[Closed] Boardman Pro FS £1200?

I don't have that year one, but I have the previous one (silver and green). Main differences are the one you're looking at has a better fork, 1x 11 instead of 2x10 and think it's got a slightly more laid back head angle.

The one I've got has been good - only thing is I've had various creaks. Cranks first (sorted with copper slip grease), then the reward hub (sorted by greasing the rear bolt through QR thing) and now suspension bearings. Just replaced them and was fairly easily and cheap bearings through betd. Halfords aren't the best in all stores, but I do most bike maintenance myself so that didn't worry me.

Performance wise it climbs well enough, but also descends pretty well. I keep up downhill on it with most people I ride with - I've made a few tweaks from standard. My Revelations are now 150mm travel, got some decent flat pedals on it, got a dropper post and just gone 1 x 10. Brakes are epic btw- I prefer them to any other brakes I've used.

For £1200 you just can't go wrong. I'd love an upgrade to the 2016 model.

I had one on test for a few months, and it was a great bike for the cash.

http://singletrackmag.com/reviews/review-boardman-pro-fs/

£1080 is just ridiculous considering that it's not only a good spec, it's also sorted geometry-wise. I did have some trouble getting the gears to behave all the time, but that could be sorted with a crank swap, or even just spacing the chainring inboard a few mm.

£1,080 in store with BC discount just confirmed in Live Chat. Very tempted.

I've had one about two months. £1080 on 0% using BC 10% discount.

I've given it a proper beating in that time and would echo the posts above.
Tweaks:
1. Creaking was mostly solved by correctly torquing the pivot bolts and greasing the rear QR.
2. Gears occasionally temperamental; have an SLX crank ready to whack on when the current FSA BB dies. I swapped the BB spacer to the NDS to move the chainring in a couple of mm.
3. OEM Gear Mech hanger made of cheese! They put on a BETD one under warranty.
4. Tyres terrifying as many cheaper new bikes. Swapped for Purgatory/Butcher combo.
5. Brand X Dropper post straight on.

It's fast. Smashing my climbs on Strava and rapid when I descend too.
It's fun. It wants to jump like mad. Makes you want to attack everything. I can't tell you how much fun it is.
Rear suspension is sorted. I'm enjoying that back end more than my Orange 5.

It's also a great talking point. Keeping up with folk on bikes three times what I paid for it always raises eyebrows!
The staff at my Local Halfords have been superb. None of the horror stories you hear about.

I've got a few bikes and genuinely if I were to own just one this would be it.

Don't forget quidco cashback @ 7.7% for online reservation/in store collection.

Takes it under a grand, but not guaranteed of course.

its an amazing prize when you consider the prized brands cant get that level of componetry on for less than £3.5-4k (complete bike)

i've got the sram guide R brakes (per the boardman spec) and they have been just as good as my XT m8000 brakes, but without needing the additional bleeding.
and the pike RC 140mm will be superb and has to be worth at least £450-500 new.

will be recommending it to a few mates

its an amazing prize when you consider the prized brands cant get that level of componetry on for less than £3.5-4k (complete bike)

E.g. (these have dropper too)
RRP 2500: https://www.leisurewheels.co.uk/m1b3s1p13170/SPECIALIZED-Enduro-Comp-650b-2016/RS_GB/51243

www.tredz.co.uk/.Marin-Attack-Trail-8-27-5-Mountain-Bike-2016-Full-Suspension-MTB_85773.htm?sku=287073&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&gclid=Cj0KEQiA08rBBRDUn4qproqwzYMBEiQAqpzns4IZcd8dBWBloH1HK6tLU1pF7gciNlfKtgXifM51wRsaAqxa8P8HAQ#

Alex

Regardless of purchase price I reckon it could easily hold its own in the 2-2.5k category.

I got mine for £1080 in the Summer.

Don't just think 'itll be ok for the money'.

Its not ok - its a really, really good bike. I've had some much more expensive stuff before hand and I am mighty impressed. For the money it is stunning.

Stuck a Reverb and some SPDs on and its brilliant, my go-to trail bike now. Really, really impressed.

Also note that the chainset it ships with is slightly different to the spec page, and that if you are lucky, you get a rear shock with the 'Debonair' can upgrade.

alexsimon was a little tongue in cheek comment , if it was carbon then £3.5-4,
Even so just shows how much more you are paying for a 'brand' frame ..

Met a bloke who worked for Boardman at FoD who had a development bike and he reckoned the stock shock was better than the larger can (Debonair?).

It really is a superb bike.

Hi All,

I've had one for a few weeks actually very impressed with the specification. One note i did have is the tyres aren't too bad. Where i live we have lots of forestry and lots of the dreaded roots 😉 I actually found the continental tyres handled them quite well certainly just as good as maxxis.

The rest of the bike I'll post more of a review when I've ridden it more...

BR
JeZ

Hi All,

Dammit double post so will add brakes are very good and much more gradual than shimano..

JeZ

Thanks for the info. Good to know there are no major problems, will torque the pivot bolts up and slap some grease about.

We also make at BETD a nice linkage plate for the FS Pro now that reduces the head angle. I'd definitely get the mech hanger replaced as the original is like cheese. As for the bike it's stinking value for money, especially with those forks on it. Genuinely is a good bike and rides well too.

Hadge, how much is the linkage and how much does it slacken things by??

Hi Hadge - is the plate for the 2016 fs Pro only or does it fit the previous green and silver model too? Will it make the bike better downhill but less good uphill?

Another vote of confidence for the bike. Great ride, great value - I paid the magic 1080 quid as well and feel the smug satisfaction of the new bike owner who knows he got a deal. Needs a stealth dropper and better tyres, so factor those in to your price unless you already have them...

Hadge, question about the BETD hanger - from another forum post I figured out that your 403 fits the new FS Pro? Is that right, cos I simply could not get it to fit at all, couldn't get the little lip around the hanger hole to fit into the frame hole, then also seemed like the included bolts were too big for the frame bolt holes! Any ideas? Is the 403 definitely intended to fit this bike?

Interesting one: I've had all manner of shifting and dropped chain issues from new. It's been back a few times and we've never got to the bottom of it.

Anyway last week I installed a longer gear cable (complete) as I reckoned it was struggling when the suspension was fully compressed. Bingo! Shifting faultless now. But...

Dropped chain central still. Anyway a bike mechanic (Jamie from Lydney cycles) queried the rear mech as he reckoned it was a 2x11 not 1x11 mech. Quick search on t'internet this eve shows he's correct. It's been spec'd with the wrong mech.

I'll drop it in tomorrow and see what they say. The endless dropped chains has wrecked the crankset cosmetically... More importantly the chain comes off at the most critical times so it's not the best safety-wise.

Just in case anyone else has had this issue....

Dropped chains are just the joys of 1x11, it's not overly due to the bike. Those front derailleurs didn't just change gears 😉

Narrow wide chainrings are not all that, tried a few, just invest in a good chain guide, sorted.

Yes but I've not had problems with other 1x11 setups; this one is dreadful and the incorrect clutch on the 2x11 derailleur won't be helping one bit.

Well Evesham halfords have been great.

New rear mech and chain set on order.

They didn't know but apparently the early batch (of which mine is one) of bikes were supplied with the wrong rear mech.

That then led to all my dropped chains and a trashed crankset.

Super customer service and super friendly. They've put several LBS to shame in the way they've handled this.

Update: First decent ride on it since new rear mech fitted, at BPW today.

Not a single dropped chain and gear changing flawless and consistent. Bike handled superbly. Really chuffed!!

Dropped chains are just the joys of 1x11

Nonsense.

Biggest put off for me was the colour, I really don't like turquoise. Mate has the model down and the frame looks great, the smooth welds look lovely.

When you add the cost of a dropper though you're not that far off some other brand 2016 sale bike prices so I'd still shop around before jumping in.

Dropped chains are just the joys of 1x11,

I've owned 5 different 1x11 bikes in 3 years. none have dropped chains. Ever. No chain guides either.

@Flaps

When you add in the Brand X Dropper and decent tyres, I spent about £1250....

Not bad for a bike that rides as well as it does, with the kit on it that it has. It's the rider that's the limiting factor in my case anyhow!!

I will factor in some £££ for a more beefy wheel set later in the year.