Cycle Scheme
 

We've just signed up for the Cycle Scheme and looking at the figures (for me) a £1K bike would come out at roughly 1/2 that :D

So, what mountain bike for £1K? I do like to go off road, so something suitable not a compromise. I wouldn't mind full sus as I currently have a 97 Big Sur and an 09 Orange G2 (would probably sell the G2) but open to suggestions.

?

What sort of riding do you do? Do you ever jump? Do you like/hate climbing? Are you heavy? All need answering! £1k gets you a very decent hardtail and a reasonable full sus - unless you need full sus, go for a **** hot hardtail.

Go on Matte, your on a roll. ;)

I mainly do canal paths, bit of rough tracks etc. Occasionally go down to wales for a bit of fun on the trails. Decided to get more of an XC rather than "All mountain"

I went for a Giant Trance 3 (which they don't do anymore)

Giant Trance 3 Review - BikeRadar

How about a tRANCE x5? Giant Trance X5 Review - BikeRadar ?

The Trance is a superb bike but unless you really NEED that full sus, it's a bit of a waste of money and excess weight.

Funnily enough i took delivery of a Specialized Rockhopper comp Hardtail (also bought on the scheme) A few weeks ago. RRP £685 IIRC and it's going to cost me about £360:cool:

Great bit of kit, but to be fair im only doing light trails and canal towpaths maybe 70% of the time, road work 30%. I am very suprised at how capable it is on the heavier stuff when i have tried it though.

Don't forget you have a limit of 1K RRP, and you can also get any accessories or clothing you want as long as you order it all at the same time. You may want to spend slightly less on the bike itself if you want a load of extras on the voucher as well.

Agreed.. and it took a lot of deliberation before i decided.. I do occasionally like to try a bit of light downhill stuff.. so decided on the rear sus!

Take your pick! link

The Scott and Specialized bikes look pretty good here, sadly a poor offering from Trek.

I do what I can off-road at parks etc (Cannock Chase, Thetford Forest & so on). I intend to do a lot more over the coming year but would like to get more extreme (just Suffolk doesn't really do hills). Sometimes just disappear into the Suffolk countryside following tracks, bridleways etc. I generally find a route then just try and blast it. Jumps? I'm getting there, nothing massive but why do 3 yumps when you can do it in 1 jump. Don't mind climbing, all part of the experience. 11st dry & 5'8".

I reckon full sus might be handy then.

Any of these will do the job perfectly- 17" frame is about right:

Evans Cycles | Scott Spark 60 2009 Mountain Bike | Online Bike Shop

Evans Cycles | Specialized FSRxc Comp 2009 Mountain Bike | Online Bike Shop

Evans Cycles | Kona Dawg 2008 Mountain Bike | Online Bike Shop

The Pitch is a bit more extreme than the FSR - great VFM but less spec and heavier:

Evans Cycles | Specialized Pitch FSR Comp 2009 Mountain Bike | Online Bike Shop

This one for me for the money. Just bought the womens specific version for the wife. Cracking bike.

Evans Cycles | Specialized FSRxc Expert 2009 Mountain Bike | Online Bike Shop

You can always lock the rear suspension giving you the option of a hardtail.

Between the Scott & the Specialised? Like the look of the Scott better and it seems to be better vfm?? Lighter too?

The Scott is a much more XC orientated bike - but still hard enough for most needs. It is a good one and very upgradeable too.

So what are you telling me here?

Being a cycle scheme I would suggest that what you want is an overall package rather than something that you can upgrade. I don't know the details of your scheme but think company car: Are you allowed to stick a K&N kit on one and upgrade the stereo?

All of the bikes there are good, personally I would go for one of the hardtails as they suit my style of riding more and I'm not technically competent to service the full-sus parts. :)

Cube are do some really nice bikes, a couple of mates have got them recently.http://www.cubecycles.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=59884 They may be slightly over budget for a double bouncer, but some schemes will let you top up the price if you want. I do mainly XC but get up to a few of the UK trail centers and get ariound fine on a Kona Kikapu (4" travel F & R). was seriously under biked on the downhill courses in the Alps last year though.

That while it has full sus, you don't want to be throwing it off big drops - it will break. Something like the Pitch won't - but will be heavier and harder to climb on.

Hmm - how high are we talking here? :eek: Perhaps there is a benefit of being light lol

SJ - Its not quite the same as a company car, you end up owning it. The benefit is that you get all your tax, NI & VAT back, or better put, you just don't pay for it. £1000 of bike would cost me £515 and it is managed through the company payroll so is also a year's interest free credit! I don't need a commuting bike as I already have one (GF on road tyres) so an opportunity to get something back from the government & a good quality bike for not-a-lot seems an opportunity not to be missed :D

Puff - depends entirely on the landing - but a heavy landing from anything over two feet would probably hurt it.

Are we talking about a mountain bike here, that might break if you jump off a drop.

Surely thats what its designed for.

Thats a bit like buying a watch that will stop if you take it off......but then again it was designed to stop if you took it off.

PS. Still owe you 634 interuptions. ;)

A mountain bike that is designed to take drops, breaking, whatever next.

To be honest Yoza, even a burly downhill bike would break if you did a big drop on it...

There are little drops that any bike will take and big drops - 6ft plus - that will break most bikes, even MTBs. But it depends how hard you land and how much you weigh. Very very simple physics. Would you drive offroad in a Caterham? No. Would you track race a Limo? No. Same with bikes. Use the right bike for the right job. How many races have your watches help you win? Because my "appropriate" bike has helped me win a national off road triathlon... Tee hee...

Just like getting the lightest, slimmest non waterproof watch then moaning when it breaks when surfing. However use it as intended and it will tell the time fine. Just like a £100k watch will do...

I dont race my watches, but they do perform as they should do, and if they dont they get fixed for free.

As to what they have helped me to win...well thats ones easy, the admiration of thousands on ScoobyNet. :rolleyes:

I saw a Tour de France riders bike fail through the week, and they must have the best of the best...so sh1t happens.

Tour de France bikes are so light and put through so much sh1t that they often break - just like F1 cars.

The admiration of thousands on SN minus me...

:D

The admiration of thousands on SN minus me...[/QUOTE]

Seconded:thumb:

If you can stretch id really try the giant anthem x3, it's what i have only i threw on gear from my old bike, it's fast and comfortable and just got wmb bike of the year 2009.

The x3 retails for £1100

Giant Anthem X3 Review - BikeRadar

What is the cycle scheme and how do you get a bike from it ????

Seconded:thumb:[/QUOTE]

Sorry.... who are you again?

Tax free bikes for work through the Government's Green Transport Initiative - Cyclescheme, provider of Cycle to Work schemes for UK employers

Get your company to sign up to it :D

The company i work for is about to launch the cycle scheme so i'm going for a Boardman Hybrid comp bike which is around £499, less around 35-40% via the scheme.
Anyone got any comments on Boardman bikes, good or bad.
Nik.