£1k to spend on a HT

Mccraque
Mccraque Posts: 819
edited June 2010 in MTB buying advice
The age old question.....have taken my maximum on the RTW scheme of £1k. the SRP of a bike cannot exceed this figure

Considering
    Cube LTD Team Boardman Pro at the moment......but is there anything else I am overlooking. To be honest I quite fancy something a little non mainstream but reasonably specced and light. I'll b using it for xc duties and maybe racing (have a Zesty for more gruelling rides). And Halfords have to be able to obtain this for me (as they can a cube) Thoughts?

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    The Boardman is lighter and better specced throughout really - so I would try it out for size.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Mccraque
    Mccraque Posts: 819
    How good/strong are the frames on the boardman? Do you think there's a strength trade off?
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    For the job it is designed to do, it does it vey well. Not something I would worry about - but is no dirt jump frame.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Nick1978
    Nick1978 Posts: 93
    Ive got the cube race ltd....cant fault it in any way..loving it!!! did look at the boardman but couldnt get it on the ride to work scheme as they have their own scheme which my employer wasnt a part of. Ive read quite a few reprts of halfords not putting the bike together well though. Also crap saddle on the boardman and think i read tyres are crap aswell.
  • chris281192
    chris281192 Posts: 189
    orange p7s? spec list isnt amazing, but it isnt bad either, and if you want a bike for the rougher stuff, it rides truly beautifully.
    £999.95 srp
    It's not the will to win that matters...everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Nick1978 wrote:
    Ive got the cube race ltd....cant fault it in any way..loving it!!! did look at the boardman but couldnt get it on the ride to work scheme as they have their own scheme which my employer wasnt a part of. Ive read quite a few reprts of halfords not putting the bike together well though. Also crap saddle on the boardman and think i read tyres are crap aswell.

    I got an 08 Pro and found the Conti Explorers to not be particularly great. I think the new ones come with Speed Kings now, which I've also heard mixed reviews on. The saddle is actually pretty comfy. It looks like a board but has cut outs in the plastic shell for a bit of 'give'. I think it's actually made by Velo and rebranded as Boardman.

    As for frame strength, I wouldn't worry. I've hammered mine and it's taken everything in it's stride. I'd say the same as the above, can't fault it in any way. For fast XC/trail riding it's brilliant. But I'm sure the cube is good too :wink:
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • theotherjake
    theotherjake Posts: 237
    I got the Boardman pro on the C2W scheme and love it. Yes the saddle is the first thing I changed. The tyres are ok, I used them riding in wales for a week. I have since changed them for Conti Race kings cost £24.
  • Mccraque
    Mccraque Posts: 819
    Just gone and ridden it in large and Medium (the Boardman). Am only 5'10" but preferred the large - else my bum was hanging off the back a little.

    The Ritchey wheels....are they easily converted to Tubeless?


    Trying the cube on Sat.....
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Mccraque wrote:
    The Ritchey wheels....are they easily converted to Tubeless?

    I did mine with a Joes kit. It was pretty simple. Just needed lots of bubbles around the rim/bead.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • Mccraque
    Mccraque Posts: 819
    How do you mean, Bails? Did you use a rim strip...then just seat the tyre normally, a load of gloop and pump like crazy?
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Yeah, the rims aren't tubeless ready, so you need the rim strip. Then put the tyre on and put some sealant in. It helps to put the tyres on with tubes first, to get them moulded to the rim a little.

    Then put a load of soapy water (more soap than water!) around the rim/bead interface to help it seal, and then pump. Preferably with the wheel on its side on top of a bucket or similar, so the weight is on the spokes or hub as opposed to the tyre. If it's not working, you need more bubbles! Using this method I was able to get Maxxis Advantages and Schwalbe Racing Ralphs to go on pretty easily.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • Mccraque
    Mccraque Posts: 819
    cool...sounds simple enough. Thanks.

    Last question - promise -
    Do they stay on ok when riding? I'd just be conscious that they may squirm off the rim
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    They stay on perfectly with tubes :wink:

    Tubeless...I had the front probably a bit too soft one time and as I dropped the front back down from a bit of a wheelie, the tyre dug into the gravel and twisted sideways and threw me off the bike. It was only as I was picking myself up that I realised that the tyre had come off the rim and spewed sealant all over the place.

    I've found inner tubes with sealant inside them to be much less hassle than tubeless, as much as I tried to like it.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."

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