Which MTB is best for me?

carl1983
carl1983 Posts: 162
edited May 2014 in MTB beginners
Hi, I'm a roadie and about to buy a MTB but wondering which bike to buy? I have a budget of about £600 and the terrain will be everything from in the hills around me (Yorkshire dales) to gravel tracks and bridleways, It will mostly be hills though.
I can't decide whether to buy second hand or new, I know I would get more for my money second hand but I don't really know what I'm looking at so wouldn't know if it was a bargain or not lol also there are not many bikes listed on ebay close to me!

Any examples of what would be a good bike for me would be a big help! Not to low spec :wink:

Thanks.

Comments

  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Rockrider 8.1 from Decathalon is the best sub £600 bike you'll get, and with £50 change!
    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.
  • BigAl
    BigAl Posts: 3,122
    The Rookie wrote:
    Rockrider 8.1 from Decathalon is the best sub £600 bike you'll get, and with £50 change!

    Yep, agree it's a great bike.

    Consider also, the Voodoo Bizango from Halfords. It's a 29er, which may or may not be to your taste, though it will undoubtedly eat up bridleway and gravel tracks
    Anthem (now without bar ends)
    Duster
    My Bianchi
  • carl1983
    carl1983 Posts: 162
    Ok thanks guys will have a look at those.

    Also can't decide 26 or 29er?? I want to do a bit of everything so whats best for that? I have noticed the 29er seems to be completely taking over, is there a reason for this?
  • BigAl
    BigAl Posts: 3,122
    carl1983 wrote:
    Ok thanks guys will have a look at those.

    Also can't decide 26 or 29er?? I want to do a bit of everything so whats best for that? I have noticed the 29er seems to be completely taking over, is there a reason for this?

    Just to add to the confusion - 27.5 (650B) seems to be the current vogue. I wouldn't worry too much about wheel size. Pick the bike that feels right to you.

    The reason I mentioned the 29er is that the rding you describe (bridleway, gravel path, etc) which is fast and not techy would suit a 29er. Though 26 or 27.5 will be fine too
    Anthem (now without bar ends)
    Duster
    My Bianchi
  • larkim
    larkim Posts: 2,474
    I bought a 29er on the basis that it was a compromise bike - strong enough to head onto the trails, big-wheeled so that it would roll well on canal paths and the like, and with 700c wheels I could put readily available thinner tyres on for road use.

    Given that you'd not have a need for road use, you probably don't need to compromise as much. My son sometimes jumps on my 29er and complains that it is nowhere near as agile, but it is a fairly lengthy beast (Rockrider Big RR 5.3) so not necessarily representative of all 29ers. Happy with it though! (Though I have subsequently bought a roadie too!)
    2015 Canyon Nerve AL 6.0 (son #1's)
    2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #4s)
    2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
    2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
    2018 Voodoo Bizango (mine)
    2018 Voodoo Maji (wife's)
  • carl1983
    carl1983 Posts: 162
    BigAl wrote:
    carl1983 wrote:
    Ok thanks guys will have a look at those.

    Also can't decide 26 or 29er?? I want to do a bit of everything so whats best for that? I have noticed the 29er seems to be completely taking over, is there a reason for this?

    Just to add to the confusion - 27.5 (650B) seems to be the current vogue. I wouldn't worry too much about wheel size. Pick the bike that feels right to you.

    The reason I mentioned the 29er is that the rding you describe (bridleway, gravel path, etc) which is fast and not techy would suit a 29er. Though 26 or 27.5 will be fine too


    I will be riding bridleways and gravel but want to head into the fells a lot to so I suppose I'm in need of a bit of both lol.
    Being a roadie I love the challenge of hill climbing and like the sound of riding a mountain bike up a steep fell with the more technical side of it such as traction and obsticals! So maybe a 26 might suit my need more with that in mind.

Categories