You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
<div>Hi</div>
<div>I am after a new hardtail (or something similar) and I am not quite sure what I should be looking at.</div>
<div>I currently ride a 27.5" Giant Trance but always have the rear suspension locked and often the front as well. During the summer i was riding a Btwin Rafal 740 (26" XC hardtail) and I reluctantly realised I would be better with something much more rigid than the Trance as I'm mostly riding uphill trails, fire roads, bits of gravel and pothole filled dirt roads, rather than am/dh. I don't race, and don't plan to, but like to go fast for fun.</div>
<div>Budget is up to 800 GBP and I'm very happy to go secondhand.</div>
<div>Any advice on type of bike, wheel size or model for this kind of riding??</div>
<div>Thanks in advance.</div>
<div></div>
Calibre bikes / gooutdoors
"line 10" ?
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-line-10-mountain-bike-p414112
Fits right in your budget!
But keep your full suspension bike as well. It's fun to bike full suspension and hardtail!
Something with the right balance between a steep seat angle (seat-tube) and slack enough up front for coming back down fast. At this time of year your budget is bang on for bargains aplenty. I'd have a hard time choosing but that Calibre Line 10 looks about right in the geometry stakes, have never ridden one or seen one in the flesh.
Best climbing hardtails I ever had were circa 2k Cannondale F series (CAAD), 23-24lbs-ish with Headshok they went up like goats BUT sketchy af coming down. Am catching up slowly, ie currently on a 10 yr old P7 which suits me fine atm while regaining fitness but eventually/soon would like something a bit slacker up front with a dropper post and possibly 27.5 wheels.
Am also looking at a 800 ish hard tail. Getting into mountain biking again after an 8 year gap (kids), so don't really know what is good or not nowadays, but reading up on singletrack, and googling for some bargains. This is my short-list at the moment (in addition to the Calibre Line 10 - not too fond of the colour):
Saracen Matra Trail £700 Raidon air - swinnertoncycles
MARIN Nail Trail 6 - £700 recon silver - winstanleysbikes
Boardman Pro 29er £800 Reba - halfords
Also like to hear other's opinions on these...
Other recommendations very welcome, in particular for lightweight option trail (not XC) bikes.
Cheers!
Mike