Need Entry-Level Bike Suggestions Please!

JoshPE94
JoshPE94 Posts: 3
edited February 2014 in MTB buying advice
I'm getting into biking and need some suggestions on good reliable hardtail bikes. I have been drawn to Specialized, Trek & Giant and have a price range of around £400-£600. I would really need a bike that is good for leisurely rides around more smoother trails although will have no problem tackling some harder terrain now and then. 3 bikes I have looked at are the Trek 3500 Disc 2014, Specialized Hardrock 29er 2014 and the Giant Revel 2 2014. Are any of these bikes good or are there some others I should look at? Many thanks for any feedback given.

Comments

  • Cookeh
    Cookeh Posts: 351
    For the price, they're pretty crap.

    Do some research into a Calibre 2.2 for £350, a Voodoo Bizango or a Rockrider 8.1 for £550.
  • JoshPE94
    JoshPE94 Posts: 3
    Cookeh wrote:
    For the price, they're pretty crap.

    Do some research into a Calibre 2.2 for £350, a Voodoo Bizango or a Rockrider 8.1 for £550.

    Thankyou, I will give these a look into!
  • kingderham
    kingderham Posts: 207
    Would be worth looking for second hand bikes.
    Try the Cube range and Boardman range
    A mouthfull of mud, i guess ive crashed

    Giant xtc se
    Trek 1.2compact
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    Try some test rides and see what you think. Buying a decent spec'ed bike at a good price that you don't like riding and are not keen on the look of is not a good idea.
  • contented
    contented Posts: 83
    I was just in the same position, looking for something for that kind of money. As suggested, the Rockrider and Calibre were both well worth a test ride. I've had some dodgy service from Go Outdoors and from Halfords in the past so I shy away from places like that (I can live with being called a snob, given the hassles I had), but the Rockrider was a great bike and the Calibre is well regarded pretty much everywhere as a genuine bargain.

    Second hand is good, these very forums turn up some nice deals, but I personally found it hard to spend £500 or more on something that wasn't new - just didn't feel right.
    In the end I went for a £600 Ghost 8000 from Chain Reaction, there was an additional 10% off all bikes that ended a couple of days ago. Decent bikes and I would heartily recommend them, but hard to track down one for a test ride.

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