# Hard tail, £1000 max



## Cyclist33 (9 Oct 2012)

Simple scenario, I want to spend up to a grand on a hard tail. Has anyone bought such a beastie recently who's got something advisory to say?

It's XC stroke red route style I'm after.

Cheers

Stu


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## Kestevan (9 Oct 2012)

Decathlon....
Carbon Hardtail < £900

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-8-xc-replica-id_8168896.html


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## Motozulu (9 Oct 2012)

That's a great shout - nice bike, my only reservation woukd be the 100 mm fork travel? some red routes might mash that up? plus avid brakes do get a bum rap from a lot of MTB afficionado's - still a nice bike loike.


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## GrumpyGregry (9 Oct 2012)

boardman team
khs alite 2000sl
cube ltd comp
voodoo bokor
revolution triad zero


says what mountain bike and they've tested a lot more bikes than us.

100mm are fine on reds if you ride within their capabilities (the same can be said of 120mm 140mm) and Avid brakes only go wrong the once.


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## damme (9 Oct 2012)

I would look for Cube and Radon bikes. Best bang for buck. You can still get some 2012 models too that are on sale.


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## Cyclist33 (9 Oct 2012)

damme said:


> I would look for Cube and Radon bikes. Best bang for buck. You can still get some 2012 models too that are on sale.



Thanks. Who sells radon?


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## damme (9 Oct 2012)

Oh and by clicking the shopping cart icon on the Radon site it directs you to the bike discounts web site for that specific bike.


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## Cubist (10 Oct 2012)

damme said:


> Few bucks more and you would be able to buy the most beautiful carbon bike on the planet: http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k1831/a58263/black-sin-6-0.html?lg=en


Das sieht ja aber scharf aus.


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## Cyclist33 (10 Oct 2012)

Cubist said:


> Das sieht ja aber scharf aus.



Was der Fech?


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## Cubist (10 Oct 2012)

Was das Fick probably.......


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## Cyclist33 (10 Oct 2012)

Well, hats off to Evans Cycles in Leeds. I had a meeting in the city today and got in an hour early so I popped in for some bike porn and the guy was really interesting, and interested, and was happy to discuss a range of bikes while sticking to my brief, which made a refreshing change. And also opened my eyes to some novel (for me) sizing options. Booked in for some test rides in the afternoon, and all for a penny on the debit card!

Cue the end of the meeting and I was back in there on the dot of three o'clock. Saw the chap, the £1200 Pinnacle was ready to roll ten minutes later, took it out for quarter of an hour or so around the city centre, what a nice ride, very comfortable, almost too "soft" in urban conditions, very neutral feel in terms of geometry but could handle a turn of pace and the steering was really swift and precise. Shifters were in the wrong place on the bar for me but still, good stuff. After that I had a fifteen-minute cavort with a Norco Nitro which was £900. Really nice bike, light, somewhat harsher than the Pinnacle, and felt quicker and lower, although was a bit heavier up front. Perfect size for me. Never used SRAM shifters before so that felt a bit odd. On balance I would have the Norco as it looked nicer imho and is a bit better for my budget.

Also popped out for a similar test on an entry-level GT Karakoram as this was the only 29er in my size that was built up in-store. Nonetheless as it was first ever go on a 29er it was quite interesting to see how persistently they roll. Didn't gel for me though that might have been the awful suspension fork - this was a £500 hardtail. One of the guys did make the point that I might rather like a £1000 29er. I think I'm still on the 26s though. Better the devil and all that.

But, and it's a big but... After two hours riding and in the shop drooling and chatting, I hopped on my 32lb Bobcat and immediately its balance, enthusiasm and stretched top tube grabbed hold of me. I basically rode 4 bikes this afternoon around the same urban environment (yes, I know it's hardly trail!) and the bike I got the most thrill from was my own! So not really any closer to getting a new one.

[Also took the opportunity to drool over the carbon road bikes. My dream bike used to be the Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105, which I have now seen in the flesh, but I must say the SuperSix 105 is far sexier, and cheaper! Mmmmmmmm]

Pics: SuperSix 105, Synapse Carbon 105, GT Karakoram 29er, Norco Nitro 6.2, Pinnacle Iroko Two


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## Motozulu (11 Oct 2012)

Great post, interesting read. Bike porn - I like it 

Although new, I am already thinking forward to my next bike, I've started out on a £600 merida matts 300 trail just to see if I'd get the bug - well, I certainly have so I guess next year it'll be me trawling through the local Evans shop after free rides and drooling. Think I'll always stay on a hardtail but a nice carbon frame and some trick bits on it for my next bike I think.


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## Cyclist33 (11 Oct 2012)

The BMC Teamelite carbon they had in the shop window, looked ooooh so cool. You shouldve said, I wouldve taken a photo of that too!

Stu


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## Motozulu (11 Oct 2012)

Ha ha cheers mate - off to google I go


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## GrumpyGregry (11 Oct 2012)

Motozulu said:


> Great post, interesting read. Bike porn - I like it
> 
> Although new, I am already thinking forward to my next bike, I've started out on a £600 merida matts 300 trail just to see if I'd get the bug - well, I certainly have so I guess next year it'll be me trawling through the local Evans shop after free rides and drooling. *Think I'll always stay on a hardtail* but a nice carbon frame and some trick bits on it for my next bike I think.


Yeah. I used to say that until this summer.


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## Doseone (11 Oct 2012)

I've got a Genesis Core 40 and love it. You don't see too many of them around so they are a little bit different and if it broke tomorrow I'd have another one in a heartbeat. The latest version is the 26.4 at £1099.


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## Motozulu (12 Oct 2012)

What happened this summer to change it Greg?

Doseone - that core is a beauty!

The reason I'm pretty sure I'll stick to HT is mostly money based - ie for £1200 I am gonna get a much better spec of HT than I would of FS? plus I learned (am learning) the game on an HT which I am told is the harder/more fun way of doing things, so I'll stick with 'em.


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## GrumpyGregry (12 Oct 2012)

Motozulu said:


> What happened this summer to change it Greg?
> 
> Doseone - that core is a beauty!
> 
> The reason I'm pretty sure I'll stick to HT is mostly money based - ie for £1200 I am gonna get a much better spec of HT than I would of FS? plus I learned (am learning) the game on an HT which I am told is the harder/more fun way of doing things, so I'll stick with 'em.


I rode the imba transcambrian, and quite a bit more 'epic' multi-day and long-day stuff besides*, and realised that, at 52, if I could find the right light FS XC bike I'd be more comfortable, less beaten up, and, as a consequence, probably faster on a full boinger than on a racey HT (Boardman Pro). Not getting rid of the Boardman, nor my fully rigid ss mtb either, but XC FS has a place in my riding.

Picked up an as new Canyon Nerve XC 7.0 second hand locally for £900.


*and some bloke won an olympic XC gold medal on a full-boinger.....


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## Motozulu (12 Oct 2012)

Fair enough Greg - you obviously are gonna get the use out of one at rides like the transcambrian. I'm a similar age to you (50) and for now I'm just doing the Cannock trails so can't see the need for a boinger - having said that if you are doing that at 52 then maybe in 2 years I'll be ready for more 'interesting' rides?. Never say never eh?


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## lulubel (13 Oct 2012)

GregCollins said:


> *and some bloke won an olympic XC gold medal on a full-boinger.....


 
Which I found quite funny after Chris Boardman had spent the whole of the women's race the previous day saying how important weight was in MTBing and how saving a few grams here and a few grams there made such a difference.

It was a very impressive ride.


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