*Newbie* Trail Bike decision

Sphinx_iii
Sphinx_iii Posts: 13
edited October 2013 in MTB beginners
Hello,

I'm very fresh to the mountain biking scene and could do with some advice. I want to spend around £500 - £1000 on a new bike for trails nearby (Llandegla and Delamere Forest). I think a decent hardtail is the answer, and Ive been looking at a few chooses, including;
Carrera Fury
Carrera Kraken
Voodoo Bizango
Trek Mamba
Saracen Mantra Trail

and My favourite right now - Calibre Point.50

Let me know what you think, experience and spec etc.

Cheers :)

Comments

  • rhext
    rhext Posts: 1,639
    Would have suggested a Canyon, but they all seem to be sold out (there's a reason for that, I suspect!). Great bikes, great prices! If you can wait for new stock, it's difficult to see how you could get a better deal.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Links would help.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

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  • JBA
    JBA Posts: 2,852
    I know you said you'd like a hard tail, but having ridden Llandegla recently I'd suggest a short travel full susser would provide more fun. The top end of your budget, but THIS is a cracking deal.
    “Life has been unfaithful
    And it all promised so so much”

    Giant Trance 2 27.5 2016 ¦ Sonder Broken Road 2021¦ Giant Revolt Advanced 2 2019 ¦ Giant Toughtroad SLR 1 2019 ¦ Giant Anthem 3 2015 ¦ Specialized Myka Comp FSR 2009
  • JBA wrote:
    I know you said you'd like a hard tail, but having ridden Llandegla recently I'd suggest a short travel full susser would provide more fun. The top end of your budget, but THIS is a cracking deal.

    +1

    That's a seriously good price :thumbup:
  • agree with the above!
  • BigAl
    BigAl Posts: 3,122
    +3 for the Anthem

    I know I'm biased (I have an Anthem), but that's a whole lot of bike and fun for a grand
  • I'd be going with the Anthem as well, but if you find your budget cut and the Calibre .50 is the favourite, have a look at Decathlon's Rockrider 8.1
  • Thank you all for your input. The Anthem looks awesome, but at the top end of my budget and +Vat also so it would be £1200.

    I've seen this http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/trek_mamba_orange.html which has had good reviews and within my budget. I don't want to buy a full suss because I know I'm not getting the quality I want with the money available.

    Correct me if I'm wrong, cheers!
  • JBA
    JBA Posts: 2,852
    You are wrong. :)

    The price for the Anthem includes VAT.
    “Life has been unfaithful
    And it all promised so so much”

    Giant Trance 2 27.5 2016 ¦ Sonder Broken Road 2021¦ Giant Revolt Advanced 2 2019 ¦ Giant Toughtroad SLR 1 2019 ¦ Giant Anthem 3 2015 ¦ Specialized Myka Comp FSR 2009
  • My mistake. Still top end of budget, but wow. This bike looks awesome. 0% Finance may be an option.

    THANKS.
  • The Anthem maybe cheap for a full sus bike but its a top quality bike and rides extremely well. The frame is one of the best full sus xc frames and the components are all pretty reasonable.
    That Trek isn't a particularly great bike, just a very average hardtail. The Giant will be so much better to ride.
  • You dont need a full susser for Llandegla (or anywhere else) I personally love my hardtail and wouldnt be without it also the anthem is a less forgiving ride than a slightly slacker headangle hardtail if you are a beginner rider IMO.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • BigAl
    BigAl Posts: 3,122
    The Trance, above, is a good bike and it's a good deal at £900.

    But the Anthem deal is better and it's a better, though different, bike

    Have you thought about buying secondhand?
  • Not thought about second hand really. Don't know what to check etc so could buy something that's knackered. Also would love to buy either of them bikes, but a car problem has slashed my budget now to £400 - £500, any suggestions for this price?

    Cheers :)
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • cooldad wrote:

    I have seen and read this already, but the thread is quite dated so wanted some more up to date info.
  • Update: The RR 8.1 still represents great value for money!
  • Wicked, The Rockrider 8.1 is my number 1 choose with the Voodoo Hoodoo a close second, but the degraded fork seems to throw me off a bit. what do you guys think?

    Thanks so far btw! :)
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    It's still great value for money, the RR is better all round but more expensive, the carreras have a lighter frame but aren't quite as well specced (Kraken or Fury).
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • OK, so I thought I was set on the Rockrider 8.1, but then halfords has just 1 of these in stock

    Voodoo Bizango

    http://www.mbr.co.uk/bikes/voodoo-bizango-29er-review-2013/

    Everyone I know says this is an excellent bike, but what do yo think compared to the RR 8.1

    Cheers

    Plus I can get 10% off the Bizango, so it would be a tad cheaper.
  • Ulysses
    Ulysses Posts: 104
    rhext wrote:
    Would have suggested a Canyon, but they all seem to be sold out (there's a reason for that, I suspect!). Great bikes, great prices! If you can wait for new stock, it's difficult to see how you could get a better deal.

    This is what I choose after many hours comparing bikes under £1000 - though I was purely after a 29er which narrowed the field a lot.
    I tried to get hold of a Bizango 29er but both Halfords and Voodoo were really unhelpful when I tried to find out when they would be stocked. VooDoo bikes are really great spec for the £££'s.
    Canyon Yellowstone's are available every now and then, there was none when I went to order one (was got all excited about owning SRAM too) so ordered the Grand Canyon AL 6.9 29er instead, 3 days later there was a Large Yellowstone available ... typical!
    I saw another post somewhere which mentioned another make of bike which was spec for spec near idential to Canyon for the same price.
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    I would try test riding a few bikes as just judging a bike on its spec means you miss out on lots of bikes. You may find like I did that the ones that seem best on paper are not the best bike for you. As soon as I test rode my Carve I could tell it was exactly what I was looking for. If I was purely going on price and specs I may never have looked at it.