Chris Boardman or Kona... Please help.

drewcole81
drewcole81 Posts: 528
edited July 2007 in MTB general
Ok, I've had my mind made up on a Kona Caldera for some time now.

But i have just been into Halfords and noticed the Chris Boardman range.. I cant remember the name of it, but it was the £800 one. It looked to me to be of a much higher spec than the kona, the forks alone cost £340sh.

So can anyone advise me of what they are like please and where i may be able to have a look at them on the web. I think that the frames will probably be heavy compeared to others but the general groupset looks great.

Thanks Drew.
....DaZeD aNd CoNfUsEd....
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Comments

  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,392
    ride the pair, see which one you prefer....its the only way,

    Kona geomety is superb but boardman presumably has copied the normal stuff so it might be good too
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • drewcole81
    drewcole81 Posts: 528
    http://www.boardmanbikes.com

    Its the TEAM one i'm looking at.
    .
    Yeah i'm going to have a play at the weekend, just wondered if anyone knew of a reason why i should stay away from them.
    ....DaZeD aNd CoNfUsEd....
  • coolblokey
    coolblokey Posts: 7
    hi there im 20 and have been away from riding since i was 15 when i used to own a cannondale, i recently decided to buy a new bike and as my cousin works in halfords and he went to the launch of the boardman range he assured me that for the money you get a very high spec compared to other companies, i have the boardman pro rrp £1000 and love it within the first two days of having it, it wouldnt go up to the high set of gears on the front then the chain broke!!! (its a £20 sram chain before you worry about low quality parts!) but that is just my luck, and being halfords rather than some random internet shop i had it repaired on the spot and havnt had a single problem since, it is increadably light and a joy to ride, i havnt seen another bike as light yet! and ive heard a few comments as ive ridden past other cyclists! i rode 20miles this morning getting a top speed of 31MPH! hope this helps. o and i changed the sadle to a nice squidgy 1!!!!!!
  • coolblokey
    coolblokey Posts: 7
    just thougth id add if you can afford the extra it is well worth going for the pro, you get better brakes and a carbon fibre top tube (just flick both tubes with ur fingernail) and carbon fibre everywhere! i thought the difference in weight was worth the extra but you get better suspension, brakes, wheels and a carbon rear mech which looks smart if nothing else..... its gunna cost more if u smash it tho! hope this helps

    mike
  • drewcole81
    drewcole81 Posts: 528
    Yeah thats good to hear that other people have had a go on them.

    The more i think about it the more it makes sense, at least if the frame is crap and it breaks then i can get a good Kona frame and swap the parts over?
    ....DaZeD aNd CoNfUsEd....
  • drewcole81
    drewcole81 Posts: 528
    I like the colour too!!!

    How do Richey Stand up for quality these days?
    ....DaZeD aNd CoNfUsEd....
  • Mister Paul
    Mister Paul Posts: 719
    coolblokey wrote:
    ...being halfords rather than some random internet shop i had it repaired on the spot...

    I've been in Halfords on more than one occasion when someone has wheeled a bike in and asked for the brakes to be adjusted, only to be told that they can't fit the 2-minute job in for at least 3 days.
    __________________________________________________________
    <font>What we need is a new, national <b>White Bicycle Plan</b></font>
  • coolblokey
    coolblokey Posts: 7
    Mister Paul wrote:
    coolblokey wrote:
    ...being halfords rather than some random internet shop i had it repaired on the spot...

    I've been in Halfords on more than one occasion when someone has wheeled a bike in and asked for the brakes to be adjusted, only to be told that they can't fit the 2-minute job in for at least 3 days.

    yeah i think i may have jumped ahead of many apollo riders because it is there newest and sexiest bike but even 3 days in the shop is better than posting it off and then waiting in for a day for the return delivery!!! i think halfords have really improved (in my area)

    ive found the frame really nice but i see what you mean after you add up all the parts it seems like the frame is free.... i think its because of halfords massive buying power over other brands/shops
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
    I think that is a very nice bike - kinda reminiscent of the whyte 19 in some ways - good kit too
  • drewcole81
    drewcole81 Posts: 528
    so compared to the Kona Caldera, would you say that the Boardman is a better buy?
    ....DaZeD aNd CoNfUsEd....
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    On parts and vlaue absolutely. But test one out. They are an unknown quantity really though initial tests are good.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • drewcole81
    drewcole81 Posts: 528
    does anyone know where i can read some reviews on the bike?
    ....DaZeD aNd CoNfUsEd....
  • formerlyknownasbonj
    formerlyknownasbonj Posts: 483
    surely this should be moved to the roadie section?
  • drewcole81
    drewcole81 Posts: 528
    why would you want to move it there?
    ....DaZeD aNd CoNfUsEd....
  • formerlyknownasbonj
    formerlyknownasbonj Posts: 483
    drewcole81 wrote:
    why would you want to move it there?
    well surely aren't the Chris Boardman bikes road bikes - largely because Chris Boardman's a roadie...? I thought of him as more of a velodrome rider to be honest, but still...
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    formerlyknownasbonj wrote:
    drewcole81 wrote:
    why would you want to move it there?
    well surely aren't the Chris Boardman bikes road bikes - largely because Chris Boardman's a roadie...? I thought of him as more of a velodrome rider to be honest, but still...

    not at all have a look at the range. http://www.boardmanbikes.com/

    nice split 3 of each.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • formerlyknownasbonj
    formerlyknownasbonj Posts: 483
    oooh christ! look at the top-end performance hybrid, it's got radial (2-cross at most?) wheels, but disk brakes! surely that's a big no-no?

    I had a lift of one of the boardman road bikes in halfords and didn't really get a good feel asit was chained up but on lifting it iirc didn't feel that light.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    but if you look at the prices atleast that seems to be light for the spec (diregarding the frame weight).
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • drewcole81
    drewcole81 Posts: 528
    My thinking is this, If i got the Team MTB from Boardman then you get alot of fairly good parts, the frame can't be that bad. I mean its not going to snap dropping off a kerb.

    So seeing as you can pick up a Kona frame on eBay or CRC/Evans for naff all these days it would maybe be worth getting one and just swappin the parts over?

    I will be getting it through the cycle2work scheme so for the £800 it costs i'll only pay aroun£450 for the bike.. So could afford a different frame?

    Sound like a idea?
    ....DaZeD aNd CoNfUsEd....
  • drewcole81
    drewcole81 Posts: 528
    http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=71436 This is the Kona i was looking at so could just get the frame?
    ....DaZeD aNd CoNfUsEd....
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    swapping parts over is never as easy as one thinks.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • drewcole81
    drewcole81 Posts: 528
    Dam and curses, i think the safe bet would be the Kona, i already have one and like the rides... It all pins on the frame of the boardman..... i have emailed them to ask who makes there frames. So just wait to hear back from them.
    ....DaZeD aNd CoNfUsEd....
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    well the frame will be made in taiwain. try one for fit. if it works get it.

    i know i would not be getting a bike with a MZ if i could get a bike with a reba.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • drewcole81
    drewcole81 Posts: 528
    I stupidly put this topic on the Piston Heads web site also, they all seem to think its rubbish for the reason that Halfords are selling it!
    Is that really such a big deal?
    ....DaZeD aNd CoNfUsEd....
  • x-isle
    x-isle Posts: 794
    Not quite true, because some of the Carrera bikes are getting some good reviews.
    Craig Rogers
  • drewcole81
    drewcole81 Posts: 528
    I know, a friend of mine had a look at the Fury... and that is a very good bike for the money, i would hazzard a guess that as the bikes are made for Halfords then its possible that carrera may make the Boardman frames?
    ....DaZeD aNd CoNfUsEd....
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
    TBH, I am seriously thinking of getting myself one, I am in London during the week and Kent weekends and am getting fed up with carting the bikes to and fro, so this would be ideal for London/light xc and commuting. I think for a grand thats a pretty well specced bike. Not much you can get for a grand of that spec, obviously haven't tried one yet but I doubt he would associate his name with anything less than professional...
  • formerlyknownasbonj
    formerlyknownasbonj Posts: 483
    nicklouse wrote:
    but if you look at the prices atleast that seems to be light for the spec (diregarding the frame weight).
    oh yes, true - they're pretty well specced for the money. there's no doubt about that.

    But what about my concern about radial wheels / disk brakes nick what do you think about that.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    discs 3 cross for me.

    but wheel makers will have tested.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • coolblokey
    coolblokey Posts: 7
    drewcole81 wrote:
    I know, a friend of mine had a look at the Fury... and that is a very good bike for the money, i would hazzard a guess that as the bikes are made for Halfords then its possible that carrera may make the Boardman frames?

    i was told that carrera frames r poor mans gt's and are made by the same company they are all probably manufactured in the same tywaneese or chineese sweatshop for 3pence a peice! i dont have much to go on but my frame(boardman pro) hasnt snapped going off kirbs and if it does uve got a years manufacture warrenty to get another! i hear halfords are really trying to improve their bike hut image and like you say im sure chris boardman would not associate with a poor product the slogan is "performance/design/quality" and we all know you can always trust the slogan! ;) "just do it" buy the boardman!

    *you may say im biast because i have one halfords should be paying me for this!!!! *

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