which bikes the better one for me :-s

Nightstalker3188

Hey all... Loving this website ;-)
Got a slight dilemma...
I'm just about to get myself my very 1st propper mtb and am stuck between the choice of 3 brands..
I like the following bikes.. in no particular order:
Carrera Kraken £449
Voodoo hoodoo £499
Raleigh all terrain 30 £350 -25% company discount...

So you fine people, any advice on which one to go for and why, would be very much appreciated.
My use for the bike is mainly a 16mile per day round trip to work, and once I get going is like to hit the trails in bracknell forest...

Twelly

Add some links to your post, people don't memorise the spec of every bike currently on sale.

I can't find any details for a 'Diamondback all terrain 30' - nothing on Diamondbacks site

Rushmore

I know your all thinking it so I'll say it..


None of those...

Rock rider 8.1 from decathlon is the one to get.

Twelly

Rushmore wrote:

I know your all thinking it so I'll say it..


None of those...

Rock rider 8.1 from decathlon is the one to get.

Haha it's becoming a race now - who can say Rockrider quickest?! We should start keeping score

Nightstalker3188

Looked at the rockrider - didn't like it :-(
Sorry, I messed the post up, its not the diamondback at 39, its the raleigh AT 30 ...

Twelly

Why did you not like the RR? Im not saying you HAVE to like it, just curious why

lostboysaint

Voodoo has just got a very, very good write-up by this very website. Have you sat on them all? Have you done a lap of Halfords? Go with whichever fits you the best.

styxd

Looked at the rockrider - didn't like it

Glad to see you have some common sense. Definitely buy the one that looks the nicest, its bound to be the best!

Rushmore

styxd wrote:

Looked at the rockrider - didn't like it

Glad to see you have some common sense. Definitely buy the one that looks the nicest, its bound to be the best!

LoL I see this actually happen all too often..

welshkev

styxd wrote:

Looked at the rockrider - didn't like it

Glad to see you have some common sense. Definitely buy the one that looks the nicest, its bound to be the best!

didn't someone say that very thing a few weeks ago, he asked advice and sonic i think told him to go with whatever it was and he bought something different (and worse) cos it looked nicer and he reckoned he'd ride it more cos of that reason

chrisw333

lostboysaint wrote:

Voodoo has just got a very, very good write-up by this very website. Have you sat on them all? Have you done a lap of Halfords? Go with whichever fits you the best.

I'm always curious as to how a newbie is supposed to know what 'fits them best.'

Assuming they choose broadly similar frame sizes from each model, how are they supposed to differentiate by sitting on it in a shop, when they have little or no idea what a good riding position is etc? What initially feels the most comfortable may be entirely inappropriate on a trail.

of the three bikes Voodoo looks best bet and got a great review in What Mountain Bike June issue.

The Rookie

You can't see a bike when your riding it!

What sort of usage, the RR is the best 'value for money' however the Voodoo runs it close and is far from a bad buy, if the AT30 is the one I've seen at a local store it's a stinker, get the Hoodoo!
AT 30 2011 http://www.mailorderbikes.com/m1b0s2p12 ... _AT30_2011 no-where near the Hoodoo, nor near being a proper MTB!

Nightstalker3188

Thanks for the advice all.. the AT 30 is a stinker pmsl..... It's the only one out the three which I have not seen in the flesh... I am torn between the Kraken and the Hoodoo, both really nice bikes,both fairly light the SPEC in them both seems good and they both look nice also... - NOT that that matters at all ;-) the remote suspension lock on the Hoodoo seems a bit gimicky and is it worth the extra 50 notes. In regards to the Rock sonera whatever it was called;-) 8.1... I sat on it, and just didn't like the feel of it, I also found it a bit more weighty than the Kraken and Hoodoo... Plus the name sucks...;-) LOL

bennett_346

By the way the voodoo is £450 on halfords website right now. Go for that if you really can't stand the RR. But the rockrider is much much better.

Nightstalker3188

blyme...

the more I window shop the more I notice some other bikes I like...

I did take anothe look at the RR 8.1... still not sure on it, but the RR 6.3 looked good and is about the £300... not sure what to make of the reviews I've read... I like the looks of it, but the shocks are coil not air and from what Ive read air is supposed to be the way to go :?
So now I've got a list of
Voodoo Hoodoo
Voodoo Bantu
Carerra Vulcan
Carerra Kraken
RR 6.3
and I've also seen the RR 5.3
Now I've just go to choose... any one out there got any of these and can advise what the bike's are like? I'm not sure if I should go for Hydrolic Disc or mech ones and if the full suspension 6.3 is worth looking at....

Long_Time_Lurker

Air shocks are a bit lighter - but at this price point, the weight won't make a difference.
Hydraulic brakes are a lot better than mechanical - definitely go for them given a choice.
As for full-suspension - what are you going to be riding? Do you really need it, or is it just becuase there is a perception that more bounce = better. I have a full-sus rusting in my garage because 75% of the riding I do is more suited to a hardtail.

Personally, I would go for a hardtail as a first bike. Learn the techniques and get a better idea of the type of riding that you want to do. With your budget, I think a decent full-sus is out of reach, but a good hardtail isn't. A crap bike will put you off riding it.

If, 9 months down the line, you are still riding, I guarantee that you will be looking at a new bike. And you will want a much bigger budget than you have now. Start looking at the full-sussers then.

EH_Rob

Nothing new to add here, but...

At this price point any full suspension bike will be terrible, so avoid, unless you want to put yourself off mountain biking.

Either of the Voodoo's or the RR 5.1. Any of these will serve you well. RR 5.1 is best value, but they're all good buys.

mrmonkfinger

Spec list on the RR 6.3 is a bit poor.

The RR 8.1 is a real good buy. But if you don't like the colour, never mind - get the Voodoo.

Nightstalker3188

Well... It's done :-)
In the end, out of:
RR 6.3
RR 5.3
Voodoo Bantu
Voodoo Hoodoo
Carrera Kraken 2012 edition

I chose the Voodoo Hoodoo :-)

Put my deposit down and will be getting it around 1st July.... Caaaant wait now... Still can't beleive how light the 20inch frame is.....

Now its time to go.accessories shopping.... Off to wiggle.com me thinks....


Thanks for your replies.. n sorry I didn't go for the RR 8.1 ;-)
I just didn't like the looks,feel of the bike, and on top of that, when I went to my local decathlon store, the chap I spoke to could not tell me anything about their bikes so didn't build me up with confidence, whereas the kid in my local Halfrauds knew everything about the bikes they were selling... He even wanted to offer me a older but better specced Carrera Fury, which had minimal paint work damage for a reduced price... Which if the frame would have been a 20inch one I'd probably had gone for... Never mind...the hoodoos a great looking bike... Now just need to get some stabilisers put on the back and get to learn to ride.a.bike again before I do my 112 miles per weekly shift cycle ;-)