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That crap rider being, well, me.
We'll be moving back up to the Peaks soon, having been in the Cotswolds for years. I hardly MTB any more, what with surroundings here being absolutely brilliant for roadying, but I'd like to start doing more after we move.
My mountain bike is 10+ years old and is, by pretty much every contemporary measure, obsolete. It all works, and it's still more bike than I know what to do with, but it's a hardtail and I fancy a full sus to cope with them Peaky rocks.
I don't want to spend much money, maybe up to £1500, because there's absolutely no point. I won't be buying it for a while, so current stocking problems aren't an issue.
What should I buy?
140mm travel full sus in a colour you like that you can rest ride and buy locally.
Buy local? - a Sonder.
I'm not sure there's any point in a test ride, there's no way I'd tell any difference between different bikes.
For that budget, it will be secondhand, so keep an eye on the classifieds. As above, 140mm should be plenty.
For that budget, it will be secondhand
Why? There's plenty of new full-sus bikes available for <£1500. This, for example:
Have you ever owned a full suss?
A keen roadie and occasional hard tail mtber you won't (probably, and by your own admission) get the benefits from a lond travel slack gnar machine, but will get the downsides (heavy and baggy to pedal, at least compared to your current bikes).
I'd suggest a fairly cross country type thing ~120 travel, 67-68ish head angle, 29er.
Your budget is right where a new bike is usable, but potentially had some spec corners cut. However it is also right where a 2-3 year old higher spec bike will be (current SH prices aside).
Have you ever owned a full suss?
A GT i-Drive in about 2003 🙂
ou won’t (probably, and by your own admission) get the benefits from a long travel slack gnar machine,
Definitely not.
I just want something I can wheel out of the garage every couple of weeks, go for a ride on around the Peak that will climb fairly well, allow me to cling on and hope for the best on the descents, and be fairly reliable.
Short travel FS in order for the Peak. Vast majority of bw routes, the classic sort of stuff that gets compiled in guides, don't have much in the way of demanding technical stuff on them - even if you're bad you'd not really get any value from a longer travel bike.
It's obv a massive area so there's plenty of hard stuff out there but you've got to go looking for it. At least more so than somewhere like the Lakes, say, where you can't miss it.
I’m not sure there’s any point in a test ride, there’s no way I’d tell any difference between different bikes.
You will.
Yoi might be able to say why but some will just suit better than others. They will all feel different.
In non plague times I would just say ride loads and see what you like, try all your mates bikes and see what works for you
Baordmean bikes look good value though i would go for a dropper post if you can get one
https://www.halfords.com/bikes/mountain-bikes/boardman-mtr-8.8-mens-mountain-bike-2021---s-m-l-xl-frames-371014.html
or maybe one from Decathlon like this
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/29-all-mountain-mountain-bike-am-100-s/_/R-p-309661?mc=8586941&c=BLUE
Calibre bossnut gets good reviews but doesn;t seem to be listed on go outdoors website
Maybe ring Bike Factory @ Whaley Bridge to see what they can sort you out for that price. Short travel though, 120mm is fine for the riding you will be doing, especially on 29" wheels.
Arguably, if everything works -
especially for a rider of your own self confessed skill levels - your bike may not be obsolete. So why don't you give it a go first?
Now, if you just want a new bike, you should have just said so. 😉
The peak is rockier and taller than the Cotwolds. Descents are concordantly more sustained and rougher. Short travel FS would be a good shout.
Boardman variant or a Bizango.
Arguably, if everything works –
especially for a rider of your own self confessed skill levels – your bike may not be obsolete. So why don’t you give it a go first?
Oh, I will be, as I say I won't be buying anything new for a while, and it has been successfully minced around the Peaks, Mid-Wales, N.Yorks, Lakes in it's time. Honestly, this is quite a lot about just fancying something new.
@nbt That Baoardmean ( 😉 ) looks alright actually, and hopefully by the time I'm looking to by the Bossnut will be available somewhere.
If the inevitable budget creep sets in - an Orbea Occam H30 for a shade over 2K. Or, a base model Sonder Evol/Cortex?
I'd get one of these...
https://vitusbikes.com/products/mythique-29-vrx-bike-sx-eagle-1x12
The quality of the suspension is way above everything else I've seen at that price, and the geometry is very good.
There's budget creep, and there's spending 30% more than intended.
To be fair, a lot of low budget full-sus bikes are a bit of a false economy if they come with crap suspension units, tinfoil gears and underpowered brakes.
Sometimes it can be well worth spending an extra £500 or so.
Get what's available. Sonder would be good if they were not sold out...... Try and find one with a head angle no more than 66. If it's got that then chances are the geometry is up to date. I somehow doubt the Boardmans are..... Nearly everything good has gone so you might have to look for a modern hardtail. I doubt you are going to find anything vaguely modern S/H or that sort of money
a head angle no more than 66. If it’s got that then chances are the geometry is up to date. I somehow doubt the Boardmans are
its 66 degrees. I think the above statment nicely demonstrates that bike snobbery is something to avoid
its 66 degrees. I think the above statment nicely demonstrates that bike snobbery is something to avoid
To be fair the 2021 is a decent update, the old one was quite dated.
Buy local? – a Sonder.
This, but buy a Transmitter and run 2.8s front and rear. Brilliant in the Peak, shedloads of traction, lots of cushioning, rolls proper fast, has ace geometry and no messing about with shock bushings etc. Like a conventional hardtail on steroids. You can buy a frame for 300 quid and build it to your own tastes or go for one of Sonder's stock complete bikes.
Beginner mate bought a bossnut. Perfect bike at that level but it does cut corners, bearings are all poor quality and he has had no end of headset and bb stress.
Calibration Bossnut orTriple B/Triple B pro from Go Outdoors.
They’re a good bike and a great gateway drug into modern bikes. They’re not very expensive (compared to most bikes) and have great geometry and handling. My wife got one last year as a stop gap while our young kids stop us from getting enough use out of £2-4K+ bikes and we’ve been really impressed
A good mate in the same position just bough a Canyon spectral 2nd hand for £1200, it's a lovely looking 140mm travel bike
To answer what bike you should get as a crap rider is almost impossible.
Personally, I feel you need to figure out what you will use the bike for..
Are you simply commuting, or are you doing trail riding, jumps, or..
A very big difference in what bike you should look at, second hand, or not.
Personally, I bought my emtb (Giant Fathom e3 2019 / Hardtail) for light trail riding, commuting, and just overall fun trips in the mountains and so on.. Not anything too crazy.
For that its perfect.
but if I were to begin doing hardcore off-roading steep trails, I would most likely die LOL.
Whatever you choose, good luck.
My mountain bike is 10+ years old and is, by pretty much every contemporary measure, obsolete.
Bollocks to contemporary measures, if it works - ride it for a year and then see what you want to get.
(PS I understand the peaks are quite good for roadying as well, just like the Cotswolds for MTBing)
Wot they said /\/\
Get your current bike running working well, figure out what you’ll actually be doing once your there. Then select from that point.
Although I’d let the budget creep by 200 and get a Sonder Signal Titanium
Buy 2nd hand, but save some of the budget for a good helmet, knee and elbow pads, gloves, maybe some armoured shorts, spine pad.... To help when ones crapness comes out.
You should buy my Trance from me. Not had much use and it’s got carbon wheels and everything 😁
It would certainly be well within your budget. PM me if interested.
As I say on all of these threads; why buy new?
£1500 should buy you a used 29er with xt and decent fox or RS suspension. Might need a little love.
If you want to make things easier; buy into the most modern trends. Make it as slack, as long travel as wide tyred an as low as possible. This is sort of in contention with 'buying used' as geometry has developed a lot, but we're now getting to the point where the early generation of LLS are coming up secondhand. I bet you could find like, an evil following v1 for that much?
I just got a Whyte 529. Also a British brand. It's very well-equipped for the money, including a dropper post which makes life easier going downhill. Nice standard spec too which would be easy to upgrade when the time comes, the frame is very attractive so upgrade-worthy.
This is my first properly 'new' bike in 30 years of riding mountain bikes. Previously, I have bought something complete secondhand or else built up a spec from parts which were harvested from the classified ads and supplemented with new items such as cables etc.
Going the secondhand route is good fun but there is always an element of risk - no matter how well a bike has been maintained, in time mountain bikes become worn-out and the additional cost of replacing bits or doing larger service items (e.g. tooling up for the replacement of wheel bearings) can put a dent in the hoped for savings.
If you can find a 529, I'd give it some serious consideration. It has a nice geometry which inspires confidence, a lot of the modern standards (inc Boost front and rear, short stem, wide bars), internal cables, dropper as standard, the reliable Deore 1 by 11, and some tubeless ready, usefully wide rims. It will take a 2.8 in the front and a 2.6 in the back so it should suit your needs well with the standard 120mm forks and running tubeless with lower pressures. Also, all the online coverage for the 2021 529 and more expensive 629 is positive.
I bought mine from Rutland Cycles who had a few left last week. It arrived quickly, was well put together and I haven't had any issues during the three mud-plugging rides that I've done in the last week and I'm looking forward to many more.
As I say on all of these threads; why buy new?
Partly, if I'm honest, because it would be only my third...
properly ‘new’ bike in 30 years of riding mountain bikes.
...and the last one was that iDrive in 2003. Since then it's been a rolling Trigger's broom of new or secondhand frames, wheels, forks etc etc. I'd just like to walk into a shop (virtually or actually) and say "I'd like that one please".
IF you are around Hope area then get a Full-suss of some sort 130mm/140mm plenty of rocks up there to be honest I really like the area but if I had the choice I would stay in Cheltenham rocks are great for a while but cant beat the Tracks in the Forest Of Dean etc enjoy it up there you might want a Fattie get more snow their.
The Giant Trance are very good value for money. The rear suspension is effectively the DW-Link used by boutique brands like Pivot, Turner and Ibis. The frame/bearings are the same regardless of model, just the finishing kit that changes.
I used to have the 2017 Trance 2, and before that have had the Turner 5.Spot and Flux and can honestly say that it rides as well. Sold it last year because I wanted to try a long travel 29er (currently building up a Mega 290 frame).
Don't know about availability though!
Another vote for a Sonder - cortex or Evol - but you should be able to demo and pick your fave. Great value and shop teams have all been superb with customer care. And on the door step.....
Sonder cortex
Canyon Neuron
I'd pick the bike to fit the type of riding you are likely to do - so the above local information seems to make a lot of sense.
I'm a pretty rubbish rider. I think you've got to also analyse what sort of bike might best meet your current needs;
If fitness is a big barrier a 29er hardtail make make a lot of sense - that Merida Big trail that launched recently got good reviews.
If you a bit of a wuss - me for one - having a longer, slacker head angle bike is a helpful psychological skills compensator. Also, higher rise bars help you to avoid that OTB feeling. Lots of bikes are quite gnarrly by comparison with 3 or 4 years ago, geometry is settling down.
You'll obviously feel less bashed about on a full sus, but at this price its quite hard to avoid compromises on weight, frame flex, or efficiency.
The new Board-man full sus would definitely be worth a look;
https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/2359-mtr-8.8-2021.html
The 1700 one I wouldn't go for - the 8.8 or the 9.0 look like the best options. Heavy though.
For this price I'd stick hardtail though - lower max speed, less likely to screw yourself.
The current On One Big Dog build has a great fork on it, decent brakes, few compromises in spec. Get yourself a cheap Brand X dropper and you are good to go;
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOBDGX/on-one-big-dog-sram-gx-mountain-bike
+1 for a Transmitter running 2.8s if buying new.
+1 for a short travel FS 29er if second hand.
Personally, in your position, I'd probably go the hardtail route. I've got a Transmitter and it's almost the ideal all-rounder - all day rideable, but more than capable of the old bit of hooning if you need it to. In The Peak I'd take it all day over my Spesh Epic (although TBH if I'm ever allowed to travel to The Peak to ride again I'll be bringing the RocketMAX with me).
I'd like that one please
I mean, after one ride they're both the same - except now you're riding plastic sram gears that fall apart, suspension that probably doesn't suit your weight and a bike that's a good 10lbs heavier?
Dunno, I could just never see the right of it. It still feels like a new bike and special to me, especially if I give it a clean up. The only reason I could think not to was during lockdown 1 where there were no bikes available.
I managed to find a Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt (on sale at £1450 instead of £2400)for a mate who had just got into riding last summer, he was dead set on waiting for a Calibre Triple B coming back into stock even though it would be more expensive because he hadn't heard of Rocky Mountain and it didn't have a dropper post. After seeing the calibre in the flesh he's glad I convinced him to go 4 the Rocky Mountain so there are still bargains out there if you look. Sure it came from Paul's Cycles and the brand x dropper he fitted has been faultless so far