# Recommend me mountain bike



## User16625 (22 Mar 2012)

I won some money in a bet and can budget around £1200 for a new mountain bike. What do you guys suggest? Im after a proper go anywhere full suspension MTB because I do actually ride up and down mountains on it. Im NOT getting anything associated with the big H.


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## jethro10 (23 Mar 2012)

Well I go up and down mountains, live in the lake District, and have "only" front suspension!
It depends what you want to do with it, cross country it sounds like?
If it were me, I'd buy something like these Hardtails
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=72065 - Corratec
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=57165 - Cube
quite light and great forks for the price you want to pay.

for an FS bike, I'd go for something like
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=72828 - Cube
although it's not really in the same class as the H/T cube above. Being lesser spec'd on forks and other components, and weighing as much as the mountain you expect to climb ;-) I particularly like it's rear shock position, leaving room for water bottles if required.
However It's a nice bike for the price, but the way prices have been going these days, I'd want to spend way more on an F/S bike and at your price would go for a H/T.

sorry, no idea what a big H is!

J


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## GrumpyGregry (23 Mar 2012)

jethro10 said:


> sorry, no idea what a big H is!


I'm guessing Halfords maybe, which is sort of ok cos it limits the choices to bikes that are poorer vfm than Boardmans.


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## jethro10 (24 Mar 2012)

Ah yes!
A boardman would be a great choice, excellent VFM.
J


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## Cubist (24 Mar 2012)

If I had 1200 to spend on a FS it would be a Boardman Team, and I'm a dedicated, card carrying, committed bike snob. You simply will not find better for the money. Any other brand and you will find compromises in component choice that will irritate you until you can afford to upgrade. Buy it mail order and build it yourself if the Halfords spannermen trouble you. 
Otherwise I would buy a Cube HT or a Genesis HT. 

Alternatively, buy a used frame and build it up with Ebay bargains. A giant Trance frame off ebay for about 500 quid and the rest is down to you, your internet trawling power and paypal account.


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## Cubist (24 Mar 2012)

Here you are.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Giant-Tra...keparts_SR&hash=item4163f1729f#ht_2510wt_1396


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## subaqua (24 Mar 2012)

anything more than £500 from decathlon . as you will be getting huge VFM.


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## Francesca (24 Mar 2012)

get an On One Carbon 456.


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## Peteaud (24 Mar 2012)

Do you really need a full susser?

£1200 gets a whole lotta Hardtail.

like this http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/trek-6700.html


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## User16625 (26 Mar 2012)

Dont know if I need a full suspesnion. Just assumed I did coz I come down some hills quite fast that have serious bumps. Front suspension is defintately a requirement. Even with a front one the vibes can get quite powerful. Just out of curiousity how much could I expect to pay 'at minimum' for a decent full sus MTB?

Btw I was referring to halfords as the big H. Reason being they are well known for selling first class shite. I drew the line at halfords when I purchased a basic footpump that simply didnt work, ever. Cheers for the suggestions!


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## Cubist (26 Mar 2012)

Halfords are also renowned for selling some first class bikes at very reasonable prices. Carrera, GT, Voodoo, Boardman, all excellent quality at their specific price points. If your principles over a crap footpump stop you considering them as a possibility you lose out big style. You asked how to spend 1200 on a FS bike. That's already bargain territory for most manufacturers. Look at Cube XMS, Giant Anthem X4, hailed as the best value XC susser by What Mountain Bike for a couple of years, and shop round to find X3 ( a spec level better, within your budget.) A Boardman Team will be lighter though!

Serious bumps on hills can be tamed by a quality hardtail with quality forks. A 120 or 140mm travel HT will eat most terrain. Cheap end MTBs with undamped forks will suffer.


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## Francesca (27 Mar 2012)

On One,On One,On One,On One...................


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## lukesdad (27 Mar 2012)

Have another a bet and get a proper bike!


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## flying start (18 Apr 2012)

£1200 you can get a ragley hard tail -blue pig or piglet fun to ride to!!


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## Philk (18 Apr 2012)

How about a cube XMS
http://www.coventrycyclecentre.co.uk/m1b0s1p2751/CUBE_XMS_2012

or a little bit more but for SLX
http://www.coventrycyclecentre.co.uk/m1b0s1p2873/CUBE_AMS_130_2012


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## User16625 (27 Apr 2012)

Cubist said:


> Halfords are also renowned for selling some first class bikes at _very reasonable prices_. *Carrera, GT*, Voodoo, Boardman, all excellent quality at their specific price points. If your principles over a crap footpump stop you considering them as a possibility you lose out big style. You asked how to spend 1200 on a FS bike. That's already bargain territory for most manufacturers. Look at Cube XMS, Giant Anthem X4, hailed as the best value XC susser by What Mountain Bike for a couple of years, and shop round to find X3 ( a spec level better, within your budget.) A Boardman Team will be lighter though!
> 
> Serious bumps on hills can be tamed by a quality hardtail with quality forks. A 120 or 140mm travel HT will eat most terrain. Cheap end MTBs with undamped forks will suffer.


 
Whats so reasonable about the price of one of them? In anycase if I was going to buy one I would go to an actual porsche dealer and not halfords. Also im not basing my principles over a single item but over a range of items and rediculous problems with my 1st bike I ver had which happened to be from helfords. When I took that bike back for a refund, I noticed another customer complaining about a snapped bicycle frame. Also others have mentioned poor experiences on the net.

As for my mountain bike I have decided to save up a bit more and get one in the summer. Also whats the advantage of so called "upside down forks" and "telescopic forks"?


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## Cubist (27 Apr 2012)

You appear to have made your mind up then.


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## Mark Grant (27 Apr 2012)

Not all Halfords staff are numpties! I bought a Boardman road bike a few years ago, before buying I spoke to one of the Bikehut chappies and from that conversation decided that he was pretty clued up. I took the bike back for the free 6 week service, more to ensure that I maintained any warranty obligations than anything else, but they serviced and adjusted it fine.
I have recently been fancying a (reasonably priced, (ie sub £500)) MTB and am quite liking the Voodoo Hoodoo 29er.


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## Cubist (28 Apr 2012)

Mark Grant said:


> Not all Halfords staff are numpties! I bought a Boardman road bike a few years ago, before buying I spoke to one of the Bikehut chappies and from that conversation decided that he was pretty clued up. I took the bike back for the free 6 week service, more to ensure that I maintained any warranty obligations than anything else, but they serviced and adjusted it fine.
> I have recently been fancying a (reasonably priced, (ie sub £500)) MTB and am quite liking the Voodoo Hoodoo 29er.


Careful now, we'll have no reactionary sense being typed, this is a Halfords thread!


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