[Closed] Newbie bike advice

anyone?

How about going second hand full sus? Don't blow £1500 if you're coming back new... you might change your mind in a few months and you'll have a gleaming rig there gathering dust.

As you're coming back to it, it might be difficult for you to know what kind of riding you're going to want to progress in... you might eventually find XC a little boring, and want to go a bit more downhill. So getting the 'right' bike first time is quite unlikely.

Getting an all-mountain full sus you mention above is a good idea, something that can do a bit of everything. But in your position, I'd be looking second hand (for now).

My advice is buy the bike that you really want. There will be people telling you you will be overbiked for predominantly flat Lincolnshire but at the end of the day when you go riding further afield ie Peak perhaps you want a bike that you can have maximum fun on.
Having said that my bike is a self build On One 456 kitted out for any UK riding except full on DH.I could go quicker and bigger in some places but then for the majority of the rest of the years riding it iis is all I need. Thats not so say that I would turn down an Orange 5 if someone thrust one at me...

Hello, welcome to bike hell.

The problem with this place is it will convince you that you NEED

a "trail" full suss (with 6 inches travel front and back)
a steel single speed
a cross bike
something weird
a BMX
a 4 inch FS
a 4x/jump bike
a retro hard tail that you lusted after in your youth
and at least 3 old road bikes

However, living in lincolnshire, riding is quite limited (I grew up near grantham for my sins), So, Given your brief I would suggest a hardtail would be of more use generally. However, trail centre riding can be fun on a full suss and if you're willing to travel, epic weekends are not far away. Also, your budget allows for something quite nice, its certainly up there at the higher level of bikes for a newbie(ish).

However, here is, my mmmmmega advice on what you "NEED!"

Hardatil frame, long travel (steel is real, but get whatever you want) a nice adjustable fork, meaning its rideable on roads and local trails, but can be wound out to 6 inches when you are hooning round trail centres. With you budget you can get something quite nice, go for high spec components, perhaps heavy duty wheels and a "recognised" brand of frame. include helmet, decent back pack, shoes and decent coat into your budget.

That way, you've got the right bike for your need now, and if you want to upgrade later you just need a ne frame and you can move components over later.

Orange P7 pro for the win IMO or a 456 or similar?

Good advice there by meehaja - I run a Cotic BFe with a Pike fork. I live in Norfolk where hills are few and far between. The Cotic is great to wind the fork in to 100 - 120mm for XC, and then when in the trail centers wind it out to 140mm.

Will probably stick with the hardtail for the rest of the year, and might invest in a full sus frame next year, but keep the BFe frame, so I'm just moving components over.

A weird Ti singlespeed,rigid!Hello.

get out to some trail centres that do try rides and narrow your search down.

My first choice took months and a few try rides.

Getting your leg over is the only way you know

'Get your leg over' is absolutely the way to go if you can.

Otherwise a steel all rounder hartail (onone, cotic etc.) is a good start and you will find that a full suss will 'apear' in the shed at some point leaving the hardtail to be built into whatever takes your fancy.

Its downhill from there as they say 🙂

Thanks for the reply guys, appreciate it lots and some of the replies were funny! Im going to Center Parcs with the family in a week so think inbetween the rapids and relaxing I'll pop to Sherwood pines and take [url= http://www.sherwoodpinescycles.co.uk/testcentre.html ]these[/url] out

gynads, if your considering the 5 pro then go for it, I have one and its a minter.

There will be loads on here who will disagree for reasons that make sense to them (and good luck I say).

The 5 frame is so stable and lets you get away with loads, this is also due to a great front fork and rear shock as well.

It rides up hill effortlessly and down is even more of a hoot.

(now waits for tirade and anti 5 backlash)

Here is mine:

[img] [/img]

Completely agree with pretzer that you should go for a 2nd hand FS - for two reason:

1) Riding a FS for a while you will be able to work out whether for you want the comfort and trail centre capabilities vs the extra weight and maintenance. Going to a HT I'm not sure you can really imagine what a FS would be like
2) Whatever type, you will not get the right bike first off. Buy 2nd hand, ride it for 6 months, work out what type of riding you like (trail centres, XC etc) then sell it on for minimal loss and buy the bike that you need/want

Dont know what teh mud is like in Lincolnshire but round here its pretty sandy and eats suspension bearings for breakfast (New Forest). Its also fairly flat here.

The current thinking here for those who can't manage a shed full of bikes is a long travel hardtail as above. A mates just got an on-one carbon 456 - very light and great for fast twisty singletrack with the forks wound down, but equally capable on a recent trip to Wales when bombing down rocky descents. Great fun all-rounder, won't bust the bank, and they are doing a stupid offer on un-stickered frames for £299 at the moment!

if i was you i wouldnt go no more than 140mm travel so the zesty is a good choice for you but just out of your price range unless u buy 2nd hand. If your lucky u might be able to find a Giant Anthem X2 but by the sounds of it your nearly my dap and want more than 100mm travel!!

I wouldn't go s/h, just test ride a few and buy what FS suits the majority of your riding.
You can always hire something else the odd time you need it.
If you change your mind and want a HT, you could always just buy a frame build it up from your FS and/or spare bits.

As said above go with what you feels best, probably be happier riding what you feel is/was the best bike for you and going with something thats not quite what you want, will, maybe niggle at you.

I would try as many as you can and defiantly try before you buy, I learnt the hard way when I bought a bike on rave reviews and being perfect for me on paper (the anthem x) and hated it, had to sell it has I just hated it so much and lost a fair amount of cash in doing so. So what one person thinks is amazing is no guarantee that you will like it.

The over biked thing is also an odd one, as for some people it's just doesn't seem to be an issue where as others like me, really gets to me. I hate dragging round a bike that not suitable for the terrain and find myself getting really bored of riding locally and then not really riding much. Where as my current hardtail is perfect for around here and love the local riding again, which includes trail centres...My opinion is that 99% of trail center trails are best done on a hardtail or short travel ful sus, but again that is just me and know others that are very happy on 5+ inches. I am in no way a hardtail purest and would love to have a something like a 5 but really justify it (or afford) to myself as the riding around here, for me, doesn't warranty it. So again try things out ideally on local terrain and be honest with yourself but also you may find that being over biked is not an issue for you.

Plus the comfort thing is also not just about suspension travel, at this years 10 under the Ben I was much more comfortable on a hard tail doing 10 laps than I was last year of a full sus doing 9 laps. Fit and fitness plays a much bigger factor than travel...in my opinion.

I learnt the hard way when I bought a bike on rave reviews and being perfect for me on paper (the anthem x) and hated it, had to sell it has I just hated it so much and lost a fair amount of cash in doing so.

Exactly. So go and buy a S/H FS, probably 120mm travel to work out what sort of biking you want to do, and what sort of bike you want. You can 100% guarantee that whatever you buy now will not be quite what you really want in 6 months