New Kent boy

JoshDee

Hi all,

Posting here for some advise

I'm looking for a new bike, asking here because I know you're not the people trying to sell me a bike and take my money so I'd like your advice.

I'm 6ft 4in for ref

I went into my local and was recommended a Saracen 29er, so I'll be taking it for a spin soon to try it.

Then went to a another lbs and asked for some info on a first bike and told them about the 29er I'd seen. The response was 'Ohh no what do you want a 29er for'?
I said they thought it'd be a good idea perhaps because of my height.

Anyway I've now seen the Giant Talon 2 at £570. I took it for a ride and enjoyed it.

Has anybody got anything to say about this bike.

The Saracen was £470 but I'm still to ride it.

Any response would be hugely appreciated as buying a first mountain bike is massively difficult.

Josh

cooldad

Bike shop is trying to sell you whatever they sell.

Your height makes no difference to the size of wheels you need.

What type of riding are you planning? At this price point 'name' brands are generally rubbish value. You'd be better off looking at Go Outdoors (Calibre), Halfords (13, Voodoo or Boardman) or possibly DEcathlon (BTwin).

A staring point.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/b ... 500-29451/

JoshDee

Just general trail, woodland, bridle paths etc.. nothing too technical.
So you wouldn't advise looking at a name brand like giant?

cooldad

If you get a great deal, but compare the spec for the price.

At least a hydraulically damped fork, decent hydraulic brakes, and minimum Shimano Deore or Sram X9 parts is as low as I'd go.

I wouldn't worry too much about wheel size. For what you want to ride 29er would be ideal anyway. Wheels can be a bit more delicate, but unless you are hammering down rock gardens it doesn't really matter.

(proviso - recent 29er convert - 120mm trail bike used for anything and everything.)

JoshDee

Thanks for the reply mate, I've been looking at the voodoo hoodoo on the halfords it looks a good bike from a beginners view.

Here it is - http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... reId=10001

Are the specs of this seem to be any good?

As many replies as possible would be excellent.

I've read that bikes being built in halfords aren't always put together in the best way possible, but that's just what I've read. But that may not be true.

Anyone bought a bike from there.

Out of interest what was all your guys first mountain bike?

cooldad

Mine was a Peugeot racing bike with the drop bars flipped upside down. But that was in 1975. Not really a mountain bike, but it got hammered off road.

I did snap something like this in half jumping off curbs around 1970, so it depends how you define mountain bike.



The oldest one I still have is a 1987 Specialised Rockhopper.

JBA

As above, look at Some of the Halfords and Go Outdoors bikes for vfm.

My first MTB was a 1988 Saracen Tufftrax. £299 from Schmoo's in Swansea. Shimano Exage gears (18 of them), Biopace chainrings and rim brakes with a horseshoe brake under the chain stays. Very similar intact to the Rockhopper cool dad has posted above.