I give you £1,000

Tim..

.... hypothetically, what do you buy?

Hi, I'm pretty new to mountain biking and my knowledge of bikes is very limited.
I do know I'm after a full suspension bike and that my limit is £1k.

So if you can steer me in the right direction and with a reason why I'd appreciate it.
Thanks

(I do have a bike in mind that was recommended to me, however, I spoke to someone today who told me not to touch it with a barge pole hence my signing up here for advice)

Briggo

You want a 2010 Stumpjumper FSR Comp

Tim..

I should have mentioned I want a new bike.

wmorgs

You a limited for a full suss at that budget might want to think hardtails or:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-91 ... 13074.html

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/m ... -650b-2014

Or carefully pick a decent 2nd hand bike.

rockmonkeysc

This is brilliant for the price and within budget
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/m ... -650b-2014

Or for an extra £129 over budget this is superb
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s1p494 ... M-X-2-2013

Tim..

I appreciate the £1k and full sus (new) is a bit tight, but it is definitely what I'm after.

Tim..

I'll add a bit more info, after speaking to a few guys at bike shops they recommended the new GIANT Stance 27.5 2 at £999. Little bit of reading up and I was sold. Today I was talking to a guy, again in another bike shop, who recommended I avoid giant and go for something like a Ghost.

As I said earlier I have no idea what's good/bad/ugly/fashionable or not in the bike world so a little guidance please

rockmonkeysc

I would avoid that particular Giant. The Boardman is much better for the same money but the Anthem X2 I linked to is a lot better for only slightly more cash.

The Rookie

Have a look at Paul's cycles, some decent bikes can come up quite cheap as long as the sizes they have are what you want. Last time I looked they had an Anthem for sub 1k.

EDIT yep, small or small anthem for 999 or a trance for 1049 in med or small.

Tim..

I appreciate your help and please bear with me.... Out of interest why would you avoid that particular giant?

Tim..

Also what the hell is it with manufacturers not suppling pedals?

rockmonkeysc

Tim.. wrote:

I appreciate your help and please bear with me.... Out of interest why would you avoid that particular giant?

Low quality components for the price. Very basic fork and shock mean it won't be a great ride. It will be a good frame but to get it to ride as well as the Giant Anthem or Boardman linked above will mean a new fork, shock and brakes which would cost you around £600.
I like Giant bikes, I have had a few and expect I will have more but this one isn't a great buy. Unless you are buying a heavily discounted bike, the big brands aren't very good at this price range.
New bikes usually don't come with pedals because everyone has a different preference for pedals.

Tim..

Thanks for that info thumbsup

I really wanted to stick to my price bracket as I know how easy costs can spiral, just another hundred .... or 2.

My biking guru mate said that the anthem you linked would be an excellent buy so thank you.
So the guy who warned me off the stance today knew what he was talking about? The brand Ghost he recommended, are they a good brand and do they have a £1k full sus bike?

wmorgs

RockmonkeySC wrote:

This is brilliant for the price and within budget
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/m ... -650b-2014

Or for an extra £129 over budget this is superb
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s1p494 ... M-X-2-2013

Stick to this advice at this price bracket mate, monkey knows his nuts mate :P

supersonic

Need more info - for XC? DH? All rounder? What usage?

The Rookie

Tim.. wrote:

Also what the hell is it with manufacturers not suppling pedals?

Because pedals are a very personal choice, whatever pedal they supplied any serious cyclists would change them, so some fit really cheap ones to their bikes, some don't bother with any.

Tim..

supersonic wrote:

Need more info - for XC? DH? All rounder? What usage?

Predominantly trail/XC

rockmonkeysc

Boardman Team FS is the top choice if a grand is your absolute limit.

benpinnick

The Rookie wrote:

Tim.. wrote:

Also what the hell is it with manufacturers not suppling pedals?

Because pedals are a very personal choice, whatever pedal they supplied any serious cyclists would change them, so some fit really cheap ones to their bikes, some don't bother with any.

To add some meat to that bone... (I build and spec bikes for a living nowadays)... There are two main categories of pedals: Clipless and flats (Which is confusing in its own right as clip less are the ones where you clip in... its a historical thing). The in the clipless category you have several incompatible manufacturers - Shimano, Time, Crank Bros...

What this all means is that in order to supply you a decent pedal that suits you/your shoes, bike companies would need to supply tons of pedals, so clip less is out (there is a legal issue too around reflectors). Then you are left with flats. Some people use them, some don't. Everyone could use them, but if you don't, you won't. So half the flat pedals you send out are a waste of time.

Then add to that the fact that you might not need a set of flat pedals as you own a nice set anyway, and as a manufacturer you might be sending out half-decent flat pedals to people with decent flat pedals anyway. I say half decent, as the above legal issue of reflectors means that you need to send out pedals with reflectors on. Decent flats don't do reflectors. There are some half decent ones that do though.

So, having decided that you can only send out flat pedals, and that half the people getting them won't ride them, and the other half probably have better ones anyway, many manufacturers decide to send out not-worth-the-steel-their-crappy-cages-are-pressed-from flat pedals so that their bikes come with pedals. Other manufacturers however realise that those $2 pedals are so bad, they will actually detract from the bike, and so don't send you any pedals, in order to make you buy decent ones!

The Rookie

You could legally ship Shimano SPD using the resin platforms with the reflectors......but yes otherwise a good Explanation Ben.

mike hunts alpine

Take a look at Vitus bikes on CRC the 2013 + 2014 models are heavily discounted and you get a lot of bike for your money.

poah

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/cube ... prod114160

£50 over budget

supersonic

Given that most people change the saddle too, you could propose a similar argument... ;-). Stick some nice Wellgo MG1 on - yeah, they might might not use them, they probably aren't using the saddle, tyres, bars, grips or stem either - but at least is a quality item that completes a package and can be sold on if needs be. You wouldn't spec gripless.

rockmonkeysc

If manufacturers won't get any more profit out of a bike by adding pedals then they won't.
I would rather see bikes sold without pedals rather than sold with pedals which will never get used.

supersonic

Better take out grips too then.

m00nbadger

as mentioned, the boardman team fs for £999 is well reviewed across the land

its got £100 off till monday also (well 10%) - thats off all bikes from Halfords too if you see anything instead there you fancy

Briggo

Tyres too

Angus Young

+1 Boardman.

benpinnick

supersonic wrote:

Given that most people change the saddle too, you could propose a similar argument... ;-). Stick some nice Wellgo MG1 on - yeah, they might might not use them, they probably aren't using the saddle, tyres, bars, grips or stem either - but at least is a quality item that completes a package and can be sold on if needs be. You wouldn't spec gripless.

Sort of but not really. Preference is not the same as compatibility; grips I don't like aren't incompatible with my hands, but I see what you mean. Easier to simply offer the choice of tyres/grips/saddles etc. that way you don't have to change it all out. I do however agree that sending out shit pedals is pointless. If you are going to send some send some half decent ones.

paul.skibum

benpinnick wrote:

supersonic wrote:

Given that most people change the saddle too, you could propose a similar argument... ;-). Stick some nice Wellgo MG1 on - yeah, they might might not use them, they probably aren't using the saddle, tyres, bars, grips or stem either - but at least is a quality item that completes a package and can be sold on if needs be. You wouldn't spec gripless.

Sort of but not really. Preference is not the same as compatibility; grips I don't like aren't incompatible with my hands, but I see what you mean. Easier to simply offer the choice of tyres/grips/saddles etc. that way you don't have to change it all out. I do however agree that sending out shoot pedals is pointless. If you are going to send some send some half decent ones.

I didn't expect my Bronson to come with pedals but it came with a nice set of Wellgo B065's which are great. The grips - Lizard skins non lock ons - were pretty poor though (comfy but moved). So I'd like to see all items on a pre specced bike at a level where you potentially want to use them.

benpinnick

paul.skibum wrote:

benpinnick wrote:

supersonic wrote:

Given that most people change the saddle too, you could propose a similar argument... ;-). Stick some nice Wellgo MG1 on - yeah, they might might not use them, they probably aren't using the saddle, tyres, bars, grips or stem either - but at least is a quality item that completes a package and can be sold on if needs be. You wouldn't spec gripless.

Sort of but not really. Preference is not the same as compatibility; grips I don't like aren't incompatible with my hands, but I see what you mean. Easier to simply offer the choice of tyres/grips/saddles etc. that way you don't have to change it all out. I do however agree that sending out shoot pedals is pointless. If you are going to send some send some half decent ones.

I didn't expect my Bronson to come with pedals but it came with a nice set of Wellgo B065's which are great. The grips - Lizard skins non lock ons - were pretty poor though (comfy but moved). So I'd like to see all items on a pre specced bike at a level where you potentially want to use them.

Out of interest did the wellgos have the reflectors on or in the box?