New bike advice £1250 budget. Please help

steabs41yJJuBZ2W
steabs41yJJuBZ2W Posts: 6
in MTB buying advice
Hi everyone, I’m getting back into riding and will already have trips planned in wales the lakes and Scotland. Now I just need to decide on a bike. My budget is around the £1250 mark and was thinking the vitus sentier as all the reviews are pretty good. However a few people have told me they aren’t really all that great and there are better specced bikes around for similar price. Can anyone point me in the right direction please

Comments

  • reaperactual
    reaperactual Posts: 1,185
    edited January 2023
    There are loads of good options within you're budget. Here's just a couple of hardtails to look at. Similar spec to the Sentier.

    Maybe a Ragley Big Al (29er) or the Mmbop (27.5) version depending on what wheel size you prefer.

    This is on sale at C.R.C. great hardtail imo. It's over budget but really well equipped:-

    https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/nukeproof-scout-275-elite-alloy-bike-slx12-/rp-prod206003

    This is a selection of the other bikes on sale too, at least worth a look:-

    https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/clearance
  • Defblade
    Defblade Posts: 142
    Any chance you can get a Cycle2 Work voucher of some sort ? Your in the leaps-and-bounds area of pricing there (that is, a bit more money buys a noticeably better bike) rather than diminishing returns. Or a decent saving. It made second hand prices look silly. I ended up with a Big Al 1.0 for about £850 effectively. (It's really nice).
  • pep.fermi
    pep.fermi Posts: 388
    edited January 2023
    Do you really have to buy new?

    Same as for cars, where you pay many 1000s more for the luxury of not having scratches. Is it worthed? For me it isn't. If for others it is, all good, your money you choice, but at least one can think about it.

    Last year I bought a 10yr old full carbon hardtail, GTR/GTX, price new would have been almost 5000. I paid 280. Zero scratches. Why so cheap? Because 10yr old (in reality it is basically new), and the old 26" wheels standard. If you think 10yr old practically unused 26" is not as good as 29" new look again at the numbers: 5000 vs 280.

    Also last year I bought a Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra Disc, 2yr old. Again: ONE very minor scratch, otherwise as brand new. Paid 2400. New would have been ca 3600.
    BTW I bought it here: www.buycycle.com
  • steabs41yJJuBZ2W
    steabs41yJJuBZ2W Posts: 6
    Actually spoke to chain reaction and they said the ragley big Al and also the nukeproof scout 290 comp alloy. Is there much between the two bikes? Then they also have the ragley blue pig for sale price as the big AL
  • reaperactual
    reaperactual Posts: 1,185
    edited January 2023
    The only difference between the Big Al and Scout (comp) would be what components they're specced with, maybe slightly different weights, maybe suspension travel and geometry.

    No one could tell you which one would be the most suitable for you geometry wise.

    I've not looked closely or compared geometry figures but generally 'longer, lower, slacker' will be more stable/competent going downhill and for more aggressive riding scenario's, etc.

    The Blue Pig has a chromoly (steel alloy) frame rather than the more common aluminium alloy. A quick glance at the Blue Pig suggests it's more 'hardcore' with a slack (sub 64°) head angle and so on:-

    https://www.ragleybikes.com/products/blue-pig-hardtail-bike-2021

    Not owned or really got into modern steel frame mtb's myself but fans swear by them and the different ride characteristics steel frames give compared to other materials.
  • junglist_matty
    junglist_matty Posts: 1,731
    I still ride around on my 26" NS Surge '08 steel hardtail with a marzocchi z150 fork.... Steel hardtails are super fun

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