Best £1000 MTB

Davy Sunlund
Davy Sunlund Posts: 5
edited April 2008 in MTB buying advice
I have about £1000 for a mountain bike, I have been riding a Giant for 11 years now, it cost £800 back in '97, I've hammered it over the years and its now very tired. The time has come to replace it. I don't do jumping or downhill, I'm not very good on technical stuff but I've still got a good pair of lungs. I tend to go out for 6-8 hours and cycle as fast as I can over varied terrain. I still like to go up the odd mountain in the lakes now and again though.

Any recommendations?

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    Marin Eldridge Grade is a good one. Or for 900 theres the Genesis Core 40. Both pretty versatile and come with some decent kit.
  • Steve_F
    Steve_F Posts: 682
    I saw the spec for the Carerra Banshee XXX the other day and was fairly impressed.

    If you can look past the Halfords connection that could be a really good buy.
    Current steed is a '07 Carrera Banshee X
    + cheap road/commuting bike
  • tmg
    tmg Posts: 651
    If you tend to keep your bikes for a good while my suggestion would be to focus on getting a good frame, for £1000 it won't be full suss so hardtail wise I would probably look to get something similar to the geometry of your current frame

    Personally for that money I'd stick to the big names Spesh, Giant, Trek etc. and have a scout around for 07 stuff

    Alternatively if the components on your current steed are OK maybe consider spending the dosh on just a frame and switch things over if poss, if you do that it opens you up to a whole new world such as 07 S-Works epic frame which can now be picked up for less than a Grand!
  • Andy B
    Andy B Posts: 8,115
    Steve_F wrote:
    I saw the spec for the Carerra Banshee XXX the other day and was fairly impressed.

    If you can look past the Halfords connection that could be a really good buy.

    That's possibly the worst bit of advice I've seen all week, the Banshee is total overkill for what Davy Sunlund needs :roll:

    A hardtail would be much more appropriate.

    Have a look at these: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... ven%202008

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... ert%202008

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=23665
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • KonaMike
    KonaMike Posts: 805
    If you have a Hardtail in mind then go into Halfords (I know) and take a look at the Boardman Pro for £999.99,the spec is incredible and its a very light bike too !! Bargian !
  • James_Russell
    James_Russell Posts: 67
    you could get an '07 scott scale 50 for £649 I think (almost £900 rrp) or an '08 scale 40 within budget. (but then again I'm obviously biased)
    -James
  • norco forever
    norco forever Posts: 1,177
    the focus raven looks amazing omho but thats me maybe an orange p7 s or stretch to the pro??
    If you aint in A&E, you aint riding hard enough

    http://identiti4lfe.pinkbike.com/album/Scott-Ransom
  • fizik
    fizik Posts: 247
    I got a never used 07 Focus Raven off ebay for £497 between xmas and new year. Pretty damned smooth seein as the f100rlc's on it are worth more than that new!

    Its a great bike, would have been happy to pay a grand for it. Always worth a look seeing what you can get on there, sometimes there is a right bargain!

    Other than that as most people say..The Boardman pro is pretty unbelievabley well specced.
    coiler - http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1463278/
    single speed -http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1370469/
  • DjSki
    DjSki Posts: 13
    Rock Lobster from Merlin, full XT, great light hardtail for c£900.
  • BlackSpur
    BlackSpur Posts: 4,228
    In addition to Andy_B's suggestions, look at the Spesh Stumpjumper Hardtail/Rockhopper Pro, Trek 8000, Giant XTC 1.
    "Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling." ~James E. Starrs
  • heez29
    heez29 Posts: 612
    What he said! you could splash out and go for the hope m4s and pro2 hubs
  • Steve_F
    Steve_F Posts: 682
    That's possibly the worst bit of advice I've seen all week, the Banshee is total overkill for what Davy Sunlund needs :roll:
    [/quote]

    Apologies, just re-read the original post and completely agree with you :oops:
    Current steed is a '07 Carrera Banshee X
    + cheap road/commuting bike
  • supermonkey
    supermonkey Posts: 315
    Rockhopper?
    On-One Scandal?
    Cube?
  • mugwuffin
    mugwuffin Posts: 31
    take a look at this Davy....

    http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... goryId=100

    DJ Ski mentioned the Rock Lobster.... well worth a look as they are doing a special ed. with Fox F100 RL forks and other top spec kit...

    I have just ordered one, had the same descision to make as you and i tested a load of bikes already mentioned here, settled on the Rock Lobster Tig Team Sl in the ned... i don't think you will find much better for the money???

    7 days and counting till its ready !
  • Davy Sunlund
    Davy Sunlund Posts: 5
    Thanks for the advice, been looking into all the bikes you all suggested. However, I now have more questions:

    Low end carbon versus high end alluminium versus steel, I can't help being sucked in to the lightest?

    Has anyone any comments on the 29er, I've never tried one?

    And finally, I find I currently run out of gears when going hell for leather down an average incline on the road, has anyone tried a 46T outer chainring and does it make much difference?

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