Can someone recommend a new 'proper' MTB?

AllAboutGuitar

Hi everyone, I'm Josh, since my old MTB is now pretty much scrap. I'm starting to look for a new one and can't really find anything with good reviews. That's why I'd like to see if anyone can recommend anything.

The things I'd like to see are:
Full Suspension
Long travel
26", 27.5" or 29" wheels I don't mind
Hydraulic disc brakes
Budget is around £1000

Thanks for your help

BikerDepp

I'm interested to see what people here recommend too. There's so much choice out there on https://donkeybets.com/my-zcode-system-review the ZCode these days when it comes to bikes.

JGTR

Leaves £200 for upgrades



http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/categ ... -16-50184/

The Rookie

What sort of riding?

Long travel can mean different things to different people, and with some modern bikes riding much bigger than the nominal travel it's usage that is more important than an arbitrary amount of travel.

AllAboutGuitar

The Rookie wrote:

What sort of riding?

Long travel can mean different things to different people, and with some modern bikes riding much bigger than the nominal travel it's usage that is more important than an arbitrary amount of travel.

Hope to do serious mountain biking around the UK, go to some of the parks... BikePark Wales looks pretty good, been seeing some good things about it and just push the mountain bike to its limits.

The Rookie

You need to be more precise than that to get a meaningful response, a decent mid travel bike (130-140mm) will do pretty much everything short of a full on downhill course (will cope with most UK courses though), but if you intend to ride a full on DH bike you won't be doing anything else with it.

You can push most bikes to their limits......

To be honest you come across as not really knowing, or maybe just struggling to articulate? What is your experience to date?

Angus Young

AllAboutGuitar wrote:

I'm starting to look for a new one and can't really find anything with good reviews.

You're not looking hard enough. In fact, it's so easy to find really rave reviews for these that you probably haven't looked easy, either.

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-bos ... ke-p347143

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/m ... nsion-27-5

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s183p5 ... 7-5-3-2014

Don't get hung up in the long travel thing. I'm thoroughly enjoying BPW on 134s worth of travel.

AllAboutGuitar

The Rookie wrote:

You need to be more precise than that to get a meaningful response, a decent mid travel bike (130-140mm) will do pretty much everything short of a full on downhill course (will cope with most UK courses though), but if you intend to ride a full on DH bike you won't be doing anything else with it.

You can push most bikes to their limits......

To be honest you come across as not really knowing, or maybe just struggling to articulate? What is your experience to date?

Just a little embarrassing to say but very little, i've been round a self made track near where i live a few times, can get some jumps in it and fast sections if you push hard enough. But in the summer i'm hoping to get into mountain biking a lot more... the only problem is i'm in lincolnshire where there isn't that much to do, and with uni and work, i can't get around easily.

rockmonkeysc

The problem with £1000 long travel full suspension bikes is they usually compromise on the fork.
Over 140mm you really want a 35/36mm diameter stanchion and you need decent quality damping.

The Rookie

Anything genuinely long travel at that price will be rather compromised as RMSC has said, not to mention pretty useless on anything within 2 hours drive.

Any of those above is a good competent bike and I'd chuck this one in as well http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-72 ... 26408.html

The Anthem is amazingly competent for a 100mm bike yet will also ride like an XC whippet when that's what you want.

A good quality suspension (shock and fork) bike in short travel will be a lot nicer to ride 99% of the time than a poorer quality longer travel.

supersonic

If you can stretch the budget a bit further (and is often available at less than £1500, especially with certian club discounts) then there is this:

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/m ... nsion-27-5

An all round 'trail' sort of bike, but gets a great fork which is a cut above most at this price.

oxoman

Allaboutguitar the guys above have come up with most of the best budget full sus bikes you can get, given you haven't done a lot it may be worth you doing a few trail centres and hiring a bike just to see what style of riding you want to do. Depending on how bad your existing mtb is you will surprised at the difference between bikes and their ability on trails, most of us have used hardtails and still use them on various trails so full sus may not always be the best for your intended style of riding. As an example mate of mine got a 2016 giant glory for downhill which he likes but can't come out with us as to heavy to ride on a lot of trail centres, now selling at big loss and got a better suited bike to do both. Don't get hung up on the brand name either decathlon and gooutdoors both do very good bikes as listed above. Depending on how rough your local trails are I would suggest you visit somewhere a bit tamer first like Sherwood pines or Cannock, Llandegla or Brenin just to see the difference between several trail centres. Bike skills session may be worth doing as well if you intend riding aggressively as I see to many people riding beyond their ability getting seriously hurt and blaming everything and everyone bar their own lack of skill. Sorry for the rant just trying to help you help yourself.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

I'll throw in a leftfield option, it has been cheaper than this in the recent DFS sales, but £1k for a Bluto equipped fatbike is still a good price.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOFATTRL ... 5-fat-bike

rockmonkeysc

NitrousOxide wrote:

I'll throw in a leftfield option, it has been cheaper than this in the recent DFS sales, but £1k for a Bluto equipped fatbike is still a good price.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOFATTRL ... 5-fat-bike

That's truly horrible and nothing like what the op is looking for.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

RockmonkeySC wrote:

NitrousOxide wrote:

I'll throw in a leftfield option, it has been cheaper than this in the recent DFS sales, but £1k for a Bluto equipped fatbike is still a good price.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOFATTRL ... 5-fat-bike

That's truly horrible and nothing like what the op is looking for.

I would argue that depends upon your interpretation of the OP's requirements.;)

26x4.0 (or wider) tyres at ~10PSI gives front and rear suspension, which is supplemented by a 120mm travel Bluto.
It has hydraulic DB3 brakes as standard.
It costs under £1000.

rockmonkeysc

NitrousOxide wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

NitrousOxide wrote:

I'll throw in a leftfield option, it has been cheaper than this in the recent DFS sales, but £1k for a Bluto equipped fatbike is still a good price.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOFATTRL ... 5-fat-bike

That's truly horrible and nothing like what the op is looking for.

I would argue that depends upon your interpretation of the OP's requirements.;)

26x4.0 (or wider) tyres at ~10PSI gives front and rear suspension, which is supplemented by a 120mm travel Bluto.
It has hydraulic DB3 brakes as standard.
It costs under £1000.

He (or she) wanted a long travel trail bike. A fat bike is not going to do the same job.

AllAboutGuitar

RockmonkeySC wrote:

NitrousOxide wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

NitrousOxide wrote:

I'll throw in a leftfield option, it has been cheaper than this in the recent DFS sales, but £1k for a Bluto equipped fatbike is still a good price.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOFATTRL ... 5-fat-bike

That's truly horrible and nothing like what the op is looking for.

I would argue that depends upon your interpretation of the OP's requirements.;)

26x4.0 (or wider) tyres at ~10PSI gives front and rear suspension, which is supplemented by a 120mm travel Bluto.
It has hydraulic DB3 brakes as standard.
It costs under £1000.

He (or she) wanted a long travel trail bike. A fat bike is not going to do the same job.

He :') Yeah I wasn't really looking at fat bikes, don't really meet my requirements

Jonesinamilion

RockmonkeySC wrote:

NitrousOxide wrote:

I'll throw in a leftfield option, it has been cheaper than this in the recent DFS sales, but £1k for a Bluto equipped fatbike is still a good price.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOFATTRL ... 5-fat-bike

That's truly horrible and nothing like what the op is looking for.

They can be pretty versatile!... Not for me as I stick to flatter stuff / xc but they can tick a lot of boxes.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yxe-B_LrIdo