Buying advice, what to get for £450ish?!

AlecGee

As the title says really!
I realise the '07 bikes are starting to get knocked down a few quid, am interested in the Kona Blast, Kona Hoss (outta my proce range really but if i manage to convince myself who knows?!) Marin Northside Trail, have read good things about the Carerra Fury, and Claude Butler Cape Wrath but i just dont know!

Ideally £450 is my limit, but i'm a sucker, so it could be more flexible! Have been out the mtb game a while now, my last bike was a Kona Stuff, awesome little jump bike, but now I wanna use a bike for the 4mile off road blast to work, cruising around, hitting some jumps, and hitting some nice singletrack!

What do you lot recommend?

Thanks in advance!

supersonic

Have a read of the What bike thread in the general section.

hednesfordxcer

don't buy from Halfords, they make some decent bikes for £450 (eg: Fury), but after sales service is diabolical

supersonic

Not at my Halfords it isnt, nor the one I worked at.

nicklouse

hednesfordxcer wrote:

don't buy from Halfords, they make some decent bikes for £450 (eg: Fury), but after sales service is diabolical

strange how All Halfords are the same.

Ok you had problems with one. Go somewhere else.

Oh but you may find the service just as bad.

Some Halfords are very good bike shops. some are just bike stores.

As with any shop if you are not happy with the service take your money elsewhere.

Big n Daft

Jeez, is he still spamming threads with that?

Funnily enough, myself and nearly all of the other Fury owners on this forum, have not had a problem with either the bike or after care........but let me guess, we're all wrong and your right?

As others have said, if you don't like it, take your cash elsewhere, but please stop filling up the threads with your constant moaning.

As for the OP, try before you buy, Kona's tend to be poorly specced for the money, but some swear by the frames, most of the bikes you have mentioned will make a decent starter point, but fit is king. I see you mention jumps, I know the Fury is an out and out XC bike, i wouldn't recommend any major jumps on it, simply because its not designed as a jump bike, same goes with the CB, if your going to be hitting anything bigger than say a moderate drop off, it narrows your options a bit. The Spesh Hardrock is a tough frame, but it's probably a fair bit heavier and on some models the forks are a real let down.

There's loads of threads about most of the 'starter' bikes, well worth a look.

dcp1975

hednesfordxcer wrote:

don't buy from Halfords, they make some decent bikes for £450 (eg: Fury), but after sales service is diabolical

Yawn yawn yawn yawn! i bet you look like Penfold as well dont ya?? Stuck up Dangermouse' a$$ all day!

MarvintheAndroid

Hmm, I think we've strayed slightly off-topic here.

These are mostly great bikes, but to be honest your budget is tight so the final decision will probably depend on what deals you can get. (Admittedly love at first sight has a lot to do with it too !!)

You can save loads by getting last years model. They are still new bikes and fully guaranteed. Pauls are very good for that.

Example : instead of the Cape Wrath, you could get the better specced 2006 Olympus Pro (normally £800, reduced to £450 http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... Suspension

or 2006 Kona Hoss, reduced from £700 to £425 which puts it firmly back in your price range http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... Suspension

I have bought from Pauls and would recommend them. For this money you can't argue.

Marv

mrwibble

Carrera Fury, most magazines agree that it is the best £500 hardtail.

L60N

Can i ask somthing here. Is the carrera fury a great deal because of its components & and frame or is it one thing inparticular?

I ask because ive seen treks and giants around the £270 mark with v-brakes and suntour forks, £400 with XCR forks and disk brakes. I understand trek and giant have a better breeding than say mongoose or carrera, or maybe im wrong again?

Just trying to get the general thoughts so i can pass on sound advice, my friend is looking into getting a budget bike since i roped him into it :P

Leon

Big n Daft

In my opinion,

It's the all round package.

Good frame, good components for it's price, there is no real weak spot on the bike.

Yes, some people have had problems with Halford's setting them up, but again this will vary from store to store. Best to check yourself, or suss out a good branch.

I'd say that if any bike sells more than a few times, someone somewhere will find a fault with them. It's not fair to then label every single model of the same bike as faulty surely?

A couple of people have had problems, the majority of fury owners on here, have not had any problem whatsoever.

Any bike at the budget end of the market i.e. under £300 will have pretty much the same component set as each other, again no real difference, same again at £500 and so on and so on. There are differences in name etc but the components will basically do the same job equally as well.

The very minimum you should be looking for again IMHO is an alu frame, rebound damped fork and a workable drivetrain (Shimano deore or truative at a minimum)

As said above, any bike on the "what bike thread" will serve anyone well, these are the bikes that tend to get the better reviews, represent the best value for money and are loved by the people who own them.

L60N

Thanks dude, comprehensive reply there :P

We are fortunate to have a good halfords store very close by, they carry out servicing right in front of the customer behind the counter, the young lads there seem to have a very sound knowledge of bikes. So i wont be slating Halfords in Harrogate

mkurrban

i really do recommend a Marin Northside Trail. i had one for a year, but just sold it cos i got a quake 7.2.
they will handle jumps no probs, wicked down singletrack, and the frame is unbelievable mate.

before i bought one it had awesome reviews everywhere i looked, and kept winning best hardtail for under £500.

btw dont buy a nu 08 one unless you like BRIGHT green