NeilT

evening,

I'm looking at changing my reliable 15 yr old original Muddy Fox workhorse for somthing a little more up to date, budget around £450.

So far narrowed it down to Kona Firemountain 2005 or one of the new Treks

Any opinions on the best value for this money?

Only used for riding to work a couple of times a week and some light off-roading, but want something light weight, with front suspension at least and the Kona having the disc brake is a big bonus.

Anyone?

cheers

Neil

milo

hmm.. at that price, giant xtc4 is probably something u should seriously consider. i HATED the riding position of giant so avoided them, but their spec is pretty superb for the money. for instance, the giant has hydraulic disc brakes, which u probably wont see on many other sub-£500 bikes.

kona are a great brand of course too (imo one of the best for riding position and comfort - great all-rounders), so u probably cant go far wrong with them.

merlin malt 1 can be had for £425 altho that has v-brakes (which in your price range is probably what u should go for instead of trying to get discs tbh). merlin *always* gets amazing reviews.

cactus jim

im going through an insurance claim for a mountain bike that was stolen and chose a Specialized Rockhopper Pro Disk for £500. disk brakes, front suspension light frame etc

ChrisB

A Rockhopper Pro disc should be more like £700 (down from £800 for an 04 model), so £500 is a steal

Dream Weaver

Have you looked at last years bikes?

Get a 2004 Giant XTC or Scott Elite

www.paulscycles.co.uk is one such supplier.

Dazza01

As i no nothing about mountain bikes, my lad chose this, has front suspension, front / rear disc brakes and cost £359.99

cactus jim

yeah sorry its a rockhopper disk (not pro) 2004 model

cycle surgery in london

r32

Buy a known good make, eg. Kona, Marin, Trek, Specialized etc not a shops own like Carrara (Halfrauds). If you buy a 2004 you should get a good discount as the 2005 models are out now. Sit on it make sure its the right size and is comfortable for you. Go to a decent Bike shop where you will get good advice, pick a shop that deals in more than one make. Buy a good Mountain Bike magazine and look through the adverts, they will give you a good idea of the best prices and whats available. It may beworth travelling. If you can get discs then go for them, they are so much better if you use it properly (not around town). Good luck tell us what you bought.....
STEVE...........

Regacy

There's some great deals on 04 bikes at Evans cycles at the moment......
http://www.evanscycles.com/news.jsp?item_id=146
For stock kit like this they've always been a good supplier.

Dream Weaver

The Carerra Kraken got excellent reviews from most MBR mags, and being made by Saracen they are pretty good.

I've had my Carerra for over 10 years now and its still going strong and never had to have anything replaced on it.

anc-sti

Don't bother with anything but hardtail's with your budget. If you use the bike properly(off road) the components will wear out and need to be upgraded but your frame won't(hopefully) so to get longevity out of the bike get the best frame you can. Go for a 2004 model as the 2005 stuff is coming out now and you will get discounts.

Specialized, trek and kona make excellent bike's in that price bracket, but also look at the bikes merlin cycles do they offer excellent value for money.

I wouldn't bother with Halfords stuff(sorry if that upsets anyone) because they are put together by kids who haven't got a clue, use a proper bike shop that has a good reputation, they will advise you on bike size, bike to match riding style etc etc. If you have a warranty claim you will have less hassle with a proper shop.

druddle

I found out yesterday that there is a government initiative to get people cycling to work, and inconjuction with Halfords, the government will pay 40% of the cost of a bike (up to 1000 quid i think) plus money off helmets and that sort of thing.

Not sure of a URL, something me Mum showed me last night cos her partners work have just said about it (LLoyds TSB).

Dave

Brother_Will

All good advice but if you really want good advice on mountain bikes then make your way over to www.singletrackworld.co.uk. Pearsonally at that price range look at hard tail only and avoid kona, there frames may be good but in this price range the equipment sucks. Merlin are a good one as are Carrera Furys (£499) very very well speced for the money

ScoobyJawa

Claud Butler Cape Wrath Dual Disc.



Got mine a few months ago and its fecking superb with an equipment list to die for. Only average component is the front shocks but I find them ok and they are easy to change anyway. Its full Deore throughout. Its 479.99 but I got it for about 410 on the net.

Oh and its this years group test winner for bikes under £400 (non disc version) in MBR and gets a solid 9 rating

http://falconcycles.co.uk/page.php?p.id=23

http://www.bikemagic.com/review/revi...36878364733220

Brother_Will

Oh and thank you for your expert insight i was unaware you had visited every one of the 400 halfords stores in the country

TopBanana

You really have to ride a few yourself to make your mind up. It's surprising how different bikes feel even when they have similar specs

r32

I'm sure it is a good bike, but not all Carrera bikes in Halfrauds are made by Saracen..... many are from the far east....

Dazza01

Cor, whats with all the specialized stuff ?? Neil only wants it to ride to work a couple of times and some light off roading, exactly what my lad uses it for except he goes to school and not work
jesus he's not going in to win the off road mountain bike trekkie of the year is he, well im saying he's not, or are you ??

but sorry if that upsets anyone

As i said i know nothing about bikes but i thought this was an excellent value for money bike, and my local Halfords have now sorted 3 out for me, as they must be good bikes cos some scum bag has nicked the last 2 he owned.

Dream Weaver

Fair enough, but I can only go off personal experience.

I bought a £400 Carerra 10 years ago, and I aint a small chap at 6'0 and 17 stone and its been faultless - did a fair bit of off-road stuff when i first got it as well, and plenty of tarmac miles in between.

Recently took it up the lakes and did a good 25 mile ride, mixed surfaces and it was faultless again.

NeilT

thanks for the info folks - theres a local bike shop which is pretty good, so going there this pm for a looksy

Still fancy the Kona Firemountain, but choosing between the heavily discounted 2004 model or the new 2005 with all the trick stuff will be difficult.

I'll let you know what I bought

Anyone want a muddyfox courier?

cheers

Neil

anc-sti

So you recon a professional bike shop who has been dealing with mountain bikes for twenty years compares to Halfords. Do me a favour!! Support your local bike shop they have a wealth of experience you simply will not get from a Car accessory shop.

NeilT

well, I'm off down my local bike shop - they specialise in mountain bikes and road racers and run several clubs also - in short - enthusiasts

I dont mind paying a couple of pound over the odds for honest advice, patience, customer service and back up on the bike if it falls apart...these are all things which I know from experience I'm unlikely to find at the local bike and car superstore.

Plus, as a local businessman running my own small company, I like to support others in the same position.

Neil

anc-sti

Bang on mate. ;-)

Philip Attaway

Running a mountain bike is all about posing.

You need to spend at least a couple of grand on a commuter

the moose

Seriously, you can get something worth riding for that little?

Philip Attaway

Frame only

You may get something for that cheap if we are talking about a fully rigid steel single speed

the moose

I suppose you could get the drivetrain for an SS for that much, if you shop around.

gregjd

Sorry to hijack the thread but what bikes would you recommend (if anything!) for around the £200 mark? I certainly don't need anything flash for the amount of use I'd make of a mountain bike! I'm moving out to the sticks though and could do with a bike now I'll be living too far from a gym.

the moose

I'd buy second-hand at that price. Seriously, almost anything for the £200 mark will be heavy, slow, and pretty poorly constructed.

Then again, I'm a terrible bike snob.

CLSII

I recently bought myself a Specialized Rockhopper 2004 for £450 absolutely fantastic bike.

I previously had a Giant Boulder Alulite that was also a cracking bike - paid £200 for that with upgraded gear changers and semi slicks for road use, I covered over 3000 miles on it. I tend to go for the run out model from the previous year as I did with my other road bike, a Trek and save money.

Now is a brilliant time to get at least 20% to 25% off without even trying as the 2005 models are appearing.