new to mountain biking/ looking to buy first bike

mrbiker473

Hey guys, im looking at getting into mountain biking and know not alot/ nothing about bikes....
Im planning on doing a fair bit of off roading on forest tracks e.t.c. and have had a look at some bikes, im not really wanting to spend over £350 and have come across these two bikes: http://www.chevincycles.com/m1b0s368p74 ... -Disc-2012

and

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/126328.html

I was just wondering which would be the best/ most reliable. Or if there are any other bikes you would suggest at this price?

Tom Barton

They are both very similiar in all but name. Mechanical disks - the forks won't be up to much.

Might I reccomend, if you can afford it pushing your budget upto £400 and considering a bike on sale - you'll get a far superior machine. If you can't afford the extra go for the one you like the look of.

http://www.leisurewheels.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b3s2p8726&rs=gb&vid=29052
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/kona/nunu-2011-mountain-bike-ec026534

Two quickie examples from google.

chez_m356

you would be much better off looking here http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499 or if you can stretch to a little bit more http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499 or http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499 much better value for money than what you will find in a local bike shop for similar money

mrbiker473

Cheers guys... just heard halfords have bad build quality?

What about http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499 comapred to the other halfords ones?

snowjho

mrbiker473 wrote:

Cheers guys... just heard halfords have bad build quality?

What about http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499 comapred to the other halfords ones?

Not build quality just the setup and assembly they give bikes can be hit or miss. Worth giving it the once over youself. Or get lbs to do it. There are some good guys who work in some stores tho.

supersonic

The Trek and the Giant are bloody awful - hideous forks, even worse drivetrains - will ride like train wrecks in the rougher stuff.

The Centos is much better, but better than that is the Decathlon Rockrider 5.3.

supersonic

Or this:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... zone=PDPz1

mrbiker473

Thanks for the help, would you recomend the Rockrider over the vulcan? As ill be able to go to halfords and see the vulcan but i would find the Rockrider more difficult to go look at locally...

supersonic

I'd take the Vulcan with the big reduction, if it fits. You don't get as many gears, but better brakes.

mrbiker473

Cheers guys, will go for the Vulcan at £340, unless the Centos at £260 isn't a greater step back? £80 is alot to save thats all? Thanks

supersonic

The Vulcan is worth the extra, £340 is a steal. The Centos was never worth the RRP.

mrbiker473

So after looking, no halfords within 100miles stocks the vulcan! So whilst browsing i came across http://www.realcycles.com/products.php?show=2616 and the idea of finance for the bike??? ive tired looking for the decathlon on finance with no luck?

The Rookie

Get an interest free credit card and use it to buy JUST the bike perhaps?

That Mantra is very nicely specced for the price, better crankset, decent brakes etc etc