Choosing a new bike

[RadRyder]

I got back into cycling about 6 months ago with a B-Twin Rockrider, as I was on a gap year I used it quite a bit and really loved it, taking it to Richmond Park for many hours at a time.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-500-mountain-bike-id_8293150.html
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/carrera-sulcata-mens-mountain-bike
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/raleigh-nova-mens-mountain-bike

I have distant aspirations to ride on tracks and get into some serious stuff, but I wonder if you can rent professional bikes at those places? Not sure if any of the bikes above would be good enough to use on tracks anyway.

Out of the bikes above I'm just wondering which you guys would recommend? Or are there any others in the same price bracket that would be superior? I'm looking for the best bike I can buy for the money - I'm a student so my budget doesn't stretch very far!

Getting a second bike as I need one at university and one at home - too much hassle to take it back and forth with me everytime!

Thank you so much in advance!

 

[steveindenmark]

For your Uni bike I would choose something cheap and practical, rather than expensive and blingy. They do go missing a lot in Uni towns.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

+1 ^^^^^^^ & maybe consider something that can take a rack for panniers so you'll be more comfortable transporting books and stuff, mudguards for bad weather and gearing suited more for city roads riding rather than weekends hooning about it the hills.

 

[RadRyder]

Got the uni bike sorted - looking for one to have fun on off road a bit now for my second purchase!

 

[vickster]

See what Paulscycles have on deal