Which mountain bike?

maryvg

Hi there, I'm going to buy a bike for my husband's birthday present and need some advice as I don't know anything about bikes! He's done a bit of mountain biking in the past and loves it, but it'd be good to buy a model that can go on the road as well. My budget isn't huge - around £100 so I'm going to have to go second hand but it'd be great to have some ideas on make/model and where to buy second hand?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Mary

rockmonkeysc

Make and model are unimportant.
Try to get disc brakes and a fork with at least adjustable rebound damping.

The Rookie

AS RMSC says, ignore the make and model.

Ideally it wants disc brakes (preferable hydraulic and not cable operated) and with a fork with damping, this will be hard to achieve for £100 though not impossible.

The brands that come up cheapest where you may score are Carrera and Rockrider, a circa 5 year olf Carrera Kraken would hit the main points.

daniel_owen_uk

Pretty slim budget to work with but as others have already said, you are looking for a hardtail (something with front suspension but no rear).

Disc brakes, hydraulic if you can (fluid in hoses, not cables).

At your price range, Carrera, Rockrider, maybe specialised hardrock, trek 4100?

Places to buy second hand, eBay, gumtree, pinkbike (although in that price range not a lot), maybe post in the classifieds?

maryvg

Hi everyone,
Thanks for the advice, one more question - what frame size should I go for? He's 6'2'' ish and well-built,
Thanks
Mary

rockmonkeysc

Could be anything from medium to extra large depending on make and model. Sizing can vary quite a lot and also depends on your body proportions as well as height.

JaseHawk

Against advise here, I wouldn't surprise someone with a mountain bike.

Depending on how much he has done in the past, given the opportunity he may want something specific, even if he doesn't know yet!

Wish my wife would buy me a bike. [edit] and lets me chose! [/edit]

maryvg

Good point maybe I should let him choose.. I've seen a half price mountain bike in halfords, bit over my budget though.. It's an Apollo Paradox, any good for a reasonably experienced but rusty rider?

Rookie1986

I would als agree with JaseHawk, although you have good intentions in wanting to buy him a bike as a surprise unless you're 100% sure about what he's wanting out of it then it would be so easy to buy something miles away from what he would use. It's a tricky situation as your wanting to do something nice for him but it could also go so wrong

If your budget was slightly higher I would have advised taking him out for the day to a bike shop and let him pick his own.... But I guess that's your call to make not mine.

rockmonkeysc

maryvg wrote:

Good point maybe I should let him choose.. I've seen a half price mountain bike in halfords, bit over my budget though.. It's an Apollo Paradox, any good for a reasonably experienced but rusty rider?

It's OK if he never plans to ride it off road. You definitely won't get anything which could reasonably be described as a mountain bike for £100 new. £350 would be about minimum new.

The Rookie

The Paradox is Ok for trundling on roads and gravel tracks, but you may as well dispense with the 'suspension' forks (which would only work for a year before seizing up anyway) and get something with rigid forks, it cannot be considered a 'mountain bike' in the same way you would something from about £325ish upwards which can be used at a trail centre and give a reasonable ride.

daniel_owen_uk

May seem a little harsh, and given what a lot of people on this forum ride, may seem like a skewed perspective, but £100 new won't get you near a good bike, wouldn't even get you near an average bike.

£100 used is a struggle, £200 used is more realistic.

£100 new will get you something unreliable, heavy, cheap & nasty.