Thinking Of My Next Bike.

[GrumpyGregry]

Cheers Greg - yeah, what a dope eh? far too trusting that's me.

You learn though - at least now with the Merida I have a comparison and know the size I want - the Radon looks like a bike I could seriously live with...roll on Spring!

Amen bro, I bagged a secondhand FS for that and am currently winterising my HT by converting to 2 x 9

 

[Motozulu]

Ok after some serious soul (and bank balance) searching - I cannot for the life of me see how my £1,000 could be better spent than on the Boardman HT Pro - I reckon for another £300 on top (just do-able) I could end up with the carbon jobbie version..

Can anyone please convince me as to why I should not - before I spend the next 5 years at Cannock getting blokes on Treks looking at me and going 'Pfft - is that a Boardman? from Halfords? sniff'.

This is heavy stuff - my street cred could be in jeapordy here.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...uctId_777721_langId_-1_categoryId_165499#tab2

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...uctId_777751_langId_-1_categoryId_165499#tab2

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The geometry of an HT Pro is quiet racy, even with the 120mm fork fitted. This means, if the rider doesn't have the skills to cope, the bike can become quite a handful when things go downwards steeply on technical terrain. Slack it ain't. Add to that tyres which are not the best - unless you get lucky and find a given bike has black chilli compounds on - for wet rock and roots.

But I'd buy one in a flash. Fantastic vfm for the overall package.

Drago will be along in a minute with one of his anti-bling 'high spec components doesn't a good bike make' comments,

 

[Motozulu]

Thanks for the answer mate - I could always change it's shoes and as for the geometry - I like a challenge I am getting better and more confident all the time and the racy geom will only improve me I reckon. The Trek 8.7 for £1300 can't compete with the Carbon pro in my eyes so it looks like I will have to take the sneers of other bikers but safe in the knowledge that I've bagged a bit of a blinkin' bikin bargain.

 

[VamP]

Honestly, if the image will bother you then don't do it. It wouldn't bother me, but then I have long ago stopped to care what others think. Ultimately I'd rather be the one on the ''cheap'' bike shredding the trail, than on the superbike, pootling around and worrying about photo ops.
The carbon one does look pretty appealing, and more importantly - fast! A better wheelset, with some better rubber down the road and you're made up.

I wouldn't worry about the geometry too much, the 120mm forks take the sting out, and it does give you the racing option too!

 

[Motozulu]

Honestly, if the image will bother you then don't do it. It wouldn't bother me, but then I have long ago stopped to care what others think. Ultimately I'd rather be the one on the ''cheap'' bike shredding the trail, than on the superbike, pootling around and worrying about photo ops.
The carbon one does look pretty appealing, and more importantly - fast! A better wheelset, with some better rubber down the road and you're made up.

I wouldn't worry about the geometry too much, the 120mm forks take the sting out, and it does give you the racing option too!

Great answer and yes, I think I'm off to Halfords on Monday to have a chat with 'em. Seems the best of both worlds to me the carbon pro.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Thanks for the answer mate - I could always change it's shoes and as for the geometry - I like a challenge I am getting better and more confident all the time and the racy geom will only improve me I reckon. The Trek 8.7 for £1300 can't compete with the Carbon pro in my eyes so it looks like I will have to take the sneers of other bikers but safe in the knowledge that I've bagged a bit of a blinkin' bikin bargain.

Ride within its performance envelope and you'll love it. Try to keep up with, or ride the same lines as, a skilled rider on a good full bounce AM or enduro design on a black run and you may wake up in A&E

Heck, at least I woke up!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Great answer and yes, I think I'm off to Halfords on Monday to have a chat with 'em. Seems the best of both worlds to me the carbon pro.

Are you a competent wrench? If not, budget to have it looked over by someone who is, or by a good lbs.

That said Guildford Halfords built mine faultlessly. You may find not all branches can sell or stock the pro's though this may have changed.

 

[Motozulu]

Not a competent wrench by any means Greg - my workmate's Dad is though (he's raced em for years) and he said he'd check it over as I've heard Halfords bike set up can be 'sketchy' too. I'll see what Halfords say but can't get the bike until Feb anyway (my company's only 'cycle to work scheme' window) so plenty of time for em to order it in. I have a healthy fear of pain so I don't overstretch myself - well, not since last time I came off anyway.

 

[Motozulu]

First attempts at securing the carbon Boardman not gone well. Explained to the bod there that I wanted to stick my own £300 on top of the grand off the bike scheme to purchase one and he was'nt having it! said they could'nt do that. Then went to 2 LBS's who were both more than happy for me to do the same on a Trek and a Cannondale WTFeck is all that about? Halford's turning down good money just on a technicality - I know that strictly speaking the cycle to work scheme stipulates a maximum £1,000 but has anyone else had this problem?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

First attempts at securing the carbon Boardman not gone well. Explained to the bod there that I wanted to stick my own £300 on top of the grand off the bike scheme to purchase one and he was'nt having it! said they could'nt do that. Then went to 2 LBS's who were both more than happy for me to do the same on a Trek and a Cannondale WTFeck is all that about? Halford's turning down good money just on a technicality - I know that strictly speaking the cycle to work scheme stipulates a maximum £1,000 but has anyone else had this problem?

They are the rules. Now it may well be plenty of folk break 'em but...

 

[Motozulu]

Yes Greg - I'm afraid I was showing my well honed ignorance (gained from a lifetime of taking too much no notice ).

The LBS's readiness to be , ahem, 'flexible' over the grand limit threw me.

I raised the same thread on singletrack - where the kind folk there put me right via the use of words like 'Tax' and 'Fraud'. I now have a better understanding of the niceties of the C2W scheme. I'm still bloody tempted by the Trek 8.7 tbh and may still take up the LBS's offer to accept the £300 on top - seems I'm the only one that can lose out if the Company goes bust/I lose my job etc. Otherwise it's the ali HT pro for a grand.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The finance dept at work reports to me. As a result staying exactly where we are on the HMRC radar is a priority. I can't be seen to be bending the C2W rules for myself. Nor can I be seen to be allowing staff in my line to be bending them. If makes me a little picky about 'rules'. Others may find the flexibility offered by Evans et al more to their liking.

That and I don't buy the advantages of a carbon frame over ali as I'm a Clydesdale.

 

[lulubel]

I have to say I'd find Halfords' attitude frustrating, to say the least. Bending the rules is normal over here, and paying tax (and other niceties like that) is considered optional. I'd be tempted to go elsewhere just because they p1ssed me off, but I doubt you'll get such good value for money.

 

[Motozulu]

Yeah Lulu - that's spot on.

Bites nose off to spite face scenario. I will probably end up with a bike that was'nt my first choice - but I can't blame Halfords tbh, they are just sticking to the rules...still...that carbon....