Advice on bikes

Brutus82

Hello all

I want to start biking again to lose weight/get out/and well i used to mountain bike 15 years and i miss it, living in derbyshire i have lots of places to explore, also i live pretty much 1 min walk from shipley country park.

I noticed some good sales going on atm and I am just after some advice/opinions on a few bikes, didnt want to spend alot right now As im after a new car also , 4 kids now need a bigger car !

Im after a mountain bike as i wont be on the road at all, i even go through shipley to get to work, also i need a sturdy one as im 6 foot 6 and 23 stone. So heres a fee ive seen , what do you think ? Dont k ow why but im drawn to the specialized ones

http://www.leisurewheels.co.uk/m1b0s2p12562/SPRING20-20%25-OFF-FROM-SPECIALIZED-Pitch-650b-2015

http://www.leisurewheels.co.uk/m1b0s2p11875/SPECIALIZED-Hardrock-Disc-SE-26-2015

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Mongoose-Switchback-Comp-Mountain-Bike-2015-Hardtail-MTB_73801.htm

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/carrera-vulcan-mens-mountain-bike-2015

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/285057/products/2015-giant-talon-27-5-4-hardtail-mountain-bike.aspx?origin=pla&kwd=&currency=GBP&gclid=CPWtkObV_skCFUHkwgodjb8PNg

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s182p6017/CUBE-AIM-DISC-27-5-2015

There are also Giant atx i notice everywhere for 300 ish

Thanks everyone :-)

buddy_club

As a general rule, big brand names are pretty rubbish at this price point. The vulcan is decent at that price point but it was my first bike and alot of it just fell apart after mildly heavy usage. If i were you i'd either go for this at £380 with a go outdoors discount card (which costs a fiver for a year) or up your budget to something like this: http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/voodoo-bizango-29er-mountain-bike
This is also not bad on sale for £400 http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Rocky-Mountain-Fusion-27-5-Mountain-Bike-2015-Hardtail-MTB_79112.htm

Brutus82

Oh right so they all abit crap then ? Lol thought id be able to grab a bargain with 1 :-) ill have a look at that vulcan when i pop out tomorrow and your other suggestions

Thanks for the help

The Rookie

Of those bikes listed only the Talon has a fork with a damper, you wouldn't take the shock absorbers off a car and try and drive fast off-road, an MTB is the same.

The Vulcan, Calibre two.two from Go outdoors and the decent Rockriders all have dampers

Brutus82

Thanks for all the info i am nipping to decathalon and halfords in the morning to try the vulcan and the rockrider.

Thanks again

Brutus82

So out of interest which would you recommend lol

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/carrera-vulcan-mens-mountain-bike-2015?_$ja=kw:skimlinks_phg%7Ctsid:40392&cm_mmc=Affiliates-_-PerformanceHorizon-_-skimlinks_phg-_-TopLink

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-520-mountain-bike-id_8293188.html

http://m.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-two-two-alloy-hardtail-mountain-bike-p275612

Cheers

The Rookie

The two.two, best brakes and drivetrain, forks about equal with the rockrider, both are better than the Vulcan in the forks, drivetrain and brakes departments.

Brutus82

Thanks, well decathlon will be my first stop tomorrow and hope they have 1 in, no xl size online, and this concerns me about the calibre as the biggest is 20in frame, im 6 foot 6.

But ill try them out tomorrow hopefully , thanks again for the input

Brutus82

Hmm maybe its not a problem as the rockrider xl is only a 21inch and also i notice the this rockrider is on sale too

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-560-mountain-bike-id_8293151.html

As its the 560 Is it the next step up ?

Cheers

The Rookie

560 is the next up, and a significantly better bike.

Link shows out of stock though.

Brutus82

Well decathalon was a waste of time no stock and nothing above a medium to try out plus 1 of the offers was online only for medium frame.

Halfords had no vulcan lol but had ago on these 2 , they any good ?

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=165499&productId=1112467&storeId=10001

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=165499&productId=1024727&storeId=10001

Or shall still the calibre two two ? Hopefully can get to try that this week sometime.

Cheers

The Rookie

Both are decent bikes, I'd get the Bantu for the more reliable Tektro brakes, Clarkes were a bit sketchy for a while, meant to be better now mind.....

Brutus82

Well thats good and i loved the voodoo so ive just ordered 1 and pick up tomorrow, just need some safety bits n things now.

Thanks alot for the help its much appreciated

Cheers