£350 on a new MTB

junglist420

Now that i'm using my bike a few nights a week i'm looking at getting something a bit better. Looking to spend around £350.

I've been reading up on makes and models etc and also visited my local bike store. Narrowed it down to the following:

Specialized Hardrock Pro Disk 2008
Trek 4300 Disk 2008
Giant Terrago 2008
GT Avalance 3.0

Hoping you guys will help me out from here!

cee

I have a Hardrock......can't recommend it enough. Its a superb bike. The GT seems to get rave reviews as well, and I think the giant won the most wanted in the recent budget hardtail thing in mbuk.

It is probably difficult separating them as that price range seems to be very competitive....

go to a shop (or three if necessary) and get your leg over them.... see which you prefer the feel of.

junglist420

Unfortunately my local stores only stock the Trek, so I can't get the feel of any of the other bikes...

Seemed like a fairly decent spec, but didn't feel much different when riding it to my current £100 discount bike store jobby. Perhaps I was expecting too much..

1 vote for the Specialized so far then.

robmanic1

Why not spend another £150 and get a REAL entry-level MTB? Go-on, go-on, go-on, you know it makes sense!

Seriously though, you really couldn't tell the difference between your £100.00 jalopy and the Trek? How far did you go, did you get any off-road action, as this is when you'll feel the difference with better forks, tyres + stuff.

cee

If it was my money.....the trek would be 4th on the list, out of nothing other than ignorance, having never ridden the gt the giant or the trek.

Don't rush into your decision just because the local shop only stock the trek. Next time you are near another bike shop, check it out to see what feels best.

Remember, many bike shops will deliver the bike to you, so don't feel like your options are limited by your local shop....

It would be a good idea to try the others out though. At least you are still riding your current bike, so it's not like you need

beski

Why not spend an extra £50 and go for the Avalanche 2 - you get hydraulic disc brakes then. Otherwise I would go for the Trek

As said previously - try before you buy

junglist420

I just tried the Trek in the car park behind the shop, so that's probably why I didn't notice much difference. It did feel a little smoother though.

Unfortunately I don't have a car at the moment so going to bike places further a field is out of it i'm afriad......I could order online but would prefer it if the bike came ready assembled. There's 2 bike shops in my town, 1 only stocks the Trek and the other only stocks the Giant (didn't have it in today though!).

I know the Trek is a good bike, but are the others better?

Specialized Hardrock Pro Disk 2008
Trek 4300 Disk 2008
Giant Terrago 2008
GT Avalance 3.0

Oh, with the Trek i'l also get 2 free services thrown in with that too, one in a months time and one in 6 months.

robmanic1

I'm sure the Giant dealer will do you a deal on servicing and they do get really good reviews

Best bet is to play the two shops against one another and see who can give you the best deal.

I'm a bit of a Giant fan though so I'd go for that one.

Ryan Jones

How about the Mongoose tyax Super? They are around discounted at this price, this years get hydraulic disks and they are a bit more chuckable than the Avalanche in my experience.

Ensure whatever you buy has 1-Splined Crankset with removeable rings, 2-rebound damped forks of some description, 3-Disk brakes or disk ready wheels and frame,

How tall are you by the way?

junglist420

I'm 6ft.

Ryan Jones

I had a Mongoose Tyax super (06 model) in large and frankly it was great for me and i'm 6'1 foot. Really it's an xc bike but its a bit more hardcore in a similar vein to a Marin Wildcat etc. The new ones are bit better spec and the suntour forks this year are good for the money unlike previous years. Highly Recommended ! ! !

justresting

I've got the terrago and I've found it ideal for the sort of riding I do ( a bit of off road in the woods nearby, and roughish country roads locally) but that said I've no experience of the other bikes, all I can say is up to now I've had no problems. Touch wood !!!!

Ryan Jones

I had the Tyax, felt bombproof for roughish riding round the local woods, however with my sights set upon the Cannock Chase downhill black route and a bit of shore action I gave it up for my GT Ruckus. Basically if you're a beginner and want the best bike, get the Mongoose. This website has a review of the Elite version and they say it's probably the best frame on any bike at it's price they've seen, and the super verion is just a better specced version for a bit more cash.

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/products. ... 0s196p3406

hairy_boy

I bought a Giant Terrago 2 months ago and absolutely love it - it feels like real quality.

I love the understated looks (not to everyones taste) - online images make it look very black/white but in the flesh the front is black with a small white section in the middle then the rear is a metallic brown - very classy IMHO.

For the money when I was looking the spec was very good when comparing it against others - Hydraulic disc brakes, Deore front and rear mech and a suspension fork with lockout.

The Suntour XCR fork on the Terrago would probably be viewed as its weak spot but for my riding its absolutely fine and when I want to do a bit of an upgrade this will probably be the thing I'll change - only for the bling effect of a Rockshox fork and not really because the current fork is crap !

I had a sit on the Terrago and it just felt right - I tried the Giant XTC 4.5 also (next model up) but it just didn't feel as right for me as the Terrago.

As has been said you really need to try the bikes your interested in and buy the one thats right for you but I'd definately recommend seeing the Terrago in the flesh and giving it a try.

Oh, and if you ask your LBS for their best price (and mention your torn between the Terrago and the Trek) you should be able to negotiate a deal so you pay under £400 against a list of £425

justresting

hairy boy did you get your bike from Tadcaster?

Yukon Lad

if you spend £150 more you start to get better frames, well damped and adjustable forks, hydraulic disc brakes and the bike will also last longer.

I would recommend a Kona Blast for £485 and the Blast deluxe comes with dart 3's and hayes brakes for £550

Hope that helps, Yukon Lad

pdrolo

I have the tyax elite 08 - I Really like how the bike handles - I don't consider myself much off an off roader - go through some local woods a couple of times a week - and over to cannock now and then - however I already want to upgrade the brakes and fork - cable discs are a pain in the ** - so if you like the mongoose - I would recommend paying a little extra for the tyax super.

junglist420

Cheers HB, been reading a few reviews and posts on other forums and I think i'm gonna pay the extra £50-60 and get the Giant. Will pop back again tomorrow and ask to see if I can get a feel on it etc, and if I prefer it over the Trek, see if they'll knock me a bit off and chuck me in a couple of services...Reckon it'd be cheeky to ask them to fit some slime inner tubes too?

beski

If you don't let them know your dead set on the Giant & tell 'em that your split between that & the Trek, then say that if they knock a bit off the price, throw in some slime inner tubes a couple of free services then that would make your mind up!
Make sure that they know it is more than you can really afford & beyond your budget really
If you don't ask you don't get I'm sure they will be willing to do this to get the sale & your future custom

junglist420

Back to square 1, the only bike I can get from the local bike shops out of that list is the Trek 4300 Disk!

It's still gonna be a better bike to what i've got now, and along with the free services it seems sensible to buy it locally. What do you guys think?

hairy_boy

justresting wrote:

hairy boy did you get your bike from Tadcaster?

Yeh,

really good shop, Cyclesense ! Proper little pandoras box - good range of clothes aswell with a decent reduced clothes section to rake through when your passing.

Do you frequent this fine establishment ?

hairy_boy

junglist420 wrote:

Back to square 1, the only bike I can get from the local bike shops out of that list is the Trek 4300 Disk!

It's still gonna be a better bike to what i've got now, and along with the free services it seems sensible to buy it locally. What do you guys think?

Whats the problem with the Giant dealer ?

justresting

I do indeed, In fact I'm taking my TERRAGO in 2moro for its post sale check up though no specific probs, they said they like to just give them a once over after a few miles.Cant fault them!

junglist420

Well, I went for the 4300 Disc in the end. Was the only bike I could get locally and I didn't want to risk ordering online and not being happy with it.

Paid £350, with 2 free services, got a pump thrown in and when it goes in for it's first service they'll fit 2 slime inner tubes free of charge.

Took it out for a proper ride tonight, i'm finding that sometimes the gears feel like they're trying to slip out when you're going along, not often mind, it happened about 6 times over a 3 hour ride, just makes you wonder if your chains gonna fly off.....

Is that just the gears bedding in or something to be looked at more closely? :oops:

Overall though i'm really happy with it. 8)

hairy_boy

Pleased to hear you got uyour new bike - happy riding !

Whats happening with the gears - is it the front or rear gears you feel are 'slippnig' ? does it happen when your changing gear or just riding in a gear already selected? is it a particular gear or a particular combination of gears which is giving a problem ?

Bit more specific info on the gears should help us to advise and if you really feel it isn't right then take it back to your LBS to sort the problem.

supersonic

They do bed in, and cables stretch a little knocking them out of adjustment. Usually your free service will sort it, but often a tweak of the barell adjuster will solve it.