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I am trying to help a family at our bike club with a suggested purchase. They know nothing of bikes.
Son is 14 and gangly 6', has smashed his old Trek HT to bits as he gets better and is really starting to haul downhill...
Local shop is not being that helpful...I may go back in with them to ask again.
Suggest me either:
- a nice bargainlicious new FS bike £1-1.5k, suitable for all round trail riding. Ideally with dropper.
- any secondhand looked after FS bikes, @£1k to allow for some servicing/replacing bits if needed.
~(TIA for doing the hard work...)
Could do a lot worse than this, available in large...
Default suggestion has got to be a caliber bossnut, no personal experience other the riding with a guy who had one- was definitely not holding him back at bpw.
I've sent you a pm.
Second hand for sure, that money will get a decent enduro bike from a couple of years back. Buying new you'll be looking at a cheap trailbike that probably won't stand up to the abuse a teen with no fear of hucks or crashing can give it.
I doubt you'd find anything better speced than a Bossnut evo (which i assume is the new bossnut?), even s/h, if the budget's flexible then Bossnut Big Brother (which i presume is the new beastnut?). Hopefully, the warranty would cover any bits he breaks and/or you encourage him to see the value in not trashing bikes completely!
If not that, then get a HT, at least then you've not got the expense (or faff under warranty) of rear shocks blowing up to deal with. Nukeproof scout or Vitus Sentier?
The problem with s/h and other peoples money is the parents are really getting your advice 3rd hand form their son, even most reasonable people could get annoyed with someone they don't know giving advice that results in him telling them the new bit of kit his teacher told him to buy for £1500 already needs a new £300 rear shock and the seat post needs an £80 service, and the wheels need truing by a shop etc. At least new they can blame him and/or the shop.
Have a looksee at the Vitus Escarpe too, I'd have one of those over a Bossnut for sure.
Last years Boardman FS Pro at £1350 at Halfords. Team is down to £900
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/junior-bikes/boardman-mountain-bike-pro-full-suspension-27-5-16-18-19-20-frame s
I would be looking at a hardtail though on maintenance grounds.
Pinnacle Iroko's again on offer just now or what about Sonder Transmitter?
A hardcore hardtail seems the best option for the budget, if he’s hard on bikes. Something with the strongest frame / wheels / components possible. If it could have something like Yaris on it and decent tubeless wheels that would be good.
Im not massively up on hardtails, but the Bird zero AM could be a good option:
https://www.bird.bike/product/zero-am-nx-2/#configuration
A quick play with the configurator gives an NX 11 speed build with Yaris / DT Swiss wheels / guide brakes with bigger rotors / chain and bash guide. Will come setup tubeless and bigger tyres could be specced for very little more.
Total cost £1511. However you can change out most of the bits for different things if required.
Obviously there are loads of other hardtails available but I’m not up on them. Orange Crush seems to have been mentioned a lot recently as in the sale and seems solid for the money.
Ooft - £1500 for a Giant Anthem.
If the kid thinks "full suspension" is the way to go...
Bit crazy for a kid, but on sale right now:
https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/radon-swoop-200-8.0-583150?currency=3&delivery_country=190
2 k for Radon Swoop 200
A low weight biker - like a kid - is able to do EVERYTHING with this bike. But o.k. - 2 k is crazy. The Swoop 200 is the tool for bikers which like to do very big jumps and do downhill riding.
1 k : Bossnut Evo. I personally have the Bossnut V2. Very happy with it. But not a bike for downhill biking. Very nice trail bike. Downhill the Bossnut will fail quick.
If the kid likes hardtails as well:
Dartmoor Hornet with 160 mm fork
https://26bikes.com/shop/bikes/enduro-allmountain/prod/dartmoor-hornet-pro
around 1.6 k
The Hornet is a serious downhill bike. Kids do crazy, crazy stuff with this bike. Designed for huge jumps and crazy downhill runs.
Note: the Swoop 200 is in sale right now. The 2 k Swoop might be the better deal so...
Thank you all - another family also asked... So, one of those Whyte's ordered AND we found a Nukeproof TR locally in ace condition.
Focus Vice
https://www.jejamescycles.com/focus-vice-mountain-bike-2018.html
Depending on what size he'd want, stock is a bit lacking at the moment, though...