Buying advice Please!

catlo

Hi, I am looking for a hardtail with approx up to £850 to spend and would really appreciate some advice. Ideally looking to buy it locally - and this is what local bike shops have come up with as suggestions:
Orbea Alma H50 or a Whyte 802 Compact (not specifically a ladies bike apparently, as they want it for smaller men as well - though it is bright pink, which is almost enough to put me off).
Bikes are Spanish & English made respectively - apparently made better for mud than US makes??
I am light female, 5.6in... so apparently 27.5 wheels quite enough??

Would appreciate any advice on the two bikes - or other similar suggestions around £7-800.

Thanks

Long_Time_Lurker

Morning and welcome to the forum.
Best thing to do is stick some links to the specs of each bike so we can take a look.
Also check out the group tests on the main site:
http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/article/best-mountain-bikes-under-500-45346/
http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/article/the-best-mountain-bikes-under-750-45333/

(When they say 'made for the UK', they normally mean that there is more clearance between the tyres and the frame, as the bike tends to get clogged with mud on the trails over here.)
To be fair, I don't know a lot about either bike, but the Whyte has got some great write-ups on here and in the magazines. The only thing I don't like about it are the Tektro brakes. I had them on my old Felt and never felt like they gave me the stopping power that I needed. (But I am fairly hefty, so that wouldn't have helped either.)

catlo

Thanks for swift response. This is link to Whyte 802 Compact: http://www.whyte.bike/802-16 and this is to Orbea Alma H50: http://www.ukbikesdepot.com/m15b220s864 ... 7_H50_2017

Or very open to other suggestions. Thanks

supersonic

If you have a Decathlon nearby, I'd try out one of these:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rafal-720-mo ... 37929.html

Only mediums left, which may fit - the geometry is a touch 'racier' than say the Whyte (1 degree steeper head angle which livens the steering up, but is not a huge difference), and is a little longer in the effective top tube (though the seat angle is slacker - this puts the saddle further back in relation to the cranks, but is easy enough to move it forward on the rails). It is lighter and better specced than the others though so is worth considering.