New MTB Budget £1000 - £1500
- Thread starter Jim77
- Start date
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dodgy said:Sorry Jim, I'm a dufus, you clarified the models in your second post
I'm sorry, I've never ridden the Orbea or Scott models. Again, are you buying from Eureka Cycle Sports for the Orbea and Scott?
Dave.
Why do you ask about Eureka Cycle Sports btw, have you bought bikes from there in the past?
Hire bikes at Llandegla are/ were (not been for ages) Kona hardtails. I think you can do test rides but am not sure on the proceedure for doing so.
IMO, if you are mainly going to be sticking to trail centers a long[ish] travel hardtail would fit the bill nicely something with around 130mm of travel. Much more pedal efficient on man made trails where it never really gets that rough and in the £1000- £1500 mark there's some nice ones to be had.
IMO, if you are mainly going to be sticking to trail centers a long[ish] travel hardtail would fit the bill nicely something with around 130mm of travel. Much more pedal efficient on man made trails where it never really gets that rough and in the £1000- £1500 mark there's some nice ones to be had.
If you are actually going to cycle to work and don't work half way up a mountain, I would think hard before buying a full suspension bike because they are inevitably pretty heavy and no fun whatsover to ride on-road. For light cross-country, which I think is what you are talking about, many people use hardtails and some are even dispensing with front suspension to save weight and get more precise steering. A hardtail is fine on-road, especially if you can afford a second set of wheels kitted out with road tyres.
For a full suspension, you would be hard put to better the Stumpy, which gets fabulous reviews, although I'm surprised the Kona Four Deluxe (if you can get one), which has one of the new Kona scandium frames, doesn't make your shortlist. I think either of those two bikes, which come from manufacturers with long and illustrious pedigrees in this field, would be much better than the Orbea.
For a hardtail, the Scott Scale range is supposed to be fantastic -- incredibly light and stiff. Konas always score for great handling, and their new Scandium frames are both light and comfortable. The Genesis range seems like top value, especially if a more comfortable (but heavier) frame appeals. I looked into hardtails a lot a few months ago, and these were the bikes that stood out.
It's worth bearing in mind that at the price you are talking about, the hardtails are race bikes for which weight is everything -- most of the components work brilliantly anway -- and they are built for people who on the whole replace their bikes quite often. They are tough when ridden as intended, but fragile when it comes to accidental knocks and bumps -- you can easily ding an expensive lightweight frame with your knee or by banging up too hard against a lamppost, for instance! Come off one, and there is a higher chance of a write-off than with a cheaper, heavier bike.
The same is true of full suspension bikes -- except that there really aren't any cheaper full sussers that are worth buying at all. Below a grand, they are heavy just to look at and constantly need repairing.
This is not to put you off an expensive bike -- they really are a lot better than cheap ones, especially the frame, forks and wheels. Personally, I have never hesitated to spend as much as I could afford and then some because I think riding really great bikes is hugely exhilarating!
Of course, the best and most important thing you can do is ignore all this pontificating and try the bikes out yourself -- one or other will just feel right. Years ago I had narrowed the choice down to a Kona or a Cannondale. I was convinced I would go for the Kona, but when I got on the Cannondale (F600), I just felt completely dialled in, and I had my credit card out within two minutes. Then I had my credit card out again and again for three years because although it is a beautiful bike and a Headshok is the best short-travel suspension unit on the market when it works, it is almost impossible to service and there are very few mechanics who have mastered them. I lost count of the number of times I paid fifty quid to have mine "serviced" at wretched Evans...
Cheers,
Tom
For a full suspension, you would be hard put to better the Stumpy, which gets fabulous reviews, although I'm surprised the Kona Four Deluxe (if you can get one), which has one of the new Kona scandium frames, doesn't make your shortlist. I think either of those two bikes, which come from manufacturers with long and illustrious pedigrees in this field, would be much better than the Orbea.
For a hardtail, the Scott Scale range is supposed to be fantastic -- incredibly light and stiff. Konas always score for great handling, and their new Scandium frames are both light and comfortable. The Genesis range seems like top value, especially if a more comfortable (but heavier) frame appeals. I looked into hardtails a lot a few months ago, and these were the bikes that stood out.
It's worth bearing in mind that at the price you are talking about, the hardtails are race bikes for which weight is everything -- most of the components work brilliantly anway -- and they are built for people who on the whole replace their bikes quite often. They are tough when ridden as intended, but fragile when it comes to accidental knocks and bumps -- you can easily ding an expensive lightweight frame with your knee or by banging up too hard against a lamppost, for instance! Come off one, and there is a higher chance of a write-off than with a cheaper, heavier bike.
The same is true of full suspension bikes -- except that there really aren't any cheaper full sussers that are worth buying at all. Below a grand, they are heavy just to look at and constantly need repairing.
This is not to put you off an expensive bike -- they really are a lot better than cheap ones, especially the frame, forks and wheels. Personally, I have never hesitated to spend as much as I could afford and then some because I think riding really great bikes is hugely exhilarating!
Of course, the best and most important thing you can do is ignore all this pontificating and try the bikes out yourself -- one or other will just feel right. Years ago I had narrowed the choice down to a Kona or a Cannondale. I was convinced I would go for the Kona, but when I got on the Cannondale (F600), I just felt completely dialled in, and I had my credit card out within two minutes. Then I had my credit card out again and again for three years because although it is a beautiful bike and a Headshok is the best short-travel suspension unit on the market when it works, it is almost impossible to service and there are very few mechanics who have mastered them. I lost count of the number of times I paid fifty quid to have mine "serviced" at wretched Evans...
Cheers,
Tom
GilesM
Legendary Member
- Location
- East Lothian
This is another option, just to confuse.
If you would like a bike that you can use for commutting and trails and will give you lots of room to grow as you get more experienced/confident/extreme (all possibles) off road this could help, the components are very good and with the Fox Talas RLC 100-120-140mm fork upgrade you would have a bike capable of many things, and as already mentioned another set of wheels with road tyres for the ride to work.
http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/2008bikes/p7-pro-upg.php
Whatever you do, as already mentioned stay hardtail otherwise your road rides will be a tad hard, and a front fork that can lock out will also help, climbing on the road with a suspension fork stealing all of your energy is not fun. Hardtails are also the best way to learn all of the best skills for hte off road riding.
Giles
If you would like a bike that you can use for commutting and trails and will give you lots of room to grow as you get more experienced/confident/extreme (all possibles) off road this could help, the components are very good and with the Fox Talas RLC 100-120-140mm fork upgrade you would have a bike capable of many things, and as already mentioned another set of wheels with road tyres for the ride to work.
http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/2008bikes/p7-pro-upg.php
Whatever you do, as already mentioned stay hardtail otherwise your road rides will be a tad hard, and a front fork that can lock out will also help, climbing on the road with a suspension fork stealing all of your energy is not fun. Hardtails are also the best way to learn all of the best skills for hte off road riding.
Giles
Flying_Monkey
Recyclist
- Location
- Odawa
Awesome bike, plus it's British made, and riding an Orange gives you instant credibility with other MTBers!
I agree with everything Giles says here.
I agree with everything Giles says here.
Kirstie
Über Member
All of the wales trail centres are rideable on a hardtail (I've done them all), and there are also some brilliant, challenging off road loops in the berwyns and clwydians which do not require full suspension,in fact you're better off on a hardtail because the climbs are enormous. For £1500 you can get a LOT of hardtail for your money - something really beautiful, and they also make you a better, more precise rider.
GilesM
Legendary Member
- Location
- East Lothian
Not something you'd see Flying Monkey write too often, just shows how agreeable life is when we all talk about cycling and bikes, just keep off that Politics and Enviroment stuff
Giles
