1st Hardtail, advice please...
TheRevOlutionary
Posts: 1,176
Ive been on the 'WHAT BIKE?' thread and got some help finding the right sort of bike for my budget (£300-400), and seem to have narrowed the search to a handful!
Cannondale F6, Scott Aspect 45 and Mongoose Amasa Comp.
Went to Evans last night and tried the F6, but they didnt have the others built up :? loved the 'dale but would prefer forks with lockout if poss as I ride to work every day too. The Scott has a great frame and average spec. The seemingly best spec of the three is the Amasa, and recently reduced by almost £100!
Any suggestions which specs are best. I know it depends on feel too, but will be hopefully returning to try two of them before I buy so want to decide which to get them to build up for me.
I am, of course, open to suggestions for other bikes in that price range. Considered the Hardrock Sport (09 out this week with new frame), Avalanche 2.0, and Merida SUB-50.
HELP! :shock:
Cannondale F6, Scott Aspect 45 and Mongoose Amasa Comp.
Went to Evans last night and tried the F6, but they didnt have the others built up :? loved the 'dale but would prefer forks with lockout if poss as I ride to work every day too. The Scott has a great frame and average spec. The seemingly best spec of the three is the Amasa, and recently reduced by almost £100!
Any suggestions which specs are best. I know it depends on feel too, but will be hopefully returning to try two of them before I buy so want to decide which to get them to build up for me.
I am, of course, open to suggestions for other bikes in that price range. Considered the Hardrock Sport (09 out this week with new frame), Avalanche 2.0, and Merida SUB-50.
HELP! :shock:
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33 views and no votes yet?!
Surely you have a favourite :roll: 0 -
If it helps I think i'll eliminate the Specialized due to the lack of hydro brakes
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and the only vote so far is Specialized! 0
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Ive added the vote for the Sub-50 myself as that's my current favourite 0
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TheRevOlutionary wrote:If it helps I think i'll eliminate the Scott/Specialized due to the lack of hydro brakes
The Aspect 45 actually has rather good hydro brakes. Are you sure you're not looking at the 55?0 -
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Apologies, it was the Specialized and Avalanche 3.0 that were cable (hence changing to Avalanche 2.0), the Scott has Shimano hydro's, not as good as the F6 Avid Juicy 3's apparently :oops:0
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Do you think you maybe want a bit too much for your money?
I know you obviously want the best spec, but at that price range there will be something that is not quite right, better to get a good frame and forks, you can always upgrade brakes at a later date?!0 -
That's the question im asking. It is just a case of damage limitation and not getting a bike with a good name but poor spec (im not all that clued up on the differences!). Im sure any of them would be decent, and infinately better than I have now, but just wanting a more expert opinion and the best spec for my money
8) 0 -
...and equally if I can get a not so well known name with good spec (like the SUB-50 which i'd never heard of before) for cheaper than the branded equivilants it'd be great too 8)
Merida do make the frames for Specialized dont they?! :roll:0 -
Juicy 3's are crap. They don't have enough adjustability for the amount they go wrong.Giant XTC 2.5 '08
Felt Virtue 3 '10
Giant Defy 2 '11
Giant Terrago Disc '07 - Convereted for CX
Fit Team Park Bmx '080 -
Thanks that's the kind of info I need :thumbsup: 0
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I would suggest to you a Giant XTC 4 08 or 09 model.
I'm not sure how much the 09 one is but the 08 was £425 so should get discount and the same spec as the 09 just a different frame colour.Giant XTC 2.5 '08
Felt Virtue 3 '10
Giant Defy 2 '11
Giant Terrago Disc '07 - Convereted for CX
Fit Team Park Bmx '080 -
Sweet, will check it out... 8)0
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Can only find the 4 or 4.5 for just over £400, which is pushing my budget limits a bit too much, ive come up from £300 already! Thanks though :? 0
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Interesting that there's 3votes for the Scott though. After what the sales guy said at Evans, i'd almost written that one off...0
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I'd go for Mongoose, but the Scott and GT both look like good packages too.
The thing that swung it for me on the Mongoose was that it's specced with what appears to be a higher quality Suntour fork than other bikes at that level (120mm air-sprung fork with lockout rather than a 100mm coil one).
SRAM X5 is decent gearing, the Tektro brakes are pretty good, the wheels are good for price and the finishing kit looks the best - it has alloy platform pedals and Nevegal tyres.
It looks the best too, to my eyes.0 -
Thanks my thoughts exactly but wasnt sure if the spec was good or just different! 0
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Remember what I said on the other thread?! Go and try some out!
Shortlist 3 or 4 you like the look of and go and sit on them. You won't go wrong with the Aspect 45, Avalanche 2.0 or the Mongoose.0 -
Don't worry i'll be trying before I buyTheRevOlutionary wrote:Ive been on the 'WHAT BIKE?' thread and got some help finding the right sort of bike for my budget (£300-400), and seem to have narrowed the search to a handful!
Cannondale F6, Scott Aspect 45 and Mongoose Amasa Comp.
Went to Evans last night and tried the F6, but they didnt have the others built up :? loved the 'dale but would prefer forks with lockout if poss as I ride to work every day too. The Scott has a great frame and average spec. The seemingly best spec of the three is the Amasa, and recently reduced by almost £100!
Any suggestions which specs are best. I know it depends on feel too, but will be hopefully returning to try two of them before I buy so want to decide which to get them to build up for me.
I am, of course, open to suggestions for other bikes in that price range. Considered the Hardrock Sport (09 out this week with new frame), Avalanche 2.0, and Merida SUB-50.
HELP! :shock:
Currently looking like the Scott and Mongoose though...0 -
I've got a Cannondale F6 and can really recommend it. In your list I've also ridden the Specialized Hardrock - nice bike but not in the same league as the Cannondale imo. Just something about the geometry setup for medium riders - the F6 is an excellent frame. The way I see it, the frame is the last thing you'll upgrade, so you want a good one, which the F6 has, and even though it has average spec parts on it, they're good enough and you won't feel so bad about that fork or disc brake upgrade further down the line...! Oh, also the Rockshox Dart 2 fork on it HAS lockout, and although it's a budget fork it's streaks ahead of the RST or Suntour forks in the same price band, and still appears on much more expensive bikes.0
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Thanks Ed, add to my confusion :roll:
The current spec forks do not have lockout unfortunately. The sales guy said they used to but the one we looked at definately didnt, and he sad if I wanted to buy it neither would the one I buy. Not the be-all and end-all, but with the better all round spec on other bikes for the same money I am more tempted by the others. Erring even more on the side of the Mongoose, just want to try it to see if it feels as good to ride.0 -
Does anyone know much about the Mongoose frame?
Solid?0 -
You're welcome
Shame about the forks - lockout is useful. I got mine back in Feb so they must have changed since then, and mine is a V-brake version. You can't go too wrong I wouldn't have thought, with any of those bikes. One thing that has put people I know off Specialized is that everyone has got or has had one.... sometimes it's nice to be different!
Good luck.0 -
Hence adding the SUB-50, not a common bike but fairly well spec'd 0
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You could get a good second hand for that price with all the right bits on. ???????0
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Considered it, and have been scouring eBay, but not entirely enamoured with the condition of most of these type bikes thay all seen a few rocks/hills and trees! Would rather get new and warrenty plus know it's serviced from day1. 0
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Just rung Evans again to see if they had any of the aforementioned on the shop floor yet. They have the Amasa in a 17" frame which would suit me, but none of the others still :?
F6 dodgy brakes (apparently), Specialized non-hydro, SUB-50 not stocked at Evans.
Avalanche 3.0 in stock but XL and no Scott at all.
Which one to get built up to test against the Mongoose guys? Or I could be cheeky and get them to build two up and then compare it to the Mongoose seeing as though it's on the shop floor anyway?! Hmmm...
Anyone know of any decent bike shops between Crawley and Brighton in the South East? Somewhere with a better selection may be the answer.0 -
Have found another cycle shop near Evans that stocks Merida, so hope to compare that one too.
Still only 8 votes?! :roll:
I appreciate us newbie's are boring after a while, all asking 'which one should I get', but that's why we've come here, to drink from the MTB fountain of knowledge...someone share some more wisdom with me 0 -
I doubt many people know much about these bikes! So voting will be for just the name they like the most ;-)0
