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Land Rover KaiKias Reviews & Advice Wwanted Quickly Plea

noodlenogginnoodlenoggin Posts: 21
edited May 2008 in MTB beginners
Hi, I have just sold my car and intend to embark on a dramatic economising and fitness regime by commuting 11 miles to work everyday by pedal-power!

It's almost 10 years ago that I last rode a MTB and gave up after a bad fall at Black Hambleton, North Yorks. I want to use the bike for commuting during the week and cross-country every once in a while (most weekends). There is a great choice in bikes out there but unfortunatley what I want/need and what my budget will allow for are two very different things!

I went to a shop today with every intention of buying a Rockhopper disc yet on the way my wifes exhaust fell off (£434 to fix) which has put a massive great dent in my budget.

At the bike shop (we randomly found) near the exhaust centre they had a Land Rover KaiKias 2007 on offer at £314 down from £499. The bike looked and felt perfect with some high end kit on for its price. I have gone away to think about it overnight as I didn't even realise Land Rover made Mountain Bikes, yet alone if they are any good or not?

I would be very grateful for anybody's opinions on this bike and 1) whether I should go back and just buy it 2) I should stear well clear 3) I should buy something else (at a similar price) which is much better?

Thanks very much in advance,

Noodle.
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Posts

  • Andy BAndy B Posts: 8,115
    Avoid!

    censored forks & brakes, not worth the £300 odd it's up in the sale for, let alone the £500 RRP (if that was the RRP)

    Giant Yukon won this months bike test in MBUK £300. http://www.tredz.co.uk/ProductDetail.as ... ctID=15394
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • noodlenogginnoodlenoggin Posts: 21
    Frame: Precision welded using 7005 alloy with custom profile, bi-axial, octagonal tube sections which give strength in key areas whilst keeping a performance enhancing low weight. Fitted with a semi integrated profiled head tube, which gives a larger weld area and increases strength
    Fork: Rock Shox Dart 2 with lock out switch and 100mm of travel
    Headset: Semi integrated Aheadset with three alloy adjustment spacers
    Gears: 27 speed with Deore front and rear derailleur. Shimano 9 speed cassette Gear
    Controls: Shimano 9 speed Deore trigger shifters
    Chainset: Truvativ 5-D black forged alloy cranks Bottom bracket: Fully sealed Cassette
    Wheels: Black alloy Land Rover disc specifi c aero section, double wall rims. Built using black spokes and Formula black alloy hubs with a cassette rear. Safety lock front QR Is fitted as standard
    Brakes: Hayes hydraulic ‘Sole’ disc brakes and levers
    Steering: Tioga alloy Ahead extension with Tioga alloy low riser style handlebars and Tioga grips
    Tyres: Tioga factory XC 26 x 1.95
    Saddle: W.T.B. PURE ‘V’ Sport fitted onto micro adjust Tioga seatpost
    Sizes: 17.5, 19.5, 21.5

    I thought the components were really quite good, particularly for its price. whats wrong with them?
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    noodlenoggin wrote:
    my wifes exhaust fell off (£434 to fix)
    GAH!! :shock: I thought mine was bad at £110.
  • Andy BAndy B Posts: 8,115
    The forks are very hit & miss you might get 50mm travel, you might get 80mm travel, but never full travel.

    the brakes are terrible & need adjusting almost every ride

    The gears are pretty good, but it doesn't make up for the poor fork & brake.
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    Looks ok for 315! But plenty of others out there.

    What else does the shop have?
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • noodlenogginnoodlenoggin Posts: 21
    but we are going to need to invest in lots of parecetomol as the car sounds very 'chavvy'! :oops:
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    edited May 2008
    I thought you'd already fixed the exhaust?

    PS, I promise that someday soon, I'll start making some posts which are at least vaguely relevant to the point of the thread :lol:
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    Andy_B wrote:
    The forks are very hit & miss you might get 50mm travel, you might get 80mm travel, but never full travel.

    the brakes are terrible & need adjusting almost every ride

    The gears are pretty good, but it doesn't make up for the poor fork & brake.

    True, but undamped XCms are even more hit and miss!
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • noodlenogginnoodlenoggin Posts: 21
    No we were on the way to Evans at Monks Cross in York when the Exhaust went 'POP' so we deviated to North Eastern Tyre to see 'what the damge' would be when we stumbled upon 'the bike outlet'!
  • Andy BAndy B Posts: 8,115
    edited May 2008
    supersonic wrote:
    Andy_B wrote:
    The forks are very hit & miss you might get 50mm travel, you might get 80mm travel, but never full travel.

    the brakes are terrible & need adjusting almost every ride

    The gears are pretty good, but it doesn't make up for the poor fork & brake.

    True, but undamped XCms are even more hit and miss!
    They're better than they used to be, at least the ones on the Claude Butlers in our shop are...

    Claude Butler Stone River is worth a look too.
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • noodlenogginnoodlenoggin Posts: 21
    I would like to point out that the Evans we were going to was indeed for bikes and not clothing for 'Big Girls'.
  • noodlenogginnoodlenoggin Posts: 21
    What about the Claud Butler Cape Wrath D24 2007?
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    Ah a Yorkie? I used to work at a couple of bike shops there...

    Try Halfords and the GT Aggressor XC3
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Andy BAndy B Posts: 8,115
    edited May 2008
    noodlenoggin wrote:
    What about the Claud Butler Cape Wrath D24 2007?
    Cracking bike, it's the lil brother of the award winning D27, although the D27 has better brakes & gears, the D24's not a bad bike at all
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    Andy, what others were in that test? Not got MBUK yet!
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • noodlenogginnoodlenoggin Posts: 21
    I could get a 16" D27 as they are £399 (very top of budget) but at the supreme height of 5ft 8" may be too small for me?

    So far nothing positive about the Land Rover then, same as the 'Chelsea Tractor' cars then?

    Look good on the surface, but scratch and ye shall find lots of 'censored '.
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    try them out mate - see how they feel.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Andy BAndy B Posts: 8,115
    Muddy Fox something or other, didn't get a good review and I can't remember the other one!

    Giant won & C'Butler Stione river joint 2nd place IIRC
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • noodlenogginnoodlenoggin Posts: 21
    GT Aggressor XC3

    I have always held GT in high regard but didn't think my budget would allow me to afford a decent spec.

    Are you sure this is better than the Land Rover?
  • noodlenogginnoodlenoggin Posts: 21
    My old gaffer was form Chapeltown, nice part of Sheffield, much better than York!
  • Andy BAndy B Posts: 8,115
    Miles better. GT Agressor's are better specced than GT Avalanches too.
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • noodlenogginnoodlenoggin Posts: 21
    Are you sure?

    Features and Benefits

    GT Triple Triangle Aluminium frame
    Suntour XCM 100mm travel suspension fork with rebound adjustment
    Tektro IOX mechanical disc brakes
    Shimano Acera 24 speed gearing
    Tioga Factory XC tyres
    Alex DP17 rims
    GT oversize bar and stem

    I thought the Avalanche was loads better.
  • Andy BAndy B Posts: 8,115
    two words make it head & shoulders above....

    Rebound adjustment.

    it means that the fork will actually track the terrain rather than pogo around.
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    noodlenoggin wrote:
    My old gaffer was form Chapeltown, nice part of Sheffield, much better than York!

    Aye, its alright! Much better riding than York, good stuff on my doorstep. Depends which part of York though lol - I've lived in Tang Hall and Bishopshill.

    The GT Agressor may not have the 'on paper parts value', but it is a very good riding bike, with a a damped fork, great frame and decent parts. Do try the Land Rover though, if you can, but as Andy says the brakes are very fiddly.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • noodlenogginnoodlenoggin Posts: 21
    Fiddly sounds to me like a pain in the censored . I want a bike thats easy and reliable as I will be using it to commute 5 days a week.

    If its only after a hard ride it needs adjustment that might be Ok.

    With the aggressor not having Hydraulics I just assumed the LR would be better.
  • noodlenogginnoodlenoggin Posts: 21
    What about this?

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=008
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    edited May 2008
    Its a single piston hydraulic. Saying that, the cable discs are single piston too, but are generally easier to adjust and more reliable.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Rebound adjustment is "set and forget". The trouble is that on cheaper forks, there isn;t any rebound damping at all.



    YES! I did it! I posted something relevant!
    Time for bed methinks, got a full day's riding tomorrow
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    Avoid ebay - much better off getting one from a shop. Full warranty, free build and service, tests, aftersales care etc. Anyway that ebay bike weighs a ton, its built for riding off cliffs.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Andy BAndy B Posts: 8,115
    Hayes Sole are possibly the worst hydraulic brakes on the market!

    Generally hydraulics are better, but the Sole's are single piston (only one piston moves) which makes them a royal PITA & they will need a lot of fettling.

    Cable discs do need some fettling too, as do all bike parts from time to time though.
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
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