1st Post: £700-£1000

[mfereborn]

Hey guys, first post!

And as a regular forum user for motorcycles, angling and god knows what else i understand this is a question your no doubt regularly asked.

I'm off to uni in a years time, hopefully to Keele (Staffordshire) and i believe there is some excellent cycling to be had. I have also rode downhill competitively for several years before a major accident, making my '06 Stinky unuseable.

Now im wanting to get back into cycling properly i'm after an XC bike but im stumped as to which to buy, as my last XC bike was a diamondback coil FS (which i did actually enjoy except for the budget suspension and chainset).

I have a budget of about £700 - £1000 and would like a new bike, can anyone reccomend an XC hardtail of which will cope with regular, spirited riding? I mean im 18, i cant resist a little air from time to time although i understand on a budget of <£1000 a decent full sus bike will be hard to find.

Although i have seen winstanley cycles offering the kona stinky for £800 i think it was?

Advise away please

Thom.

 

[GilesM]

Hi there, I'm just biased, but I wouldn't look any further than here:

http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/2008bikes/bikes.php

P7 or EVO8, depends if you want a steel or Ali frame, play around with possible options and you could fit a fork that would match your reckless age. I think the budget is just a little too low for a decent full sus, however there could be a few good ones in the sales somewhere. The main advantage of a hardtail is that you'll be going slower when you have a coming together with the ground

Have fun

Giles

 

[mfereborn]

i've been eyeing up a P7 Pro but found it hard to find a 17" frame in white (picky i know!)

And to be fair the rigid rear end could prove alot more fun than sus ever lets me have.

I've heard the p7 has poor quality drop outs that move after just a few sessions of half hearted riding?

 

[GilesM]

i've been eyeing up a P7 Pro but found it hard to find a 17" frame in white (picky i know!)

And to be fair the rigid rear end could prove alot more fun than sus ever lets me have.

I've heard the p7 has poor quality drop outs that move after just a few sessions of half hearted riding?

I've never heard of any problems with the rear drop outs, however, remember that if your background is DH, then you would probably hear about alot of problems as normal bikes can't take the DH abuse.

Orange make a lot of great colours, no need to go for white

 

[Mr Pig]

The Orange Prestige S Looks cool, I'm quite taken with the idea of steel bikes at the mo you see ;0)

This is a similar idea but has higher quality steel in the frame and a better fork and brakes:

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bike/altitude_20

 

[Trillian]

an on one inbred is a good choice

 

[mfereborn]

I've never heard of any problems with the rear drop outs, however, remember that if your background is DH, then you would probably hear about alot of problems as normal bikes can't take the DH abuse.

I read it on a review website, i dont remember which however, but also that the seat post clamp was poor, however i expect this would be a cheap fix.

I'll have a look down my LBS and see what they have in, they stock a decent range of bikes atm!

 

[aserota]

What size frame are you looking for?

I have recently purchased a custom built hardtail MTB, which i am considering selling. Aluminium frame, carbon everything else, full XT groupset. It is a medium/large frame.

 

[mfereborn]

im looking for a 17"

 

[bonj2]

second hand big hit? i sold a mint one for 800 about a year ago that i built up and decided it wasn't for me. jnr t's, all hope, sad to see it go really. But it was sad to keep it, knowing that i wasn't able to punish it to the degree it deserved.
Sure there's similar out there...

 

[mfereborn]

I'm half tempted to build a bike from the ground up to be honest i have a year to do so so can make a very nice ride in that time and it'll allow me to throw about £2000 into it.

 

[mondobongo]

If you don't mind last years colour then Pauls Cycles always has some really good bargains.
Its just a case of trawling through. Big savings on good bikes can be had.

My last MTB was an Orange P7 Pro I had no problems with dropouts or anything else and it took plenty of stick in Wales the Lakes etc. Couple of pics in my sig.
Yes the original seatpost clamp is crap change it for a Hope job done.

 

[mfereborn]

I think what i'm going to do is try and pick up a good condition frame from ebay, something with an all mountain/DH sort of thing going for it.

I fancy a 24seven frame i saw on there earlier.