What type of bike would suit me?

morbiDDDD

Hi all. Newbie here, looking for some advice on riding styles before I head into the Buyers Advice section.

I'm looking to buy a decent bike. I'm not strapped for cash so I haven't set a budget yet, but I don't want to be one of those idiots that just buys top kit to show off and doesn't actually have a clue what they're doing.

Local riding basically consists of river towpaths and coarse tracks through farmland, i.e. nothing really rough to contend with, so I want a bike that cruises along nicely there. However, I also have ambitions of getting into some more thrilling riding and would like a bike which can cope with those fantastic looking woodland trails over in Wales, for example. (That kind of thing is single or double track, right?)

So my two questions, given the details above, are:

1. What type of bike would fit the bill? Would a pure XC bike do the trick, or would some sort of 'all-rounder' be more suitable? Presumably, freeride and downhill bikes would be excessive (I'm not thinking of plummeting down mountains any time soon).

2. What kind of budget would get me some good kit that would last me through novice and well into intermediate riding? Just browsing the bike listings on this site, around £800 seems to buy models with excellent components. Could I get away with spending much less? Would there be any point in spending more?

Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers.

xtreem

Well, firstly do you want a hardtail or fullsuspension?
If most of the surface is smooth, then a hardtail is better, but if there is a bit more rocks,
roots then a fullsuspension.

Budget, £800 is enough for a decent spec bike, so £1000 should be the max if needed.

The bike. Because you're not doing serious XC riding, like training, racing, a trail bike will
suit the best, because it has a bit of extra strenght and travel to cope with some small
jumps when needed.

If I'm wrong somewhere please correct me.
[quote="morbiDDDD
"]I'm not strapped for cash so I haven't set a budget yet, but I don't want to be one of those idiots that just buys top kit to show off and doesn't actually have a clue what they're doing.[/quote]
That's good thinking. A lot of local riders who have some of the best bikes here, don't
know how to use it. Not mentioning some can't and don't know how to adjust the
rebound. And most of them don't even know that they have low/high speed compression
adjustments on their forks. You don't want to know the rest. :roll:

Anonymous

as with everything, it all depends on what you want to spend. everything is so expensive at the moment. if you want to spend 800 quid you will get your self a very nice hardtail mountain bike but if you can afford more, you can buy a very decent full sus bike for not much more than a grand.

a hardtail sounds like the kind of bike you need for the riding you do now but i would recommend full sus for the kind of riding you want to do in the future. a full sus will also do everything you are doing now with no problems too.

there are a couple of what bike threads in the beginners or buying advic sections but they sway more towards buying hardtails really.

sorry to be so vague but it is a massive question and nver easy to answer. my advice is consider your budget, then come back with some suggestions of bikes you fancy. i reccommend a specialized fsr xc for starters.

finally, even if you spend alot, theres nowt wrong with being clueless, its your money and the only folk passing judgement will be gypos who cant afford gucci bikes, there is no entrance test to owning a bike and no one can judge whether you are worthy or not.

morbiDDDD

Hehe, well I know there's nothing wrong with being clueless, but in the same way that buying a Ferrari when I'm still learning to drive would be pretty stupid, I don't think there's much point in spending two or three grand on a bike I can't get everything out of. I mean, by the time I can push that kind of bike to its limit there will probably be a lot better on offer for the same money.

Now, I hadn't even considered the prospect of a full-sus bike. I was kinda expecting a good hardtail would keep me going someway through intermediate levels of riding. Does full-sus make a big difference for that "Welsh woodland single track" type of riding I mentioned before? Would it have any negative effect for my boring local riding?

Also, when Xtreem says, "a trail bike would be best," I'm not sure I know exactly what type that refers to. Could you give an example model? Sorry if I'm being sumb but categories I've generally seen are XC, dirt jump, freeride, downhill, trials, street, BSX, etc. I've never seen a "trail bike" category.

Anonymous

trail bike tends to refer to a bike with medium travel: 100-130mm and a fairly slack head angle: 68/69 degrees.

my suggestion of an fsr xc is a trail bike, 120mm travel at the front and rear.

you will get a better spec on an 800 quid hardtail than on a full sus bike but bikes are often more than the sum of their parts. my suggestion is to try some out really.

btw, a hardtail will be more than enough for all of the types of riding you are talking about, i just prefer full sus for anything remotely bumpy as i have more fun, there will be lots of folk along in a minute (many of whom will never have ridden a good full sus bike ) who tell you the following:

you should get a hardtail as it is a good place to learn all of your skills- not necessarily true

ful sus is lazy and heavy and saps your energy - refer to the comment about folk never having ridden good FS bikes

better spec = better bike (which is often pretty true) - ask any orange 5 owner about this one

good full sus cant be bought for under 1500 quid- wrong.

all in all, you have a very healty budget and whatever you buy will be a very good bike, i think its almost impossible to buy a bad bike these days!!

supersonic

I'd certainly shortlist a Genesis Core and any one of the Boardrman bikes.

k2rider

go for a 4-5 inch travel bike like a boardman, giant trance or spesh fsr xc, dont bother with a hardtail as if you get into it you would probably end up wanting a full suss anyway.

morbiDDDD

Thanks for clearing up what trail bike means.

I like that sheepsteeth mentioned he/she finds a full-sus more fun. That's all I'm after really - a bit of fun. Not something that will turn me into a pro

I guess what I'll do is try out some full-sus bikes to see if I like them and then get some comments from the Buyers Advice forum when I've set a budget. In the meantime, if anyone else has any comments on full-sus vs hardtail for my potential usage, I'd love to read them.

supersonic

Testing some out is the only way to find out what is fun for you.

morbiDDDD

Hmm, that Boardman Pro Full Sus looks pretty tasty

I hope I can try one out somewhere nearby!

Anonymous

they review really really well, they are exclusive to halfords and in short supply as they are meant to be so good.

rudedog

Have you done much riding so far or are you just about to take the plunge for the first time?

Northwind

morbiDDDD wrote:

I like that sheepsteeth mentioned he/she finds a full-sus more fun. That's all I'm after really - a bit of fun. Not something that will turn me into a pro

Not everyone feels that way, mind... It depends how you take your fun, I like hardtails personally, to me they're more enjoyable and involving to ride, it's more like me vs the trail instead of me and the bike vs the trails if that makes any sense. But, there's no best way here. If you're a speed freak, full suss will usually make more sense though. And it can definately get you out of trouble sometimes!

xtreem

[b]Northwind[/b] wrote:

I like hardtails personally, to me they're more enjoyable and involving to ride, it's more like me vs the trail instead of me and the bike vs the trails if that makes any sense. But, there's no best way here.

+1

morbiDDDD

rudedog wrote:

Have you done much riding so far or are you just about to take the plunge for the first time?

First time pretty much. The only riding I've done so far is the light towpath and farm track stuff I mentioned in my 1st post, on some crappy old boneshaker of a bike.

I'm probably completely wrong, but it sounds a little like hardtails are for those who like the challenge of the ride and full-sus is for those who like to burn through the trails enjoying the scenery. It's kind of a pain that I can't know what I prefer without some experience, though I imagine myself fitting into the latter description to be honest.

I wonder though; I've seen mention of a "lockout" control on some types of suspension. Does that mean you can effectively make the shock rigid and turn your full-sus into a hardtail, depending on the terrain? Perhaps that would give me the best of both worlds so I could really find out what I like?

Anonymous

yup, most suspension designs include a lockout and it does effectively turn the bike into a hardtail, albeit a heavier hardtail than a regular one.

all of my full sus bikes have lockout but i never use it, the suspension works so well that i nevr feel like my effort is being wasted and the comfort and traction i get from the action of the suspension means that personally, i can ride for longer and with alot more fun.

thats not to say that the hardtail doesnt have its place, they are lighter than a full sus bike at the same price point (generally). they are easier to maintain and they offer a different riding experience.

that different riding experience doesnt suit me, i find i fel batterred and more tired more quickly and ultimately, i end up not enjoying it as much.

im fotunate enought to have owned alu, carbon and steel hardtails and in each case, i didnt get on, try as i might. on the flip side i have owned 350 quid full sus bikes and 2 grand bikes, both of which were miles more fun that any hardtail i have ever ridden.

rudedog

morbiDDDD wrote:

rudedog wrote:

Have you done much riding so far or are you just about to take the plunge for the first time?

First time pretty much. The only riding I've done so far is the light towpath and farm track stuff I mentioned in my 1st post, on some crappy old boneshaker of a bike.

I'm probably completely wrong, but it sounds a little like hardtails are for those who like the challenge of the ride and full-sus is for those who like to burn through the trails enjoying the scenery. It's kind of a pain that I can't know what I prefer without some experience, though I imagine myself fitting into the latter description to be honest.

I wonder though; I've seen mention of a "lockout" control on some types of suspension. Does that mean you can effectively make the shock rigid and turn your full-sus into a hardtail, depending on the terrain? Perhaps that would give me the best of both worlds so I could really find out what I like?

The reason I asked is that if your thinking about spending a decent ammount of cash on a bike, you really want to make sure its the right bike for you. The problem here is that until you've got a decent ammount of miles under your belt, it can be difficult to know which bike 'feels' best when trying them out.

If you think this is something you could get serious about, my advice would be to get a decent but low cost hard tail (maybe even second hand) have some fun on it for a few months and then flog it. By then you'll be in a much better postion to know how to spend your cash. You'll have a much better idea of how a bike feels/suits when trying them out and you'll have a better idea whether a hard tail will suffice or whether you want to spend the extra on a full suspension etc.

k2rider

only possible problem when getting a low cost possibly 2nd hand hardtail would be if things start to go wrong, the forks could be crap, the gears could need regular adjustment and the way it l rides could put someone off riding altogether. im not saying that will happen in all cases but who knows.

Anonymous

i wouldnt normally recommend this for a bike beginner but i always buy second hand (well nearly) as your money goes miles and miles further.

rudedog

k2rider wrote:

only possible problem when getting a low cost possibly 2nd hand hardtail would be if things start to go wrong, the forks could be crap, the gears could need regular adjustment and the way it l rides could put someone off riding altogether. im not saying that will happen in all cases but who knows.

When I said low cost I didn't mean crap - with some of the deals available at the moment, you can get a decent brand new hard tail for around £400 (Carrera Fury, GT avalanche 1/XC1 etc) which would be a great starter bike and would be more than adequate for what the OP has said he'll be using it for - if you kept it for anything up to a year, you should still be able to sell it for at least half what you paid (probably more if you've looked after it)

The reason I mentioned second hand bikes was because you get more for your money and it won't have depreciated that much when you come to sell it on again.

I just think spending £1000+ on a starter bike is too much of a gamble. If it turns out you got the wrong bike, how much will you lose if you need to sell it on?

Speckled Pants

If your looking to spend under £1000 then i'd go with a hardtail.

I was undecided which bike to go for a few months ago, i'd been riding a hardtail for the past 7 years but decided to treat myself to a new bike. I liked the idea of a full suss, you always wonder what it would be like when your bombing down a fast rocky downhill, but i knew if i wanted to get a lightweight bike (which im used to) i'd have to spend well over 2k and i just dont have the funds for that.

I do all kinds of riding, in the peak district dark/white, road riding 30 miles+ and the odd trail centre and my hardtail does just fine. Im not one of these people that go on about hardtails are better than full fuss etc, as if i has the money i would buy a good full suss. But if i was having one it would have to be a good fast and light one like the trek top fuel for example. I wouldnt wanna be lumping a heavy bottom of the range full suss about one bit.

But thats just me, as i like to clock the miles up. If your happy doing 10-15 mile runs then maybe the added weight wouldnt be a problem.

As already said its a tough call, but for me if i was spending 1k it would deffo be a hardtail, if i had 2.5-3k it would be a full suss

rudedog

Speckled Pants - out of curiosity, how light would a full suspension have to be to qualify as lightweight for you?

Speckled Pants

Well im happy with the weight of my hardtail which is 24lb, so if i was buying a full suss i'd want one around that weight. Obviously there is lighter, but thats a weight im happy with and enjoy riding on.

rudedog

yeah - that would be pretty light for a full suspension bike !

ChrisMidsUK

Speckled Pants wrote:

.


As already said its a tough call, but for me if i was spending 1k it would deffo be a hardtail, if i had 2.5-3k it would be a full suss

And what about the 1k to 2.5k price range?

joshtp

I honestly think HT's are better as all round bikes up untill about 2k, and i do think you would be better of with a decent tough trail hardtail.
I just got one of these as im improving as a rider and needed something a bit tougher, its not too light but its super good on singletrack, and can take most of what you can throw at it, also having 140mm of squish at the front means its comfy and can take the big hits, without rear sus. Its also really high specked for the price, and can always be upgraded to lighten it.It would be good for both general haking and trail thrashing.(plus it look's MINT!)Totaly recomended!
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499
if you do get it swap the pedals out for somehing like DMR V8's so you dont slip and slide around on the pedals

morbiDDDD

I don't really have a clue about weights. My old bike was about 30lbs as far as I know, so even a 1k to 1.5k full-sus is going to be lighter than what I've had before.

My nearest Bikehut is getting in a Boardman FS Pro for me to try out. If it feels good, is that going to be as good as any for my purposes?

I mean, I see all the reviews saying how awesome it is, and how it's an astounding value for money, all-round trail bike, but then I see forum comments saying it's pretty lightweight, it's more XC than trail, and you could do better with a GT for example. Anyway, I guess that's getting a bit off-topic and should be asked in Buyers Advice.

Really stupid question here: Do you think I can get any reasonable idea of the difference between full-sus and hardtail just by speeding the Boardman over the carpark humps when I go to take a look at it?

Anonymous

you would need a proper off road ride to know if you prefer a fs but i would wager you will have a blast on it. give the fs a blast around the carpark and stay seated over the speedbumps and into/off of curb stones. then stay seated over speed bumps and into and off of curb stones on a hardtail. you will definately feel a difference. whether you like the difference is up to you to decide.

now try it all over again stood on your pedals there is another difference. every one will say your back legs are the best suspension but many of these havent tried good rear sus, i wouldnt trade it no matter how well i absorb shock with my arms and legs.

this is a bit of a genralisation but most folk ride decent hardtails which weigh in at around 27-30lbs. my stumpjumper weighs about 27lbs, cost about 1500 quid and is more fun than any hardtail i have ridden.

thing is, its all subjective, you just have to learn how to pick out the advice which is based in fact, and the advic which is based in assumption.

you will know what is right for you and i ould imagine it is not the same as everyone else!!

also, the whole buy a crap bike to learn on then buy a decent bike is the worst advice i have heard in a long time. what are you going to learn about bikes from riding a crap one? answer= you dont like riding crap bikes and now you wish you hadnt spent that money cause it would get you a whole different spec of bike when added to you now halved budget.

buy the best you can afford. always. everytime. no matter what.

xtreem

My suggestion is to try a decent fullsuspension bike (arround £1000 mark)
and a decent hardtail. If you can test more, even better.

Then tell us what do you prefer more, and then you'll tell us the final budget and
we'll start to add suggestions for what bike has good spec for that money.
Open a new post in Buying advice.

At the end if you're able, test a few from the suggested and buy the one that
has the best feel and look. Happy end.

rudedog

sheepsteeth wrote:

you would need a proper off road ride to know if you prefer a fs but i would wager you will have a blast on it. give the fs a blast around the carpark and stay seated over the speedbumps and into/off of curb stones. then stay seated over speed bumps and into and off of curb stones on a hardtail. you will definately feel a difference. whether you like the difference is up to you to decide.

now try it all over again stood on your pedals there is another difference. every one will say your back legs are the best suspension but many of these havent tried good rear sus, i wouldnt trade it no matter how well i absorb shock with my arms and legs.

this is a bit of a genralisation but most folk ride decent hardtails which weigh in at around 27-30lbs. my stumpjumper weighs about 27lbs, cost about 1500 quid and is more fun than any hardtail i have ridden.

thing is, its all subjective, you just have to learn how to pick out the advice which is based in fact, and the advic which is based in assumption.

you will know what is right for you and i ould imagine it is not the same as everyone else!!

also, the whole buy a crap bike to learn on then buy a decent bike is the worst advice i have heard in a long time. what are you going to learn about bikes from riding a crap one? answer= you dont like riding crap bikes and now you wish you hadnt spent that money cause it would get you a whole different spec of bike when added to you now halved budget.

buy the best you can afford. always. everytime. no matter what.

who said he should go out and buy a crap bike?

joshtp

If you can spend the money, spend it, we all want nicer/better bikes. but, as a beginer you will learn more on a Hardtail, your bike handling will be better, and you learn how to ride properly, moving your weight around, and coping with the bumps. Then later, you can move on to a full sus, for ultimate trail slaying joy, not that a decent HT wont be awsome fun. You always need a HT as well (even if you have a FS), just for mucking about around town and road use, as well as trails on which you may not want to use your full sus. Get a HT and then replace it, or add to it with a full sus later in your mtn'ing life.