# Bike advice please



## mark st1 (30 Jul 2016)

Possibility of dipping a toe in the mtb world I have a few mates that use Swinley forest a lot and as I'm told it's on my doorstep I should make use of it... Can anyone offer any real world info on either of these 2 please...

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...goryId=165499&productId=1173803&storeId=10001

Or 

https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized-rockhopper-comp-29-2016-mountain-bike-EV244881

Have to be honest the specs mean and features mean nothing to me always a bit suspect of Halfords reviews as well. So all pros and cons appreciated. 

Many thanks
Mark


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## RBT84 (30 Jul 2016)

The boardman is a nice bike for the money well specced and a good fork, personally I steer clear of the Specialized nice frame however everything else lets it down.


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## MarquisMatsugae (30 Jul 2016)

Normally I would recommend a Rockhopper when someone wants to start out in MTB'ing.Forget the rest kind of thing.
But...,...I would take the Boardman hands down now.
Nice looking,well built and comes with a nice little package of durable quality components.
Add to that ,a cracking fork in that price category.
Boardman for me........hands down.


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## mark st1 (30 Jul 2016)

Thanks both of you now just wondering weather it's worth the stretch up to this or weather it's s bit unnecessary for a newbie..

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...goryId=165499&productId=1173726&storeId=10001


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## MarquisMatsugae (30 Jul 2016)

Nothing is newbie unecessary.
It's not a huge jump in price either,and I actually like that it comes with SRAM Guides.


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## Levo-Lon (31 Jul 2016)

The boardman pro.. ..if your under 6' id see if you can get it in 27.5 unless you want 29.
the sram GX and reba fork will be all you need for a few years .
no buy cheap and upgrade needed as you already have a good set up.


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## Drago (31 Jul 2016)

Some journalists have criticised, most notably in an MBR group test, that Boardman frame for being too flexible at the rear, so much so that heavy or powerful riders can make the tyre brush the chainstay as they lay on the power. If you're a big or meaty chap this may be a consideration. Go try one and see, you may be fine, you may not.

All that glitters is not necessarily gold. Spec lists may make a starting point for your quest, but a bling bike doesn't automatically ride better than a lower spec one.


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## Levo-Lon (31 Jul 2016)

Drago said:


> Some journalists have criticised, most notably in an MBR group test, that Boardman frame for being too flexible at the rear, so much so that heavy or powerful riders can make the tyre brush the chainstay as they lay on the power. If you're a big or meaty chap this may be a consideration. Go try one and see, you may be fine, you may not.
> 
> All that glitters is not necessarily gold. Spec lists may make a starting point for your quest, but a being bike doesn't automatically ride better than a lower spec one.



good point @Drago ..ive not read that ..


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## mark st1 (31 Jul 2016)

meta lon said:


> The boardman pro.. ..if your under 6' id see if you can get it in 27.5 unless you want 29.



Sorry I dont know what that means ?


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## mark st1 (31 Jul 2016)

Drago said:


> Some journalists have criticised, most notably in an MBR group test, that Boardman frame for being too flexible at the rear, so much so that heavy or powerful riders can make the tyre brush the chainstay as they lay on the power. If you're a big or meaty chap this may be a consideration. Go try one and see, you may be fine, you may not.
> 
> All that glitters is not necessarily gold. Spec lists may make a starting point for your quest, but a bling bike doesn't automatically ride better than a lower spec one.



Good stuff many thanks.


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## MarquisMatsugae (31 Jul 2016)

meta lon said:


> good point @Drago ..ive not read that ..



Me neither.
A problem across the whole range @Drago ?
Not being a particularly meaty chap(in my mind),the two hours I had on one,the back end behaved itself.
Lively though,but good lively.


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## Levo-Lon (31 Jul 2016)

mark st1 said:


> Sorry I dont know what that means ?




Wheel size..


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## mark st1 (31 Jul 2016)

Right got it. Is there advantages/disadvantages to having bigger/smaller wheels ?


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## NorthernDave (31 Jul 2016)

MarquisMatsugae said:


> Me neither.
> A problem across the whole range @Drago ?
> Not being a particularly meaty chap(in my mind),the two hours I had on one,the back end behaved itself.
> Lively though,but good lively.



I can only speak from my experience with an MX Sport hybrid (it's geometry is pretty much pure MTB) and I've never noticed that problem despite giving it a lot of stick / having fun off road, and I was definitely on the larger side when I started cycling again (and sadly still am...).


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## MarquisMatsugae (31 Jul 2016)

mark st1 said:


> Right got it. Is there advantages/disadvantages to having bigger/smaller wheels ?



That debate rolls on and on,to coin a phrase.
I'm out .


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## mark st1 (31 Jul 2016)

MarquisMatsugae said:


> That debate rolls on and on,to coin a phrase.
> I'm out .


Lol fair enough I will file it under the helmet and headphones questions


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## rovers1875 (31 Jul 2016)

You have obviously been looking in Halfords, Have you considered the Voodoo Bizango 29er it gets the best reviews of any sub £600 MTB. I must admit I have one and it;s capabilities are far in excess of my skills. My mate who can actually ride, has had it on the red run at Gisburn forest and came back grinning from ear to ear. And they are currently being discounted to £479 "Worth considering"


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## mark st1 (31 Jul 2016)

rovers1875 said:


> You have obviously been looking in Halfords, Have you considered the Voodoo Bizango 29er it gets the best reviews of any sub £600 MTB. I must admit I have one and it;s capabilities are far in excess of my skills. My mate who can actually ride, has had it on the red run at Gisburn forest and came back grinning from ear to ear. And they are currently being discounted to £479 "Worth considering"



Thanks for the tip will check it out.


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## MiK1138 (1 Aug 2016)

If yo


mark st1 said:


> Thanks both of you now just wondering weather it's worth the stretch up to this or weather it's s bit unnecessary for a newbie..
> 
> http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...goryId=165499&productId=1173726&storeId=10001


ur Going for the Pro 29er try and get the 2015 its better specced than the 2016 only comes with an 11 speed drivetrain which to me seems a bit useless on a mountain bike, i just picked up the 2015 a couple of days ago and had a great time on it


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## Levo-Lon (1 Aug 2016)

MiK1138 said:


> If yo
> 
> ur Going for the Pro 29er try and get the 2015 its better specced than the 2016 only comes with an 11 speed drivetrain which to me seems a bit useless on a mountain bike, i just picked up the 2015 a couple of days ago and had a great time on it




never mind


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