Up to 1000 to spend on new bike to last

Benjijames28

I've not had a bike for a few years, my last bike was a low end mirada that I got on sale for about 300 quid. I knew nothing about bikes at the time, ordered online, built myself (badly setting up the gears etc), used it mainly in local woods etc, nothing too exciting.

Now I'm getting a bike to get out a bit more, improve fitness and take on some proper mountain biking.

I was originally looking at spending 400 quid or so, a trip to halfords had my about to buy a VooDoo hoodoo. But I've been looking around online and I want to avoid own brand bikes.

The plan now is to invest what is a nice chunk of money for me in a really good bike that I can keep for a long time and upgrade parts of needed.

I've seen the Sonder transmitter for a grand and it appeals to me. I've also been looking at I think a trek x caliber 8.

Any suggestions?

I would prefer new over used, but am open to all ideas.

The Rookie

It helps to post specs to the bikes you are looking at to avoid errors.

Why avoid own brand bikes? They are often made in the same factories and are just as good, the Voodoo is made by Merida alongside the Specialiseds that they make, but often better value.

A bike is not an investment, you don't get a financial return on it, its a purchase!

cooldad

Voodoo isn't an 'own brand'. It's an American company that just happens to be distributed by Halfords in the UK

https://www.voodoocycles.com/about-us

Any bike will last a long time if looked after, just ask the Retrobike crowd. My 1996 Kona Explosif and other half's 1992 Marin Palisades Trail are still working perfectly. Mine has had a lot of bits changed, but her's is basically stock.

Benjijames28

Yeah I didn't mean a financial investment.

Here are the bikes I've been considering...

https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s182p ... N-100-2016

https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/son ... r-nx1-1x11

https://www.cyclerepublic.com/bikes/mou ... -2016.html

https://www.cycle-technology.co.uk/shop ... aliber-8-1

The Rookie

The Merida has a poor fork, steer clear.

The Fork on the trek is more suited to a £400 bike, so its pretty poor value.

The Voodoo is excellent value, as noted its not strictly own brand although apparently Halfords have a big say in component spec for the UK bikes so it fits in amongst the ranges they sell neatly.

The Sonder is a decent value but not great in every area, groupset you'd expect on cheaper bikes but the money has gone elsewhere. Its a very slack headangle, well into hardcore category so won't suite all uses. What use do you expect to make of it?

While I understand what you're saying, a bike is never an investment (unless you think your going to be a pro racer) its a purchase, treat it as such and enjoy it as such!

Benjijames28

Voodoo might be American but the UK bikes are specced by halfords and if you compare the bizango USA to the bizango halfords... It's not even same league.

Benjijames28

I might give the Voodoo hoodoo a chance.

A local halfords has got one in I could collect today.

I suppose it's daft buying a grand worth of bike, when I don't know how far im going to get into this hobby.

The logical thing is to get the hoodoo, smash about on it for a year and if I still have interest. Spend more money on a better bike?

Benjijames28

Voodoo hoodoo

Or

Trek Marlin 7

https://www.evanscycles.com/trek-marlin ... e-EV280957

The Rookie

The Voodoo is better for cheaper.....

Or buy a decent used bike, works out cheaper at purchase and you'll get a bigger percentage back if you trade up!

trek_dan

Look at Radon ZR Team from bikediscount if you want something XC focused. The ZR Team NX1 seems particularly good value at the moment bearing in mind it has a Reba fork, Mavic wheels and Sram NX and comes in under a grand! Basically the same setup (bar the fork) as I'm XC racing on this year.
https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/rad ... wg_id-8495

Benjijames28

Really don't know which way to go. Voodoo hoodoo. Or spend more than double and get a much better bike

TonyJams

Get something in the sales rather than paying full price, and go up to the maximum budget, a good bike is well worth the money compared to a compromised budget bike at half the money
Looking across the various retailers I'd go for either the Scott Scale 720, the Kona Kahuna if you want to go 29er or best of all the Genesis High Latitude - classic steel frame which will last for ever but good enough to be raced. Thats such a good bike it will even warrant upgrading the forks and components in years to come.
If you're thinking full sus the GT Sensor is ok, and will see you good for a few years (but will need more maintenance than a hard tail)
More here, loads more actually.

edit: you did say open to all ideas as well - it shows a Specialized Fatboy for £1100 too! Now there's a bike that will last and last!!

cooldad

Compromised budget bike?

Or overpriced brand?

Name brands tend to be ok at the more expensive end, but at the lower end you sacrifice component quality for name.

Benjijames28

Yeah well today I visit a few bike shops before halfords.

I will see how I feel.

Benjijames28

The boss nut V2 is out in next few weeks. Just under a grand. Looks amazing, even like the paintwork...

And it got 27.5 inch wheels which I like.

Benjijames28

Voodoo hoodoo is what I went for.

To be fair it meets all my needs.

Already took the thing for a ride. Only complain is the gear change is sloppy, noisy and not smooth at all. It's very difficult to even engage the biggest middle cog.

Halfords built it and if it was the guy who served me... I have no faith in how well it's been done. He was the most soul less unhelpful cretin I've ever met. Talk about hating your job!

I need to find a guide online and check everything over myself.

My girlfriend's sons Apollo bike changes gear better.

Uber_Pod

I'd complain to the shop manager so they are aware of the problem, even if you decide to fix it yourself.

Varkanoid

I've got a 2015 Voodoo Hoodoo and its a brilliant bike. However the gear setup is pants. I had a Claude Butler MTB for nearly 18 years and it was ultra light and one of the deciding factors with the Hoodoo being one of the lightest. Got it with the bike to work scheme. Halfords built the bike and it was okay but the high gears 3/7-9 skipped. So I took it back and a different guy spent nearly an hour on it when I got it home the gears were worse, skipping on 2 and alsorts. The Claude I had I could adjust the gears myself but on this it was impossible the margin for error was so slight I ended up making it worse. Took it to a specialised bike shop and they sorted them for £5. This year I've serviced it a bit myself but not touched the gears and it was okay first few rides but now its rubbing on the front derailleur in 2-3/5+ I've had a look myself and the adjustment just seems not to make any difference. Possibly needs the cable tightening ?

Also got to the stage now whether to upgrade parts of it as I've read on here of people shedding weight. So I've got new grips, a new seat stem and I bought a KMC chain. Last weekend a link on my chain seized 2/3rds round my route and when I got back I had a go with a chain splitter to free it and it looked like it was just seized. Then I tightened the splitter too tight it slipped off the chain and when I unded it lo and behold it unseized the link. So I will give a ride and see if it has worked okay if not I can put the KMC one on.

cooldad

Presumably you are lubing your chain. Etc..

jamski

You can take the bike to any Halfords, try and find one in your area with a better rep. My local branch for instance, on the whole, is pretty good. Try and get them at a quiet time too, weekday evenings I find best!

Varkanoid

cooldad wrote:

Presumably you are lubing your chain. Etc..

Yes that was part of my "service".

jamski wrote:

You can take the bike to any Halfords, try and find one in your area with a better rep. My local branch for instance, on the whole, is pretty good. Try and get them at a quiet time too, weekday evenings I find best!

I went in today to collect the new chain I had ordered and I noticed new (younger) staff although not been upto the cycle bit for ages (noticed they had ebikes for £1000+) and I asked where this guy was (by name) who had done the last gear setup on my bike and they told me they had a load of complaints and he got sacked.

JBA

Varkanoid wrote:

cooldad wrote:

Presumably you are lubing your chain. Etc..

Yes that was part of my "service".

A "service" implies something done fairly infrequently. How often have you been lubing the chain?