Rasher

I want to upgrade my current bike and have a budget of £1000 what would you suggest.(full suspension, hardtail??) I have been out of this for quite a while so am not upto date with what is around.
I weigh around 16 stone 8 pounds (but am not too fat)pic gives you an idea anyway.So i am heavier than when I used to do it years ago and am 6ft tall so what size frame would I need. I would be using the bike or pleasure not competition at the moment but want something good and robust






thanks guys

r32

Try the second hand route perhaps, bikes tend to go for about half price so you can get a bargain. But looking at all that muscle you might be best with a rigid frame with just front suspension at that price.

B0DSKI

iTrader: (17)

What sort of riding is it for Rasher ?

The main problem you'll have with your weight on a full suspension bike is stopping the rear shock form bottoming out, your gonna have to pump it up to summin nearing it's maximum psi, and in doing so i've found you loose the progressive nature of the travel.

I'd stick with a front suspension, it's worth waiting a month or so then the 2008 bikes will be getting intrduced and the 2007 ones get reduced.

I personally have a Rocky Mountain Element 70 and luv it to bits. Stick with a well known brand (specialized Giant Trek Kona etc etc) and you'll be suprised what you can get for a bag of sand

pwhittle

frame measurement varies, but I'm 6', and about 19" (Large in Specialised terms) is best for me. Some do Extra Large now, but that's really for 6'2" +. You sometimes get bigger brakes on larger frames - you'll need decent stoppers (hydrolic disks definately)

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Thought of building one up to YOUR exact specs?

Even frames are available on the net, or ebay, and doing it that way it works out around the same as buying one someone else has specced.

Or have a look at: Merlin Cycles Ltd Custom bikes

Alcazar

Rasher

I use a Pine mountain at the moment, I will be using the bike along with the kids nothing too strenuous, bt would like a good strong bike

arre there big differences between this years bikes and next years??

Snazy

unless your going aggressive off road or downhilling, forget a full susser.
A nice hardtail will do the trick, with more of the budget going on spec, rather than a rear shock, mechanism and bushes etc lol.

I ride a simple little Gary Fisher Mullet, and even when I was at almost 20 stone it was taking the abuse thrown at it. Nice robust spec, strong frame, and works a treat on and off roading, as well as a little jumping and playing

Sounds like you could use just about half that budget and get all you need

Snazy

Rarely anything major mate, unless something special and new comes out. Which is not that common now.

Places like Evans still carry loads of 05/06 stock, new but "so last year" but also much cheaper.
The spec and rating of some bikes FALLS over the years.

Evans Cycles - uk bike shop - mountain bikes, mail order bikes, mountain bike shop uk

Matteeboy

Holy crap - I think you need something made of steel joists!!!

Has to be hardtail - A full sus bike would die.
Suggest something pretty hardcore!

Rasher

thanks for the advice guys

andythejock01wrx

Suggest Specialized Stumpjumper Comp hardtail. Very light at only 24 pounds, but still strong, with hydraulic discs to stop all that muscle heading downhill at a rate of knots ! It's Fox 90RL fork is worth £600 alone and is super smooth and should cope with your weight. Bike cost is £1200.

Or, on a budget, you could go for the Specialized Rockhopper or Giant equivalent for half the price.

Andy Mc

B0DSKI

iTrader: (17)

Rocky Mountain 2006 Vertex 30 Mountain Bike - Only £874.99 - Rutland Cycling

Nice bike Rasher

Rasher

yep looks good, isit worth waiting for the 2008 bikes to come out as the remaining 2007 bikes will be cheaper??
when are the 2008 bikes out?? July ish??

B0DSKI

iTrader: (17)

Yeah absolutly i got my Rocky Mountain as a 2006 last october just as the 2007 range had been introduced. it retailed for £2600 and i got it for £2000.

Always big savings to be made on the older models. And to be honest with what your gonna be using it for, the differences in spec between the two won't matter to you

nobafett

As mentioned above the Specialized Stumpjumper with the Fox forks is an awesome bike as my mate will testify. Costs £1200.
I bought the next one down, The Specialized Rockhopper Pro for £950. Not much between the two, other than slightly lighter frame on stumpjumper and the fox forks.
In my opinion, for under a grand, you cant get a better bike than the Pro. I believe Specialized give a lifetime guarantee on the frame as well!

Matteeboy

Getting a Stumpy Comp as soon as my current Stumpy finally dies (not far off)!

EddScott

Are you self employed or employed? Even if its your Ltd comp?

If so, you can get 30% off a bike purchase. We have done it at work and we've saved a good few hundred quid each.

cyclescheme. You can build your own through it too.

B0DSKI

iTrader: (17)

I went from a M5 framed Specialized S Works hardtail to my Rocky mountain, and it was a superb Hardtail. My girlfireinds got a Rockhopper Disc and it's a ok bike just a bit on the heavy side and let down by the none branded components. (handlebar seatpost stem)

Matteeboy

Edd - I've got a Ltd Co. so will be using that to get one cheap!

Rasher

I am employed full time....pity that

pwhittle

your employer may be signed up - of not shame on them! They cleanry don't care about the planet!

Most new models come out about October, though Spec can struggle to get them out sometimes (had to wait till Feb for mine this year)
you don't often see Spec's reduced either, but they'll be loads of Giants and Treks. Maybe Kona, which are well worth a look.

Rockhoppers are v. good for the money, nearly swapped the FS stumpy for one under the Cycle scheme.

andythejock01wrx

RIP Matt's Stumpy.

Bet it's served you well and had a tough life though.

SiPie

Rasher

Specialized Rockhopper Pro Disc '07 (£949.95)

Bought this a few months ago and the only fault I can find is that the ground clearance isn't quite as high as I would like....catches on the odd tree stump and rock

Otherwise....perfect

Rasher

cheers looks the dogs

Has anyone bought a bike over the internet?? If so did it come set up and ready to go???

jay knowles

I bought a marin full suspension as a out going model in 2006 but was a 2005 bike,got £300.00 off so cost £1150.I weigh 15.7 stone and pumped air suspension up accordingly and have had no problems with it.Full suspension is just so comfortable compared with a hardtail.JAY

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I have a Carrera Kracken, Halfrauds job, bought second hand for £150, its since got better forks and Hope Mini's, I weigh about sixteen stone as well and it copes very well, especially since I got rid of the crap forks and woefully inadequate cable disk brakes after I nearly ended up in the River Bollin, they just dont stop wheras the Hope's haul the best part of 300llbs of me,bike and whatever I have on my back down from speed, plus you can get them to glow which looks cool.

Rasher

I take it that I would i need the 19 inch frame for the Rock Hopper??

EddScott

I bought this on our cyclescheme. It arrived home today and I've been riding it around all evening.



Its not big bucks and with helmet, gloves, oil etc it all came to over £500. I didn't want to spend a fortune and it sit in the shed gathering dust.

Only thing I'm missing on it is lockout for the fork. Its quite soft but being 10 stone dripping wet its not an issue for me

Longjing

If you're thinking of spending lots of money - say 750 and up - you could probably get a nice steel framed bike built. Big makers don't often offer steel frames, cos it's easier for them to use pressed ally ones from China (or the US in some cases).

\steel frame rant mode on

Personally I love steel frames and don't much like ally ones. They give a harsh ride because they are extremely stiff... to be fair if you have suspension that problem goes away to an extent.

I've never really liked suspended bikes I must confess... if I did more extreme offroading it might be different, but it seems a bit OTT for the road/trail riding I do. So my old steel Chas Roberts is fine, although a brake upgrade might be nice. Roberts bikes are dear but not all steel custom builds are - I'm currently thinking of a Surly frame build for my next bike and I reckon on 700-800 for that.

The moral of this rambling story is that there are other bikes out there and you don't have to get a Trek/Giant/Spesh/Marin with an identikit frame and fork. 20 years ago very few bikes were not made of steel - it's still a damn fine material from a bike frame.

/steel frame rant over...

andythejock01wrx

LOL. Hardcore biker.