Which of these CANNONDALE would you go for?

scottymazda

Hi all, I know little about bikes and I am not a hardcore biker or anything but I just want a cheap but good (preferably light) bike for the money. Anyway the budget is basically £450 so yeah outside of halfords that doesn't leave much I know. But I was looking at these bikes here..

CANNONDALE TRAIL SL 5 2011
CANNONDALE TRAIL SL 3 2012 (probably not an option as they only have 22")
CANNONDALE TRAIL SL 4 2011
CANNONDALE TRAIL SL 4 2012

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... =m1b65s2p0

Well to be exact, the top 4 bikes on that page as the budget couldn't stretch any further. Is there much of a difference between those 4 and for the money are they good value? Which one of those 4 is the best as they are seem very similiar in spec and price?

Are those bikes better than say this..?

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... 65499#tab1

I was also looking 2012 CUBE LTD which I have heard is very good but unfortunately is over my budget (and in any case they only have the kinda ugly looking grey version).

thanks

unquestioned

SL3 is the highest spec in your budget.

cooldad

At £400 this makes all of them look sad.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... pping#tab2

chez_m356

don't know anything about this make http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _2012_Bike but great spec at that price, £400 for sizes 19'' or 21'', obviously depends on what size your looking for

scottymazda

cooldad wrote:

At £400 this makes all of them look sad.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... pping#tab2

I went into Halfords and looked at that and yeah it seems pretty impressive. I like the look of the Hoodoo more though..

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... 65499#tab3

I don't know if there is a whole lot of difference between the two to warrent the £100 extra price tag?

scottymazda

OK guys I have narrowed it down to the above hoodoo or the carrera kraken.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... 65499#tab2

I would mostly be using it for road use TBH and have heard the kraken is actually a much better bike when it comes to on the road? is that true?

The Rookie

For road use get a hybrid or road bike!
The Voodoo has a better fork, but the rest of the Kraken is a bit better.....

scottymazda

The Beginner wrote:

For road use get a hybrid or road bike!
The Voodoo has a better fork, but the rest of the Kraken is a bit better.....

yeah maybe but I have never owned a road or hybrid bike and wouldn't know where to start. I prefer MTBs and I do sometimes go offroad..

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-53 ... 06682.html

How is that? Is the Voodoo or kraken much better than that? how is the fork compared to the kraken and the rockrider? The only thing with Carrera bikes is people would know you are riding a halfords bike..

cooldad

It's a bicycle not a penis extension.

unquestioned

scottymazda wrote:

The Beginner wrote:

For road use get a hybrid or road bike!
The Voodoo has a better fork, but the rest of the Kraken is a bit better.....

yeah maybe but I have never owned a road or hybrid bike and wouldn't know where to start. I prefer MTBs and I do sometimes go offroad..

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-53 ... 06682.html

How is that? Is the Voodoo or kraken much better than that? how is the fork compared to the kraken and the rockrider? The only thing with Carrera bikes is people would know you are riding a halfords bike..

It's a Halfords bike, and?
I ride a very budget full sus Carrera & my penis is huge...

zx6man

rockrider is the winner for me......

scottymazda

How are the Trek Trail series 3? decent bikes?

The Beginner wrote:

For road use get a hybrid or road bike!
The Voodoo has a better fork, but the rest of the Kraken is a bit better.....

you know what I think a hybrid would actually be better for me. Is the Specialized Sirrus Elite 2012 the best for under £500?

chrisw333

Put a link up, but I'd be very surprised if it was.

cooldad

You might get a better response to hybrids in the commuting forum.

scottymazda

just out of interest, how would you guys say the voodoo hoodoo compares to this on offer cannondale?

CANNONDALE TRAIL SL 2

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... b65s2p3695

The Rookie

Compares fairly well, don't know much about the Deuce fork compared to the Raidon though....plus if you want to do a fork upgrade later your stuck with a rarer 1.5" steerer or new headset which is a PITA.

scottymazda

yeah does anyone know anything about this RST fork specifically? I mean I have heard in general RST forks are garbage but then everyone says the same about the lower end suntour (I know the Raidon is supposedly decent though).