best buy mountain bike under £450

sandy0409

Hi

I am looking for a bit of advise, I'm buying my husband a mountain bike for his birthday and have looked at the following:
Claud Butler Shaman £399
Carrera Vulcan Mountain Bike £379
Carrera Kraken Mountain Bike £449

He would like hydraulic brakes & the Carrera Vulcan doesn't have them, are any of these bikes any good or are there better options anyone could make me aware of.

Another important note he is not a serious Mountain bike rider more a good day out with the kids around the forest tracks of clumber park etc.

Thankyou in advance for any help you can give me.

supersonic

The new Vulcan has Clarks skeletal hydraulic brakes - but the Kraken is overall a better bike, with a well controlled fork, good 9 speed kit and finishing parts.

The Shamen is pretty poor, lowly fork, basic 7 speed drivetrain with limited range, really would avoid this one. To be frank, it's shite.

If you can stretch to £500 the king of budget bikes is the Decathlon Rockrider 8.1

sandy0409

Thankyou for your quick response Supersonic, do you know where I would be able to purchase a Decathlon Rockrider 8.1
if I were to stretch the budget?

supersonic

Only Decathlon ;-): theyhave about 6 stores I think?

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/81-2011-id_8168695.html

Superb spec for the money. Nice RockShox, the best drivetrain you'll find on any bike of this price, great brakes, light frame and low overall weight.

The Rookie

For the same money as the Decathlon, there is the voodoo hoodoo at Halfords, not quite as nice a spec, butsome prefer the way it rides.