Mountain Bike Recommendation

[shiato storm]

definitely upgrade the forks. i'd go for the marzocchi comp eta forks, and fsa riser bars (no extra)...if you're feeling flush then get the easton risers. yup the second choice down (deore group/magura discs and xt f&r) would be hydraulic...

good find!

[Craig]

Good good.. i just need to sell my laptop and pda now

Are there any other upgrades any of you would personally do? Or is the XT mech upgrade good enough?

Cheers,

Craig

[noah]

XT is more than good enough, should last you an age, but i would comsider sticking with deore (its surprisingly good) and spending the money on hope discs as they are buy far and away the best, ive been using them since '98 and never had a problem! i would definately go for the eastern bars, they're one of the most important parts in my opinoin, otherwise its like having a dream computer but with a serial mouse without a wheel! Tyres are a big point too: panaracer fire xc's are lovely, or michelin muds for this time of year

cant really go wrong tho whichever way you choose as they are all good components at a good price

[Lee H]

Haha, when i said "Im getting flabby" i still weight 10 stone (6ft 2), i am just starting to develop a belly I am still fit(ish!)

Gerrof the bike and do some situps then

Bikes are good for legs and lungs but for ponchy bellies - situps or those electric ab-shockers are good ( I cheat and sometimes wear 1 of the electric ad workers while playing games on the PC )

[0iD]

Top linkage Flibb for wiggle.co.uk.
Been looking for Geax Blade tyres for aaaaaaages as mine are all-but perished. Best tyres I've had for the sticky mud around where I live. Time to get my Sintessi baby back on the mud

Time to shed some of my 13st8lb lardy-arse pc potato carcass!

[Romanov]

discs on a pedal bike..?

nay I say, only on a proper motorbike they can be

What the heck do u need disks for when cycling in the local park - extreme braking?

*ducks*

[jimborae]

Ok I'll throw in a vote for Orange bikes, I've got a Clockwork & also owned a P7, for hardtail, general purpose use the Clockwork is the best bike I've ever owned. Had it nearly 8 years now and it's still showing no sign of aging what so ever. Even the Pace RC36 forks are still going strong. The only things I've replaced are chain, rings & pedals.

[ajbrun]

Hi Guys,

I am going to sell my laptop soon to fund a mountain bike.. as i am getting a bit flabby

I know *some* of you know quite alot about mountain bike's, can anyone recommend me a mountain bike for £400 and one for max £650!

Also, if someone could recommend some gloves and a decent lid, i would appriciate that too!


Thanks

Craig

Since you seem like you've not riden a bike for a good few years now (hence not having one), I recommend that £200 should be your limit. I cycle about 40 miles a week and I think mine came to less than £100. Granted, the next bike I get will probably be a good sight more than that because of the extra distance I go now. I'm guessing that you won't be doing nearly as much as me, therefore, you shouldn't need a bike anymore than £200.

If I were you, go to a bike shop, try someone for size (be careful not to waste your money - see above!), and either buy there and then, or do what I did and buy on the net.

P.S. If you buy on the net, you'll have to build it yourself - this is the same for some bike shops I think too.

[noah]

£200 is fine for a bike on the road or light offroad - read gravel - so if thats your cup of tea then no probs, but if you wan tto get out into the country you will find an enormous benefit in spending more, £350 ish bikes start to get ok for real offroad and at £650 they are brilliant. of course you can spend what you like, i spet every penny i earnt from 15-23 on bikes (thats alot, maybe too much), but at £600 odd you will get a nice offroad mtb that will last.

oh and Romanov, fair comment it does sound ridiculous, but you wouldnt believe the difference they make in the wet or at speed, normal brakes begin to fade out when they get too hot eg extended run downhill through technical sections that need lots of braking, they are also far more predictable and less 'bitey' i love mine

[Rave]

ajbrun, you should try riding a decent bike sometime. Once you have it's hard to go back to a cheap heavy one. I spent over £900 building up my GT Zaskar and then took it off road about 4 times but it was still worth the money because it made my commute to work such a joy.

Edit: If you're buying a Merlin bike, then spend on decent wheels. When I bought my bike they had an excellent reputation as wheelbuilders, albeit that was a few years ago now. I went for the (at the time) top of the line Mavic rims laced up with DT revolution spokes to XT hubs and they've been absolutely superb. You could probably economise on the hubs but I'd definately pay out for the best rims and titanium spokes.

[ajbrun]

I only paid that much because back then I wasn't cycling too much. 3 miles to school and back 5 times a week and that was it. Since my bike is getting a bit old and rusty, the next one I invest in will be better. It will be much lighter, maybe have disk brakes (perhaps), but I still wouldn't pay £900.

[noah]

top of the line Mavic rims laced up with DT revolution spokes to XT hubs

mmmn, sounds nice, always worth the extra on wheels, mine were £400 pair

not too sure on titanium spokes, i thought revolutions were double buttled stainless steel, dt do do titianium spokes but at a price! and yeah merlin wheels were good a few years ago, ive not used them for ages tho, i learnt to do it myself (very proud) which is not easy to do well, but mine have lasted the last 3 ears nicely

wouldnt pay £900

try £3000 for my current mtb, £1000 for my bmx, can only afford them cos of discount working in a shop and i dont own a car, many mates have bikes upto £4-5000 !!

[0iD]

I spent a fair bit on my Sintessi Thruster frame abt 8 years ago but it's lasted well. Good quality alu frame, stiff as you like but strong. Same as my bomber forks. A few years old now but still in sound condition with minimal play.
Sun mamoth rims, dt double butted spokes on hope (front) & XTR (rear) hubs & Magura raceline hydraulic brakeage.

Been riding it so long it's almost a part of me. Pays to buy quality. Also have a litespeed singlespeed for when i'm seeling masochistic.

[shiato storm]

mine cost a grand, but then I knew what to look for and carefully selected accordingly...I only really ride XC, that said riding around chamonix is more than just XC, its in-sane!.
it really helps knowng the technology you buy too. I have some nice forks on all my bikes cause I know - despite being only a little bloke at 70kg - I'll give 'em a fair bit of walloping as i hit the heady speeds of 45-50kmh (i've hit 72 once and I was bricking it!) and mostly off road.
Mavic 717 series are fantastic, xt is great too. not much need to shell out for xtr tbh unless you've got a mate wh can get them at seriously knock down price. the new xt hollow cranks are the business, stiff light and easy to service...everyone i know has them -I'm getting some too
Merlin are EXCELLENT wheel builders, I'm getting a set from them in the near future, its easy to do if you have the kit but for conveinience's sake they're the best around at the mo'.
I wouldn't go all naff and get titanium stuff, too expensive and you pay far too much for the fact 'its titanium' than for its abilities...
if you plan going off road don't get a halford's special, in fact if you plan riding around that doesn't involve chav type riding (round asda/tesco car park or to corner shop and back) I wouldn't venture near halfords at all!


p.s. to tell the truth, I've got my eye on a FS bike at the mo i like the look of the Marin Attack Trail...costs a bit but does the business - hope discs (m4's), full xt groupset, mavic 717's, fox shox front and back
I had a marin a few years back, sweetest ride ever. I like my specy I have at teh mo' cause its so amazingly light (around 10kg) but I'm hankering after a bit of comfort on the back end. As my riding will be more and more adventurous I see myself wanting to do more and this seems the logical step. shame its twice the price of my current steed though!! Well worth it though

[Rave]

not too sure on titanium spokes, i thought revolutions were double buttled stainless steel, dt do do titianium spokes but at a price!

Hmm dunno then. I tested them with a fridge magnet and it didn't stick although it could be that they're just too small I suppose. DT site doesn't say anything about titanium so I guess you're right.

and yeah merlin wheels were good a few years ago, ive not used them for ages tho, i learnt to do it myself (very proud) which is not easy to do well, but mine have lasted the last 3 ears nicely

Wow good job. I'd like to learn wheelbuilding, there are apparently courses you can go on....I built the rest of the bike pretty much entirely from the ground up, it'd be a nice feeling to do the wheels as well!

[Rave]

but I still wouldn't pay £900.

Well I built it six or seven years ago now. I daresay you could build something similar for £600 now( ).