# Newbie after advice on what to buy.....



## Brainache (10 Aug 2009)

Hi everyone, I've just signed up for some advice on what to buy. 

I'm only just trying to get into mountain biking (starting off steady, trails etc) so I'm looking to spend about £300 on my first half decent bike. I've found some that I like for around this price and was wondering if those more knowledgable than me (you guys) can tell me which is best. I would like a hardtail, with disc brakes if possible. 

I remember these names, from years ago, when I was last interested - GT, Trek, Marin, Claud Butler, Saracen, Specialized, etc and have been looking at those types of makes. I've also found some I'm not very familiar with, but liked the look of - Pinnacle, Felt & Orbea.

If someone can have a look at the links to the ones I like below and tell me which they recommend, I'd greatly appreciate it. The GT and Orbea are my faves but are nearer £360, however, I can get a discount on these to bring them down to £300ish. The GT also comes with hydraulic disc brakes!

GT Aggressor XC3:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_512541_langId_-1_categoryId_165499

Specialized Hardrock Sport (really nice looking but V brakes, not disc's):

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/hardrock-sport-2009-mountain-bike-ec016011

Pinnacle Peak 1:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/peak-10-2009-mountain-bike-ec018101

Felt Q220:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/felt/q220-2009-mountain-bike-ec017059

Orbea Tennere:

http://www.thebikemarket.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=580

Cheers everyone.


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## Mr Pig (10 Aug 2009)

Hello and welcome :0)

If I had to buy one of those bikes I'd buy the GT. 

However...

It will soon be time for the bikes shops and manufacturers to start getting rid of old stock as summer ends, people stop buying them and unsold bikes pile up in warehouses. In about a month you will start to see good reductions and special offers. Halfords in particular often sell off bikes cheap. 

Use the time to do your homework, we'll help you, and figure out exactly what you want. Then keep looking, asking and waiting until you get a bargain. You will get one. That's my advice.

Regarding what to look for:

Suspension: Adds weight, do you need it? If you do, how much travel? 

Transmission: Shimano and SRAM rule. Find out what the names and numbers mean then you can compare easily. How many gear, pros and cons?

Disk brakes: Do you need them or just want them? Cost more, are they worth it?

Size: One of the most important things to figure out. Get a bike that's too big or small and you ain't going to like it much. 

So, ask away :0)


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## Globalti (11 Aug 2009)

Of all those, disc brakes are definitely worth having on a MTB.

You need to ride as many of those as you can and yes, there will be discounts soon as 2010 stock is coming into the shops now. Don't rush, take your time and try as many bikes as you can.


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## Brainache (11 Aug 2009)

Thanks everyone,

Unfortunately I'm unable to try them out as none of the stockists are nearby (other than Halfords). 

I must admit I'm vearing towards the GT because I've been told it's a good spec but I don't think it's the best looking. I'm prone to style over substance at times but I'm trying to correct that  Also, I've have heard the horror stories about how Halfords set the bikes up. 

The rest would have to be ordered via the internet and all, bar Evans Cycles, would need me to build them! So, thinking about it, Halfords is still a more attractive option - I would definately make a mess of assembling a flat pack bike!!!

I'm drawn towards disc brakes because all the bikes I've had with V brakes are terrible at stopping in wet, muddy conditions. However, they have all been cheap crappy bikes in the past. If I thought that v brakes on a decent make bike would be better, I would definately plum for the Specialized bike above - I think it looks beaut!!!


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## barq (11 Aug 2009)

Hardtail is probably a good decision. As a compromise on the disc brakes some bikes come with disc compatible hubs. That way you wouldn't have to replace your wheels to make a later upgrade. Disc brakes are nice to have but be careful that other aspects of the bike aren't too compromised. I'd rather have slightly better forks and a Shimano Deore level drivechain.

Might be worth taking a look at wiggle.co.uk who do some good value Focus bikes.


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## Brainache (11 Aug 2009)

Thanks for that. 

I must admit I look at a bikes spec list and I start to go bleary eyed! I wouldn't know what I'm looking for to be honest. I'm talking really (really) basic knowledge and, therefore, the wish list is really basic:

I want a half decent make (as above), not Apollo or Boss or some similar rubbish.

I want decent gears, not grip shift. . . HATE grip shift!!

I want front suspension, not all over suspension (feels like I'm riding a bouncy castle).

Crank types, chain types etc may as well be written in Chinese I'm afraid. I plan to start correcting my ignorance though but it's gunna take time.


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## Globalti (11 Aug 2009)

Okay: my ha' pence worth:

Hardtail for lightness and simplicity. Air forks for light smooth action. Disc brakes. Compact chainset with cartridge bearings. 

These are recent technical improvements, which make mountain bikes so much lighter and better to ride in muddy UK conditions. These would be my minimum requirement, the rest is down to the feel of the bike on test riding.


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## Cubist (11 Aug 2009)

Rigid Raider said:


> Okay: my ha' pence worth:
> 
> Hardtail for lightness and simplicity. Air forks for light smooth action. Disc brakes. Compact chainset with cartridge bearings.
> 
> These are recent technical improvements, which make mountain bikes so much lighter and better to ride in muddy UK conditions. These would be my minimum requirement, the rest is down to the feel of the bike on test riding.


Sorry RR, but he ain't gonna get air forks for £360!

Brainache

You're buying into a price point where only a very few bikes will have all that you want. The GT is probably the best one there, as it has the hydraulic discs. It also has Shimano gears. What's more, it's upgradeable. GT are good bikes, and how can you possibly say their "Triple Triangle" looks anything other than ....errrr...different! 

Some Halfords are perfectly capable of building a bike properly, but check or have it checked before you ride it.


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## Mr Pig (11 Aug 2009)

On balance the GT wins then. It's the only one you can try out and it has the best balance of spec anyway. I wouldn't trust Halfords to build my bike though, there are some good bike mechanics working for them but many don't give a shoot! 

'V' brakes on a £300 bike are not going to be much more effective than entry level ones to be honest, Just about any disk brakes will work better in the wet. Not as good as better disks obviously but the real down side of low-end disk brakes is that they can be more of a footer to work with and the extra cost takes money away from other parts of the bike. But the spec of the GT still looks ok and those brakes are dual piston so I'd bet they'll work pretty well. Use mineral oil too, rather than the highly corrosive and nasty brake fluid found in a lot of disk brakes, so more good news. Over all it looks like a perfectly reasonable bike to me.


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## lukesdad (11 Aug 2009)

You aint gonna get alot for £300 quid new full stop, have you considered second hand?


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## Brainache (11 Aug 2009)

Cheers folks,

I think it's gunna be the GT then, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out on any other nice bikes in my price range. 

Went to have a look at it for real in Halfords tonight and it does look better than on the internet. Trouble is, spotted their new Carrera Kraken 09 while in there and took a liking to that too!! Reduced from £450 to £379. Maybe I could find another £80 quid???

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...uctId_518223_langId_-1_categoryId_165499#dtab

I've gotta remember I'm still an amateur, anyone would think I'm a long-in-the-tooth pro if you saw some of the bikes I've been ogling. . . . I could buy a small car for the same price as some, ha ha.


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## Brainache (11 Aug 2009)

lukesdad said:


> You aint gonna get alot for £300 quid new full stop, have you considered second hand?



I think £300 is fine for what I'll be doing with it to begin with. If it turns out to be a fad at least I haven't blown too much. If not, I'll find more for my next one.


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## lukesdad (11 Aug 2009)

Understand what your saying, but beware its addictive . didn t want you to waste £300 on something you could put towards something else.

The sort of thing your looking to buy wont have much resale value, whereas abit more quality second hand will hold its value so you would actually lose less, but its up to you.


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## Brainache (12 Aug 2009)

Cheers Lukesdad.

Just got an e-mail from Evans Cycles letting me know there end of season stock is now on sale too. Had a quick look but most the savings are on bikes that are way out my price range still. However, I will check around and see if others are starting to follow suit now. . . . Might pick up a bargain yet!


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## lukesdad (12 Aug 2009)

best of luck,Hopr you find what your looking for.just be patient and the right bike at the right price will be there somewhere, its the frameset your after you can upgrade the rest as and when you can afford it. thats the time to look at second hand there are some real bargains from other people doing the same thing.


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## Muddyfox (12 Aug 2009)

Whoooooaa 

If i had £360 in my pocket right now and i was in the market for a new Mountain Bike then my money would be definately winging its way towards a 

Mongoose Tyax Super 

Simon


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## Brainache (12 Aug 2009)

Yeah, saw that too but I don't get discount from Evans, just 5% cashback to a discount site I use. I really have only got £300 - £320 at best, especially now the girlfriends job looks a bit iffy.

However, I've actually worked out I can get the GT from Halfords for over £70 less than they're quoting with discount codes I found. I think it's a no brainer now - GT hardtail with hydraulic brakes and, I'm told, a pretty good spec (other than the suspension which could be better) for £277 rather than the £349 Halfords are advertising it for.


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## Mr Pig (12 Aug 2009)

Yip, I still think you're making the right choice. For £277 I think that bike's a fantastic buy. 

Yes, you could get a better bike by buying used but unless you're pretty clued up, which I don't think you are yet, you could easily buy a used bike that needed parts straight away. For what you're doing and the knowledge you have right now I'm sure you're doing the right thing. 

Just remember, size, size size! If you get a bike that's too big you'll be too stretched on it. On rough ground it'll feel unwieldy and might be uncomfortable on longer rides. Try to ride a few different sized bikes around the car park and you'll get an idea of what I mean. Be aware though that bikes of the same frame size from different manufacturers will not necessarily be the same size over all. My bike is a 17.5 yet feels smaller than my last bike which was a 17. Try the actual bike you mean to buy. 

Look forward to seeing you on here regularly very soon :0)


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## Muddyfox (12 Aug 2009)

Brainache said:


> I really have only got £300 - £320 at best,




GT it is then ... and once the bug bites the Gt does have a good frame for upgrading 

Simon


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## Brainache (13 Aug 2009)

Cheers guys,

Don't worry, I will DEFINATELY make sure I have the right size frame. The last bike I had was to small in the frame and I could only extend my leg about 2 thirds of what I should have. It felt like I was peddling a kiddies bike at times and cycling up hill soon tired me out! Not an enjoyable experiance at all and soon fell out of love of cycling.

I've had a chat with the Halfords guy about frame size and he recommends 18/19 inch for an inside leg of 32 inch. They measure from where the pedals are attached to where the frame joins the seat post.


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## Brahan (13 Aug 2009)

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/sport-mtb-3962638/ Try these guys.


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## Mr Pig (13 Aug 2009)

Brahan said:


> Try these guys.



Looks not bad. The GT at the price he's getting is still a better buy though.


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## Brainache (13 Aug 2009)

Just rang them up and only 3 18inchers left (oooo err missus) and none left at head office so off to Halfords tomorrow to pay a deposit and secure one til payday. Selling very well apparently!


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## Brainache (15 Aug 2009)

*Anyone know any good websites for beginners.....*

Hi everyone,

Bet your getting sick of my questions now  

I've been reading the spec on my GT that I'm buying (and posts people put on here) and, as I mentioned in earlier posts, some of the things mentioned / discussed mean nothing to me. I'm wanting to learn more about it though and was wondering if anyone has any links to any sites that might break a bike down into parts and explain what the different components do and which are better than others? E.g. I've seen people asking if the frame is 'butted', why? I came from the school of - it's got 2 wheels, a frame, brakes and handle bars. What more do you want?

You see what I mean? I'm a real novice unfortunatley, but eager to learn. It'll help if I choose to start upgrading in the future too. We're talking 'Mountain Biking For Dummies' material, ha ha.


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## Mr Pig (15 Aug 2009)

Butted refers to the way the tubes on the frame are joined together, some joins are stronger than others. GT frames are very distinctive in the way the tubes join under the seat (see the little triangle there?) and they are perfectly good frames. It should be quite light and sturdy enough for what you're going to do. 

The front and rear mech are the things that move the chain from one gear to another and the shifters are the triggers on the bars that operate them. The GT has Shimano ones. Very low-rent Shimano is labelled 'SIS' or nothing at all. Then the ranges are named, Acera, Alivio, Deore, etc. Acera is quite low-spec, it will work fine but the trade off is mostly durability. When they wear out replace them with better quality items like Deore which will last longer. 

24 is a good number of gears to have. Put simply, to fit more gears in the cassette (block of gears at the back) and chain have to get thinner, which means they wear out quicker. The most durable set-up is 21 gears but the extra gears of a 24-speed set-up is, in my opinion, worth having. The next step up is 27 and I don't think the extra gears there are of much worth, I have 27 and often shift two at a time. To prolong the life of your gears buy a chain checker and fit a new KMC chain when it reads 1% worn. 






Quick release wheels means that you do not need spanners to take the wheels off. Lever-operated cams unfasten the wheels in seconds for easy puncture repair or packing into the car. Read the instructions to use them safely. 

You know what hydraulic brakes are? Same as on a car. Little maintinenvce should be required if set up correctly but again, observe precautions to avoid trouble. 

Oversized bars means that the middle section of the handlebars is thicker than the ends for extra strength. 

Most of the other stuff is just the names of who's made the part, like Tektro, Alex, Suntour etc. No big deal. It's mostly par for the course at this price point. Over all it's a perfectly good spec for the money and a decent frame that will stand upgrading as parts wear out.


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## hongkonguk (17 Aug 2009)

Brainache said:


> However, I've actually worked out I can get the GT from Halfords for over £70 less than they're quoting with discount codes I found. I think it's a no brainer now - GT hardtail with hydraulic brakes and, I'm told, a pretty good spec (other than the suspension which could be better) for £277 rather than the £349 Halfords are advertising it for.



I was considering the GT too, can you tell me how you can get the price down to that price?


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## Brainache (18 Aug 2009)

Hi HongKonguk,

You'll laugh at this - I work for the Government but the Dept I work for won't entertain the Governments own 'Cycle to Work' scheme. So, as a VERY poor substitute, they have struck up a deal with 3 bike retailers so that we can get discounts. Halfords offered the best discount but the worst choice. Bit of a rock and a hard place decision really.

Unless you work for the Civil Service, I would strongly reccomend reading up on the Cycle to Work schemes most good cycle retailers have info about on their websites.


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## hongkonguk (18 Aug 2009)

Thanks for the reply. I work for the NHS so I can only use Halfords (or a few certain stores about 20 miles away) for my Cycle 2 Work scheme. I just liked the look of the GT and obviously the discount you mentioned sounded very appealing!


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## Brainache (18 Aug 2009)

Oh right, I'm DWP and we have a DWP Discounts intranet site, do NHS not have something similar? 

Ours isn't just for bikes, it's for allsorts - food, clothing, holidays, insurance, loans, etc etc. It took a bit of rumaging around to find the Halfords ones.

I get 15% off the shop price (only on full price bikes, not discounted ones) and they also offer a 7.5% discount on any Halfords gift vouchers purchased, so with the 15% off it drops to a few quid under £300 then, if I buy the bike using gift vouchers instead of cash, £300 worth of gift vouchers actually only costs me £277 with the 7.5% discount on them.

I got the loan for £300 through work and repay it in instalments over the year but, unlike the cycle to work scheme, I pay full taxes etc on what I borrow.


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## Mr Pig (18 Aug 2009)

hongkonguk said:


> I work for the NHS so I can only use Halfords



I understand. They want to maintain a steady supply of patients?


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## hongkonguk (18 Aug 2009)

Mr Pig said:


> I understand. They want to maintain a steady supply of patients?



[drum fx]Badum tish![/drum fx] 

Not this time. As I couldn't wait until friday I took it home boxed and assembled it myself!


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## hongkonguk (22 Aug 2009)

Well the GT Aggressor XC3 must have been a good bike. After 3 days it was stolen from my workplace. The cycle area is in a section of busy car park, patrolled regularly by security and my bike was chained up properly. Nobody saw a thing, apparently. 

Luckily it was insured so I should get a replacement soon. But it doesn't stop you feeling gutted.


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## Trumpettom001 (22 Aug 2009)

I've got the GT XC3£ - I bought it boxed, so spent a couple minutes setting it up - I love it to pieces.... the only thing I didn't like was the seat - considering I have a reallylyy bony buttocks, it's not too comfortable for me... but an easy thing to swap anyway... GT all the way I think.....


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## vmasenas (23 Aug 2009)

Trumpettom001 said:


> I've got the GT XC3£ - I bought it boxed, so spent a couple minutes setting it up - I love it to pieces.... the only thing I didn't like was the seat - considering I have a reallylyy bony buttocks, it's not too comfortable for me... but an easy thing to swap anyway... GT all the way I think.....



i had one same 2 years ago , realy enjoying bike.


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## Brainache (27 Aug 2009)

Off to pick it up in the morning and then off for a 12 mile round trip to the old mans, can't wait. . . . not to see the old man mind, see him all the time!


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## Brainache (29 Aug 2009)

Just finished my 12 mile trip and I love the bike. Just goes to show how enjoyable a ride can be with the right size frame and easy to use gears. Only fault I can find (and it's a very small one) is the seat. I'm either out of practice or it's no padding what-so-ever as my arse is throbbing!

Pleased with my purchase though, thanks for the advice folks.


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## Mr Pig (29 Aug 2009)

Good stuff :0)

It takes time to get used to any seat. As long as you ride often your butt will soon toughen up. If you find that the seat still hurts after a few months it might not be the right shape for you, just try another seat. I've changed the seat on every bike I've had.


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## hongkonguk (29 Aug 2009)

And the seat on the GT is a proper bum killer! I could still feel it 3 days after mine got pinched!


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