# HardTail MTB SUGGESTIONS?



## j [dot] l (6 Aug 2008)

Hi, i'm new on this forum...

I just wanted some suggestions on what Hardtail MTB i could get in the range of £300.

Some bikes i have looked are is the:

Saracen Instinct 1 (2008) which i could get for £244
Saracen Mantra 1
Kona Shred (but they are too small?)
Mongoose Fireball 26"


*Full Suspension MTB i have looked at..

*Saracen Raw 2*


Thanks in advance
Jonathan

*


----------



## j [dot] l (6 Aug 2008)

*BTW i know my price range is low, but i really dont have the money for a expensive bike atm*


----------



## Mr Pig (6 Aug 2008)

Forget a full suspension bike. You can't get a decent one for £300. What I would say is look out for the sales as you'll get a good bike massively reduced. The bike I bought for £540 (list price £570) can now be had for £450 on line! A soaking summer will mean big bargains.


----------



## j [dot] l (6 Aug 2008)

thanks for the reply MR. PIG...

Anyone have any reviews about the Saracen Instinct 1?


Thanks


----------



## Mr Pig (6 Aug 2008)

Half of the bikes you're looking at are jump bikes, a bit like a cross between a mountain bike and a BMX? Basically they're not ideal for long distances or general cross country use, they're more for playing on.

Take a look at this:

http://www.billys.co.uk/english/group.php?prod=5score4

Scott are a good brand, they make decent bikes, and there's a couple of interesting features on this bike. Firstly, it does not have disk brakes. On a bike at this price that's not necessarily a negative as cheap disk brakes are often not great and 'V' brakes are both simple and more than good enough for most people.

Secondly, it has a Rock Shox fork. It's a fairly basic Rock Shox fork by today's standards but Rock Shox don't sell rubbish and it's still better than most other forks you'll find on bikes at this price. 

I'd also look at Specialized Hardrock bikes. Specialized also make solid bikes with good warranties, all their frames are guaranteed for life, and if you hunt around you should find 2008 bikes with big reductions.

2009 bikes are coming out just now and with the rubbish summer there will be seizable stocks of 2008 bikes to clear. Keep looking as heading into September you'll see real bargains coming up.


----------



## j [dot] l (7 Aug 2008)

Thanks for the reply again MR. PIG.

I've been looking at the 

*HARO ESCAPE SPORT*

So can i just ask, would this be ideal for long distant/cross country riding?



I've also looked at the *Saracen Recoil LE*. I know you said "Forget about Full Suspension bike" but after browsing through the net i just come upon it. 

So just wondering is the 
*Saracen Recoil LE* any good?


----------



## Mr Pig (7 Aug 2008)

What is it that you want the bike for? If it's for commuting, cycle track, farm/forest trails and some mild off roading you simply do not need a full suspension bike. In fact most of the time it's questionable whether you need a front suspension fork!

What you've got to remember is that everything extra that's bolted to a bike is extra weight that you've got to lug around. A suspension fork might weigh over five pounds, maybe five times what a simple ridged fork weighs. Look at all the parts on the rear suspension and think about what that lot weighs! 

These things also cost more money which means that money has to be shaved off elsewhere. So a £300 hardtail, all else being equal, will have better components than a £300 full suspension bike. The better components will work better 'and' probably be lighter!

Perhaps the best way to understand it is to look at the very cheap full suspension bikes you can buy from places like JJB Sports and Halfords for about £100. Think about how little the components on the bike must cost if the whole bike costs £100 !! These bikes weigh a ton and everything on them is poor quality. If you ever do manage to drag their bulk over some rough ground the suspension will kick you all over the place and even on tarmac it'll turn your best peddling effort into bobbing and pogoing slowly along the road!

The bearings will last about a week and the cheap disk brakes, because that's what everyone wants these days, will give you nothing but grief as they squeal and clunk their way to a stop.

With bikes, less is often more. A lightweight hardtail, or even a bike with no suspension at all, will be faster, more reliable and more fun to ride than a cheap full suspension bike.


----------



## Losidan (7 Aug 2008)

Just to add to Mr P's comments....

What about looking second hand too? You will get far more bang for your buck..Some cycle shops even have 2nd hand bikes available in store..

I got a Marin Palisades trail Hardtail..Comes with a decent set of Manitou shocks and Shimano Deore Gears...Got it all for £100 all in...That is a good bike that will last for less than half your budget. 

Dan


----------



## punkypossum (7 Aug 2008)

Have a look at this:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12540401


----------



## Mr Pig (7 Aug 2008)

Losidan said:


> What about looking second hand too?



Good point. I bought my wife a GT bike for £100 which was very similar in spec to my £450 Specialized! 

If you buy a used bike only buy a low-mileage immaculate one. Lots of people buy bikes with great intentions then never use them. This is what you want, not some worn-out hack. As well as general condition look at how worn the tyres, brake pads and gears are.


----------

