low cost full suspension

robbo94

Everywhere i have read people are saying dont get a low cost full suspension. I have seen a Carrera Banshee at Halfords for £300 and the specs seem spot on. Do you think that bike will do the job for someone who will only take it off road maybe once a week.

delude

Go for it! I have seen the '08 model for £500+ (which model is the one you have seen?)

robbo94

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_240443_langId_-1_categoryId_165499 thats the bike i have seen.

Da Mighty Chicken

Personally I wouldn't get it, I would really suggest a nice hardtail for that kinda money, you'll enjoy it more.

Have got my wife a Carrera Fury (link in sig) took it for its maiden voyage yesterday & it rides really nicely, I'd recommend something like that

delude

Ah, I was looking at the 19" model with better specs.

sarkmeister

Is there any particular reason why you would want a full suspension (especially if you are only going off road once a week)? You'd get a much better spec hardtail for the money generally.....

supersonic

It is good value at 300 quid. But totally the wrong bike for general XC riding.

adun1408

Boy is that bike heavy

Northwind

They're good fun but heavy and... Not sure what the word is. Imprecise? I had a few goes on one, they're hilarious on the descents since it basically doesn't pay that much attention to the rider, it'll go over or through surprising things but the flip side is, sometimes it decides to go over or through something you didn't intend to Like riding on a trampoline. That might sound like a criticism, it's not, it's really really fun. But, riding it up is not fun at all.

thedirge

pauls cycles giant yukon fx3 take a look

robbo94

thanks for all replies. The main reason i want a ful sus is because they seem more fun look like a comfier ride off road than a hardtail. And when i said once a week i probably ment to say 2-3 thimes nd would do XC.

elPedro666

Low cost full suspension...

...is a really, really bad idea.

Period.
Heavy, bouncy, heavy, uncontrolled, heavy, sloppy, heavy and miserable in every way. For the same money a hardtail - or even a decent rigid - will out perform it in every way - (up, down, across) last loads longer and be so much more fun you can't imagine. Plus you'll learn to ride properly much quicker.

Nothing against full-suss - I love it - but to do it well takes money, at least a grand rrp at the moment to make it worthwhile.

Sorry to be so down on the idea!

Da Mighty Chicken

elPedro666 wrote:

Low cost full suspension...

...is a really, really bad idea.

Period.
Heavy, bouncy, heavy, uncontrolled, heavy, sloppy, heavy and miserable in every way. For the same money a hardtail - or even a decent rigid - will out perform it in every way - (up, down, across) last loads longer and be so much more fun you can't imagine. Plus you'll learn to ride properly much quicker.

Nothing against full-suss - I love it - but to do it well takes money, at least a grand rrp at the moment to make it worthwhile.

Sorry to be so down on the idea!

So what do you think about its weight?

robbo94

lol looks like i will be getting a hardtail then seems like the best and most sensible choice to go ahead with.

fourcrossjohn

i'm getting a carrera banshee x was gonna get the normal but i thort the 55r's are 500 quid alone so paying 300 for those forks and the extra upgrades is worth it, carrera banshee is probs 1 of the best all round riders ive even seen n it has great looks, its the 05 stinky frame and the 07 kona dawg fram so u no its strong

supersonic

Is it the kona frame? Very similar front triangle, but different rear end (Banshee has a chainstay 'horst' pivot).

All are cracking value, just too heavy for what the OP suggests IMHO.

fourcrossjohn

just different rear end but the front is kona

nfrang

Anyone see the glowing reviews...both of which from 'top 250 contributors' which i assume are regular reviewers on Halfords website. So completely unbiased then and not working at H's IT dept. "I'm a cycling enthusiast and like top quality products and brands"
BTW i did buy at Halfords unfortunately but that was for the £200 saving and it'll be the last place i go for service.

Northwind

If you look at the large, one of the reviews is from a top 50 contributor and says "not up to the job". Don't think it's as onesided as you suggest really.

nfrang

Ya probably right mate...appears you only need to post twice to become a top contributor!
I prefer user reviews normally when buying stuff but they've gone a bit nut's with 5 out of 5 out of 5 on everything.

The Northern Monkey

fourcrossjohn wrote:

just different rear end but the front is kona

so the end that matters is different

Steve_F

I got the 08 Banshee X through cycle to work.

It was a bit of a pig uphill but that's not what I'm there for.

That think really does shift going back down. I do agree that it can have a bit of a mind of it's own but I disagree that there's any hardtails at the same price that could get down at the same speed.

I really enjoyed that bike but in the end the components (especially rear suspension and rear mech hangers catching in (well used) flexy wheels) just weren't up to a heavy rider abusing it in the way I did.

Was only when I moved to my next bike that I realised it wasn't quite as good as I'd thought but that cost more than double the Banshee X.

If you like coming downhill more than uphill I wouldn't write this bike off, can't comment on the non-X model though.

joshtp

go for a hardtail mate, much better value, and fine of road, esp if youl only use it once or twice a week off road. some nutters (including myself) even ride Downhill on hardtails!

robbo94

yes definatley not going for a fll sus on this budget. Looks like im going to go for this one http://paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s2p1889 Do you think it looks ok, i seem to like it.

elPedro666

Looks pretty good to me, at a quick glance (gotta go clean my bike...).

Will do a bit of everything & should be reassuring off-road.

Can't think of anything bad to say... :shock:

geordiefreerider

As much as I love my full sussers, I always say this, for that kind of money your definately far better off with a hardtail, it will come better specced be far lighter and probably ride downhill just as well, and the upshot is if you still want full suspension you can look for a cheap frame at a later date once you have more money and transfer your (better) parts onto it, like this for example evan's own pinnacle frame for £400 http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec014906

robbo94

well think im going with the dimondback looks good for the money.
Also thanks for all the replies you really do know how to give a newbie a good welcome.
Thanks, chris.