what bike for an amateur/newbie??

mentalpatient123

I have been getting into offroad biking with my '05 Avalanche 3.0V

I have grown out of the medium frame and am 6" ish and need a large frame or about 20in frame.

I need a new bike and since i have pretty much stopped growing i can buy one to last a few years (or hopefully decades) I have about £500 max to spend and dont care if it is an '01 or '08 model aslong as it is new/nearly new.

I have been looking at some '06 Mongoose teocali comps at £399-£499
the new mongoose otero elite at £499
the GT avalanche 2.0 disc and 1.0 disc

also i've been browsing the net at others

Also I have had a little spin on the following:
GT Avalanche 2.0 Disc (was nice but a little too sluggish compared to others)
GT Avalanche 1.0 Disc (was nice but was too small a frame in the shop)
Giant XTC 4.5 (was very nice and on a par with the avalanche 1.0)
Carrera Vulcan (rubbish service in halfords, had to cycle indoors round shop with flat tyres!!)



What can you suggest, as you guys ride some of these all the time!!

also i am more into XC and also mixed on/offroad to commute to work at weekends involving some big hills (for suffolk) and some very muddy fields.
and i don't want a DH as suffolk has very few hills!!!!

Any help is appreciated


Will


Edit: added list of test rides

Splasher

These http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... Boy%202008 are hard to beat on price/spec. The drawback is that you can't get to try it beofre you buy although you should be able to return it as long as you only try it for size in the house.