Check this bike out

jsisidore · June 2017

Hello. Right now I'm looking at
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/m ... ntain-bike
It is already a bit over my budget.
Basically I want to do what the guy in the video does lol
I know the fork is an entry fork suntour xcm but if it has a lock out(I assume it does) it will be fine for now.

Originally I wanted to go for a fat bike but now considering I will be on the road 10 miles or so a plus bike will be less taxing overall. I just like the idea of plus sized tyres.

I already have a hybrid which served me well for years but I feel all the bumps off road and especially going downhill and want something softer.

My original choice was this
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-5 ... 0582.html#
But it looks so close to my hybrid bike, I don't feel like I can justify the purchase, I need something different.

Baron Greenback · June 2017

Hi there,

The calibre two two gets great reviews at this price, so it might be worth considering.

However, if it was me, I would buy second hand bike, that's a higher spec. I'd be looking for hydraulic disc brakes, and perhaps an air fork rather than sprung.

Alternatively, there's the cycle to work scheme, that might free up some extra budget for you?

jsisidore · June 2017

Yes but why did it had to be white? I don't understand. I don't see that many white bikes. I want grey or black or dark blue.

I wouldn't buy a second hand bike because of warranty, I know I will end up spending more on the service and new parts.

cooldad · June 2017

Ride it properly and it'll be scratched and muddy brown.

I'd pick spec over colour any day.

jamski · June 2017

jsisidore wrote:

Yes but why did it had to be white? I don't understand. I don't see that many white bikes. I want grey or black or dark blue.

I wouldn't buy a second hand bike because of warranty, I know I will end up spending more on the service and new parts.

Buying a bike that's a good spec for the money, with better components, is more important than the colour. It's it's a pig to ride, and not up to the job, you wont enjoy it and give up. The Calibre Two.two is a great starter bike, it's what got me started. At that price point, if you want the best for your money, you don't have many options.

I'm a believer you have to like the bike, but the Two.two is a decent looking bike, nothing wrong with it at all.

Take our advise and buy the Calibre, or just don't bother posting and just choose the colour you like best! :roll:

jsisidore · June 2017

jamski wrote:

jsisidore wrote:

Yes but why did it had to be white? I don't understand. I don't see that many white bikes. I want grey or black or dark blue.

I wouldn't buy a second hand bike because of warranty, I know I will end up spending more on the service and new parts.

Buying a bike that's a good spec for the money, with better components, is more important than the colour. It's it's a pig to ride, and not up to the job, you wont enjoy it and give up. The Calibre Two.two is a great starter bike, it's what got me started. At that price point, if you want the best for your money, you don't have many options.

I'm a believer you have to like the bike, but the Two.two is a decent looking bike, nothing wrong with it at all.

Take our advise and buy the Calibre, or just don't bother posting and just choose the colour you like best! :roll:

Would you buy a pink car if it's good spec? Doubt so. Of course pink is not white but you get the idea

I just wanted an opinion on a bike in my op but apparently you guys are tired of all this so whatever.

jamski · June 2017

jsisidore wrote:

jamski wrote:

jsisidore wrote:

Yes but why did it had to be white? I don't understand. I don't see that many white bikes. I want grey or black or dark blue.

I wouldn't buy a second hand bike because of warranty, I know I will end up spending more on the service and new parts.

Buying a bike that's a good spec for the money, with better components, is more important than the colour. It's it's a pig to ride, and not up to the job, you wont enjoy it and give up. The Calibre Two.two is a great starter bike, it's what got me started. At that price point, if you want the best for your money, you don't have many options.

I'm a believer you have to like the bike, but the Two.two is a decent looking bike, nothing wrong with it at all.

Take our advise and buy the Calibre, or just don't bother posting and just choose the colour you like best! :roll:

Would you buy a pink car if it's good spec? Doubt so. Of course pink is not white but you get the idea

I just wanted an opinion on a bike in my op but apparently you guys are tired of all this so whatever.

You miss the point. At any given price point you have a choice of cars. Each model with have a number of colours to choose from. With bikes, at £400, you don't have the same range of choice. You either buy the best you can (the Two.two) or you buy the one you like the look of, which you don't need us for.

We've given you advise, take it or leave it, the choice is yours.

cooldad · June 2017

jsisidore wrote:

Would you buy a pink car if it's good spec? Doubt so. Of course pink is not white but you get the idea

I just wanted an opinion on a bike in my op but apparently you guys are tired of all this so whatever.

I would. But I have so much testosterone no one would question my sexuality.

Even if I had Hello Kitty seatcovers.

jsisidore · June 2017

Oh so you just recommend this bike to anyone on a budget I see. Fair enough.

Well ok I looked at the specs and as far as I can see there's not much difference between forks for example, both adjustable, both have a spring inside. Cheap entry forks.

@cooldad, I suppose it's practical to be practical, wish we all were.

mattyfez · June 2017

This looks ok now it's reduced to £300
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/fuji-nevada-1-7-ltd-hardtail-bike-2016/rp-prod159992

jsisidore · June 2017

mattyfez wrote:

This looks ok now it's reduced to £300
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/fuji-nevada-1-7-ltd-hardtail-bike-2016/rp-prod159992

What I know is xct forks are inferior to xcm. What I don't know how old they are, maybe newer xct are better than older xcm? that would make sense.

For example what the hell SR hlo-ds stands for in Suntour SF16-XCT-HLO-DS-27.5

mattyfez · June 2017

This might help...
http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/service/fork-glossary/

Not sure what ds means though or sf16, suntour fork model year?

jsisidore · June 2017

mattyfez wrote:

This might help...
http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/service/fork-glossary/

Not sure what ds means though or sf16, suntour fork model year?

Nice. Thanks.

mattyfez · June 2017

Voodoo bantu also worth a look, currently on offer for £360

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/voodoo-bantu-mountain-bike?rmsrc=1&cm_mmc=GooglePPC-_-PAB%20-%20Premium%20Adult%20Bikes%20-%20Product-_-Voodoo%20Bantu%20Exact-_-Text%20Ad&source=ppc&_$ja=tsid:35522|cid:61976764|agid:3764726524|tid:kwd-8512396241|crid:195831796254|nw:g|rnd:17181793327383937928|dvc:m|adp:1t1&gclid=CLacpuy8wNQCFVXnGwodkFMAT

Jonesinamilion · June 2017

jsisidore wrote:

Yes but why did it had to be white? I don't understand. I don't see that many white bikes. I want grey or black or dark blue.

I wouldn't buy a second hand bike because of warranty, I know I will end up spending more on the service and new parts.

A warranty wouldn't bother me, what's the worst that could go wrong with it that couldn't be sorted by yourself or cheaply at a lbs?

jamski · June 2017

mattyfez wrote:

This looks ok now it's reduced to £300
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/fuji-nevada-1-7-ltd-hardtail-bike-2016/rp-prod159992

Sorry but that looks all sorts of awful, both in spec and design. Look at that stem! The groupset is about as low as it gets.

jsisidore · June 2017

mattyfez wrote:

Voodoo bantu also worth a look, currently on offer for £360

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/voodoo-bantu-mountain-bike?rmsrc=1&cm_mmc=GooglePPC-_-PAB%20-%20Premium%20Adult%20Bikes%20-%20Product-_-Voodoo%20Bantu%20Exact-_-Text%20Ad&source=ppc&_$ja=tsid:35522|cid:61976764|agid:3764726524|tid:kwd-8512396241|crid:195831796254|nw:g|rnd:17181793327383937928|dvc:m|adp:1t1&gclid=CLacpuy8wNQCFVXnGwodkFMAT

Yep definitely a contender. 2kg lighter than the one in my op and yet tyres are on the plus side too.
Now I just need to decide whether I need thicker tyres.

My hybrid bike tyres are 29x1.5 so I want something bigger than 2.0

mattyfez · June 2017

2.25 is pretty normal size for mtb, it's not plus.
But the bantu as you say is 2kg less and it also has hydraulic brakes over the mechanical ones on the carrera, for an extra tenner I'd say that rules the carrera out.

Uber_Pod · June 2017

jsisidore wrote:

Oh so you just recommend this bike to anyone on a budget I see. Fair enough.

Until they stopped selling them, everyone at that sort of price range was recommended the Trott MTB1 from Halfords.
Because it was the best spec bike at that price.
It was white too, so that wouldn't have gone down well. :roll:

The question has been asked so many times before. A bit of searching will give similar answers because there really isn't much choice.

The Calibre is relatively light (13.7kg vs 16kg(!) for the one in your OP).
I saved another 1.3kg off mine by doing a tubeless conversion (£50 at lbs) and a 1x9 conversion using parts off ebay. Not everyone's preference and definitely not necessary, but possible without spending too much more.

It's not perfect - it's a cheap starter bike after all.
26" wheels and a straight steerer fork limit the options. But it has deore hydraulic disk brakes and deore rear gears which is more than most competing bikes.

It's your choice. You asked for advice and were given it. Buy whatever you like.

larkim · June 2017

We could really do with a little table setting up of the default answers to "find me a cheap entry level bike" question.

For example, lowest priced bike with air forks. Lowest price bike with hydraulic brakes. Lowest price bike with [insert specific suntour fork]. Lowest priced bike with RS fork.

Perhaps then with basic details listed - groupset name / style (e.g. Deore 3x, X5 2x etc), price, weight.

The sticky at the top of this forum is woefully out of date, but even just a refresh of that would be helpful.

We could even put what colour the bike is ;-)

mattyfez · June 2017

Thing is though specs and prices fluctuate, special offers etc, so keeping such a list up to date would be difficult.
All anyone can really do is familiarise themselves with what set of components represents good value at a specific price point.
The caliber has a slightly better group set for £400, but is on 26er, the bantu is cheaper at £360 but 27.5. Rockshox x 30 vs suntour XCM.. Not sure there's much in it there.

jsisidore · June 2017

I'm going with 29er and possibly a rigid fork as the budget ones are so frowned upon.

The Rookie · June 2017

Have a look at the Voodoo Marasa then, it's sold as a Hybrid but with a swap of tyres it's a 29er rigid MTB.

jsisidore · June 2017

The Rookie wrote:

Have a look at the Voodoo Marasa then, it's sold as a Hybrid but with a swap of tyres it's a 29er rigid MTB.

That's the one my gf really liked... while I was looking at mountain bikes. I already have a hybrid which is an old python quantum 8000 which I bought in 2013 and I'm sticking to it at the moment, I will get fatter tyres and explore a bit more.

Check this bike out

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