Buying Advice Budget of around £800
LLOYDY187
Posts: 8
Hello there 
I'm about to buy my first proper mountain bike after having a cheap Carrea Venagnce for a year or so which got me back into biking and led to me getting a road bike! I am now thinking i would like to get a better mountain bike for doing some light trials and some cross country routes! I live in Devon and there are a few good places to ride. I have have a budget of around £800 but could probably stretch to a bit more if i needed to but i am amusing i would get something half decent for a beginner at this price point and then if i really enjoy it could consider a full suspension later down the road! Just want to maximize the spec i can get for the money. I have narrowed my options down to either
Trek marlin x caliber 7- Cheapest option but not too keen on the colors
GRAND CANYON AL 5.9/6.9 Seems pretty decent for the money and looks nice i think, only things that worries me is getting the right size etc can this still be used on light/ moderate trails? I as assume its more for cross country.
Marin tail trail 9.6 or possible 7.6? Not that sure the differences in wheel size and what is best, seems like its mostly preference? Also as this is more trial originated can it still be used for cross country? whats the benefits of the Single ring transmission?
The other bike i liked the look of was the diamondback heist but the Marin and Cayon are the two i like the most so far, just thought i would ask others their thoughts and perhaps see if anyone offers any good suggestions! Sorry for some of the newbie questions :P
I'm about to buy my first proper mountain bike after having a cheap Carrea Venagnce for a year or so which got me back into biking and led to me getting a road bike! I am now thinking i would like to get a better mountain bike for doing some light trials and some cross country routes! I live in Devon and there are a few good places to ride. I have have a budget of around £800 but could probably stretch to a bit more if i needed to but i am amusing i would get something half decent for a beginner at this price point and then if i really enjoy it could consider a full suspension later down the road! Just want to maximize the spec i can get for the money. I have narrowed my options down to either
Trek marlin x caliber 7- Cheapest option but not too keen on the colors
GRAND CANYON AL 5.9/6.9 Seems pretty decent for the money and looks nice i think, only things that worries me is getting the right size etc can this still be used on light/ moderate trails? I as assume its more for cross country.
Marin tail trail 9.6 or possible 7.6? Not that sure the differences in wheel size and what is best, seems like its mostly preference? Also as this is more trial originated can it still be used for cross country? whats the benefits of the Single ring transmission?
The other bike i liked the look of was the diamondback heist but the Marin and Cayon are the two i like the most so far, just thought i would ask others their thoughts and perhaps see if anyone offers any good suggestions! Sorry for some of the newbie questions :P
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Links to the bikes you are looking at help.I don't do smileys.
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Erm, light to moderate trails is cross country.LLOYDY187 wrote:can this still be used on light/ moderate trails? I as assume its more for cross country.
seems like its mostly preference? Also as this is more trial originated can it still be used for cross country?
whats the benefits of the Single ring transmission?
Wheel size is preference, but not just for the wheel size but how that particular bike uses them.
Yes, a trail bike is fine for XC work, may not be quite as fast but will probably be more comfortable.
Single ring is lighter (shifter/cable/mech/rings) and less cluttered on the bars, it also can make shifting less confusing if you're the type of person that can't figure shifting both ends at once to just change the ratio by one gear spacing.Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
How tall are you ?
If you are very short or very tall it limits the bikes that will fit you.0 -
The Rookie wrote:
Erm, light to moderate trails is cross country.LLOYDY187 wrote:can this still be used on light/ moderate trails? I as assume its more for cross country.
seems like its mostly preference? Also as this is more trial originated can it still be used for cross country?
whats the benefits of the Single ring transmission?
Wheel size is preference, but not just for the wheel size but how that particular bike uses them.
Yes, a trail bike is fine for XC work, may not be quite as fast but will probably be more comfortable.
Single ring is lighter (shifter/cable/mech/rings) and less cluttered on the bars, it also can make shifting less confusing if you're the type of person that can't figure shifting both ends at once to just change the ratio by one gear spacing.
Thanks for the reply I see that's what i wondered and i won't be going on anything to technical as a beginner and by then i will probably want a full suspension and i thought that maybe wheel size was preference. I guess the difference in weight could be beneficial on a single ring! but guessing it would also make things slightly harder with less selection of gears if going for a long cross country. 0 -
LLOYDY187 wrote:Hello there
I'm about to buy my first proper mountain bike after having a cheap Carrea Venagnce for a year or so which got me back into biking and led to me getting a road bike! I am now thinking i would like to get a better mountain bike for doing some light trials and some cross country routes! I live in Devon and there are a few good places to ride. I have have a budget of around £800 but could probably stretch to a bit more if i needed to but i am amusing i would get something half decent for a beginner at this price point and then if i really enjoy it could consider a full suspension later down the road! Just want to maximize the spec i can get for the money. I have narrowed my options down to either
Trek marlin x caliber 7- Cheapest option but not too keen on the colors
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes ... 40600-2016
GRAND CANYON AL 5.9/6.9 Seems pretty decent for the money and looks nice i think, only things that worries me is getting the right size etc can this still be used on light/ moderate trails? I as assume its more for cross country.
5.9 https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/grand- ... l-5-9.html
6.9 (better forks )https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/grand-canyon/2016/grand-canyon-al-6-9.html
Marin tail trail 9.6 or possible 7.6? Not that sure the differences in wheel size and what is best, seems like its mostly preference? Also as this is more trial originated can it still be used for cross country? whats the benefits of the Single ring transmission?
http://www.marinbikes.com/us/bikes/desc ... -trail-9.6
The other bike i liked the look of was the diamondback heist but the Marin and Cayon are the two i like the most so far, just thought i would ask others their thoughts and perhaps see if anyone offers any good suggestions! Sorry for some of the newbie questions :P
http://www.diamondback.co.uk/MTB/Produc ... 0&pg=142880 -
cooldad wrote:Links to the bikes you are looking at help.
Trek x caliber 7
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes ... 40600-2016
Grand Canyon 5.9
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/grand- ... l-5-9.html
Grand Cayon 6.9 (Mostly just better forks but could be worth spending the extra £100
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/grand- ... l-6-9.html
Marin Nail Trail 9.6
http://www.marinbikes.com/us/bikes/desc ... -trail-9.6
Diamondback heist 2.0
http://www.diamondback.co.uk/MTB/Produc ... 0&pg=142880 -
Anyone think the caliber bossnut is worth saving the extra for? Seems like a lot of bike for the money!
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-bos ... ke-p3471430 -
The Bossnut is superb value.
Of the others, the Canyon 6.9 has the Reba fork putting it ahead of the others, but the Diamondback is pretty good value all round and you'd be likely to get it in under the 3-4 months it looks like you'll currently be waiting.Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
The Rookie wrote:The Bossnut is superb value.
Of the others, the Canyon 6.9 has the Reba fork putting it ahead of the others, but the Diamondback is pretty good value all round and you'd be likely to get it in under the 3-4 months it looks like you'll currently be waiting.
Yeah the bossnut does pretty good for the money and with a bit extra could add a dropper post later on a upgrade! I think it would be great as a starter bike! Really like the canyon also, just got to put some thought into i guess, I might pop into go outdoors and have a look at the bossnut and see what i think! Yeah i have seen the diamonback for under 600 in a few places too which seems good! They seem to be hard to get in the shops as when i went to look at some they said they had a hard time getting them and when they did they usually sold out quick! seen some of the heist 1 about! But not too many of the 2.00
