Any suggestions as to what might be wrong? Of course we'll have to take it back to Evans.There's someting wrong.
We price matched the wiggle price at Evans. Manual is not much use, does not even mention the forks.take it back and buy same bike from wiggle for £ 269 (Evans shows it at £ 350). TBH with you budget, you could do better.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-timberline-10-29er-2013/
IBut to be pragmatic, I don't think the fork lockout has much effect on hill climbing ability.
I doubt - after experimenting a few times - you will use it.