Carrera Vengeance Ultimate - good buy or donkey?

Bob the Newbie
Bob the Newbie Posts: 14
edited March 2011 in MTB buying advice
Looking to buy a new Mountain Bike and looking to spend around £400 on a hardtail. I came across the Carrera Vengeance Ultimate on offer at £399 (down from £649). Is this a bargain or a ploy to sell poor products at a perceived bargain price?

It has 6061 aluminium frame, RockShox Tora TK forks (with lockout, 120mm travel and pre-load), 27 speed Alivio rear mech, Shimano AM-445 Hydraulic brakes).

The guy in one shop said it was a bargain but the guy in the next shop said it was a waste of money cost it would never be worth £649.

Any advice?
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Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Do you have a link to the bike so we can see it in full?
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  • Twilheimer
    Twilheimer Posts: 189
    They are great, I built a few the other day, really nice frames TBH, RRP was 659 then IIRC, well worth 400, but like any bikes from halfords, they arent ever really worth RRP, they launch prices down to what they should be to attract more sales.
  • Slamdunkin
    Slamdunkin Posts: 355
    Heres the link...

    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... 65499#dtab
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    For 400 quid looks amazing. Looking at this years bikes, 650 isn't too far off the mark either.
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  • Slamdunkin
    Slamdunkin Posts: 355
    supersonic as you know the standard vengeance came between the Vulcan disc and the Kraken....where would you place this bike in the range as I'm sure this question will arise quite often.
  • omegas
    omegas Posts: 970
    If this is the bike check the spec as it lists it as having Dart 1 forks in the long description and Tora TK in the listing.

    A bit heavy at 15kg and the drive train is budget components , a good starter bike that can be upgraded, at £400 there is a few other bikes to look at even if it is in the Halfords range.

    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1844902/
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1844919/
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Hard to say really - has 2011 components while the others are 2009. But to take a punt it is just behind the Fury, and above the Kraken.
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  • Slamdunkin
    Slamdunkin Posts: 355
    it's over a kilo heavier than the Kraken
  • Bob the Newbie
    Bob the Newbie Posts: 14
    I appreciate all of the feedback so far, really helping me get my head around this. Cheers.

    I saw the bike in the shop and it does have Tora TK forks with lock-out (not the Dart). The guy in one shop said the forks were not very good.

    The frame has a diamond shape down lower tube and whilst it has Alivio mech it looks different to others on display...is this the 2010 version?

    I see the fork and hydraulics on other more expensive bikes. In summary is it a bargain or would you look at something else?
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    The guy in the bikeshop does not know what he is talking about. I wouldn't go there. If he can find a better fork or bike for this cash...

    It is a bargain. They seemed to have copied the weight from the lesser version.
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  • Bob the Newbie
    Bob the Newbie Posts: 14
    Sounds like a goer then.

    It is 16KG but next to my slim (not) frame it will make no difference.

    Is the Alivio a new model, hard to see I know?

    Grateful newbie :)
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    It won't be that much - 14kg at the most looking at the spec.

    Alivio 9 speed has only just been released!
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  • Slamdunkin
    Slamdunkin Posts: 355
    WOW....they have the Kraken up for sale at £499....as we all know it's £370 most of the time and could be had for as little as £320 a few times this year.

    The have the standard vengance at £245 which is a good price.
  • Bob the Newbie
    Bob the Newbie Posts: 14
    So...I am now the proud owner...well it is on order...of the Carrera Vengeance.

    The deal ended today.

    I see people talking about upgrades, I was just planning on getting out on it and mucking around.

    Should I consider upgrades out of the box? Is there anything you would add change off the bat? Or just go play?

    Thanks for the advice.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Just ride! Maybe change grips and saddle if you find them uncomfortable, and possibly tyres. But apart from that, nah, as might as well have just spent more!
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  • Bob the Newbie
    Bob the Newbie Posts: 14
    Agreed, my thought exactly.

    Cheers
    The much happier newbie with a bike on the way :)
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    I have been following budget bikes for many years, and write about them in WMB. This is one of the best deals I have ever seen, and I know the frame is good.

    Enjoy!
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  • Bob the Newbie
    Bob the Newbie Posts: 14
    I appreciate the comments

    It is this kind of support that brings people back to a site and a forum. Good to see the lack of meaningless attacks on persons and product.

    Thanks Supersonic
  • cavegiant
    cavegiant Posts: 1,546
    "Good to see the lack of meaningless attacks on persons and product. "

    You suck =-)

    nice bike though
    Why would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    These Carrera limited eds are weird sometimes, the kraken ltd they did last year wasn't a kraken at all frinstance, it was a Fury frame with a horrible fork and Kraken wheels on it, just a total partsbin special. This one looks the same but in a better direction. Very nice.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • teknicolourfox
    teknicolourfox Posts: 34
    which version did you go for, normal or ultimate?
  • Bob the Newbie
    Bob the Newbie Posts: 14
    Went for the Ultimate in the end.
  • guveture
    guveture Posts: 8
    I'm also interested in this bike. I went to my local Halfords store today to have a look at GT Aggressor XC3 and Kraken, and saw the Ultimate on offer. I had only seen it advertised at RRP before and therefore never really considered as it was way out of my price range. I will buy a bike from Halfords next week and if the offer is still on then, I will definitely consider this one even though it is still over budget. There's only £20 between this one and the Kraken now!
  • Fifenewbie
    Fifenewbie Posts: 44
    Let us know your first impressions of the bike chaps, im hoping to get one of these next week, all going well 8)
  • Slamdunkin
    Slamdunkin Posts: 355
    Shame about the cheap low end budget derailleurs and they don't even list the crank and BB.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    The derailers are not low end!
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  • Bob the Newbie
    Bob the Newbie Posts: 14
    Picked up the bike today and just went for a ride around the park with my daughter.

    Very impressed I have to say. Not that I am a bike nut but it felt really responsive. Smooth gears and brakes amazing (never used hydraulics before). The only downside was the seat. But I am sure that is my butt and a lack of fitness as much as anything else. Bike looks great too.

    Would be good to get a real bike anorak to ride one to give an educated review but for the ordinary Joe like myself I have to say I am a very happy bunny.

    Thanks for the great advice from Supersonic.
  • guveture
    guveture Posts: 8
    Thanks for the feedback Bob. I've just ordered it and will pick up on Thursday. Looking forward to it really... I had to stretch my budget a little bit, but I guess it's worth the extra £20 over the Kraken. Did you get it assembled by Halfords by the way? Were they ok? Some comments here put me in doubt about getting it assembled in-store...
  • mac_man
    mac_man Posts: 918
    Bob the Newbie wrote:
    Very impressed I have to say. Not that I am a bike nut but it felt really responsive. Smooth gears and brakes amazing (never used hydraulics before).

    Give the bike about 15 or so hard stops (like down a hill) to really bed the pads in properly...
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  • lovepasty
    lovepasty Posts: 53
    I bought a vengenance ultimate today (pick up tomorrow), been looking around for a month now with a £500 budget so happy with my choice and having a £100 left over to spend on some shoes or lights or sommit....

    Very useful thread this so thanks to all who contributed :)

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