers
alexrims dm-18 rims
no rear disk mtg

Scott yz1 €529
alivio r, acera f mechs, ci-deck levers
shimano chainset
no rear mount for disc

Kona hahanna, €357 (down from 420)
acera f, r mechs, ci-deck levers
sr -suntour fork
aheadset
rising sun motif?? chainset


GT avalanche 2.0 €549
elixer 523 fork
alex xrims 2000, tioga tyres
formula hubs
disc braks- sr suntour
alivio r, acera f mechs, ci-deck levers
shimano crank, vp pedals


[Edited by Brendan Hughes - 7/12/2003 5:46:14 PM]

IWatkins

Specialized Hardrock Comp would be my choice as I reckon it is the strongest frame in that list. Components can be replaced if they die but a new frame costs.

When you say they have moutings for discs (front and back) do the wheel hubs also have disc mounts ? If so, that'll save you a packet come upgrade time.

Edit:
17 inch frame shouldn't be a problem. I actually prefer to have a frame one size smaller and just extend the seat post for height. Well, that is assuming the geometry is still OK, it usually is.

Cheers

Ian

[Edited by IWatkins - 7/12/2003 9:46:06 PM]