noob - Rockrider 8.1 vs Fury '08!?!???????

grumbles

Hi guys,

Be gentle with me I'm a new member and my first topic is a question that seems to have been asked LOADS on here :roll: but please be patient!!!

I have been studying this excellent forum for about a week now night and day, trying to decide which entry level bike to get as I'm wanting to get into mountain biking again after about 15 years, mainly trails with some road. Some great advise on here from some really helpful, knowledgeable people.

I have narrowed it down to the two bikes in the subject title, and as per other advise on this forum decided to make the final decision by having a little go on them (as much as Halfrauds would let me!), easy I thought, trouble is I liked them both!

From previous topics I have been looking at the '08 Fury as the spec seems very good (and I prefer the colour to the '09!)....

...I also took the rockrider round for a spin today which also has an amazing spec, unusual purple colour but the frame detailing, etc looked pretty special, seemed lighter too.

I just want to gauge peoples opinions of the two and which they would prefer and why as it is quite clear I am incapable of making my own mind up!

(might try and put a poll on this topic too, fingers crossed, here goes...)

Cheers!

ilovedirt

Similar spec but the rockrider has a far better drivetrain. No brainer.

supersonic

But the Fury has a better fork. Both models.

Swings and roundabouts.

Both are great value.

ilovedirt

I thought both had the tora 302?

supersonic

The 08 Fury has a Tora 318 - Motion Control damping as found on the top end stuff.

The 09 gets a 15mm bolt thru SR Epicon, also with adjustable compression damping.

The 302 is good - the 318 is a mini revelation.

Good wheels and tyres too on the Fury, both of them.

ilovedirt

Ah right, didn't know that.

grumbles

Cheers for that, I didnt know either!

ah man this is hard, what might be a clincher is that i've heard a whisper the Rockrider is about to come down in price in readniness for the next version?

The Fury is at £489 on Halfrauds site at the mo, any chance that will drop with other offers?, i've read there are voucher's you can use? (kellogs!?)

I'm leaning towards the Fury at the mo as it looks like it can take a bit more abuse and its not quite so.... .....pretty!?

Koiler

i bought one of those furys last week for the missus (im not going to steal it. absoulutely not)

this one?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499

it was only £379 so it gone up £100!

i still think its good value for money

also, mine, i mean hers came with X7 rear mech. not too sure about the front, ill have to check but the rear is definitely X7.

you get a bit more travel on the fury and its adjustable (80-130mm) and it looks like it would take a bit more abuse with the extra gussets on the seat tube and around the headtube.

i'd definitely go for the fury out of those 2 as it seems to be a little more versatile (in a non biased way)

the only thing with the 08 model is that they are only available to pick up instore so if there isnt one near you, it could be a problem

grumbles

Ha ha, yeh right, wonder who will be using that the most!?!!! Reminds me of the time i bought my mum the film 'Leon' for her birthday!!

yeh thats the one, how come it was that cheap!? Was there an offer on?

The one i sat on near Lakeside had the X7 on the back but the rest was X5.

Got a local store so thats not a problem.

cheers.

Koiler

grumbles wrote:

i bought my mum the film 'Leon' for her birthday!!

good man!

ive already convinced her she needs wider bars and grippier pedals on there, she's only riding to work at the moment....

if only i wasnt broken, i'd be thrashing it around as we speak!

but yeah, regarding price, it was on sale when i bought it, (or, rather, on sale more than it is now...) i figured they were trying to clear the stock and selling them on the cheap but halfords are always changing their prices and having 'sales' so you could always wait a bit to see if it drops again or maybe ask in your local store if there's a sale coming.

but even at the price it is now, i still think its worth the money.

and as for the rear mech, it says on the website that it comes with X5 on the back but i definitely got an X7 8) . was a nice suprise. (that i didnt notice in the shop, not at all guv) but i guess it makes up for having to align the calipers myself when i got it home.

grumbles

well, amazing results with the Rockrider so far taking an incredible 100% of all votes, looks like its a one horse race.......

tilt

I thought the only 08 Furys they had left were the 16" frames that they were selling off cheap?

Picked one up for £379 for the wife a couple of weeks ago (absolute bargain) but looking at Halfords now the older 16" bikes are listed as £489. If you want anything bigger than a 16" I think you'll have to go for the 09 model.

tilt

Should also add I have a Rockrider frame (last year's 6.3, with upgraded shock and forks) and love it, they're well made bikes and the spec is good for the money.

jon33

I picked up a 20" frame in the 08 last week, unfortunatly missed the cheap price but managed to get 10% off anyhow as it was the last one they had. Just thought on I didn't pick up any manuals so I'm going to have to have a google about the forks.

stiscooby

Regarding the 08 Fury..........should it help....

I was also looking at getting an 08 Fury, went to my local store and they had a 18" in there as well as 2x 16" models. The web site last week was showing the 16" 08 Fury for £379 (in a sale).

I would prefer an 18" but didn't want the one in the shop as it wasn't in "new" condition. So last week I contacted Halfords customer service to ask if they could source me another 18". They replied to me yesterday saying, yes they can still get 18" 08 Furys, if need be they can move stock from one store to my local one.

Great I thought, until I looked on their web site yesterday and found the price had jumped back up to £489!!

I'm planning on calling them later on to see if I can wangle one for the original sale price (not holding my breath). Even if the bike is still a good price at £489, I ain't paying another £100 or so for the same bike which was cheaper last week, plus it isn't the current model so they are probably just trying to shift them.

The thing is looking at their past sales history on their web site the Carrera's are in a sale nearly every month or so, but I don't want to wait another month or two as the summer will have been and gone!

grumbles

Let me know how you get on!

I'm 5'11" with fairly long legs so would probably need the 20", hopefully still some left? If not, my decision will be made for me!

hbrashaw

at 5'11" a 18 would probably fit- 20 inch may be too stretched out. if i were you i'd get an 18 inch then buy a longer seatpost, or a 20 inch then buy a shorter stem.

The rockrider has better drivetrain, and although the wheels are own brand, the are very good (my dad has the 8.1) but the fury's fork is better.

grumbles

hmmm, frame size dillemma too now! The Rockrider was a size "Large" and seemed fine, not sure what size in inches that equates too?

shorter stem? I maybe being dumb but cant i just lower the seat!?

Drivetrain or forks, what is more important, i always thought forks make for the better ride?

bdigital

I have had a Fury for a few months now and i am very happy with it.

Using it for all sorts, the occasional road riding, lots of XC and occasional trail centre stuff (Friston forest)

Im 6ft, 11 stone and riding the 20" frame.

ellsbells1973

+1 for the fury, the tora 318 is a great trail fork and is well above the spec of the bike at this price, a hardtail needs a great fork to make it work, the drive train is a consumable item and is easy replaced when worn, a fork will cost a small fortune

hbrashaw

grumbles: for decathlon sizes 20 is large, 18 is medium, 16 is small.

grumbles

nice one, cheers!

I might try out an 18" one then, if snowboarding is anything to go by then a slightly smaller bike (board) maybe a little more fun and easier to chuck around! :P


...thats if there are any 18" '08 Fury's left inthe country.....

supersonic

You can't compare sizes between brands - and that measurement is just one out of many.

grumbles

-UPDATE-

I have made my decision.....



This is my new baby!

'Jack' at Bedford Halfords kindly rang around the entire country to source me an 18" '08 Carrera Fury, well pleased. £110 more than it was online about two weeks ago but hey ho, still a great bike for £489 i reckon.

Thanks for all the advice!

MrSpoon

Any idea if there are any more 18" frames left in the country? I've been checking the website daily to see if one comes up. Honestly I think the 08 model is a steal even at 489. Gutted I missed the sale last month though....

grumbles

Gutted a little bit too about missing the offer, although i'm sure it'll be back on soon (typical!)

The only way will be to get someone at Halfords to check on their system as the website isnt very helpful at all. There were others showing up although when 'Jack' checked they nearly all were slightly damaged or had parts missing!? There were a couple in Ireland, not sure if they'll ship them over here or not?

p.s - the Rockrider 8.1 that was my other choice was a very nice bike, there were quite a few at the Lakesdie shop and i heard a rumour they are about to drop in price significantly as a new model is coming out soon? Worth a look!

Northwind

Parts missing is quite common, Halfords seem to have a policy of robbing bits off stock bikes in order to repair customer's bikes. Which is brilliant really, but does leave them with a fair amount of temporarily unsellable stock and bikes that end up having to be sold as shop soiled. (they had a Kraken on with no rear wheel in my local for months, because they gave me the wheel as a warranty replacement when the freehub broke! Then that model "sold out" but shortly after they replaced the wheel and put it back into stock.

stiscooby

My local store has a 18" 2008 fury, im in two minds if i should get it or not as it's now £489 so over £100 more than it was a week or two ago.

Only thing putting me off is I noticed it has a few marks and a chip or two on it from where it's been on display/pulled in and out of the racks.

Maybe I should see if they will reduce it.............. what do ya reckon, would you buy a bike thats not in "as new condition"??

lexinoo

Yes i would,after all as soon as you ride it its going to get chipped and scratched an yway.Offer them the sale price.

MrSpoon

stiscooby wrote:

My local store has a 18" 2008 fury, im in two minds if i should get it or not as it's now £489 so over £100 more than it was a week or two ago.

Only thing putting me off is I noticed it has a few marks and a chip or two on it from where it's been on display/pulled in and out of the racks.

Maybe I should see if they will reduce it.............. what do ya reckon, would you buy a bike thats not in "as new condition"??

Err... where is your local store? If you don't want it, I'll have it!!!