Help the noob to choose a right bike

povilasand

Hey!
I am looking into starting MTB so I am looking for a bike.
As I am new in biking I don't want to make bad purchase and stick with the bike which I wouldn't like that's why I am asking your advice.
Just found used but almost like new Ghost Tacana 7. Could you guys comment on its parts? upgradability? frame?
As new it costs around 900 euros I could buy it for 600. Is it worth it?

LINK http://www.ghost-bikes.com/en/bikes-2012/bike-detail/tacana-7/

Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

rockmonkeysc

Pretty good for €600. Slightly steep head tube angle might make it a little twitchy on rougher trails but good on more traditional xc rides.

povilasand

Thanks for your reply! Could you comment on a fork? I realize its one of the key element as replacing it would be a costly upgrade. Will it hold for me and be a good? Rock Shox 30 Gold Solo Air.

Is in it good to have a steep headtube angle? I have read that some people told not to buy Decathlon Rockrider 560 because frame is not ant certain angle. Is that true?

Thanks.

rockmonkeysc

It's a good fork but if you get in to more aggressive trail riding it will flex and make it difficult to hold a line. Very light and good damping.
There is no right head tube angle. They vary between 72 degrees and 60 degrees. Steeper means less stability but sharp steering. Slack means stable but slow and heavy steering.

povilasand

Ok I see. As I am new I assume this fork is more than enough for me.

I noticed one more bike for 650euros which is used but also like new:
Cannondale Trail Sl2 26.
Major aspect I am in doubt about it is that it has 26" wheels.
I am quite tall guy - 6'1" and all the buzz about 27.5" and 29" makes me feel that 26" is not worth to get.
However I never rode anything different than 26"

So do you think I should avoid 26" MTBS?

Does Cannondale Trail Sl2 is better or worse than Ghost Tacana 7 spec wise?

kajjal

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19645070#p19645070]RockmonkeySC[/url] wrote:

It's a good fork but if you get in to more aggressive trail riding it will flex and make it difficult to hold a line. Very light and good damping.
There is no right head tube angle. They vary between 72 degrees and 60 degrees. Steeper means less stability but sharp steering. Slack means stable but slow and heavy steering.

This is a very good description of the difference, i prefer sharper steering xc bikes to slacker angled bikes.

povilasand

It sounds like steeper angled bikes are more fun and that is mtb about it right?
Also I have checked some new bikes to buy. One of them: Grand Canyon AL 5.9

Any other suggestions under 1000eur?
Want to get started mtb as soon as possible but still didin't decided on the bike.. :?

rockmonkeysc

Personally I find slower steering bikes with slacker angles more fun. They are more stable over rough ground so you can carry more speed and land big jumps more predictably. They slide more predictably where a sharp steering bike slides very quickly and is difficult to catch before you're on the floor. Slacker bikes can be ridden more aggressively, you can really throw them in to turns, rattle through rock gardens and drift through turns.
With sharp steering you have to be very precise and it takes a lot more skill to ride quickly and big plums to ride down the most fun black trails.

povilasand

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19645683#p19645683]RockmonkeySC[/url] wrote:

Personally I find slower steering bikes with slacker angles more fun. They are more stable over rough ground so you can carry more speed and land big jumps more predictably. They slide more predictably where a sharp steering bike slides very quickly and is difficult to catch before you're on the floor. Slacker bikes can be ridden more aggressively, you can really throw them in to turns, rattle through rock gardens and drift through turns.
With sharp steering you have to be very precise and it takes a lot more skill to ride quickly and big plums to ride down the most fun black trails.

Could you recommend any particular models to look into?
I am looking into Voodoo Hoodoo or BTwin Rockrider but they are only available in UK however the price of 400 pounds looks really attractive.. Any suggestions appreciated.

cooldad

Decathlon are huge on the continent so Btwin is available.

rockmonkeysc

This is a UK forum so most people on here know the best deals in the UK. In other countries the best deals will be different.

povilasand

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19645846#p19645846]RockmonkeySC[/url] wrote:

This is a UK forum so most people on here know the best deals in the UK. In other countries the best deals will be different.

I am good with the UK deals as where I live there are pretty much no deals at all, only regular prices and only big brands with bad value for the money. Anyway I know some companies who are willing to send it to me from UK for 30 euros so if you have some best bang for the buck you are more than welcome to list my options.

povilasand

I have decided to get either Canyon or Radon bike.
My personal favorite is Radon Team 8.0 - http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/radon-zr-team-29-8.0-237645/wg_id-117 but is it worth 200 euros more compared to Radon Team 7.0 - http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/radon-zr-team-29-7.0-237601/wg_id-117?

Does RS Reba much better compared to RS XC32?

I assume these Radon bikes I have posted are equivalent to these Canyon bikes:

https://www.canyon.com/en-dk/mtb/grand-canyon/grand-canyon-al-5-9.html - (similar to Radon Team 7.0)
https://www.canyon.com/en-dk/mtb/grand-canyon/grand-canyon-al-6-9.html - (similar to Radon Team 8.0)

So should I get more expensive or cheaper one? Canyon or Radon? Thanks!

The Rookie

Radon bikes are great value, well specced, the Reba is massively better than the XC32.

joebristol

Just my 2p worth. I currently ride a trail type bike that is meant to be at the xc end of trail bikes. Yet I find it massively stable on the way down hills - mainly at trail centres. I'm on holiday at the moment and went out biking on a different 5" full suspension bike I hired and expected it to be similar. However it turns out it's aimed at xc mainly and so has steeper angles. I found it much harder work downhills - felt like I was too far over the front of the bike and that it was quite twitchy.

On that basis I'd rather go fir a bike with a more relaxed angle