First bike for around 15 years - £400 to spend?

1ntense

Im looking to buy a new bike this week but finding it hard to find something I like enough to buy.

Im liking the '08 Cannondale F5 for £399 only problem is Im not keen on the colours - like it in black but cant seem to find it anywhere, not for that price anyway.

Other considerations are the Felt Q520/620

Gemini Core 00 - again not too keen on the colour

Really like the Cube Attention and Analogue - seems to be a bit out of my price range, think I can get an Aim for around £400 but comes with crap forks

Quite liked the Trek 4300 but again dont like the forks

GT Avalanche - quite like it but not sure about the triple triangle design and again crap forks

Had a look at the Carreras, the kraken looked ok but not keen on the brand really.


Any advice or opinions?


Thanks

Danny

GSDog

Hi, welcome to the forum.

What type of riding will you be doing?

If you asked this question 4-6 weeks ago I would have recommended the Carrera Fury without a doubt as it was available for just £399 when the 20% offer was on. It is a very good spec bike for the money - don't let the brand put you off.
However, it now seems to have shot up in price to £549! Wait for the weekend though because Halfords often have 20% off sales.

The GT Avalanche is also a decent bike and the '08 can be had for around £400. Paulscycles have it in stock but they don't have the large size.
http://paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s2p1429

Another bike definitely worth looking at is the Decathlon Rockrider 8.1 which is slightly over budget at £499 but seems to have a decent fork and looks like a solid bike.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rockrider-8-1-66759353/

xand_xand

Seriously mate dont be snoberish to brands...the carerras got some good spec and some good frames...suggets you go into halfords and try them all out.

blister pus

1ntense wrote:

Any advice or opinions?

Yeh. 1) don't go off colour 2) don't dismiss brands you know next to nothing about as you automatically discount great bikes and put yourself at a purchasing disadvantage, which is totally unnecessary (you can't afford to be a bike snob in the £400 bracket). Instead focus on type of riding you'll be doing, then look for geometry to suit, look for a good balanced spec, then lastly you can start factoring in things like colour - as colours grow on you. A bikes size, spec, geometry don't.

quentin_miller

Another alternative is the Commencal Normal Disc (£349)

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/custom-mountain-bikes/commencal-mountain-bikes/commencal-normal-disc-2009.html

1ntense

Not sure what type of riding Ill be doing, I remember liking going fast downhill but I suppose a bit of everything - road, trails and downhill.

Thanks for the heads up on the '08 GT Avalanche, looks like a well speced bike apart from the forks, shame I dont like the looks of the frame either.

Really do like the look of the Cube bikes, I know I shouldnt go for looks of the bike but for me its important.

I did have a look at the Commencal Normal, cant say I like the looks of that either though.

Ill probably go for the 'dale as Ive put a deposit on it and going to see it on Saturday in Evans.

Tempted by a Cube Aim though, bit of a bugger most of the bikes I like are sporting duff forks as I think the forks will be one of the biggest factors in ride quality?

Anyone got an opinion on a 'dale F5?

llamafarmer

1ntense wrote:

Tempted by a Cube Aim though, bit of a bugger most of the bikes I like are sporting duff forks as I think the forks will be one of the biggest factors in ride quality?

Dead right there mate, a good fork makes a world of difference when things get sketchy. Cube do seem to compromise on the fork in their lower end models, which isn't ideal.

rhext

+1 for the 'don't worry about colour' statements. MTBs used properly are all mud-brown after the first few minutes of the ride regardless of what colour they are in the showroom ;-)

Northwind

Definately do have a second look at the Kraken, I got one to get me back into riding and it did me fine. The spec's solid throughout and the XCR fork is adequate- quite high maintenance if you want to keep it going well but it performs better than a dart 2 IMO. The tyres are completely rotten mind, they weigh over a kilo each and they grip like semi-slicks but roll like mud tyres.