Advice needed!

Ricey83

Hi,

I'm looking for a MTB for trail riding new or used for a max of £500. I went Cannock Chase for the 1st time the other week on an old Giant Rock and it was like riding a rodeo bull with the forks bottoming out on every bump and the non-existant brakes giving me arm pump. After that experience I definately to upgrade to a decent MTB bike as it'll only be used for trails.

A couple of bikes that have caught my eye are:

Voodoo Hoodoo
Voodoo Bantu
Specialized Hardrock Pro Disc
Carrera Kracken

Thanks in advance...

Daveace

We're looking at very similar bikes! I rode the Hardrock Pro and the fork wasn't amazing and it seems a bit overpriced.

Hoodoo is solid and you can pick up a 2nd hand one for under £300. Avoid the Bantu if you can and go for the Hoodoo or Bokor. Voodoo Wangas get great reviews but people don't want to let them go for less than £500.

You'll get far more for your money going used, but you need to have an idea of what to look for, and perhaps budget for a full service on top of the price you pay.

The Rookie

The Lardrock is cr...rubbish, if you can stretch to £550 consider the Rockrider 8.1 from Decathlon as well, otherwise the other three are all good starter bikes.

thelonegroover

Voodoo Hoodoo, is hard to beat at this price.

Daveace

People rave about the Rockrider 8.1 but I wasn't blown away by it. Nice enough bike and the staff in Decathlon seemed to know what they were doing, but I've ruled it out. A 2012 used one just sold for £245 though! That's a bargain!

Ricey83

I've been looking at the Rockrider 8.1 and the reviews are really good. At the minute if i was to buy brand new it'd be between the Hoodoo and the Rockrider which one is better head to head? I'm not up to speed on MTB specs... but I'm basically after the one with the best forks.

The Rookie

Daveace wrote:

People rave about the Rockrider 8.1 but I wasn't blown away by it.

Your meant to ride it, not it blew you up!

Was it that it didn't have a pretty paint job or what?