Some advise needed

type.rst

I am after a mtb and over the last few weeks i have been doing alot of reading. I have finally decided on a specialised hardrock. It is light, has got hydraulic brakes, looks nice and its in my price range, fits the bill for me.

Now theres the 2011 hardrock pro disk.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec023874
It is reduced from £600 to £500 but the only problem is i am not to keen on the red colour.

Then there's the 2012 hardrock sport disk. It seems like specialised have chosen not to make the pro disk for 2012. So the sport disk seems to be the flagship model of the hardrock and it has hydraulic brakes.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec030674
I love the look of the 2012 bike much better then the 2011.

Can someone please check the specs for both bikes for me please and let me know if there is much difference?
If the 2011 pro disk is alot better then the 2012 disk i will go for the 2011 model. If there is not much init spec wise then i will opt for the 2012 model.

I am looking to place an order as soon i can make a choice between the two.

Thank you.

supersonic

It would be easier if you just updated an old thread as many people are repeating themselves! The older Pro is better than the new Sport, courtesy of the much improved fork.

But both bikes are not as good as some we have outlined earlier ie the Rockrider series. Though try them out, see what fits best.

type.rst

Yh the thing with the rockrider is that decathlon dont offer finance where as Evans Cycles offer 12 months interest free finance. Also i dont really like the look of the rockrider.

Is the fork much better for the 2011 pro disk? Are there any other big differences apart from the fork?

Thanks.

supersonic

Do you want a bike that works or looks good?

Yes, the Pro is the better bike, because of the fork. The Sport 2012 has a catastrophically bad fork that will totally ruin the ride when going gets rough.

If Evans is where you want to buy, take a look at:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gen ... e-ec024739

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/com ... e-ec026750

type.rst

If im honest the looks of the bike are very important to me. I dont want to spend £500 on a bike that i dont really like the look of. I dont like both the bikes you posted the links to lol.

I think i'll just go for the 2011 pro disk. So it is just the forks which are different on the two?

supersonic

The specs are listed, you can compare yourself. They are very similar, nothing stands out as better except the fork on the Pro.

But there is really little point in me helping if you have made your mind up! Just buy the one that has the best paint job!

cooldad

You can't see the bike when you're riding. You can feel it.

type.rst

I havn't made my mind up it is between the two bikes i mentioned but i think i wil go for the 2011 pro disk as you say the forks are poor on the 2012 sport.

(would you buy a ugly looking car if it drove well?) lol

Thanks for your help guys

welshkev

supersonic wrote:

But there is really little point in me helping if you have made your mind up! Just buy the one that has the best paint job!

that made me smile

type.rst

Which Derailleur is better, Shimano Acera or Alivio?

Which breaks are better, Shimano BR-M445 dual piston, 160mm or Tektro Draco post mount, 160mm 6-bolt rotor?

Thanks

supersonic

I'd buy what worked best ;-)

There is so little difference between the parts you'd be hard pushed to notice a difference. On paper the Alivio is the better derailer. With the brakes, is purely down to hand shape and feel.

type.rst

Ok mate thank you very much for all your help.

type.rst

I went to Evans Cycles today and placed an order for the 2011 hardrock pro. Should be delivered to the shop ready for collection on monday, i cant wait. I just hope i like the look of it as i have not seen it before, only in pictures. Im not sure if i will like the red. Fingers crossed lol.

type.rst

I went to Evans Cycles today to pick the bike up. But when i saw it i did not like it one bit, the red is really bright and makes to bike look cheap. So im back to square one.

When i was there the salesman mentioned this bike to me
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/kon ... e-ec026500

It seems to be a good bike and at a resonable price. Does anyone knows how much it weighs as i cant seem to find out from anywhere online?

Thanks

type.rst

anyone? im new to cycling and have very limited knowledge about bikes. How are the specs for this bike like compared to the specialised?

Can someone please give me an idea of how much this bike weighs?

Thanks

louthepoo

You sound like my missus buying a car!!!

type.rst

I dont want to rush and buy a bike which im not happy with afterwards. £500 is alot of money for me and i will be keeping the bike for a good few years so i want to make sure that i make the right choice.

supersonic

im new to cycling and have very limited knowledge about bikes.

Indeed, but you rarely listen to what has been said about them! You really should stop looking at colour and focus on what works for you. The Hardrock is a good bike.

The Kona is a good bike for the money, about 29-30lbs.

For this money you want a hydraulically damped and adjustable suspension fork.

The Rookie

Why don't you just o on ebay and buy a bike that looks pretty, I'm sure it will cost a lot less than £500.......

Seriously, it's how a bike rides that counts, the prettiest bike in the world will soon pee you right off if it's a dog to ride, last time at Cannock I saw a beaten up old CBR escape frame (I spotted as my daughter has an upgraded Escape) with Fox forks, SLX brakes etc etc, bet it rode lovely!

Simon

type.rst

Yes i do understand what you are trying to say but im sure i wont be alone when i say the looks of a bike do matter. I dont want to spend alot of money on a bike which i dont find to be nice. Sure a bike may ride excellent but i also want it to put a smile on my face when i look at it lol.

I think i will go for the Kona Blast, it definetely looks good and what i can gather so far from reading online it seems to be a decent bike. Are the forks any good? (rockshox tora tk)

supersonic

Yes, are good forks. Adjustable hydraulic damping.

You are not the only one, but the only one I know of who seems to place looks first! this makes it very hard to give advice lol.

type.rst

No looks are a very close 2nd lol. Thank you very much for your help mate i know it can be annoying trying to give advice to someone with so many requirements lol.

type.rst

Just come back from holiday in tenerife and a big package was waiting for me when i got home, a Kona Blast. I absolutely love it, looks amazing and its nice and light. Went for a long ride this morning, cant wait to hit a trail.