Bike for 2 beginners on a very tight budget

garnett

Hi there.

I want to buy myself and my girlfriend a couple of cheap moutain bikes so we can go cycling together. We live in the middle of London and Richmond park (with its various trails) would be about as adventurous as we would get.

I am taking part in a race which involves mountain biking (on Specialized Hardrock Disc Sport bikes) and I want to get some practice in before the event.

My budget is very small. I'd rather not spend £200 per bike. Hence the questions:

I had a quick look on Decathlon and saw the Rockriders 5.0, 5.1 and the 5.2

My thinking is that rear suspension is only for the big boys and useless in this price bracket. Is the same thing true of front suspension?

Is the Decathlon Rockrider 5.2 double the bike for double the price?

It looks to me like the 5.1 and 5.2 use the same frame but the components sound vastly improved.

I couldn't find the weight of the 5.1 to compare it with the 13.7kg of the 5.2.

Any help/advice very gratefully received.

I

supersonic

Can you provide links for these bikes? I know of the 5.2, but not the others.

Here is a guide I put together for the beginner/budget bikes:

One of the most common questions from beginners on a budget is 'how much shall I spend' or 'what is the minimum I should be looking at'? The componentry levels on bikes are often confusing to many, where certain parts can look very similar from one to another but yet can have a big impact on performance and longevity. The most important factor is fit and comfort which is where testing comes in, but this does not always give a full picture of the bike and how it may last.

I think for general mountain biking, the following features should be considered: (aimed at buyers spending less than 250 quid)

- Alloy hardtail frame. Full suspension at the lower end of the market (sub 300 and even upto 500 quid) is heavily compromised. Its very heavy, undamped, poor bearings and pulls down the spec elsewhere. Steel frames at this level are often mild steel and are 2 or 3 pounds heavier than an alloy frame.

- Suspension fork with alloy crown and one piece lowers. Cheap pressed steel lowers and crowns flex badly. Preload adjusters are a good feature to help set sag and ride height for differing weights.

- Compact crankset (42/32/22). Many entry level bikes have larger chainrings (48/38/2 from cheaper groupsets. This doesn't allow a very low gear and is often over geared for the terrain a MTB will be used on. Replacable chainrings are a bonus.

- 8 speed freehub. 8 gears from a cassette and freehub gives a better spread than some 7spd screw on freewheels, often 11-32 teeth rather than 14-28. Also this allows the bearings to be spaced further in the hub, allowing a stronger rear wheel/axle. Shimano make the best budget 8 speed set ups.

- Cartridge bottom bracket. Old adjustable cup and cone bottom brackets are poorly sealed and are prone to coming loose.

- 32 or 36 spoked wheels. Lots of beginners MTBs are coming with fancy 'paired' spokes, or 24 bladed ones, purely for looks. They use heavy rims, are poorly constructed and are not worth it compared to standard wheels. Look for stainless spokes if possible, and sealed alloy hubs with quick release axles.

- Alloy components. If possible, ask about the seatpost and bars. Alloy units save some weight, and are more comfortable.

- Brakes and levers. Make sure the levers aren't plastic as they flex badly. Cable disc brakes stop better in the wet but usually add cost. Don't go for discs over other essential features.

- Aheadset or threadless headset. Much better bearings and more reliable than the older quill stem and threaded headset.

Many bikes for 200 pounds now have all these features! Don't be afraid to ask for a saddle swap if they are uncomfortable, and enquire about the quality of the tyres

garnett

Thanks so much Supersonic. That's some awesome info.

supersonic wrote:

Can you provide links for these bikes? I know of the 5.2, but not the others.

Rock rider5.0 (No front suspension)
Rockrider 5.1 (and spec sheet)
Rockrider 5.2 (and spec sheet)

In terms of what you've said...

I have heard of most of the component manufacturers on the 5.2 - Suntour, Shimano, Wellgo, Vuelta and Tektro, and whilst I know they're not the best, that does inspire confidence.

I don't know about the forks on the bikes. I'm not going to be riding for GB - but weight is the biggest issue for me - or rather, for my girlfriend. I don't want her feeling like she's lugging twice her bodyweight in terms of bike parts.

They both have compact chainsets.

It's 8 vs 7 in terms of rear gears.

- Cartridge bottom bracket. Old adjustable cup and cone bottom brackets are poorly sealed and are prone to coming loose.

The 5.2 has 32 and the 5.1 has 36 spoked wheels.

Basically is the extra componentry on the 5.2 worth the whole price of the 5.1 again on top?

supersonic

I think its definitely worth the extra! Will be lighter, more durable, and perform better. Not a fan of resin brake levers, they are awful, and IMO dangerous as they bend and flex. Has a Aheadset too - infact everything on the list above!

garnett

Thanks Supersonic.

It looks like there are a few others in the price range then, I'll need to consider:

Giant Boulder '08 - £200
Focus Raven Rookie 26 2008 - £170
Univega Alpina HT 500 2007 - £190
Mongoose Rockadile AL 26 2008 - £190
Mongoose Rockadile ALX 2008 - £200
Mongoose Tyax Comp 2007 - £200
Mongoose Tyax Elite 2007 - £230
Saracen Element 1 2008 - £200
GT Palomar 2008 - £200
GT Outpost 2007- £190
Claud Butler Ravana 2007 - £190
Claud Butler Pagan D2 2007 - £225
Iron Horse Maverick 1.0 2007 - £200
Raleigh Mtrax HT 3.0 - £200
Diamond Back Peak 2007 - £200
Shogun Hydra 2007 £225
Dawes XC 1.4 2007 - £225
Pinnacle Peak 1.0 2007 - £230

Any I shouldn't touch with a barge-pole? Any particular bargains that stand out?

2Thumbs

Out of that list: Mongoose Tyax Elite.

Can't be beaten in terms of bang for buck.

garnett

Thanks 2Thumbs! So it's worth going £30 over budget, and £30 more than the Tyax Comp, then?

And thanks to everybody for not getting irked by what must be the perpetual noob question!

Having done a bit more research it looks like I need to add a few more to the mix:

Carrera Vulcan - £200 Gets a good review here.
GT Avalanche 3.0
Carrera Subway 1
Carrera Subway 2

supersonic

Good reduction on the Tyax Elite 07, my favourie budget bike of last year - a little heavier than others maybe, but the reward is s superb fork and decent disc brakes.

Giant Boulder is a nice machine. Ignore anything on the list that is 7spd.

GHill

I had a Giant Boulder as a commute (until it was nicked), I was pleased with what I got for the price and would recommend it.

batch78

The GT Palomar and Outpost had very short stems with quite upright riding positions if i remember correctly, some of the others more aggresive, probably worth bearing in mind. I agree with supersonic on all other points covered so far. DO NOT BUY. Univega, focus, rockadile, claud butler, shogun or the raleigh, at that price you can certainly get better value.

ESSEXMIRAGE

I can second the Carrera Vulcan its fab value for the money, mine was less than £200 (last one left) and yes it does get good reviews and a great bike to start on mine is big though a 22" but hey its nice spec and suits me good so far....

garnett

Thanks for the replies so far.

The Vulcan and the Mongoose are the forerunners for me at the moment.

I was also wondering about secondhand bikes. In particular, are any of these worth the money, would you say?

Specialized hardrock sport 2006 grey (£150)
Specialized Hard Rock Mountain Bike (£195)
Specialized Hardrock Sport Hydraulic Disc 2007 Upgraded Must See (£200)

supersonic

I'd avoid them to be honest - the shop back up, fitting, warranty, and free service is more than worth it. Never no what condition these bikes are in.

garnett

Cheers Supersonic, you've been really helpful! Gonna pop down to Halfords tonight I think...

supersonic

No probs Alf!

;-)

extra_ice

I'm new here, but this thread caught my interest as I'm in the market for a £200 bike. Is this the Vulcan that is recommended? It's £230, but the only one on their site - Carrera Vulcan V Spec

supersonic

Great bike for the money. See if you can test it.

ESSEXMIRAGE

Simple answer to 'extra_ice' is that the 08 model is available in two specs the blue one in your link is the non disc, V brake version at £230, and they also do a disc brake version in red with Tektro brakes the same ones as on the old 07 model for £260....
Hope that helps