Confused about what MTB to buy.

b.smith

Hi, I need advice please. I turned 40 last year and in an effort to shift a few pounds and fit exercise into life with a young family I bought a starter bike. I have had such fun on my mongoose tyax....much more than I imagined and I am now hooked! I want to get a better bike (£800-900) now and I am uncertain about what to get? I have been looking at Ht's like the Kona Kula and the genesis core 40. However I then saw a full sus in a mag which got a good write up....the specialised FSR XC comp. I live north of Cambridge and so there are only bumps around but I do go to the Peaks and I would like to do a multi day ride next year. I am quite a big guy at 6'2" and about 15st. Any ideas? Am I completely up the wrong track....excuse the pun.

Ch3rryGh0st

I'm in Cambridgeshire, too, and find a good HT is perfect for local riding, but appreciate that you want something that'll carry you over more than just the little bumps we have round here.

This is going to be a fairly dull answer...but trying out those bikes you mention, and others, is definitely the way to go.

Grafham Cycling would be worth a look, as they stock Kona and Specialized bikes, as well as plenty of others, and they're a really good, helpful bunch in there.

They also have a hire fleet, so you might be able to rent out a few of the bikes that take your fancy, have a blast around Grafham Water, and see how they feel outside the showroom.

DoctorBobrick

I would always reccomend a full suspension bike, they are a bit heavier and thus a tad harder to take up hills, but they are so much nicer to ride!


Plus, they look cooler :P

Snow-Junkie

get yourself an orange P7.
there awesome and im preety big at 6"1 but theyre meant to be good for big fellas which influenced my choice due to the strength and frame qualitties.
t

supersonic

Hi,

The magic (inbetweener!) budget!

A grand might scrape you a 30lb weight full susser. It will get you a hardtail on the very favourable side of 25lbs. Maybe 23lbs. So need to test, weigh up your riding, the bikes, and well, the weight.

xtremedash

If you're not sure whether to go full suss or not, get yourself across to a trail centre (e.g Coed-Y-Brenin) and hire out a full suss on some good trails. If you go for a weekend, take your HT and use one on each day to give you the best comparison, so you can be sure you're buying the right type of bike for YOU.

Chaka Ping

£900 will get you a Rock Lobster Tig Team - either steel or alu - from Merlin Cycles.

If you're not familiar with them then I'd recommend investigating. They'd be perfect for Cambs (if it's anything like Herts, where I live) and perfectly able to cope with the Peaks.

But then a discounted short-travel FS bike could make an equally good buy. Have a look at the Giant Anthem and Trance, the Mongoose Canaan and Commencal Meta 4 series in particular...

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... goryId=129

I ride a Giant Anthem for a lot of my local riding and the full-sus makes a lot more difference than I expected on flat-ish twisty singletrack - especially if your regular trails have quite a few small logs to negotiate.

GHill

I've got an FSR XC Comp and think it's great (but then it is mine...). It's also much more trail orientated than the name suggests.

If trail rather than xc is a big thing for you then it may be worth waiting for next year's model, travel is up 120 mm and the shock is repositioned so it won't be quite so in the mud firing line.

ratty2k

How often do you go to the Dark Peak? If its less than once a month, I'd be tempted to stay with a long (ish) travel hardtail, Pha5se, 456, P7 etc...
I've ridden down Jacobs ladder and the Beat on a hardtail, and while slower than a full sus down the descent, is quicker going up (and lighter to push as well! :oops: )

cee

for that cash, I really like the look of the Commencal 5.5.3

OK, you can get better kit etc, but its a nice frame and the kit will work until it needs replaced. Then it could be upgraded as you like.

BigStu2

G'day, in the early 40's myself, What you should be aiming for is a bike that makes you feel young again, I've recently picked up an 08 Marin RockyRidge .
A large framed model will suit you.
I've swaped out the tyres to a set of Kenda Nevegal 2.35's to release a bit of extra speed.
My two mates here have just bought Scott scale 50's and the Marin is lighter ( I've swapped out some other bits as well, XT cassette and so on) but I'm chuffed, it Rorts downhill better than my old spec. epic, chugs up at a resonable clip, its no race bike, but its fun....

passout

From what you've said I'd stick to a hardtail. FS is great but you probably won't need it 80% of the time, it's more expensive, fiddly and takes time to get used to. If you do go FS don't go over 140mm travel and consider Commencal Metas.

If I were you though I'd go for an Orange P7 or possibly one of those long travel Saracen hardtails. P7 sounds perfect for you though.

Rich Hcp

I'd stick with a hardtail, you'll be fine on the trails elsewhere

I bought my Orange G3 from Grafham Cycling, they're very helpful (try some out, I'd go for a P7, very predictable!)

BTW, you have to pay £3 to park there because it is at the Grafham Water Visitor Centre, so take a picnic with the kids and let them run around to wear themselves out.

It's a good bike shop with a good range, and as said above, a good hire fleet