Buying advice, 2k to spend

182_blue

Ok, i want the best possible bike for about £2000, its for general purpose (more of road though) and i want it light also, whats the best bike to get, im lost LOL, hope someone can help, and thanks in advance :-)

supersonic

Need a bit more info really! Does full suspension float your boat? How long will the rides be? What will the terrain be like ie big rocks and jumps, or just general woodland trails etc.

jay12

have a look at lapierre, giant, specialized, cannondale and cube + others.

jay12

btw i haven't had experiances on such expensive bikes but look at the reviews on this site

RealMan

Light, good for road, and you will still have about £150 left from your budget.

182_blue

supersonic wrote:

Need a bit more info really! Does full suspension float your boat? How long will the rides be? What will the terrain be like ie big rocks and jumps, or just general woodland trails etc.

yes, sorry, would like full suspension, and rides will be general woodland trails, but would like the ability to go a bit rougher from time to time if possible

supersonic

Oh, and how much do you weigh. Heavy rider? Don't mind a bit of extra weight for strength?

182_blue

supersonic wrote:

Oh, and how much do you weigh. Heavy rider? Don't mind a bit of extra weight for strength?

yes i am heavy rider, and 6'4''

RealMan

stumpy maybe?

supersonic

Well, I would shortlist 3 or 4 and go and see them in the flesh - get sized up, and possibly test ride. I would say 5 inches of travel would be about right (and the general sort of bikes that has this amount).

Say:

GT Sensor: http://www.cycle-world.co.uk/products.p ... b66s1p8353

Trek Fuel EX9: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tre ... gn=froogle

Giant Trance X2: http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/118718.html

You will notice 2009 bikes can be got cheaper, and may even have better specs.

chubby666

I find Kona are a really strong bike if you are thinking large drops , jumps go Stinky or if you want an all mountain go for the Coiler !

djcombes

supersonic wrote:

Giant Trance X2: http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/118718.html

You will notice 2009 bikes can be got cheaper, and may even have better specs.

For example 09 Trance X2 for £1399 (in stock up to M size)

http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/giant_trance_x2_.html

182_blue

djcombes wrote:

supersonic wrote:

Giant Trance X2: http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/118718.html

You will notice 2009 bikes can be got cheaper, and may even have better specs.

For example 09 Trance X2 for £1399 (in stock up to M size)

http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/giant_trance_x2_.html

is that company good ?, that one isnt any use to me though as its only up to a M ?

Anonymous

Mount vision. All you'll ever need.

nferrar

Can't disagree with a Mount Vision as a good option to short-list but in no way is it "all you'll ever need".

182_blue

nferrar wrote:

Can't disagree with a Mount Vision as a good option to short-list but in no way is it "all you'll ever need".

what is then ?

llamafarmer

182_blue wrote:

nferrar wrote:

Can't disagree with a Mount Vision as a good option to short-list but in no way is it "all you'll ever need".

what is then ?

Personally I think you need to go out and try a few bikes out and get a feel for what's out there. You seem to be approaching this like: "I have £2000 burning a hole in my pocket, I think I'll buy a bike." There is no "best bike for £2000", but there's a lot of very good ones that will offer you different things.

Eranu

Personally I think you need to go out and try a few bikes out and get a feel for what's out there. You seem to be approaching this like: "I have £2000 burning a hole in my pocket, I think I'll buy a bike." There is no "best bike for £2000", but there's a lot of very good ones that will offer you different things.

Llama speaks the truth.

paul.skibum

They always do in my experience.

182_blue

llamafarmer wrote:

182_blue wrote:

nferrar wrote:

Can't disagree with a Mount Vision as a good option to short-list but in no way is it "all you'll ever need".

what is then ?

Personally I think you need to go out and try a few bikes out and get a feel for what's out there. You seem to be approaching this like: "I have £2000 burning a hole in my pocket, I think I'll buy a bike." There is no "best bike for £2000", but there's a lot of very good ones that will offer you different things.

on the other hand i dont want to go into a shop and buy a bike that looks ok only to find out from the forums that its crap, hence i ask whats good first then choose what i like

Eranu

Look at the bikes Super listed, the Trek is very highly rated on here. You can't really go wrong with a stumpjumper, although everyone seems to have one which puts me off a bit.

There is so much choice at your price range, I would go out try a few bikes at a few LBS then decide. It's not us thats going to be riding it, it's you.

nferrar

182_blue wrote:

nferrar wrote:

Can't disagree with a Mount Vision as a good option to short-list but in no way is it "all you'll ever need".

what is then ?

There isn't one - there's lots of different types of MTBing (the extremes being XC racing and DH). No offence but if you really don't know much about bikes then why spend £2000 on your first one anyway? To get a decent full suss (for starting out on) you're probably looking around £1400, use the rest to buy decent kit (it soon adds up).

Or even just save it for a different type of bike later on once you know better what you'll use it for. For example my own recent history when I wanted to get back into MTBing was lightweight XC bike then a long-forked hardtail for playing about on then a 140mm FS for trail centres and now looking at a freeride/DH type bike. All do different stuff and having more than one bike means you don't trash it doing stuff it's not really designed for.

If you really do want to go out and spend £2k then start off with some of the brands & models suggested here and visit some LBS to try them and get additional advice. Don't buy the first one you test in the first bike shop you visit, see how a few feel and then research them more (and ask here) once you have specific models on your shortlist. There's not many crap bikes around over £1k anymore but some will suit certain types of rider and styles of riding more than other.

182_blue

nferrar wrote:

182_blue wrote:

nferrar wrote:

Can't disagree with a Mount Vision as a good option to short-list but in no way is it "all you'll ever need".

what is then ?

There isn't one - there's lots of different types of MTBing (the extremes being XC racing and DH). No offence but if you really don't know much about bikes then why spend £2000 on your first one anyway? To get a decent full suss (for starting out on) you're probably looking around £1400, use the rest to buy decent kit (it soon adds up).

Or even just save it for a different type of bike later on once you know better what you'll use it for. For example my own recent history when I wanted to get back into MTBing was lightweight XC bike then a long-forked hardtail for playing about on then a 140mm FS for trail centres and now looking at a freeride/DH type bike. All do different stuff and having more than one bike means you don't trash it doing stuff it's not really designed for.

If you really do want to go out and spend £2k then start off with some of the brands & models suggested here and visit some LBS to try them and get additional advice. Don't buy the first one you test in the first bike shop you visit, see how a few feel and then research them more (and ask here) once you have specific models on your shortlist. There's not many crap bikes around over £1k anymore but some will suit certain types of rider and styles of riding more than other.

Thanks, i know what you mean, i do have a bike now but its so old and i have never really read up on any biking hence my lack of knowledge, as for spending 2k TBH i would spend 5k but i realise that is over the top for my needs so i set a budget of 2k which i believe will get me a bike that i want.
Thing with me is i would buy say a £800 bike then regret it and either want to upgrade it or buy a better one very quickly, so i may as well just get one thats a bit better anyway in the first place, so i just want an idea of which make is ok these days and which model is good also, hope this makes sense.

Thanks to everyone for the advice

Barrythebike

I suppose buy the best you can afford...........and if that is circa £2,000 then go for it, you will get a very nice MTB for that..

1981miked

Im with Llama on this one m8. Seems like u plucked 2k as a budget without alot of thought as 2 what u ACTUALLY want a bike 2 be and do 4 u. Is this ur 1st "proper" mountain bike? If so id buy myself a nice hardtail around the £800 mark. They are the best bikes to learn on, full sussers are fine but u tend to just ride through stuff as opposed to looking ahead down the trail and picking the best line. I and everybody here must see countless "all the gear but no idea bikers", who think spending big bucks makes them better! Wrong! The tend 2 buy ott bikes 4 the riding they do. Mountain biking is 95% brain and 5% brawn imo. I ride a steel cove handjob and i can do everything my my mates do on they're big full bouncers, including black runs, steep technical dh bits and 9 out 10 i do it quicker than them, plus i fly up the climbs because im not hauling an overkill bike up. I have been riding for 16 years now and i am just away 2 purchase a full suss, getting an Orange 5 and that's only because i want to do some all day epics nxt year and hopefully a trip 2 the alps in a bit more comfort than the cove can provide. Honestly m8, save ur cash and get a hardtail. Chris boardman bikes get great kit and great reviews, or Genesis Altitude 10, Giant Talon, just a few cracking bikes. If u MUST have a full bouncer then again the Boardmans are hard 2 beat as a package or the Giant Anthem/Trance, or Trek's Ex range, or the Orange 5, although the s is a bit stingey on spec imo. Hope that helps m8, good luck.

paul.skibum

1981miked wrote:

Im with Llama on this one m8. Seems like u plucked 2k as a budget without alot of thought as 2 what u ACTUALLY want a bike 2 be and do 4 u. Is this ur 1st "proper" mountain bike? If so id buy myself a nice hardtail around the £800 mark. They are the best bikes to learn on, full sussers are fine but u tend to just ride through stuff as opposed to looking ahead down the trail and picking the best line. I and everybody here must see countless "all the gear but no idea bikers", who think spending big bucks makes them better! Wrong! The tend 2 buy ott bikes 4 the riding they do. Mountain biking is 95% brain and 5% brawn imo. I ride a steel cove handjob and i can do everything my my mates do on they're big full bouncers, including black runs, steep technical dh bits and 9 out 10 i do it quicker than them, plus i fly up the climbs because im not hauling an overkill bike up. I have been riding for 16 years now and i am just away 2 purchase a full suss, getting an Orange 5 and that's only because i want to do some all day epics nxt year and hopefully a trip 2 the alps in a bit more comfort than the cove can provide. Honestly m8, save ur cash and get a hardtail. Chris boardman bikes get great kit and great reviews, or Genesis Altitude 10, Giant Talon, just a few cracking bikes. If u MUST have a full bouncer then again the Boardmans are hard 2 beat as a package or the Giant Anthem/Trance, or Trek's Ex range, or the Orange 5, although the s is a bit stingey on spec imo. Hope that helps m8, good luck.

As much as I agree that hardtails (and particularly Handjobs!) are best I think if you have 2k in hand to spend then spend it - we dont know your age, experience, ride history etc or particularly where you plan to ride but something like a Specialised FSR XC is a pretty much ideal UK xc and trail bike as are the Trek EX's. Both give you a bumper supply of travel with good kit and still with upgrade potential.

Other option would be to go for a custom hardtail but that needs more knowledge of what you want and that comes from shopping round, reading and riding so I'd buy off the peg.

paul.skibum

have a look at this thread - these are 2 bikes you could consider (or maybe the next step down in the specs) -

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12648432

llamafarmer

The thing is at £2k you have sooooo much choice - Spesh Stumpy FSR, Giant Trance X and Anthem X, Lapierre Zesty, Orange 5, Trek Fuel Ex - all great bikes and there's loads more you could add to that list.

Your best option is to get around to as many shops as you can and throw a leg over some bikes, then you can start to narrow your options down and people can give you better advice based on what you like / don't like.

Fastflo

i got a Lapeirre Zesty 514 for £1959, well worth it imo

I am 6'4" and come in at around 14 stone (well on a good day, before breakfast, and after the morning clearout!!)

anyway i found the Orange 5 not big enough for me,

my choices were governed by the fact i wanted an xl and local support with a dealer

Commencal Meta 55 xl (which i had but got nicked and i could not match the spec)
Lapeirre Zesty 514 xl
Specialised Stumpjumper also comes in an xl (i think) i did not get round to trying this one

anyway the Hub at Glentress will rent you a Zesty for £40 per day take one out and spend a day on it before you buy, although i could not get a discount from them!

my knees cant take the downhill parts of a trail centre on a hardtail, ditto my teeth!!

the Zesty is great for xc and trail centre stuff. climbs well also.

182_blue

Fastflo wrote:

i got a Lapeirre Zesty 514 for £1959, well worth it imo

I am 6'4" and come in at around 14 stone (well on a good day, before breakfast, and after the morning clearout!!)

anyway i found the Orange 5 not big enough for me,

my choices were governed by the fact i wanted an xl and local support with a dealer

Commencal Meta 55 xl (which i had but got nicked and i could not match the spec)
Lapeirre Zesty 514 xl
Specialised Stumpjumper also comes in an xl (i think) i did not get round to trying this one

anyway the Hub at Glentress will rent you a Zesty for £40 per day take one out and spend a day on it before you buy, although i could not get a discount from them!

my knees cant take the downhill parts of a trail centre on a hardtail, ditto my teeth!!

the Zesty is great for xc and trail centre stuff. climbs well also.

Thanks for that, i do like the look of the Lapeirre bikes too, whats size did you get then XL ?, and whats that in inches ?, oh and where did you get yours ?

nik young

if i was buying a new bike and had 2k to spend i would have this

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _Bike_2009

or

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/sco ... ius%20bike


or
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec016443