Boardman Team FS?

Kowalski675

Boardman Team FS for £849.99.

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/mtb/fs_team.html

Should I buy it, or spend some more for something fancier? Mainly wanting it for trail centre type riding - if you know Gisburn / Stainburn, that kind of terrain. Opinions?

97th choice

Fantastic specification, great reviews ( although mbr doesn't like it) some issues around bottom brackets and the occasional dodgy frame.

Personally if I was in the market around that budget I would keep an eye out for when the vitus escarpe gets discounted, but nothing wrong with the boardman

kirby700

I compare it to an Alfa spider - brilliant but always got that nagging doubt its going play up!

Best bike I've ever ridden. Love the looks and the ride, handles fantastic, on the second frame now though due to paint issues, local shop not too bothered about chasing it up so I emailed head office for advice, and to be fair they didnt f%$k about, had take the bike in and they ordered a new new frame for me, took 4 days in all.

Very good service from head office just shaky service from local store but I put that down to younger part time staff.

I say get one though and for that price its a bargain!

Kowalski675

It's certainly a bargain, given the ridiculous heights bike prices have risen to over recent years, but after riding one last night I was a bit underwhelmed. It didn't feel bad, just nothing like as plush or controlled as more expensive bikes I've tested recently. It's a great bike for the money, and I'd still be the weakest link on it, but I can't help thinking that I'd be buying it just because it's cheap, rather than because it's what i really want. Its looks do nothing for me, but that's not the most important thing.

Kowalski675

Well, I bought it. Hopefully I'll like it.

stuartfung

Let us know how you get on with it bud.

Kowalski675

stuartfung wrote:

Let us know how you get on with it bud.

Will do. I'm gonna put a thread in the bikes section once I've taken some pics. Not ridden it yet (other than round the shop). I'm going to change a few bits and pieces first. The white grips and saddle need to go, as do the bars and pedals (I'll either sell them for a few quid or keep them in their bags to put back on if/when I sell the bike. I've bought a Madison Flux saddle (same as a Charge Spoon, made in same factory), Mucky Nutz Benda Fenda, Bontrager bottle cage and Renthal neoprene chainstay protector yesterday. Need to get some grips (probably gonna try some Superstar ones), wider bars and a quick release seatpost clamp (34.9mm I think). I'll fit the new Wellgo B54 pedals from my Kraken (I've only used those once). I think I'm gonna add some Ventureshield paint protection film to the frame tubes too (I managed to put a couple of tiny chips on the right seatstay last night - how annoying is that on a brand new bike, grrr ), and I need to buy a shock pump to set the sag right.

I need to reroute the front brake hose (it's routed wrongly, on the outside of the fork leg, and check over all the bolts etc (it's from Halfords, after all...). I need to centre the calipers on the discs (they're not aligned properly), and the brakes feel like they could benefit from a bleed (there's more lever travel than my mate's Avid 3s on his Team FS), but I don't have a bleed kit. I want to swap the shifters/levers round on the bar too, to get the spacing right. I've noticed the front mech's clamped straight to the seat tube, where on my Kraken it has a rubber strip to protect the frame, but in the bits and pieces I got the bike there's a bag with two spare gear cable end crimps and two rubber strips - surely one of those should have been fitted between mech and frame tube?

I can't decide whether to change the tyres (Conti Mountain King 2.2 wired) - reviews of bikes fitted with them say they're awful and scary in wet conditions, and my mate agreed with that, he ditched his after riding in the wet. I figure maybe it makes more sense to remove them unused and sell 'em (should get 20 quid for them), rather than use them a bit then change them anyway and bin them. Thinking of trying a pair of (Maxxis made) On One Smorgasbord 2.25s (the left edge of the rear tyre runs daftly close to the chainstay, so I don't think you'd get anything wider on the rear). If I do change them I'll probably change to schraeder valve tubes too, since all my pressure gauges are Schraeder - I don't have any that fit silly Presta valves.

ElliesDad

Definitely change the tyres, the stock MK2's are awful! But beware tyre sizes on the back, I bought 2.2 Bontrager XR4's for mine only to find the back tyre didn't fit on the back as it rubs the frame to the extent that you can't turn the wheel, so I ended up with a 2.2 XR4 on the front and a 2.1 Panaracer XC Fire Pro on the back, actually quite a good combination. Tyre sizes vary considerably between makes even for the same tyre size!

Sharpercarper

I've fitted a 2.2 rubber queen on the back no problem.

felix.london

Sharpercarper wrote:

I've fitted a 2.2 rubber queen on the back no problem.

Or if you want something lighter and faster rolling go for a (Black Chili) Mountain King 2 on the back. Very impressed with mine, especially paired up with a RQ on the front

Kowalski675

I'd noticed how close the left edge of the rear tyre runs to the chainstay (seems a daft bit of design) - there's very little clearance with the OE 2.2s (which measure bang on 2.2" wide) on, certainly couldn't go much wider. I want something that's a good confidence inspiring all rounder, it doesn't have to be ultra fast rolling (I'm not fast), but I don't want something really draggy that's going to tire my little legs out either. The black chili contis seem good, but they're expensive.

paul.skibum

I got some Spesh Ground Controls on my bike - they seem very good. And its a 2.0 which works too.

desmorrow

Yeah, need a new rear for me boardrman FS. Looking value for money so would the rubber queen be a good option?

I see wired is 15 and folding 20 quid? What's the difference?

http://www.on-one.co.uk/cyclesearch?q=r ... 112&y=-139

mcnultycop

Folding; usually lighter, usually better compounds. However, in your link one is 26" and one is 29".

Kowalski675

paul.skibum wrote:

I got some Spesh Ground Controls on my bike - they seem very good. And its a 2.0 which works too.

Ground Control's a 2.1 isn't it? They came out well in a trail tyre group test in what MTB mag recently - recommended as a good do it all, fit and forget all rounder. I'm tempted to try the On-One Smorgasbord 2.25s, just concerned about clearance on that left hand edge of the rear.