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I bought a Carrera Vulcan 2018 version a few months ago to see if I would get into riding. Turns out I have and I've just seen our works do a cycle to work scheme with Evans Cycles so looking at around 42% off a bike. So looks like a good route to upgrade for me, so being I have a hardtail now and will mainly be riding easy trails, bridleways, odd road to work for the foreseeable until I get better, whats a decent bike around £1200-1600, Trek Roscoe 9 is poss for a hardtail but liking this but its full sus and never ridden one Norco Fluid FS 1 Plus 2018.
I guess its time to go to the shop and try but interested in hearing about your thoughts on bikes in this range,
Assuming you can get into the C2W scheme whenever I'd be tempted to hold off for the moment. Your Vulcan would be fine for what you're into at the moment.
Most people who get into Cycling will branch off into one niche or other fairly quickly, for Mountain Bikers that tends to be Trail Riding, which is just another way of saying Mountain Biking really. Most like a Full Suspension bike. There seems to be 3 go-to 'cheap' FS bike (I.E. less than a few grand) they're the Calibre Bossnut (only from Go Outdoors) a Boardman FS I forget the name of (only from Halfords I think) and the Norco, which is pretty much your own option as your C2W is from Evans.
But, as above, it might be worth holding off for a few months yet - you might find you become more of a Roadie (heaven forbid) or more into the more XC side of things and want a lighter HT rather than a FS.
It might be a bit early to get upgrading. Looking at the Vulcan it should be more than capable of what you are using it for and would be fine for some trail centre / natural singletrack riding I’m sure. Wait until you start feeling it’s the bike holding you back, rather than the other way round.
Cheers guys, sensible advice. Being I've never really ridden before and other than just getting out and riding I am wondering if money is best being towards a few singletrack courses to get the basics down?
Don't C2W schemes usually (not all) have a £1k limit? Above that, your employer has to register to be a loan company or something.
Second-hand is often a good option: people seem to sell perfectly good bikes for very cheap prices because they don't have this year's cycle industry buzzword.