New mtb £350ish

Brocon

Sorry, I know that this has been done to death, but what is a good buy seems to change week to week and every thread gets something different recommended.

I have been using my old claud bultler for the last 10 years to cycle to uni, work (mixed dirt trails and tarmac) and to go off road for a bit of fun at the weekend, nothing too serious. Unfortunately I have managed to knacker the rear cassette, rear hub, chain and chain rings and I don't think it is worth repairing.

Unfortunately I recently went back to uni as a graduate, so money is tight again, grr! On the other hand I do ±75 miles a week so I want something reasonable. It also doesn’t want to look too flashy or it’s going to get kicked!

I did like the look of the decathlon rockrider 5.3 and had aimed to stay at £300 or less but there are no stores with in 3 hours of me, which would make it a pain if anything goes wrong.

I have drawn up a short list of £350 ish bike that I like the look of, just really looking to find out what you would go for. There is a chance that one of my parents may be able to get it through the cycle to work scheme, so my budget might get stretched a bit!

Here is my short list:
MONGOOSE Tyax super 2008 £348
http://activesport.co.uk/shop/article_MONGOOSE%2520Tyax%2520super.001/MONGOOSE-Tyax-super-2008.html?shop_param=cid%3D33%26aid%3DMONGOOSE%2520Tyax%2520super.001%26

GT Avalanche 2.0 Disc 2008 £350
http://activesport.co.uk/shop/article_GT%2520Avalanche%25202.0%2520Disc%25202008.001/GT-Avalanche-2.0-Disc-2008.html?shop_param=cid%3D26%26aid%3DGT%2520Avalanche%25202.0%2520Disc%25202008.001%26

Giant Terrago Disc 2009 £355
http://activesport.co.uk/shop/article_1065.001/Giant-Terrago-Disc-2009.html?shop_param=cid%3D1197%26aid%3D1065.001%26

Carrera Vulcan Disc Spec 20" Mountain Bike 09 £249
Carrera Kraken 20" Mens Mountain Bike 08 £379

As a not very experienced rider on a very limited budget, which would get your vote? Are there any other good buys out there that I’m missing?

Many thanks
Scott

Brocon

ok, another on that I have found that seems quite good, though lacks disks:
Focus Whistler £349 which seems to be the same frame as the focus black forest, so some new breaks and forks and it could be a really nice bike if I chose to upgrade...
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Focus ... 360037572/

supersonic

Can you try any out? All seem pretty good value, and many are mentioned in the What Bike sticky.

Northwind

I've only got personal experience of the Carrera Kraken... It's good, amazing what you can get for this budget these days. There's definate shortcuts in the spec- the tyres are pretty poor and very heavy and the bike as a whole isn't light- but it's impressively capable. The only real criticism I have is that the frame is weirdly steep for a 120mm frame, it makes it a wee bit front-endy going down steep techy stuff, but it's not drastic. Oh, and the forks are a wee bit high maintenance- give them regular love or they die. But look after them and they perform very well. All in all, a bargain.

Having said that, I'd definately suggest that you up your budget a little if you possibly can, if you can push to a Carrera Fury that's a whole different kettle of fish, a lot better. But that's not to say you can't have a hoot on a £350 bike, mine bounced quite happily round glentress red a couple of times and never missed a beat.

supersonic

As 350 bikes go the Kraken is a revelation compared to most others! Most have undamped forks and even worse kit lol.

Northwind

Yup. I'm pretty thankful to mine, if I'd got some horrible thing I really don't know if I'd have got right back into biking, but it was a really good "gateway drug" I did end up upgrading every last part of it, until I discovered I'd actually built another bike, but that's by the by I didn't have to.

Brocon

I would love to try them all out, but I’m having trouble tracking them down in lbs. The two near me are both shut now so I will have to venture further afield to look for them, halfords is easy..

How do the vulcan/ the rock rider 5.3 (I’m still debating making the trip!) compare to the more expensive named bikes above?

And they are all so near in cost which one from a purely component/weight point of view?

supersonic

The Rockrider is very good for the money - higher specced than the Vulcan which in itself is superb for the money.

Brocon

Hi Northwind, thanks for the feedback on the Kraken, that definatlly sounds like one to try and possibly one of the best here, essp if one of the fabled halfords 20% days comes up.

Unfortunatlly my budget has already crept up about £100 so it is as high as it can go, as much as I like new toys i'm also short on cash atm My Mum can get cycle to work, but in true NHS style you loose your parking permit if you do so you have to fight for the remaining spaces, so it looks like that is a no go..

Brocon

Thanks for all the help supersonic, a lot to think about and weigh up!

As I see it of the mainline bikes it's
Kraken £379
Rockrider 5.3 £300
Vulcan £249

and the others slot in around rockrider and below kraken with different ones having better or worse individual components.

Northwind

Brocon wrote:

Unfortunatlly my budget has already crept up about £100 so it is as high as it can go, as much as I like new toys i'm also short on cash atm

Not to worry, these are still good bikes you're looking at. I only replaced mine because I'm inept and unfit It could do anything I can do.

Brocon

How does this compair,

It has definatly been reduced a lot (if it ever sold for £550)
http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _Bike_2007

Brocon

Ok, I have two more bikes, both of which look like really good value.
Mongoose Tyax Super 2009 £320
http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _Bike_2009

and
Kona fire mountin delux 2009 £350
http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _Bike_2009

I'm going to try and find somewhere to try these two bikes to see what I like, but i'm strongly leaning towards the mongoose 2009 unless anyone has a reason not to.... that said, the only reason that i prefere it is that it £30 cheaper, which is not a lot really!

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Winstanleys do not have a great rep on here... False promises regarding stock levels for those apparent wicked prices etc.

Brocon

thanks for that, having has a search looks like active sport and winstanleys are both off the list

Back to hunting!

jackman96

6 really good choices of bike. personally, even though it has a badly decalled frame, i would go with the Giant Terrago Disc 2009. giant are known to have great reliability and long lasting components, just like claud b. with a deore drivetrain, hydraulic giant brakes and not one unbranded name on the bike, can you go wrong. i suggest you take a look at the reviews for the bike and seperate ones for its components. dont go for the carreras. they are good but for the spec for money you are getting on the other bikes, why bother?

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Brocon, you do realise that the Terrago link you posted only has 14" and 21" frames available? Without looking up the bike geometry, I would guestimate they would fit someone ~5'4" (with ~24" leg) and ~6'0" (with ~34" leg) respectively.

It is vital that you give us some measurements to show you bargains that are in the right ballpark to fit you ok, although you would need fisrt hand experience of a test ride to ensure all is well...

Height?
Inside leg (using book method)?
Do you have a "normal" leg/torso proporsion for someone of your height?

Brocon

Hi all, I actually contacted active sport about the terrago to be told that they were all sold out, which is a shame. they offered me the talon 3 at £369

I'm 6'2" with a 90cm (~35 inch inside leg) yup, i'm tall and lankey

KnightofCydonia

sadly the commencal normal is out of stock at merlin. that'd have been an awesome buy at that price range with the avid juicy 3s etc

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Brocon, shame about the Terrago.

As you may have seen, I've started to put together some good spec deals under 400 this afternoon... http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12645035

From what I've spotted so far, I would grab either:-
Mongoose Tyax Super (if you are strict about 350 budget)
Mongoose Amasa Comp (if happy to stretch to 367)

Brocon

Hi Nitrous, thanks, for putting the thread together. I have e-mailed about availability on the tyax super, i'm seriously concidering the amasa, but have to add £15 for delivery so it is really £380.

In addition I can get a 12% nhs discount on the carrera bikes so price of the kraken comes down to £335 which seems like a good buy!

Brocon

I'm sure this isn't what i'm after, but seems to be quite a good deal compared to else where...
http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDeta ... ctID=17368

Brocon

Hmmm does any one know anything about viper or this bike in particular?
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=31472

or is 22" pushing it a bit?

supersonic

Ideally you need to try them for size.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Brocon, this does not beat actually test riding, but accurate measurements put into this calculator will give you a decent ballpark...
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CC ... ATOR_INTRO

Brocon

Thanks both of you, i'm quite sure I need to go and try them before I buy them, but according to that site I need a 22 inch frame, apparently I would also benifit from a relatively short saddle to handle bar length..

Thanks for all the help, wish I was better at getting on and making my mind up!