[Closed] First Hardtail – £1000 Budget - Carbon or Aluminium

Speaking as someone who sells bikes day to day for a living, there's less of a direct benefit from buying carbon vs ally on an MTB than there is on a road bike. Primarily on a road bike you're buying carbon for performance and weight reasons, whereas an MTB is already much heavier anyway, and the frame is less important in that respect.

What is important is buying one that suits your needs, and both fits you and your wallet.

If you're just getting into it, as you say, as an alternative to riding on the road, and don't see yourself wanting to do any technical riding, fire away on either model you've mentioned, they'll both do a perfectly good job for what you want. Should you see yourself wanting to do more technical riding in the future, there's a load of other bikes for the price point I'd point you towards however...

Makes no odds which bike you buy as to upgrading to 1x11 in the future... As you're new to MTB's, largely I'd just buy the one I liked the look of and get out and clock some miles up on it. In a year or so you'll know more about your personal preferences on an MTB, and either be looking to upgrade, or have decided its not for you and you're going back to road full time instead...

been riding offroad forever. and just bought a alloy 3 x 9 reba equipped 29'' hardtail. because it is all you need for the riding I do now, and what you describe.

oh and it is a cube. which take some beating on spec for the cash paid.

Which one Ton? New or used?

People seem to be talking sense so far on this thread. If the Bianchi is a 29er I'd go for that, but I prefer Shimano kit so it's pretty marginal.

OP buy something from the classifieds for £500 or so, I am a Cofic fan (steel so neither Ali or Carbon) - there was a Soul 26" for £500 and a Solaris 29" for £850 I recall

Steel.

Which one Ton? New or used?

cube attention sl. 2017 model £700

Steel.

Hi All - Thanks for the feedback so far - Both bikes are new and are 27.5 - I have looked at ebay etc and i've not managed to find anything decent that's worth the gamble against the cost of new - For example I could pay £500 / £600 on eBay that's 3-4 years old but has had some use and I end up having to replace cassettes / chain / groupset within 12 months when a brand new bike is £700 which should give me piece of mind for a couple of years.

My current road bike is a Cannondale Synapse (Ally / Carbon Fork / Shimano 105) and I picked this up for £350 off eBay when the owner realised that the cycle wasn't being used and it was a waste of the £1000 purchase on the cycle to work scheme.

The road bike was so unused that when I took it in to a bike mechanic for a once over the told me to bring it back in 6 weeks when it had had some use

For a first mtb I'd definitely be inclined to look in the Classifieds over there >>>

Get a decent frame then you can always upgrade should you wish. Best upgrades are always wheels and forks, they can make a huge difference.

I wouldn't buy an mtb made by a road bike manufacturer. Steel is arguably a more comfy ride compared with aluminium and carbon, in my experience.

Steel.

I got a Cotic Soul 26 for £450 a few months ago from the classifieds on here.

as CG says.
There's alays a compromise with off the peg bikes at this price range, usually in the wheels or the forks. If you buy a frame and build it up as you want then you can compromise where you want and you get the genuine satisfaction of building your own machine at a usually decent price.

Bianchi is proper old school racey.

I'd go with something used, or modern traily.

Vitus bikes off chain reaction are great, I've just bought one and it's a really good all round bike.

Shameless youtube posting of the weekend's ride

mboy makes a lot of sense and you should follow what he says, but I'd go used and steel for a hardtail every time. If you're patient you'll likely grab a bargain from the classifieds on here.

I don't know the seller and it's 26" wheels:

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/cotic-soul-full-bike-large-26-orange-xtr-700

but I'd go used and steel for a hardtail every time.

Though I have a Alu hardtail atm (Plus tyres) I'd default to Steel given the choice.

I'm having a great time on one of these, hooning around the Peak District. Priced matched to £999. [url] https://www.evanscycles.com/scott-scale-735-2016-mountain-bike-EV253337 [/url]
I'm *very* happy with my purchase.

I have this in the classifieds....

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/cotic-bfe-275-large

Not carbon or aluminium but great condition, light and good spec and I will listen to offers!

I have owned lots and lots of steel hardtails, and only a few alloy hardtails.
and to be honest, I cant really tell the difference.

If you shop wisely £1000 will buy you a nice specced VGC used steel hardtail.

For what you describe if look for a used Stanton Sherpa or Cotic 29er.

Capable of the miles but when you get the bug for steeper/rougher stuff it'll see you through

I wouldn't write off trail style hardtails just because you don't intend to do extreme riding. The slacker, lower, longer style of trail bikes (over xc) is confidence inspiring for beginners and will help you get comfortable with off road riding quicker.

I wouldn't recommend XC orientated hardtails to anyone who doesn't intend to race XC and even then as a beginner you'll get more out of being confident than from the weight savings!

Q. Do I go for the Carbon and upgrade the components later or do I go with the Aluminium with the slightly better components, bank the spare budget and take a hit on the heavier frame?

The reason I'm selling the carbon hardtail is I [b]was[/b] convinced I'd

It’s not going to be extreme riding, more cross country and odd decents rather than break neck speeds down impossible gradients with switchbacks etc

If you buy a decent bike with an alloy frame it will probably be easiest to sell in 6-12 months .. I know there are lots of steel fans on HT but I'd guess they are talking about more expensive bikes/single speed as well.. but if you buy something as an introduction to MTB the chance is you will want a different type of bike in 6-12 months... (as in geometry or FS not HT etc.)

Q. If I want to upgrade to a 1 x 11 system in the future which bike would it be easier to do this on?

Q. Can a 2 x 10 be upgraded to a 1 x 11 and what would be the potential pitfalls / considerations?

If you do this budget and get a 2x10 your first stage can be just taking off the front mech and fitting a 40T or 42T expander... (this usually works straight off ..Ive done it on 3 bikes) but some bikes the geometry makes it a bit harder and there are jobbies called goatlinks.
https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/goatlink

As your currently not interested in break neck speeds the easiest way with a SLX or XT cassette is simply take off the smallest ring and stick on an expander.. of course you then lose the fastest gear.... but it never bothered me..then stick a narrow wide on the cranks... (again usually works... some bikes the chainline can be a bit less than optimal... others it's no issue)

1x11 starts getting potentially more expensive/complex because Shimano you consider the fit to the brakes.... you can get 11sp shifters that fit the older (last years brakes) but they are becoming rarer.... so getting a deal is harder and it's more tempting to upgrade to the latest standard if you are upgrading..

Just my 2c.... looking backwards

This is my first post and the feedback has been brilliant - Thanks Forum!

I've been mountain biking for 8 years and just built up a steel cotic with 26" wheels and that's blowing me away mate.

Bit of a cheap post but I've got a 2016 Cannondale Beast of the East 1 in large that I need to list forsale which will be only just over your budget. You'd be welcome to come and try it at my local trail centre first so you can be sure theres nothing wrong with it.

It's also worth mentioning that some brands have a pretty long top tube so worthwhile checking this.

Charlie has a few deals on. Could even get a FS for that budget!

http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/marin-hawk-hill-275--650b-2017-mountain-bike---20-12414-p.asp

Hi Guys...... me again...... what about this Canyon FS
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292103813258?euid=f2840ff024094adf8579ac8e9f4bc208&bu=44279414009&cp=1&sojTags=bu=bu

Also
I'm a bit of a "short ar5e" at 5ft 7" (171cm) so i'd be looking at a medium if anybody spots anything for me to look at

jeffl: Nice Marin!

Edit: You might want to use the search function on here for the 'C' brand ...

Here's an example of a steel hardtail, my old one with 26" wheels in a size Small. You may find that you can get away with a Small. For reference I'm 5'5" with short body but long arms and legs.

[img] [/img]

Those Canyon Nerves were decent bikes, that's a steal if everything works.

As you're new to MTB's, largely I'd just buy the one I liked the look of and get out and clock some miles up on it. In a year or so you'll know more about your personal preferences on an MTB, and either be looking to upgrade, or have decided its not for you and you're going back to road full time instead...

The first bit of advise is the best bit of advise IMHO.
I like the Bianchi, it's a great deal and for what you want to do it will be just fine. Coming from the road you'll be more used to the sharper handling and lighter weight. Some MTB's can feel heavy and sluggish for just riding around, they don't tend to work properly until your heading downhill and you start hitting stuff at speed.

Bird zero tr? Is your employer on the cycle 2 work scheme? You could get 40%ish off

Thanks cinnamon_girl for the pic's and the sizing

Thanks leythervegas - The company I work for does do the cycle to work scheme but we have some different hoops to jump through with regards to final payment and ownership wise but i'll do some further investigation

However, I ma being educated in builders of bikes that i've never heard of..... which just shows what gaps I have in my knowledge...... because I really like the look of that Bird Zero

https://www.merlincycles.com/transition-transam-275-mountain-bike-2016-97521.html

This isn't a bad platform to kick off with.

Some Saracen Mantra Carbons around for 1k..
https://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/80170/Saracen_Mantra_Trail_Carbon_2016_Bike

Great review here..
http://singletrackmag.com/reviews/saracen-mantra-trail-carbon/

Cannondale 29er on paulscycles look good

Vitus Sentier - 2nd Hand off Gumtree - It says £650 but I can get it for £550
https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/vitus-sentier-mountain-bike-/1235836364

Are the Sentier's any good?

That's what I'm riding in that video I posted. Best Hardtail I've ridden (I've not ridden any really good ones though TBF) and a great all purpose bike.

Edit - Its the exact same model as mine, that's a bargain if you can get it for £550. Get yourself a dropper too with the change and you'll need nothing upgrading for ages.

I've been messaged about the Canyon and they're willing to take a lower offer - apparently he has 9 bikes with a Venge S works on the way...... his Mrs has "requested" that he follows the 1 in 1 out rule

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Canyon-Nerve-XC-F8-Medium-/292103813258?

Those Canyon Nerves were decent bikes, that's a steal if everything works.

That's a good price IMHO.... it's all decent kit....
I still think you should look at buying something as middle of the road as possible and then changing in 6-12 months when you have found what you actually ride...

I'd also even consider renting for a couple of months... if you have a local trail centre.... My local (Swinley) it's £20 for 1/2 day on the decent base hardtail... £30 for Full susp (Whyte T-130 or similar)

So if you did that [u]every weekend for 6 months on a hard tail[/u] it would be £520 (so scale down from there) but you can also try some FS bikes etc. in that time...and try different geometries etc. but also different makes..and 27.5 one week vs 29 another.

I personally can't get on with some makes... indifferent to others and some just seem to have been designed for me.... (really depends what they think is an average body in terms of arms/legs etc.) but also if they design the bikes differently or they are all designed on a "medium" ...

Decision Made!: I went to have a look at the Vitus Sentier
https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/vitus-sentier-mountain-bike-/1235836364

When I got there the bloke said he bought it - put the handle bars and pedals on and that has been it. I couldn't see any signs of use and everything looks good.

These were £1000 from CRC (currently out of stock at £900) - He had it advertised at £650 and we shook hands at £500

This should allow me an opportunity to have a play and find out what riding I want to do in the future and then look to either upgrade or buy a full suspension

Thanks to everyone that contributed to this thread - It is appreciated and has helped me make a decision

well done! You've got a lot of bike for your money their.

Bargain .... get yourself some decent pedals though (with what you saved) and you can use on the next bike.... bars look a little narrow but that might be the photo's.... but you can get wider cheap if you want to try.

Try a few different places to ride.... and you'll work out what you are enjoying riding most.... then if you sell you can't lose much (or anything) on what you paid.

Nice one OP. A cracking bike for the money. Here's hoping you enjoy mountain biking. Keep posting and asking questions on here as you go. It's a great forum, full of helpful and knowledgeable people.

Where's your first ride going to be?

Welcome to the club 😀

Get yourself a dropper and some decent pedals and you'll be set, thought he'd not ridden it looking at the brake lever/bar angle on the gumtree add. I thought mine was a bargain at £820, £500 is practically theft 😆

It won a £1000 hardtail group test in WMB apparently too.

FWIW, my feelings toward my Canyon Nerve XC have always been a bit mixed. It was my first full suss so my expectations were probably too high.

You've probably done yourself a favour getting that hardtail and avoided lots of time/money on full suss maintenance.

Great buy, you'll enjoy it!

You've got a cracking deal there - I would have bought that if you hadn't. I'm waiting for crc to get some stock in. Hope you enjoy it!

Picked the bike up and it is immaculate - the bloke selling says it's never been used and having a proper look I agree. The £500 was an absolute bargain.... last year a got Cannondale Synapse 105 Disc for £350 and that had only be used a couple of times indoor on a turbo trainer.

First couple of rides will be local in Leicestershire (Beacon Hill - Outwoods - Swithland) and then i'll probably have some time up Sherwood pines and try not to embarrass myself

I need to get some bit's n pieces so i've got some basic kit (Inner Tube, Saddle Bag, Lights, Shock / Mini Pump) and then i'll get some pedals etc

Thanks again to everyone that has contributed to the thread

Are you going for SPD or flat pedals? If flat, I'd recommend Nukeproof Electrons. Cheap and very well made for the money. Don't forget to report back after your first proper ride.

I need to get some bit's n pieces so i've got some basic kit (Inner Tube, Saddle Bag, Lights, Shock / Mini Pump) and then i'll get some pedals etc

These saddle packs are excellent, well made, cheap and
repairable - [url= http://www.carradice.co.uk/bags/saddle-packs-sqr-bags/carradura-super-midi-saddlepack ]Carradice.[/url]
They do a few different sizes.
The only ones I've used that haven't broken or fallen apart after a couple of years.

Great bike btw, I hope you really enjoy it.

Hi All - Funkmasterp recommended some Nukeproof Pedals and they look really good for the price

However......my road bike has some Candy 3 pedals on (I know weird..... they were on when I bought the bike)

I'm think of going for the Crank Brothers Double Shot Pedals as they're twin side - so in theory I could use the same shoes and cleats on both bikes

Now this would be a bit weird using road shoes on an MTB but it would give me some time to learn how to ride the hardtail with clipless and if I couldn't get to grips with the technical stuff I could still use the pedals with "normal" shoes

If I got used to riding clipless then i'd invest in some proper off road shoes

I think this is a reasonable plan...... but appreciate some feedback

Thanks