GT Avalance 3.0 09 v GT Aggressor XC3 09

Ashton187
Ashton187 Posts: 19
edited May 2009 in MTB beginners
Hey guys, just wanted to know if anyone could provide me with some information in regards to which bike is better?

Halfords currently have the Aggressor XC3 2009 down from £380 to £280.

Alternatively the Avalanche is around £300.

This is just a entry level bike for me to get back into the swing.

Thanks.

Comments

  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    edited April 2009
    Very similar bikes of course but the Aggressor has a 120mm fork from looking at the specs which will make the bike feel a little different from the 100mm Avalanche. The Aggressor also has the XCMv2 which one can perhaps assume is better than the XCM on the GT?

    Some alternatives:

    http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rockrider-5-3-69568390/
    Much of the spec is better and the XCR fork is nicer than either of the two above.

    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... 65499#dtab
    Spec seems to suggest a version of the XCM fork with rebound damping - if this is true then this makes this bike a nice option.

    Have a look at the hard tail sticky in the Buying Advice forum but I'm sure you'll get some more suggestions from other members of the forum.
    You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
    If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
    If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
  • Hannah1986
    Hannah1986 Posts: 3
    Thanks for the reply.

    Would spending a little bit extra and getting the aggressor xc2 be a better option?

    cheers
  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    When you start pushing towards £500 things do get much better spec wise. Again the hard tail sticky is a good place to start - some good suggestions in there.

    edit - just noticed the 20% off. I see now why the Halfords GT bikes are interesting you. It's a good deal at £360 has a better fork that the XC2 along with an all-round better spec.
    You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
    If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
    If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
  • daverey
    daverey Posts: 49
    For what it's worth, I've just bought an Avalanche 3 2009 Disc from Evans and it's superb - although take this recommendation with a pinch of salt as the only other bike I can compare it to is my previous Apollo full-suspension bike which cost me £80!!

    Also, regardless of what the specs say, the Avalanche fork is an XCM v2 (according to the stickers on the fork itself anyhow).
  • quentin_miller
    quentin_miller Posts: 98
    The aggressor '09's frame weighs more than the '09 avalanche, but the aggressors do come with Tektro Auriga Comp hydraulic disc brakes, (the avalanche 3.0 is only v brakes or if you pay more mechanical disc brakes.)
  • qweasdzxc
    qweasdzxc Posts: 3
    Who said that the GT Aggressor XC3 costs 280. I checked the price today and costs 350-380.
    Do you mean in store?
    Where?

    Does anyone else know anything about?

    Thanks
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    I know it's a bit of a stock answer, but if you decide to spend more, try and push that little bit further for a Carrera Fury, they're just £400 this weekend and that's a stunner of a deal.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • quentin_miller
    quentin_miller Posts: 98
    qweasdzxc
    Who said that the GT Aggressor XC3 costs 280

    That was last weekend when there was a 20% off.

    There is 20% off Carrera bikes this weekend.

    Personally, although the aggressor xc3 has a better spec than the avalanche 3.0, the avalanche is a much better bike it is roughly 2kg lighter or so, the frame is sleeker and looks better.
  • qweasdzxc
    qweasdzxc Posts: 3
    How often they have such a discount (20%) on the same brand (e.g on GT's ).

    I am interested for the aggressor xc3 (I would say only)

    If I will wait.....will I find the same discount (20%) on GT's?
    How often?
    How long I have to wait?

    Thanks a lot.


    (thanks to Northwind and quentin_miller)
  • quentin_miller
    quentin_miller Posts: 98
    If you can up your budget £100 to £400 you can get the best bike for your money.

    The Carrera Fury '08 (20% off at the moment) It has a much much better spec than the agressor xc3. The Fury has a Tora 318 U-Turn Fork (this costs £250 alone, and 27 speed gears, remote lockout on fork, better Wello pedals, better saddle etc...)

    Thus is better value in the long run if you get into MTB'ing, as the first things you would do with the aggressor is buy better pedals, saddle, tyres, and then you would want a better fork later on when the suntour doesnt cut it for you.

    The pedals and the saddle on the aggresor would probably be upgraded costing you £80 or so anyway, as the saddle is really hard (cheap plastic saddle) for something more comfortable, and the pedals are those cheap mesh ones, which you would want to replace with Wellgos. The tyres on the aggressor are also so cheap ones, compared to the Fury's. The aggresor also has the cheaper shimano acera, rather than alvio too.

    In the long-run you would be better with the Fury in my opinion, as you would not need to upgrade. Your getting a £600 bike for £400.

    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_catalogId_10151_storeId_10001_partNumber_770743_langId_-1#dtab

    You should go to Halfords to see the difference for yourself though, look at the chainset, fork, tyres, saddle, pedals, and overall the Fury comes out better.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Mmm, the Fury in my local halfords has the same spikeless wellgos as my kraken came with, they're pretty rotten... The saddle might be the same, if it is then it's decent enough but not very strong, I bent mine in a low-speed crash to the extent that the rail nearly popped out. Still, pretty trivial to sort out, and common to so many bikes.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • qweasdzxc
    qweasdzxc Posts: 3
    I was at Halfords today. I checked the Carrera Fury 08 but I won't buy it.

    I am going to buy the Aggressor XC3 for 350..... maybe I am crazy. Who cares.

    I could sale it the next day (or throw it to the bin....lol ) and I could buy the Aggressor XCR. I am that mad.

    At the moment I am not so serious about mountain biking.
    Just a bike to move around.
    I believe the XC3 will be good for me.

    New Carrera's ( 09 ) coming soon. I am curious to see the improvements.


    The bad thing is that I missed the 20% reduction!!!! (on GT'S )
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    I bet you 10p the 09 Carreras are worse. Or much more expensive. Or both, like Specialised.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • ploy
    ploy Posts: 1
    :D
    JUST PURCHASED A GT AGGRESSOR XC3 09 FROM HALFORDS I RESERVED IT ONLINE 20 PERCENT DISCOUNT TOTAL PRICE INCLUDING SET UP £279.99
  • quentin_miller
    quentin_miller Posts: 98
    Northwind wrote:
    I bet you 10p the 09 Carreras are worse. Or much more expensive. Or both, like Specialised.

    Northwind: the spec of the 2009 Fury is out, what do you think, the Suntour Epicon LOD instead of the Tora's, the Avid Juicy 3 instead of Tektro Comp brakes? Still got Mavic's as well. Price wise the new Fury could be £500 or £549.

    The 2008 Fury:

    # Ultra light 7005 18" aluminium frame with double butted main tubes
    # Rock Shox Tora 318 U-Turn fork, travel adjusts from 85 to 130mm
    # Motion Control adjustable rebound damping and lockout
    # 27 speed SRAM X5 front mech, X7 rear mech, and X5 trigger shifters
    # Powerful Tektro Auriga hydraulic disc brakes, wavy rotors, 180mm front, 160mm rear
    # Truvativ Blaze chainset with Powerspline bottom bracket and cartridge bottom bracket
    # Sun XC DS2 double wall disc specific eyletted rims on Shimano M475 QR hubs
    # Continental Gravity 2.3" tyres
    # Double butted riser handlebars, cold forged stem, double clamp seatpost


    2009 Fury:

    * New 7005 T6 heat treated aluminium frame with double butted tubing and strengthening gussets on TT/ST and Chainstays.
    * Suntour Epicon LOD fork with 15mm bolt through axle, rebound damping and lockout
    * 27sp SRAM X7 rear mech, X5 triggers
    * Avid Juicy 3 disc brakes with 180mm front and 160mm rear rotors
    * Mavic XM317 rims
    * Truvativ FiveD chainset with Powerspline BB
    * Continental Speed King 2.3 tyres
    * Oversize bar and stem.


    Link to new Carrera specs:
    http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/new-premium-models-from-halfords-21625
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Dunno tbh, I've not met those Suntours but they're supposed to be good. I'd sooner have the Tektros than the Avids tbh, my old Kraken has a set of the Aurigas and they're surprisingly good. I'd expected more of a price hike tbh, quite surprised- I guess this is partly why the 08 model got its price bumped up, to soften the blow.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • rudedog
    rudedog Posts: 523
    If you're keen on an Aggressor then I would give Halfords a ring and ask them about an 08 XC1 (you can't get them on their website). A month or two ago you could get them for £450, with the 20% discount that would take them down to £360.

    If memory serves, I think it had very similar spec to the 08 Fury. For that kind of money though, I don't think you'd get a better specced bike.
  • joshtp
    joshtp Posts: 3,966
    i have an XC2 08, but its virtualy unrecognisable for all the spec changes, any way, the frame is , in my opinion, awsome, stiff, tight, light, and still comfortably supple. it comes with a recomendation.
    my current budget drool bike:

    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499
    I like bikes and stuff
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Heh. "It's so good I replaced almost every part" :lol:
    Uncompromising extremist

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