Which mountain bike should i choose?

Ghost Rider 3000
Ghost Rider 3000 Posts: 22
edited August 2012 in MTB buying advice
Hello everyone, i'm new to this forum. :D I've been looking for my first mountain bike, but the choice today is huge! I'm 37 and the type of riding i'm most interested in is off road, where i live there are plenty of woods & trials to try out. With the almost unlimited choice of bikes out there, i've narrowed my choices to 3 bikes. The big question is which one is the better bike for the money? 1st choice is a Voodoo Banti, 2nd is a Carrera Vulcan. The 3rd choice but not too shore what they are like is a Merida bike? The Merida mountain bike is available from local bike shop, but i don't know if this is better or the same as the other 2? My budget is £400. Can anyone point me to the right direction or give any helpful advice on these bikes? Thanks

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Depends which Merida is is! The Bantu would be my first choice due to the highly adjustable air fork.
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  • Clank
    Clank Posts: 2,323
    Are you close to a Decathlon? Their Rockrider 8.0 is very good value and right within your budget.

    If you can post links to the bikes you're considering, you may get further response regarding your choice.

    Hope that helps, and welcome to the forum!
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  • Ghost Rider 3000
    Ghost Rider 3000 Posts: 22
    supersonic wrote:
    Depends which Merida is is! The Bantu would be my first choice due to the highly adjustable air fork.
    Hi Supersonic, i'm not sure which Merida model it is. The bloke told me it was one of the Merida's new models with the same spec but with more gears for £500. Would that be a good choice?
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Is hard to say without knowing the exact model and spec. They can be good value, but often have poor forks.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Ghost Rider 3000
    Ghost Rider 3000 Posts: 22
    Clank wrote:
    Are you close to a Decathlon? Their Rockrider 8.0 is very good value and right within your budget.

    If you can post links to the bikes you're considering, you may get further response regarding your choice.

    Hope that helps, and welcome to the forum!
    Hi Clank, the Voodoo Banti & Carrera Vulcan are viewable on the Halfords website. Not sure about the Merida model as i'm not sure which model it is! Sorry.
  • Ghost Rider 3000
    Ghost Rider 3000 Posts: 22
    supersonic wrote:
    Is hard to say without knowing the exact model and spec. They can be good value, but often have poor forks.
    Hi supersonic, the Merida is a 2013 spec Max 30 or max 40 with 24 gears. Handle bar lock, disc brakes, aluminium frame, tubed tyres, 6 months free bike service and a lifetime waranty. The spec is very similar to the Voodoo & Carrera bikes. The bloke said you can see the new 2013 Merida model on the Merida website priced at £375. Does this sound like a good deal?
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    This one?

    http://www.factorydirectbikes.com/bikes ... 40-d_2013/

    Absolutely terrible fork, I really would avoid this. No damping in it, very heavy, is useless offroad. The Voodoo is far better - if you want a Merida, consider this:

    http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -only.html

    Far better spec: fork is still not the best, but plenty left over to get an upgrade such as:

    http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/f ... -2013.html

    You would then have a bike that matches the specs of many £800 bikes!
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Ghost Rider 3000
    Ghost Rider 3000 Posts: 22
    supersonic wrote:
    This one?

    http://www.factorydirectbikes.com/bikes ... 40-d_2013/

    Absolutely terrible fork, I really would avoid this. No damping in it, very heavy, is useless offroad. The Voodoo is far better - if you want a Merida, consider this:

    http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -only.html

    Far better spec: fork is still not the best, but plenty left over to get an upgrade such as:

    http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/f ... -2013.html

    You would then have a bike that matches the specs of many £800 bikes!


    Well i'm glad i asked on here first about that Merida bike! Sounds like it's a big no no then! To be honest, i have my eye on that Voodoo bike. The Voodoo looks like a nice sturdy bike and if i buy it from Halfords i'll get 10% off. My brother has told me that because of his job that he does he can get me another 20% off on top of the 10% making it 30% off!!! This has now make me think it might be even better for me to go with the Voodoo Hoodoo. Any thoughts on the Voodoo Hoodoo or is the Voodoo Bantu equally good?
  • chrisw333
    chrisw333 Posts: 695
    If you can get 30% off doesn't that take you into Boardman territory on your budget? If so, they are well worth a look.
  • Ghost Rider 3000
    Ghost Rider 3000 Posts: 22
    chrisw333 wrote:
    If you can get 30% off doesn't that take you into Boardman territory on your budget? If so, they are well worth a look.

    It might do? I'll have to have a look. The Voodoo is a very good bike and was voted best bike for the price.
  • Ghost Rider 3000
    Ghost Rider 3000 Posts: 22
    Chrisw333, the Boardman is over my budget but a nice bike for sure. I'm going to aim for the Voodoo Woodoo or the Bantu. I'm also going to insure the bike when i get it and at least 2 ways to secure it ie 2 very big locks + remove the wheel everytime i leave it locked somewhere. Where i live there are plenty of nice places for me to ride the bike off road for this reason I'll need to buy a bike rack for my car to take it to all these places. The really good news where i live is that crime rate is very low.
  • waby1234
    waby1234 Posts: 571
    I would consider your attitude to risk before taking out insurance, lots of locks, etc. it's been covered in many threads before but you need to think about;

    - where you'll be leaving the bike at home
    - where you'll be leaving the bike when out and about
    - the monthly cost of insurance vs saving yourself
    - what insurance covers you for
    - whether you would be seriously inconveineanced if you lost the bike
    - etc

    I know this seems like stating the obvious but it's worth thinking about before insuring.
    2011 Carrera Fury

    Earn cashback at CRC, Wiggle, Evans, Rutland, Hargroves, Halfords, and more at Quidco
  • Ghost Rider 3000
    Ghost Rider 3000 Posts: 22
    You've got a very valuable point there waby1234. I will just stick to plenty of security including removing the front wheel & seat! That should make it very difficult for a thief to steal!
  • Ghost Rider 3000
    Ghost Rider 3000 Posts: 22
    Ghost Rider 3000 wrote:
    supersonic wrote:
    This one?

    http://www.factorydirectbikes.com/bikes ... 40-d_2013/

    Absolutely terrible fork, I really would avoid this. No damping in it, very heavy, is useless offroad. The Voodoo is far better - if you want a Merida, consider this:

    http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -only.html

    Far better spec: fork is still not the best, but plenty left over to get an upgrade such as:

    http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/f ... -2013.html

    You would then have a bike that matches the specs of many £800 bikes!


    Well i'm glad i asked on here first about that Merida bike! Sounds like it's a big no no then! To be honest, i have my eye on that Voodoo bike. The Voodoo looks like a nice sturdy bike and if i buy it from Halfords i'll get 10% off. My brother has told me that because of his job that he does he can get me another 20% off on top of the 10% making it 30% off!!! This has now make me think it might be even better for me to go with the Voodoo Hoodoo. Any thoughts on the Voodoo Hoodoo or is the Voodoo Bantu equally good?

    I went to Halfords this afternoon and had a look at a Carrera Vulcan, Carrera Kraken, Voodoo Bantu and a Voodoo Hoodoo! I noticed that the Hoodoo had air suspension and the other 3 had Hydraulic suspension. Which one of these bikes would be the best overal choice? I think the Voodoo Hoodoo & Carrera Kraken looks the best. :D
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Hydraulics (oil) is used for damping - springs are either steel (coil spring) or air.
    Air is lighter and more adjustable, coils are often smoother. (Generally).
    I don't do smileys.

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  • Ghost Rider 3000
    Ghost Rider 3000 Posts: 22
    So which one is better? Hydraulics or Air suspension? or is there not much difference?
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Read my post again. It's air or steel for springs. Hydraulics for damping whatever the spring. Better is a personal choice. Mine would be air.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • Fatal_Exception
    Fatal_Exception Posts: 42
    supersonic wrote:
    This one?

    http://www.factorydirectbikes.com/bikes ... 40-d_2013/

    Absolutely terrible fork, I really would avoid this. No damping in it, very heavy, is useless offroad. The Voodoo is far better - if you want a Merida, consider this:

    http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -only.html

    Far better spec: fork is still not the best, but plenty left over to get an upgrade such as:

    http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/f ... -2013.html

    You would then have a bike that matches the specs of many £800 bikes!

    I can't seem to find the Merida Pro-D on the Merida website?
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Is an older model.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Ghost Rider 3000
    Ghost Rider 3000 Posts: 22
    Good news! Halfords will let me test ride their bikes! As long as i leave my credit card with them i'm free to ride the bikes for as long as i want in the car park! I'll give it a go on sunday afternoon. I have to say though, that Merida Pro-D looks like a fantastic value for money bike 50% off the retail price!!!!! I'm going to try and ride this bike too! Overal lots of bike riding to do on sunday & monday! Wish me luck!

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