Boardman or Specialized
bikerbart
Posts: 42
I've just started to get into proper mountain biking at the age of 50, 30 yrs too late I know, & am looking to upgrade. Main reasons, disc brakes, gears & less weight. I've decicided on either Spec Rockhopper or a Boardman.Spec are now offering end of seasons discounts £100+. I'm ok on tech stuff/downhills, years off off roading motorbikes, its the uphill slogs that get me, age/fitness. Question is Spec or Boardman, SL/Sport or Comp models
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I'd visit the shops and try and sit on them, see what feels best.
But no doubt value wise the Boardmans are better.0 -
bikerbart wrote:I've just started to get into proper mountain biking at the age of 50, 30 yrs too late I know, & am looking to upgrade. Main reasons, disc brakes, gears & less weight. I've decicided on either Spec Rockhopper or a Boardman.Spec are now offering end of seasons discounts £100+. I'm ok on tech stuff/downhills, years off off roading motorbikes, its the uphill slogs that get me, age/fitness. Question is Spec or Boardman, SL/Sport or Comp models
im on my 2nd spesh rockhopper so id go with that! down to what you personnally like really!0 -
chrisski wrote:bikerbart wrote:I've just started to get into proper mountain biking at the age of 50, 30 yrs too late I know, & am looking to upgrade. Main reasons, disc brakes, gears & less weight. I've decicided on either Spec Rockhopper or a Boardman.Spec are now offering end of seasons discounts £100+. I'm ok on tech stuff/downhills, years off off roading motorbikes, its the uphill slogs that get me, age/fitness. Question is Spec or Boardman, SL/Sport or Comp models
im on my 2nd spesh rockhopper so id go with that! down to what you personnally like really!
Just to balance out the owner bias, I've got a Boardman and love it, so I'd go with that
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Another Rockhopper vote here.
Boardman may be slightly better specced but you can't 'attach' pedigree to a bike. It either has it or it doesn't.
I am biased though.. I have a Rockhopper SL and love it but I have upgraded a few bits now.0 -
Davildo wrote:Another Rockhopper vote here.
Boardman may be slightly better specced but you can't 'attach' pedigree to a bike. It either has it or it doesn't.
I am biased though.. I have a Rockhopper SL and love it but I have upgraded a few bits now.
CB is an olympic gold medal winner i dont u get much more 'pedigree' than that.0 -
Not only an olympic gold medalist but the man responsible for the bikes for the GB cycling team in Bejing.
I think he oozes pedigree.Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
Boardman FS Pro0 -
I agree you can't argue with Chris Boardman's cycling credentials but he was a 6 year old when Specialized started out.
A 1-2 at the Tour de France this year is not a bad yardstick!0 -
Does anyone own a Boardman sport? no review for this model on this site, wondering if its worth considering0
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Decent machine, but the comp is definitely worth the extra for the Recon air fork alone.0
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CB's 'pedigree', if that's what you want to call it, is all road bike related. I doubt he has much input into the design of the MTBs.
I'm a long time Specialized fan myself - my first proper MTB was a 1989 Rockhopper, and I've had 4 Stumpjumpers, an Enduro and a couple of road bikes since then. In my experience they're usually decent value, always ride well, and fetch a decent price when it comes to upgrade.
Truth is both bikes will come out of a Taiwanese factory and the frames will be of similar design and quality, so it really comes down to fit and personal preference.0 -
As you say, there are a quite a few discounted Specialized about.
Had a look at Evans and they are knocking £150 off some at the moment. I thought they had low stock but accoding to Evans they've got every size of every model! However, a friend of mine had a bit of trouble with Evans recently, but to be fair to them, he did get a better bike for the same price because they mucked him about.
Halfords have got a sale on but it does not include Boardman's, as you probably know.
This may address the value element to a certain extent.
As others have said, have a look at your options, try them if you can and go for what feels best. Whatever you decide will be great fun.
Good luck.0 -
bikerbart wrote:Does anyone own a Boardman sport? no review for this model on this site, wondering if its worth considering
For similar money you could get a carrea fury which has a much better spec,
But for your original question i would go for the Boardman, you will not get a better spec for the money.0 -
with Specialized you get a better quality frame than Boardman
Boardman are initially better "value" in terms of parts specification, compared to Specialized models at the same pricepoints
but as your parts wear out on the Boardman, you are stuck with a cheaper frame, no matter which level of kit you hang on the frame
a cheap frame is a cheap frame....and a cheap frame with heavier tubing never rides as well
with Specialized the higher quality frames means that as parts wear out and you replace them, its money well spent
also, a true lifetime warranty on the Specialized frame and you are much more likely to get a properly setup bike from an independant Specialized dealer, than your local Halfords store (who still send bikes out with the forks on back to front, amongst other problems...)Call 01372 476 969 for more information on UK\'s leading freeride park - Esher Shore www.eshershore.com0 -
There is nothing wrong with the boardman (comp) frame at all - is light, well under 4lbs, and fully double butted. Is the Hopper any better? Hard to say. Uses very slightly higher grade tubing.0
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Even though I have recommended a Hopper because I have one and love it, the staff in my LBS always seem slightly disinterested. The folks in my local Halfords, however, are very helpful and have even had me bring my bike in to have a look at it for free so that I DIDN'T buy something that I didn't need.
So for me it wasn't a 'Halfords thing'. That said, despite the spec of a Boardman, I ended up thinking that in the back of my mind I would always have wished I'd got a Rockhopper. I don't know why that was but I have never thought, I wish I'd bought a Boardman. I had similar feelings about Cubes and the other multitude of bikes that I considered. For me it just felt right. I would suggest doing the same. Take all the advice into account but get what feels right for you.0 -
I am Davildo's friend (he's not an oddball loner) and was stuck between the boardman and the rockhopper. For me it came down to 2 things. Firstly, Davildo had a hopper and has thrashed it so acted as my guinea pig and proved the bikes worth. Secondly, the boardman didn't feel right when I tried it whereas the hopper just feels great.
Having now got the rockhopper sl expert I am very pleased with it. You probably pay a bit more for the name but I know I've got a tried and tested bike that suits me fine.0 -
Alternatively you could buy a bike from evans, get horrendous customer service during a 6 week wait for a bike that apparently doesn't exist, be treated like a moron eventually getting a free upgrade.
The choice is yours.0 -
ESHER SHORE wrote:with Specialized you get a better quality frame than Boardman
Boardman are initially better "value" in terms of parts specification, compared to Specialized models at the same pricepoints
but as your parts wear out on the Boardman, you are stuck with a cheaper frame, no matter which level of kit you hang on the frame
a cheap frame is a cheap frame....and a cheap frame with heavier tubing never rides as well
with Specialized the higher quality frames means that as parts wear out and you replace them, its money well spent
also, a true lifetime warranty on the Specialized frame and you are much more likely to get a properly setup bike from an independant Specialized dealer, than your local Halfords store (who still send bikes out with the forks on back to front, amongst other problems...)
Funny as f... You keep telling yourself that.
I very nearly bought a Stumpy instead of my FS Pro. I was in the shop, debit card in hand ready to have three big ones swiped out of me.
That was a carbon frame so not a direct comparison but my wife suggested I set my sights lower and get a road bike, which I ended up doing.
Looking at the £1200-£1500 price break, the Boardman did it for me and beat the similar priced FSR in every category.
With mtbs at this price break there are no bad frames. I thought the Boardman was better finished than the Stumpy but both were as good as it got. The big thing is that the frame on a bike for this price accounts for 30-40% of the total price. The rest is the bits bolted on and, on a full suss, the shocks will be worth as much as the frame, maybe more. With nothing in it on the frames, the Boardman sat there dripping in the finest SRAM and Rock Shock kit so it was a no brainer. Its kit was way ahead of the Stumpy.
I've since ridden an FSR in anger and there is nothing really to choose between the two for handling or comfort but the Boardman feels slightly more fluid through the trees. Bike weights are similar but the Boardman had better gears and better shocks.
As for pedigree? Spesh may have been going since 1974 but in 1996 Specialized was bust. It was bailed out by Merida from Taiwan who own 49% of the company and who make the frames. If Spesh bikes had Merida written along the down tube, would people attach the same cred to them?
The fact is all of the major frames are made in the far east and the factories are turning out stunning quality. 10 years ago you couldn't have dreamed of owning a frame this well made, in the new alloys, for less than three times the price.
Boardman are a new kid on the block. New ideas, new standards for quality and a distribution network that cuts out a whole massive tier of cost and margin. Were they sold through LBSs, they would be 30-50% more expensive just to pay for the stocking and distribution.
People who haven't looked at them, let alone ridden them, think the price reflects some short cuts in quality. It doesn't, the quality of design and manufacture is up there with the very best available. The price reflects a very clever deal with Halfords to bring top end bikes to the public with very low distribution costs in the bike price tag.
You can benefit from this, or you can buy a Merida Rockhopper.Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
Boardman FS Pro0 -
I'm very happy with my Merida thanks.0
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Cheap frame dear frame they all come from the same factory pretty much, when was the last time anyone heard of a frame breaking under normal use and how many people keep a bike long enough to take advantage of a lifetime warrenty. as for how good the Boardman bikes are you have only got to look at the reviews from the press.0
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Davildo wrote:I'm very happy with my Merida thanks.
You should be, they make good kit.
This Hardtail has a carbon frame weighing less than 1kg, fully stress analysed to make sure its got strength where it needs it and lightness where it doesn't.
Merida make frames for loads of bike companies and will use the research data for these customers to put into their own products.
I would buy a Merida bike. I may already own two, who knows?Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
Boardman FS Pro0 -
My Spesh Rockhopper Expert is 20 months old. Headset, rear cogs and 1 of the wheels been replaced so far. Can't blame the bike totally as I am 6ft 4 and 18 stone so my style is not exactly smooth but I've lost confidence in it. I loved the ride at first but I am changing and not going back to Rockhopper.
You've just gotta ride the things if you can..........0 -
Bar Shaker wrote:
You can benefit from this, or you can buy a Merida Rockhopper.
Oh dear where's my reciept? I'm off to Halfords to admit my mistake.
Freedom of choice? The guy wants to buy a bike that's right for him so I say let's all love each other regardless of bikes ridden and live happily ever after.
In Taiwan.0 -
Its all love, hugs and friendly advice round here mate.
Here's a pic of James Cracknell and his 'Specialized', from his trans America trip.
This was just before an Arizona truck driver bounced him up the road. Get well soon James.
ETA - Forgot to say Ching, enjoy your bike. There are no bad bikes at this price level.Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
Boardman FS Pro0 -
No worries Bar will do.0
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Don't diss da Boardmans when BS is around...(even though CB did not have that much influence in the design...and many of the Olympic bikes were Dolan's and the track bikes costing 25k a pop and were made by ACG....) still good value though 0
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Thanks for all the advice chaps
I decided on the Rockhopper. Mainly because of the quality bike dealer vs Halfords argument. Halfords being about 4 x the distance for me than my local dealer anyway. So in I went to order one only to be told they haven't any in any branch & non left at Specialzed either. I could have a 2011 model for 8 hundred & somthing. So I'm picking up a Boardman Comp (£699) on Monday
Cheers0 -
You should get 15% off the Boardman this weekend, the offer is on all bikes in my local store, I had read before that it wasnt applicable to Boardmans but they were certain it applied0
