Getting back into mountian biking and having to start again

shortygt · January 2020

hi all,

so last time i properly cycled was back in 2012 almost a decade but not quite, i had a carrera vengeance ltd edition in white with anodized red goodies a 661 full face helmet and the rest of the equipment since then lets just say the beer has been good to me and that beer belly is now sticking out proudly (time to get back to fitness and health.

so looking at second hand market of bikes just now as me and the misses has a bet on to see if i will stick to it after that i could purchase a new bike probs in the £500 bracket 2 questions second hand market anyone know of any good bikes or selling sites and what bikes do u guys recommend i used to love specialized but thats been a few years ago now have bikes changed much?

i dont need a full face helmet just a head on i will need lights and some other equipment is chain reaction cycles still the place to go and get stuff ?

thanks in advance

slc123 · January 2020

Welcome back to cycling! - I would suggest keeping an eye on ebay and pinkbike for any second hand bargains. In terms of what bike it's going to depend on how well they are looked after and what you are looking for? Assuming just a Hardtail based on the previous bike you had?

You can get some pretty cheap stuff at Planet X like helmets etc, so worth a look there.

JBA · January 2020

Bikes have changed a bit since 2012, but are still the same general shape.
26” wheels have almost died out and have been replaced with 27.5” (650b) and 29”. Front hub spacing has increased from 100mm to 115mm and rear hub spacing from 135mm to 142mm to 148mm. Head angles have got slacker and seat angles have got steeper.
However, for getting back in to mountain biking none of that really matters. Get the best bike you can afford and take it from there. If you look on eBay, Pink Bike, Singletrack World, etc you can find some really good second-hand deals, but be careful as there are jokers about trying to sell hugely overpriced bikes as well. Is the £500 budget for a bike now or for a new bike later? If it is for now you should be able to get a really decent used hard tail. A mate of mine got a cracking Whyte 805 before Christmas for £325.
If you find a bike you like put a link to it on here and people will give advice on it.

As mentioned above Planet X have some good deals on helmets and equipment. At the moment they are doing the On One Enduro helmet for £10!
There are always deals on lights so just Google a bit and you’ll find some decent ones at a good price.

shortygt · January 2020

Thanks guys that's exactly the if answers I was looking for. New bike option for 500 the twin i cant find better value for money so think i will look into those in the future, on the other hand I've found a giant talon 2 for 170 it has rockshox dirt forks, shine deore chainset and shine hydraulic brakes aswell
So frame size is large I'm 6 ft 4 I looked on the giant website and they say the top end of a large frame is 6ft4 then the extra large start from 6 ft 4 up I think I need to go and ride it to see if It will fit me

Hoping to make a purchase soon
Thanks again

steve_sordy · January 2020

I'm 6'1" and Large is mostly the correct size for me. Some size large bikes are too short and some are too high. If I was 6'4" I would try a few XLs to see if they fit you better overall.

The Rookie · January 2020

shortygt said:
it has rockshox dirt forks

Presumably you mean Dart?

They are awful.

Getting back into mountian biking and having to start again

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