Looking to buy- need advice and a couple of techy questions

moleylfc

Hi all,

Looking to buy my first MTB so I can join my brother and his mates on some rides around different trails.

Now I'm a complete beginner, so don't know what really constitutes being a trail but my brother tells me they do a variety really from Cannock Chase to Longmynd, to Llangedwyn. From some of the videos he's shown me some of it looks hardcore with some big jumps/drops in forestry, others just some hard climbs with fast come downs over rocky terrains.

To give you an idea of the type of bike I think I need, my brother has a Trek 4500D 2012, his mates have anything from a Specialized, to a Cannondale or a Cube (unsure on models). All are hardtail bikes from what I'm told, with disc brakes, and front suspension with anything from 100mm to 130mm+ travel. So i'm presuming I need something similar.

In terms of technical questions, I've been to Dave Mellor Cycles in Shrewsbury where i've seen a new Rockhopper Hardrock D 29er. It has 80mm travel and i'm unsure if that's enough for the type of biking I want to do. What are your thoughts on this?
The guy in the store told me 29er's are good for road biking also if I am intending to commute at all, and he says 29ers are pretty much going to be the norm in a year or two. So another question, should I get a 29er or go for a standard 26 wheel? I am 5'9" so not sure if a 29er would be too big but I am intending to test ride one at the weekend.
I also intend to test ride a 26" wheeled Trek 4900 2012.

My budget is anything up to £600 really, so i'm looking for some recommendations and some explanations around "travel" and "29er" advantages over a 26.One other thing, I had looked at the Carrera Kraken after seeing the write up it got on here, but I've been warned off buying any bike from Halfords after hearing some horror stories from other folk re. the mechanics and their knowledge on the building of a bike. Any body had any experience they'd like to share in that respect?

cooldad

It's either a Hardrock or a Rockhopper - by Specialised.
Ignore the guy in the shop, and read the sticky at the top of this section.

The Rookie

The Trek 4500D is pretty low in the food chain, so you don't need to spend a fortune.

Ignore the guy in the shop, the big discussion now is if 650B will take over, 29er is so last year, but 26" will be around for a fair while yet!

Decathlon RockRider 8.1, for £550 you'll have a better bike than your Brother.

All MTB's need regular fettling, so if you buy from Halfords, learn by checking it all over first!

moleylfc

Thanks for your replies both.

Cooldad - any particular reason why you'd recommend the hardrock or rockhopper?

The beginner - I will check out the decathlon thanks for the suggestion.

Can either of you tell me whether 80mm of travel would be enough for trail runs in general? What is the "norm"?
I don't want to attempt to do jumps/big drops if I'm going to knacker the forks by doing so.
The hardrock is 80mm.

Thanks again.

cambrai

Well just to add my bit to this....

I commute on a 29er and am 6'3. I've had one for the last four years and the geometry works for me, there are lots of arguments about how well wheels roll and how it maintains speed easier etc etc, but also they say you can have more fun on the smaller wheel sizes.

I would recommend that you find a good shop that will let you try out a few bikes (preferably different brands) and see what feels 'right'

Do your homework first and read a lot of reviews for bikes in the price bracket you can afford, discount the glowing reviews and the really bad ones and try to find common opinions for each of the models.

You may be able to get a good deal with the shop if a new 2014 model is out and they want to move some 2013 stock

Everyone on here will have a different opinion on wheel size but i find this is really a personal thing and that you shouldn't read too much into it.

Good luck

cooldad

moleylfc wrote:

Cooldad - any particular reason why you'd recommend the hardrock or rockhopper?

I wouldn't necessarily recommend either.
You said

moleylfc wrote:

i've seen a new Rockhopper Hardrock D 29er.

I said

cooldad wrote:

It's either a Hardrock or a Rockhopper - by Specialised.

What Beginner said.

jairaj

I don' think Cooldad was recommending the Hardrock or the Rockhopper. Simply stating its one or the other. There is no such bike as a "Specialized Rockhopper Hardrock D".

The amount of travel you want depends on personal preference. You see people riding the same trails with 100mm suspension bikes up 160mm suspension bikes. Everyone is having fun in there own way.

For Cannock which is very smooth I'd say its more than enough. But If you plan to venture out into much rockier or bumpy terrain more travel might help you ride faster.

The Rookie

80-100mm is usually for XC use, they will cope fine with trail centres like Cannock, Llandegla is a bit rougher but decent forks will cope fine but you may have to ease off a fraction compared to those with more travel, however as it gets rougher the extra 20mm from 120mm forks is a bonus.

Saying Rockhopper Hardrock is like saying Focus Fiesta......regardless Specialized at this price point are over priced tat and really really really not worth buying.

Since the Voodoo Hoodoo was downgraded for this year (heavily) the RR is the stand out bike.

moleylfc

My mistake, just realised what I'd put in my original post. One of the disadvantages of posting on a 4" dysfunctional smartphone screen is the inability to proof read! I meant Specialized hardrock.

Thank you to the others who posted replies.

supersonic

I wouldn't say heavily, Voodoo Hoodoo still a good buy at £500 and worth considering.

moleylfc

The Beginner wrote:

80-100mm is usually for XC use, they will cope fine with trail centres like Cannock, Llandegla is a bit rougher but decent forks will cope fine but you may have to ease off a fraction compared to those with more travel, however as it gets rougher the extra 20mm from 120mm forks is a bonus.

Saying Rockhopper Hardrock is like saying Focus Fiesta......regardless Specialized at this price point are over priced tat and really really really not worth buying.

Since the Voodoo Hoodoo was downgraded for this year (heavily) the RR is the stand out bike.

What are your thoughts on the trek 4900? Another branded gimmick or worth £550 quid?

supersonic

They are usually £750... is not bad, but rather average fork.

The Rookie

Fork is OK, but not as good as the RR, the 2012 has reasonable drivertrain but the 2013 is slightly upgraded, well specced apart from the fork (which isn't as good as the one on the £350 Voodoo Bantu)

moleylfc

Thanks both.

As you both mention forks, is there a guide anywhere that provides reviews of each? I'm keen to know what to look out for when I go to a few stores on Saturday.

Also interested to hear your thoughts on the 2012 trek 4900 compared with the 2013 Specialized rockhopper, which is better value for money?

The Rookie

Links and prices?

Reviews of most forks on here! Damping is a must, but most are damped at this price point, then it's into the quality of the parts....

moleylfc

The Beginner wrote:

Links and prices?

Reviews of most forks on here! Damping is a must, but most are damped at this price point, then it's into the quality of the parts....

Here you go, rockhopper :
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec042244

Trek 4900:
http://www.stanscycles.co.uk/products/b ... 4900-disc/

Either of them any good?

Chunkers1980

First link's bust, the second is OOS.

The Rookie

First link works for me....
The XCM fork on the 'hopper is one below the XCR on the Trek, which is one below the Raidon on a Voodoo Bantu (all in the Suntour range) while the Rockrider 8.1 has a Recon which is better again (but from Rockshox).

Second OOS as Chunkers said and being a 2012 unlikley to come back in!

moleylfc

The Beginner wrote:

First link works for me....
The XCM fork on the 'hopper is one below the XCR on the Trek, which is one below the Raidon on a Voodoo Bantu (all in the Suntour range) while the Rockrider 8.1 has a Recon which is better again (but from Rockshox).

Second OOS as Chunkers said and being a 2012 unlikley to come back in!

They have two in store.

What about the lapierre raid 500?
http://www.lapierre-bikes.co.uk/mtb/lei ... 6/raid-500

Can't see many reviews on it, are the parts up to scratch?

The Rookie

Fork on the Lapierre may or may not be damped, it doesn't say. but when you can have a Recon on the RR, no need to stoop to an XCM (same as on the 'hopper) otherwise Spec is much like the Trek 4900 which has a better fork.