[Closed] The return to MTB’ing - on the cheap

You should have bought my Parkwood yesterday... IT's now not for sale.

There's this though  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/On-One-Parkwood-29er-Mountainbike-18-Pike-Fork-Reverb-Dropper-Post/132768109302?hash=item1ee99892f6:g:gh4AAOSwm9lbjYs~

With the Forks and the dropper that's an absolute bargain that...  Sure it needs a saddle and doesn't appear to be a pride and joy type bike.. .but, if you factor in the bits etc, it's way better than the new one.

Not heard good things about the Judy fork, think I’d prefer the bizango which is a great bike for the money.

This is £770 but can get 10% off with BC discount

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/vitus-sentier-29-hardtail-bike-deore-1x10-2018/rp-prod159766

The Voodoo's are great value.

As above, secondhand with care can be amazing, if you're happy to be fussy.. I've just picked up FS bikes (Norco Fluid) with full Deore for £600, there are some nice 29er HT with lovely kit/forks/wheels on for £500 odd regularly, which will be lighter and more durable than the Voodoo's.

For real value, look at 26"....

@weeksy - after my London road fiasco I vowed never to touch PX/On one ever again 😆

cheers @superstu I’ll check that out.

@matt_outandabout didn’t even consider FS!! Ta

I've got one of them Nath, it's a great bike for the money... You'd do VERY well to better that spec for £500

Sorry @weeksy Can’t even entertain the thought of riding one, that’s one thing I won’t ever compromise on. Even if it was £250. 🙂

HAhahaaaha you crazy boy.

That's not bad

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2018-Specialized-Rockhopper-Expert-29er-M-RRP-750/192657794614?hash=item2cdb4ca636:g:BdsAAOSwroFbm9NY

and a used Bizango that really looks very lightly used

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Voodoo-Bizango-mountain-bike-29er-18-inch-frame-excellent-condition/253880078428?epid=219696743&hash=item3b1c6e905c:g:p8MAAOSw1UdbjS0x

In fact thre's just LOADS of choices on Ebay really.

Nice Whyte here

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Whyte-629-29er-mountain-bike-2016/153182742802?hash=item23aa672912:g:INMAAOSw3wFbnjuY

Haha not crazy, just principled 😆

cheers for the links/ideas

Look out for a second hand Boardman Pro (green/black). They don't sell for much, I sold mine for about £450 but it was a really good bike. Only sold it as I went for a Stooge.

I'm currently rattling round the South East on a Charge Cooker, rigid 29er. So far it's cost me £150 to buy if off the classifieds here, and a new chainset I had in the spares bin as one of the bolts sheared off. Mountainbiking is great when done on the cheap!

I think you're cutting off your nose to spite your face not considering that Parkwood, how many <£500 29er bikes do you see with Pikes?

My little sis has just ridden her bog-stock Bizango from Banff to Albuquerque  on the Great Divide trail. I think she got it for < £500 with BC discount in a spring sale. So much bike for the money and it's really thoughfully designed and specified to get the most out of modern geo, short stem/wide bar and fast rolling Maxxis tyres.

Get it bought!

Your sister is a flippin legend - that’s awesome work!

My Charge Cooker Plus is in the classifieds if you don't mind a drive (/end shameless plug)

My little sis has just ridden her bog-stock Bizango from Banff to Albuquerque  on the Great Divide trail. I think she got it for < £500 with BC discount in a spring sale. So much bike for the money and it’s really thoughfully designed and specified to get the most out of modern geo, short stem/wide bar and fast rolling Maxxis tyres.

Get it bought!

This needs posting on every "I can't decide which ultra niche bearded framebuilder / lifestyle brand to buy a bikepacking bike from for my commute and annual bivi trip for instagram" thread.

This needs posting on every “I can’t decide which ultra niche bearded framebuilder / lifestyle brand to buy a bikepacking bike from for my commute and annual bivi trip for instagram” thread.

lolz.

How far, how long Wooderson?

If you intend to ride through the winter in Kent (whereabouts are you roughly ?)look for a bike with some good mud/wheel  clearance ,its no fun dragging a 50lb mud blocked and locked bike around by it's  bars .Modern bikes are getting much better in this respect as many are designed for wider tyres but worth thinking about.

I'm selling my large mk2 Cotic Solaris for not much more than your budget. Drop me a line if it might suit you...

That Solaris looks nice.

I've got a Bokor and really like it. I've raved about it on other threads. Unfortunately you just missed a sale where it was basically the same price as the Bizango. The difference between the two is basically the fork and the Bokor has a bolt through rear axle whereas the Bizango has some sort of 141mm qr or other. Don't forget they also do a 10% British cycling discount.

I'd forget about getting a FS on a tight budget. Rear shock will need servicing, shock mounts/bushings replacing, bearings replacing, that's on top of the drivetrain and gear cables etc. Unless you're planning on riding it twice and then storing it in shed to corrode.

@gravesendgrunt - Tunbridge Wells, aim is to make use of bedgebury forest?

@chakaping - I’ll read up on it, looks a nice bike!

@jeffl - yeah I was intending to use the BC discount and buy vouchers via corporate website (10% off). The bokor is 680 at the moment, has it been lower?!

@sirromj - food for thought, cheers. I’ve also never ridden a FS before 😆

@brassneck - will check it out thanks.

@wooderson - that’s a bloody good endorsement!

@thisisnotaspoon - I’m going to take my entitlement to dismiss a brand, I don’t wish to advertise their products. 🙂

@tom13 - will add it to the list, cheers!

I'd be grabbing that Solaris quick time if i were you.

I can vouch that Chakaping looks after his bikes and is very fair with his pricing.

I'm tempted to offer him a swap deal on a Scott CX10 Hahahahaa 🙂

Nathb - as an aside your not far from Rollindonut.   When you have a bike it might be worth giving him a shout - he’s very a very racy (as are you on road), MTB’r and CX, but knows loads of excellent Kent trails right on your door step.  I’ve done 5hrs door to door with him without stopping.

Sorry didn't realise the Bokor was still on sale, my old eyes are deceiving me. I think I managed to get it on a day where there was a random 20% off all bikes in addition to the reduction that's already on it.

But as others have said that Solaris looks good, depending on the price.

Sorry still yet to read up on the Solaris, not contacted as until payday I can’t offer anything yet 😆

Cheers @kryton57 - although I suspect it will be a while before I can do anything other than go in a straight line on it haha.

Hoping they have a payday flash sale @jeffl 🙂

Re. the Solaris - it’s quite like the Bizango but everything’s better about it. A brand new one would cost a lot and be well worth it!

I recently bought my girlfriend a Voodoo Maji, which is a ladies version of the Hoodoo. Took it for a spin after bedding in the brakes and knocked 5 seconds off my favourite descent.

My friend has the Bizango and it’s bags of fun for peanuts.

Hi that was my on one Parkwood that weeksy posted the link to

Iv bought a new hardtail so I’m quite keen to sell it so there is some room for a haggle in the price

or I could fit a nicer saddle although the one fitted is very new just looks a bit crap

let me know if it’s of use  it rides great and is a load of fun

the forks are in another league to the revelation that it came with

edit just read your post about a bad experience with on one before

I’m in Tunbridge Wells, although I’m riding mainly road these days. However, there’s decent riding at Bedgebury if you know where to look. Give me a shout when you’re here..

I got into mountain biking (again) on the cheap by buying a bizango - add a dropper post and you have a versatile and capable bike.

Recommended BUT I then spent the next couple of years upgrading parts, including the frame, so may have spent more than I needed to get to the bike i'm riding today, and still looking to upgrade brakes and fork...

Happy, but next time i'd spend more time looking at higher spec secondhand bikes to genuinely keep the cost down.

@flange - I’m already in Tunbridge Wells, bought a house near the Pantiles late last year. Where abouts are you? Definitely up for a ride out sometime!

I’ve bought a store bike before, usually just change out the BB/Chainset (saved 1+kg on a road bike) and leave it alone. If I buy one this time around I will probably do the same + dropper.

I don’t think any store ones have come close to the bokor/bizango new so it’s between them and whatever comes up in the next couple of weeks. I will read up on the above bikes when I get a moment.

Sorry something came up, naturally, when you want to spend some cash on cycling life gets in the way. Had to slash my budget to £300ish this month so that rules out the bikes offered sorry.

Also out on @weeksy ‘s FS bike tomorrow so who knows what I’ll want after that 😆

I'm going to be mightily curious as to how you enjoy the T-130. You MAY find it a smidgen small for you, even though we're very similar heights... I tried the large and the Medium and the large felt massive to me and unweildy... the M felt brilliant so that was the one i kept.

£300 ain't getting you a T-130 though 🙂

Looking forward to it!!

I think I’ll be sticking to hardtails, probably a bokor/bizango, maybe even second hand. See how much I use it before investing in a FS/better HT next year. I have my eye on the new S5 Disc though 😆

Bloody house should be finished by the end of this year....

Just did the same thing, after 12 years solely on the road, I have purchased a 2018 Voodoo Bizango, absolutely superb had it since June and I am really impressed with it, a fantastic bike well specced 1x 11 speed drivechain, a frame designed by Joe Murray, Boost'd..29" wheels, bolt through axle and a decent Raidon 120mm fork, I have ridden it a lot it has been brilliant at Bedgebury and I have used it for a couple of laps twice a week, trips to the South Downs have been fantastic to experience again and I just got back from the Surrey Hills after a couple of days riding, the bike has been faultless, a tad heavy and not a pure XC, more 'trail' orientated, I am well chuffed and for £500 I paid interest free too, it whipped everything else in the MBR £750 hardtail of the year. I have stuck a BrandX dropper and a new set of grips on it, Job done awesome bike.

I am in T Wells Town Centre too and up for a ride as and when

@Sugar2 Thanks for the review of it!

Nice that you're local, what do you think of Bedgebury? Where do you think the weight is on it?

I'm in Maidstone (used to work in Tunbridge Wells) so Bedgebury is technically my closest trail centre.

It's not a bad place, it is fairly flat though so expect lots of pedalling! The car parking can be quite expensive (£12 at weekends) but there's a layby on the A21 which will get you riding there for free 😉

The good thing about Bedgebury is that it's ridable year round, a lot of the non trail centre riding in Kent is unridable once it's properly wet - it's mostly a mixture of chalk, flint and thick, gloopy mud. My local riding on the North downs is like this.

There's more riding nearish too if you explore, for instance:

Friston Forest (highly recommended, but only in the dry)

Surrey Hills

Swinley (another all weather trail centre)

Biketart (near Canterbury) have a Saturday morning ride in covert woods every 2 weeks which I'll try and get on

I returned to mountain biking around 6 months ago, after a 15 year gap - I demo'd a few bikes, hardtails and full suspension but decided at 37 that a FS was the way to go, I don't regret it one bit. A lot of that was down to a lack of fitness however, I needed the comfort aspect! My fitness has improved masses in the last 6 months, so if you're reasonably fit then a hardtail will be more than enough.

I actually really like Bedgebury, the more I ride and know it the more I have enjoyed it, it's been dry this year and the trail is in very good condition even after the recent down pours it has shed water well.....twice round has been a good workout both in technical and cardiac terms for me; the Bizango feels in it's element. Was odd after a road bike for so long to get back on the dirt.....love it though.

I  prefer the South Downs as natural terrain rather than Trail Centres has always been my thing, now doing 25-40 mile rides as bought a Garmin 820 and have used it to navigate many gpx routes and save for a few issues it has been a great way to get a good ride in on unknown routes and areas.

I started off on HTs and cantilever brakes in 1989 in the Peak District (!) and went on to FS when they arrived, V brakes, discs et al. I like the simplicity and look of a HT but have had to pick my lines at times...however 29" wheels and dropper post are simply revolutionary for me as are the new frame angles, short stem, 1x drive and Maxxis tyres!

I am used to spending a wad on my road bikes, but I am blown away at how the Bizango rides for such a modest outlay, it has truly blown me away and I have had a fair few HTs back in time, SWorks M2, M4's, Enduro's, Giant's, On One Inbred, Cannondale's etc.

I like Bedgebury. It's more undulating than Swinley - shorter up and down but fewer flat connecting sections. The trail features are all small but quite well spaced out along the route. It's about an hour for a full lap so a good place to learn if you're local.

There's some really good fun sections at Bedgebury which are worth having session on, just a shame the rest is fairly flat. Typically the best sections those the furthest from the car park too!

I'm always up for a session at Bedgebury at the weekends though!

Compared to Swinley, I've only ridden swinley once and bedgebury twice, Swinley has a bit more variety but I think it does have more flat parts but a bit better designed trails IMO, the new blue end section is meant to be good and there's bigger berms throughout.

Also there's QECP which has a newish fantastic end to the blue run, its basically the best bits of bedgebury in the space of a mile or 2.

I went to Swinley today, think the non rooted sections would have been fine on a hardtail?

Nice to know the Bizango keeps getting positive reviews!

Yeah a hardtail will be fine at Swinley and Bedgebury, Swinley can be a bit uncomfortable with the trail surface but if you've got a decent level of fitness you'll be fine.

Cheers guys!

Current thought process is waiting for the Bizango or Bokor to come back on offer/second hand at a decent price.

Meanwhile I’m trying to get my company to sign up to a cycle to work scheme, if they do I’ve got my eye on this:

https://www.evanscycles.com/norco-fluid-fs-4-2019-mountain-bike-EV337727

Looking likely to be a slow process getting them to sign up to C2W, if at all...

Are there any other circa £1200 full suspension bikes I should look at?

Norco Fluid FS 4

Marin Rift Zone 1

Calibre Bossnut

If C2W falls through then it will be back to the voodoo 🙂

Some companies can take months to get C2W sorted.

Look at the Vitus Escarpe too, I think the base model is about that price.

Tbh that norco looks very good value for money, it's a great spec.

Voodoo Bizango gets a lot of love.

Different option:

Gooutdoors sells the "old" Calibre Bossnut V2 right now. For 0.9 k:

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-bossnut-v2-mountain-bike-p403001

Possible that you even get additional rebates...

One of my bikes ist the Bossnut V2. Great, great bike. Small issues with poor pre-assembly from Calibre bikes and the RockShox fork will need some oil in the stanchions to run smooth (small service). But this bike is fun. The design is spot on. Neat trail bike.

In your budget:

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-line-20-mountain-bike-p414110

But the 0.9 k is so much more value! And don't know anything about the "Line 20".

Cheers!

There’s a 10% off code and cashback which brings the Bossnut Evo down to £850

Work’s pushing back on C2W as they offer an interest free loan for 12 months instead - so may be the only realistic FS for the time being...

brings the Bossnut Evo down to £850

Yes - and the Bossnut V2 is a very good bike as well.

Personally like the 2x10 on the V2 even more than the 1x11 with the Evo.

Yeah I want 1x - less maintenance 😆

I know it might be out of budget but I couldn’t help looking closely at the FS Calibre Boss Nut in Go-Outdoors last week. Amazed at what you get for £1k.

Yeah I think it's between the Bossnut and Norco Fluid 4 at the moment...

Bossnut is 850 with discounts but will need a dropper +100:

Norco is 1100 with the trade in bike (next door neighbour has offered me his) has everything included and is a 29er, but are evans going to be around to use the warranty :/

Decisions 😆

I'd go with the Norco on the basis of Brand support but likely its a better quality frame.

For the extra £150 the Norco is the one i would have too. My mate has the Bossnut and its ok.....but I'm not sold on that suspension design, feels a bit agricultural - I reckon the Norco is the frame with more upgrade potential

The norco over the Bossnut, every day.

The norco frame is much better so when you come to upgrade some of the bits you won't feel guilty hanging decent forks etc off a gate of a frame. The same frame is used on the £2k bike

https://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2019-norco-fluid-fs-1-first-look/

It's also got properly modern geometry like a short start tube which the Bossnut is known for being very old school on.

The Norco looks like a good deal. Not sure what the latest on Evans is but I heard Halfords and Sports Direct are looking to buy them so they probably aren't going to disappear?

Norco isn't an Evans brand anyway, they're just the UK distributor. I'd hope a brand that big would figure out a way to honour warranty claims.

Cheers!

Norco release date seems to have been pushed back to December 🙁 I think that’s the one I’m going for as I won’t need to add/replace anything for a few years.

In the meantime I’ve been lent a 26” boardman pro hardtail, so can at least explore the local trails while waiting for the Norco / if anything comes up second hand.

Sounds like a group ride is on the cards....

Bedgebury has matured quite well & the trail builders learnt from earlier mistakes.  The red is much improved following integration of a few cheeky trails some were using anyway.

Parking is mad at £13 a day but if you're gonna be riding there regularly join the local club which gets you a season ticket for that, discounts in the shop & cafe and, I think, you still get either free bike wash use or the showers.  My understanding was that by buying the season ticket thru' them all the cash goes into trail maintenance & not shared amongst all the other stuff down there.

the Bossnut is known for being very old school on.

My mate has the Bossnut and its ok…..but I’m not sold on that suspension design, feels a bit agricultural

The Norco is for sure a neat bike. And 29er are fast (I have a 29er as well) - but in my opinion the Bossnut is simply fun. Geo is "old school". Mmmh - the Bossnut is not the "long and slack" wonder sled. O.k.. But it's playful and likes to jump. The fun factor is definitely designed into this bike!

"Agricultural" feel of the suspension? Haha. Nice expression. But not really correct. For less than 1 k you get - with the Bossnut -  a RockShox fork and shock. The rear suspension is really spot on - and yes the fork feels "like a piece of wood" when new. But that's a known RockShox problem - not a Calibre bike issue. I right away made the small service on the RockShox fork. PM600 onto the upper seals and onto the foam rings plus 5 ml damper oil into the lowers (there was barely a drop in!). Since that - an that is now over a year ago - the fork feels fine and the whole bike plush and stable.

Parts which I don't like on the Bossnut: the Formula hubs. And o.k. - the paint is soft like cheese.

And Calibre bikes definitely has some quality assembly issues. But the design - and the frame - of the Bossnut is ... fantastic. Nothing broke so far.

O.k. - the front WTB rim is bend - but that's from a ride where I should have taking my all mountain bike with 2.6 rubber instead. The Bossnut is NO Enduro bike!

Sounds like a group ride is on the cards….

Bedgebury has matured quite well & the trail builders learnt from earlier mistakes.  The red is much improved following integration of a few cheeky trails some were using anyway.

Parking is mad at £13 a day but if you’re gonna be riding there regularly join the local club which gets you a season ticket for that, discounts in the shop & cafe and, I think, you still get either free bike wash use or the showers.  My understanding was that by buying the season ticket thru’ them all the cash goes into trail maintenance & not shared amongst all the other stuff down there.

Count me in for that.

There's also the cheeky A21 layby parking if you're just doing a quick session.

Cheers @nobby on the parking tip!

Definitely up for a group ride once I’ve gained some confidence on the bike 😆

I spoke to Evans yesterday who confirmed that the date being pushed back is at Norco l, not because of pre orders. They’re publishing the worst case date currently at 16th December. Feels too long to wait!!! 🙂

I started looking at the FS3 which has a quicker delivery date, but then found this:  https://www.evanscycles.com/norco-sight-a3-29er-2018-mountain-bike-EV306570

😆 😆

+1 on the Solaris. So good, I have 2.

It’s @weeksy ‘s fault for lending me a FS bike, I’ve seen the light!

£1300 cash 🙂

£1400 gets you this now  http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/vitus-escarpe-vr-suspension-bike-slx-1x11-2018/rp-prod159743

If you want to have a look at mine (had mine for 6 months/500 miles) then let me know, it's a cracking bike for the money.

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[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallpaul_s/28101740487/ ]IMG_20180623_193543[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/72042625@N03/ ]Paul Sims[/url] - [url= https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dariogf.flickr2BBcode_lite ]Flickr2BBcode LITE[/url]

Lol @weeksy it was a bit too small for me.

Looks a very nice bike @ta11pau1 but think I’m going to stick to the Norco Fluid FS4 or Sight A3 if I get really impatient....

Got his old school 26 hardtail on loan until my bike shows up 🙂

Going to check out the local trails/ get comfortable on a mtb again...

Just bought a Voodoo Bokor, will be purchasing a dropper for it asap - Norco won't be released until mid December...

Will be heading up to Bedgebury at the weekend if anyone's around??

Neat.

Have fun!

120 mm travel sounds for trail biking just right.

I’m not there this weekend but am pretty much every other weekend. Give me a shout if you fancy a spin

Nice one Nath. We going to see some XC racing soon ?

Will do @flange as long as you don’t mind going slow!!

haha @weeksy it’ll be ages before I progress from the blue sections, I basically didn’t want to trash a FS the first time out on it!

This bokor came up at a price I couldn’t refuse, I should get my money back on it and I’m an impatient man. I’ve got a 170mm dropper in the post 🙂

I think I’ll park up at Bewl water (£3) and cycle over to Bedgebury 😆

There's limited free parking on the other side of Bedgebury, which leads straight into the back of the red trail too. I don't feel too bad about using it, especially as it's an easier drive for me, but might be less convenient from Tunbridge wells.

@rickonwheels

How did you route your dropper on the bizango? Through the seat tube rubber grommet and under the BB up?

Ta

You can park here too -  https://goo.gl/maps/cZ5WAdK5t9s

You then ride a few hundred metres up the road to the south where you'll see a paved entrance which is a bridleway, this takes you right into the forest and to the start of the red route.

I have a Brand X dropper on my Bizango, routed through the grommet on bottom of seat tube and then under the BB and up the downtube, works a treat and cables are unobtrusive, revelation for so much more control rather than the seat stuck up your arse throwing you over the bars. Have been riding my old On One Inbred at Bedgebury for last couple of weeks (blew the Raidon's up....Halfords had them back to me in 10 days!) and found it absolutely horrid in comparison to the 29er and Voodoo geo, glad things have moved on.

Thanks @ta11pau1

Cheers @sugar2

Think I need to play around with the Judy settings, they seemed a bit stiff...

Did a few laps of Bedgebury yesterday - only fell off twice! I had my tyres at 25 psi and they were lethal on the rocks, especially the black run entrance (fall 1] 😆 So I adjusted down to 20 and avoided the rocks haha. The humps/jumps at the back of the forest are great!

[img] https://imgur.com/a/vdKQI9M [/img]

https://www.strava.com/activities/1932275990

Bike size felt good, I went for the 18” over the 20” at 6ft so was a bit of a risk. Dropper was such a good addition!

I need to play around with the fork though, the guy I bought it from was a body builder, so I can only get the fork to move 65 out of 120mm with 0 sag. Shock pump is on its way....hopefully it’s a case of following the setup manual.

65 out of 120mm with 0 sag

Hopefully it's only the pressure...

Once you are able to bike the fork with sag the bike totally with change.

As long as you are waiting for your shock pump: you can release a bit of air without pump. Protect your eyes with some googles and push the valve - shortly - 1/10 of an mm in. Very little very short. (don't forget to protect your eyes!)

Now you should be able to push the fork much more "in".

If the fork is older (and o.k.) a small service will change a lot as well. Ask some friends how to do it. It's 20 min of work.

Great that you have some fun with your bike!!!

Yeah I'm hoping it is @andreasrhoen - cheers for the tips will give that a go.

Need to buy some knee pads too 😆