New Mountain Bike?

[figbat]

"But what’s the spec?" Don't understand your question - Raleigh Xanthos MTB is the specification, & I posted a link. How much do I have to spend? That will depend upon what is available bike-wise.

I want something lighter than the Xanthos, even slightly lighter; I don't want front and rear suspension - the last two wheeler I had with front and rear suspension was a 125cc motorcycle. Today I just want an off-road MTB for exercise, thank you!

The problem is you are asking for and providing conflicting information. You keep telling us about the Raleigh Xanthos and yet link us to a Claud Butler Xanthos. You tell us you want an offroad MTB yet you don't want any suspension.

I suspect what you want is what's known as a hybrid bike or a flat-barred 'gravel' bike. Anything with decent-width tyres will go "offroad".

 

[fossyant]

That bike is probably 25-30 years old. I still have a lovely CroMo Diamond Back Ascent mountain bike that was a good spec in the day.

Now you aren't helping - we need to know what you want to spend. Mountain bikes are nothing like they were 25 years ago. If you want something similar, then as Vickster says, a Carrera Subway will do what that does - it's basically a fat tyred hybrid with no suspension.

Or if you want a mountain bike - for proper off road, then they can start from £300 upwards to over £10,000, so budget is important. If you want a hard tail (front suspension) look for air forks, not cheap springs, then budget is north of £500. Full suspension you are looking a £1,000 plus for something that's good.

The world of bikes has moved on massively in 25 years. What sort of riding do you want to do, roads, tracks, rough trails, mountains, big rocky stuff, jumps, drop offs.

There isn't a like for like replacement for that bike.

 

[vickster]

That bike is probably 25-30 years old. I still have a lovely CroMo Diamond Back Ascent mountain bike that was a good spec in the day.

Now you aren't helping - we need to know what you want to spend. Mountain bikes are nothing like they were 25 years ago. If you want something similar, then as Vickster says, a Carrera Subway will do what that does - it's basically a fat tyred hybrid with no suspension.

Or if you want a mountain bike - for proper off road, then they can start from £300 upwards to over £10,000, so budget is important. If you want a hard tail (front suspension) look for air forks, not cheap springs, then budget is north of £500. Full suspension you are looking a £1,000 plus for something that's good.

The world of bikes has moved on massively in 25 years. What sort of riding do you want to do, roads, tracks, rough trails, mountains, big rocky stuff, jumps, drop offs.

There isn't a like for like replacement for that bike.

Other than getting the exact same bike in better condition

 

[fossyant]

"But what’s the spec?" Don't understand your question - Raleigh Xanthos MTB is the specification, & I posted a link. How much do I have to spend? That will depend upon what is available bike-wise.

I want something lighter than the Xanthos, even slightly lighter; I don't want front and rear suspension - the last two wheeler I had with front and rear suspension was a 125cc motorcycle. Today I just want an off-road MTB for exercise, thank you!

You are looking at £500 or more realistically. Please define off road. Tracks and canals, then a hybrid will do and be lighter if no suspension. If you want to do real mountain biking, then double your money for something good.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

That bike is probably 25-30 years old. I still have a lovely CroMo Diamond Back Ascent mountain bike that was a good spec in the day.

There isn't a like for like replacement for that bike.

In what way exactly has the existing bike reached the end of it's useful life? I have more than one MTB that is at least 30 years old and they are still maintainable, so long as the frames don't crack or rust through. A steel framed bike from the 80's or 90's can be kept going indefinitely if desired by simply replacing worn out mechanicals. Triple chainsets, 26" wheels, 5/6 speed freewheels and canti/V brakes are all still obtainable.

 

[fossyant]

In what way exactly has the existing bike reached the end of it's useful life? I have more than one MTB that is at least 30 years old and they are still maintainable, so long as the frames don't crack or rust through. A steel framed bike from the 80's or 90's can be kept going indefinitely if desired by simply replacing worn out mechanicals. Triple chainsets, 26" wheels, 5/6 speed freewheels and canti/V brakes are all still obtainable.

Same here, the bike above works perfectly. OP's asked for a replacement. I'd fix up the old one and buy a new one too.

 

[figbat]

Agreed - an old chromoly steel frame will be pretty much indestructible; weight can be saved with components like wheels and cranks if this is a genuine issue.

I have a 23 year old MTB frame that I 'did up' and is perfectly pleasant to ride, not to mention perfectly functional.

That said, the new bike lure is strong, although in these post-apocalyptic times not easy to find and may well become the future commodity upon which society lives and dies.

 

[raleighnut]

Same here, the bike above works perfectly. OP's asked for a replacement. I'd fix up the old one and buy a new one too.

Ditto for rebuilding the old one £500 should give some decent upgrades and be a much better bike.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

£500 should give some decent upgrades and be a much better bike.

Most of the old bangers I've got my hands on needed a set of cables, brake blocks, a new chain, a freewheel and a pair of resin MTB pedals - at the most. That's for the hard used ones. Others have literally needed only a wipe down, a bit of lubrication, and the tyres pumping up. There's too much weight weenyism obsession going on. Plenty of modern suspension bikes are just as heavy, if not heavier, than the old rigid 26'ers. Even if they've used expensive bits to save weight, overall the bikes are bigger and they have more mechanical parts on them, not to mention most of them run larger wheels too.
Only the low end 26" bikes with steel wheels were really noticeably heavy and the rims are easily swapped for alloy ones. I've only got one bike that takes a noticeable effort to thrust aloft with my arm extended skywards and walk through tight barriers, and that's my rod braked 3-speed which weighs over 40 lbs. My MTB's are low to mid 30's lbs in weight and manhandling or carrying them is a non-issue.

 

[raleighnut]

Most of the old bangers I've got my hands on needed a set of cables, brake blocks, a new chain, a freewheel and a pair of resin MTB pedals - at the most. That's for the hard used ones. Others have literally needed only a wipe down, a bit of lubrication, and the tyres pumping up. There's too much weight weenyism obsession going on. Plenty of modern suspension bikes are just as heavy, if not heavier, than the old rigid 26'ers. Even if they've used expensive bits to save weight, overall the bikes are bigger and they have more mechanical parts on them, not to mention most of them run larger wheels too.
Only the low end 26" bikes with steel wheels were really noticeably heavy and the rims are easily swapped for alloy ones. I've only got one bike that takes a noticeable effort to thrust aloft with my arm extended skywards and walk through tight barriers, and that's my rod braked 3-speed which weighs over 40 lbs. My MTB's are low to mid 30's lbs in weight and manhandling or carrying them is a non-issue.

A decent set of hubs spin up far faster than cheapo ones (don't ask me why but experience has taught me they do) likewise swapping steel handlebars/stem/seatpost for aluminium ones saves considerable weight without costing a fortune, these are only marginal gains but once you add them together it shifts a mediocre bike into a good quality one. as for being a 'weight weenie' I tend to bolt Brooks saddles onto most of my bikes which are hardly lightweight. (or cheap)

 

[fossyant]

Most of the old bangers I've got my hands on

Life is to short to ride old bangers. Old quality bikes yes, bangers, no. 👅

 

[kr236rk]

The link you posted is a Claud Butler.

Where do you get Raleigh from.

Soz - my previous was a Raleigh - this is a Radford.

 

[kr236rk]

A Carrera Subway would fit the bill as a modern all purpose bike, although not the lightest.
Eg. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154014069154
(new ones have disc brakes which your old Claud Butler doesn’t)

Most bikes marketed as MTBs nowadays have suspension.
If you want one without, look for something from the 90s second hand like the one you have

How off road do you go? If not rough stuff, you could get a bike marketed as a rigid hybrid (flat bars) or gravel (usually drop bars)

Carrera certainly looks lighter than my old one.

Weight (lb) 30.16
Weight (kg) 13.68

My wheels are, rim-to-rim, 22" so I guess it's a 22 inch bike.

Problem is, the chain-teeth on my bike are worn out, if I buy 2nd hand, I might be faced with the same problem.

Exercise mostly on roads with some off-road bumpy, gravelly track-riding ~ some of it 'bone-shaker' terrain. But mostly on tarmac.

Thanks

 

[vickster]

No, the 22” usually refers to toptube or seat tube, get the tape measure out again, not a measurement of wheels, but of one piece of the frame!
Halfords give a suggested frame size by height for the Subway.
Subway fine for that terrain, it has chunky tyres as standard. Stocks short but even a new one is only around £300-400 with disc brakes

 

[vickster]

Carrera certainly looks lighter than my old one.

Weight (lb) 30.16
Weight (kg) 13.68

My wheels are, rim-to-rim, 22" so I guess it's a 22 inch bike.

Problem is, the chain-teeth on my bike are worn out, if I buy 2nd hand, I might be faced with the same problem.

Exercise mostly on roads with some off-road bumpy, gravelly track-riding ~ some of it 'bone-shaker' terrain. But mostly on tarmac.

Thanks

Why not just replace the rings or even the crank set