[dhr90]

(Original post by badger-man)
Hi everybody

I'm looking to purchase a new mountain bike and was just wondering if anyone had any advice on brands/models to look at.

Mountain bike so you'll be mostly off road I am guessing?
Budget?
Front or full suspension?
Kona, Giant, GT, Specialized, Trek, Whyte, Cannondale, Santa Cruz and Lapierre are all worth looking at depending on your budget.

As you are based in Portsmouth/London (if your profile is correct) then it would be worth going along to Evans Cycles to perhaps try a few bikes out, if possible get more than a car park test.

[badger-man]

(Original post by owliver)
I agree 100% If you're able to go to one of their concept stores. There's one in Cambridge, the staff are Really helpful and lovely, and most bikes come next day! To be built later in the week.

What's your price range (if you don't mind my asking?)

(I am a massive Giant fan, be warned!)

(Original post by dhr90)
Mountain bike so you'll be mostly off road I am guessing?
Budget?
Front or full suspension?
Kona, Giant, GT, Specialized, Trek, Whyte, Cannondale, Santa Cruz and Lapierre are all worth looking at depending on your budget.

As you are based in Portsmouth/London (if your profile is correct) then it would be worth going along to Evans Cycles to perhaps try a few bikes out, if possible get more than a car park test.

Thanks for the makes, I'm having a look online now.

Some extra details:
I'll be using it both off road and for short journeys on the road but the main purpose of it will be off roading.
I can stretch my budget to £500. Maybe a bit higher.
I'd like a full suspension.
I'm currently in Kingston so I'm planning on going to the Evans Cycles tomorrow.

[dhr90]

(Original post by badger-man)
Thanks for the makes, I'm having a look online now.

Some extra details:
I'll be using it both off road and for short journeys on the road but the main purpose of it will be off roading.
I can stretch my budget to £500. Maybe a bit higher.
I'd like a full suspension.
I'm currently in Kingston so I'm planning on going to the Evans Cycles tomorrow.

Have you budgeted for a lock and a helmet?
You'll struggle to get a a full suspension bike that won't weigh the same as a small battleship at that price I'm afraid.
Would you be open to buying secondhand? You could get a much better spec for the price.

[badger-man]

(Original post by dhr90)
Have you budgeted for a lock and a helmet?
You'll struggle to get a a full suspension bike that won't weigh the same as a small battleship at that price I'm afraid.
Would you be open to buying secondhand? You could get a much better spec for the price.

Yep, I've got a separate budget for a helmet and lock.
How much would be necessary to get a good full suspension bike as I can raise my budget if necessary.

[dhr90]

(Original post by badger-man)
Yep, I've got a separate budget for a helmet and lock.
How much would be necessary to get a good full suspension bike as I can raise my budget if necessary.

Depends what you will be using it for really. Cross country use? Or more extreme stuff with jumps and so on?

This for instance is a bargain, but at £1000 is double your budget and you could still spend much much more than that!
There are full suspension bikes cheaper, but in order to accommodate extra parts and more complex frames, manufacturers use cheaper parts elsewhere on the bikes to keep the price down.

If you can give more examples of what use it will get and your highest budget I'll have a look around for you.

[badger-man]

(Original post by dhr90)
Depends what you will be using it for really. Cross country use? Or more extreme stuff with jumps and so on?

This for instance is a bargain, but at £1000 is double your budget and you could still spend much much more than that!
There are full suspension bikes cheaper, but in order to accommodate extra parts and more complex frames, manufacturers use cheaper parts elsewhere on the bikes to keep the price down.

If you can give more examples of what use it will get and your highest budget I'll have a look around for you.

I think £750 would be my absolute maximum. The main use of the bike would be cross country and woodland but it would be good if it could handle jumps too. I wouldn't mind getting a hardtail bike though.

[ukebert]

(Original post by maskofsanity)
That's because uprights don't encourage you to maintain a flat back (in fact, they do the opposite) - so your whole posture and weight distribution is different, i.e. not aerodynamic.

Plus, drops have far more hand positions, allowing you to change with the terrain. If I were you, I'd just get some more hours on the bike before changing bars, especially as you may have to buy different levers/shifters.

Oh don't worry, I won't be doing anything until I'm sure that it's a problem. But it's something that I'll be keeping in my mind when I'm riding. If my hands go then that's it as far as I'm concerned, I might as well kill myself now. Hopefully it won't come to that I'd definitely have to buy different levers I think, but not a shifter as it's on the downtube. It'd probably cost as much as the bike though, so only worth it if it's a real problem and I really really like the bike otherwise.

[DH-Biker]

What have I missed?

[dhr90]

(Original post by DH-Biker)
What have I missed?

Some people saying hi
Too much roadie talk
Couple of people wanting new bike advice (your input is welcome, I know nothing about what forks are good these days, suntour seems to be everywhere!!)

Where have you been?

[RyanT]

(Original post by badger-man)
I think £750 would be my absolute maximum. The main use of the bike would be cross country and woodland but it would be good if it could handle jumps too. I wouldn't mind getting a hardtail bike though.

Just get a hard-tail mate.

[badger-man]

(Original post by RyanT)
Just get a hard-tail mate.

In the end I did
Took it out for a few hours today and absolutely loved it.

[owliver]

(Original post by badger-man)
In the end I did
Took it out for a few hours today and absolutely loved it.

What is it?

[bb123]

(Original post by dhr90)
Some people saying hi
Too much roadie talk
Couple of people wanting new bike advice (your input is welcome, I know nothing about what forks are good these days, suntour seems to be everywhere!!)

Where have you been?

Suntours are really popular this year simply because Specialized changed their 2011 models to having them because their previous forks had awful travel.

Suntour SF11's are pretty good forks so have a look out for those on other models bellow £550. They come on the Hardrock Pro.
Alternatively, probably the best forks you'll get in your budget are probably RockShox Dart 2s.

If you're looking at going to an Evans store, I'd look at Kona bikes as there are some pretty good deals going on them.

[dhr90]

(Original post by badger-man)
In the end I did
Took it out for a few hours today and absolutely loved it.

What did you get?

(Original post by bb123)
Suntours are really popular this year simply because Specialized changed their 2011 models to having them because their previous forks had awful travel.

Suntour SF11's are pretty good forks so have a look out for those on other models bellow £550. They come on the Hardrock Pro.
Alternatively, probably the best forks you'll get in your budget are probably RockShox Dart 2s.

If you're looking at going to an Evans store, I'd look at Kona bikes as there are some pretty good deals going on them.

Awful travel in what way? The Suntours may be good (I don't know myself) but they seem shorter travel than what Specialized were previously using.

[badger-man]

(Original post by owliver)
What is it?

(Original post by dhr90)
What did you get?

A Kona Nunu 2011

[RyanT]

Three more days till the Tour

Anyone going to France to watch it?

[Georgie298]

Just a quick one. Trying to get back into cycling properly (as mentioned before Dawes Continental Ladies Limited Edition 2008, it's pretty but not all that functional, I'm a clumsy (but competent!!) cyclist at the best of times and the chain falls off always, will invest in something a bit more practical before Uni perhaps, but we'll get to that another time) Anyways, I'd love to start doing proper cycles, since I'm done with exams and want to get fit again, and covering some distance, getting away from the coast and having an adventure, but we'll need to work up from being a commuter. I've seen you all mentioning doing stretches before you go for a cycle, just wondered really what you'd recommend stretching'wise? Want to go for a cycle in a sec but the damn chain has fallen off AGAIN, need to get it overhauled soon but being absolutely bike'less ain't such a nice feeling. Thank you (:

[moose]

(Original post by Georgie298)
Want to go for a cycle in a sec but the damn chain has fallen off AGAIN, need to get it overhauled soon but being absolutely bike'less ain't such a nice feeling. Thank you (:

Is yours a geared bike or a single speed one?

[Georgie298]

(Original post by moose)
Is yours a geared bike or a single speed one?

6 gear. Had a damn silly chain guard on until a couple of hours when it was vetoed and in fact probably saved my life this evening. It doesn't cope with hills at all; I'd forgotten how badly it handles. Largely can keep it stable going downhill (it's just so shaky) but you can dream on if you want to go uphill. Accidently found myself on a fairly major rat run through the forest, not going to tell the 'rents about that, everyone was zooming back from Soton at 70/80ish (conservative estimate) and it was fine'ish (just need to my confidence back!) until the damn chain flew off, managed to get onto the side of the road pretty sharpish and just walked it up the rest 'coz I didn't want to risk it again. I'll take it in over the weekend, my theory is that part of the mechanism got bent at some point and so the chain doesn't fit as snugly. It looks like part of the chain bypasses don't know what it's called, I want to say the Derailleur but anyways it misses part of the back set of cogs or maybe because it's not on its original track is a tiny bit too long. Not overly sure.

But it was the best cycle I've had in a little while, well hands down because I haven't really been out properly since January, but it's my 29th June resolution to go out every day after work. Gorgeous evening, good constant cardio, cycled 12 miles (20 clicks, sounds a little more respectable) didn't cycle fast fast but was out for about an hour and a bit and I guess the bit and a little bit of the hour was spent on roadside repairs and going for a paddle and recovering from very nearly hitting a Chicken, LOVE cycling in the country. Walked another 1'ish on the fast road when I didn't want to die. Found a beautiful downhill stretch, can't believe I haven't cycled it before, it must be a mile and a half long and its constant downhill, gorgeous and straight, you can get really fast, dappled light through trees, and a little bit of a swoopy section, it was lovely. Seriously lovely. So pleased I can get all emotional about bikes to an understanding audience.

[owliver]

(Original post by Georgie298)
Just a quick one. Trying to get back into cycling properly (as mentioned before Dawes Continental Ladies Limited Edition 2008, it's pretty but not all that functional, I'm a clumsy (but competent!!) cyclist at the best of times and the chain falls off always, will invest in something a bit more practical before Uni perhaps, but we'll get to that another time) Anyways, I'd love to start doing proper cycles, since I'm done with exams and want to get fit again, and covering some distance, getting away from the coast and having an adventure, but we'll need to work up from being a commuter. I've seen you all mentioning doing stretches before you go for a cycle, just wondered really what you'd recommend stretching'wise? Want to go for a cycle in a sec but the damn chain has fallen off AGAIN, need to get it overhauled soon but being absolutely bike'less ain't such a nice feeling. Thank you (:

Hello you!

I only really stretch afterwards. Unless I feel like it... I just do all the sorts of leg stretches I know (: I don't know names though! *useless owliver*
As for the chain. Take the bike to your LBS and get it checked. It's probably worn out, in Cambridge you'd be paying £50-£70 for block & chain if they're worn out... Not sure 'bout Bomo (: