Bikes

[Robie]

Im looking to get a good quality mountain / road bike for travelling mainly along country roads but possibly the odd off road section as well.

I don't mind spending a bit of money for something thats going to be good quality and last longer than my previous Halfrauds efforts. Last time I was looking at bikes v brakes were pretty new and suspension wasn't even thought of :P

Im just looking what brands are respected and what I should look out for.

Cheers,

Rob

[scionic]

Cannondale F-series would be a good choice for you. An F400 or F500.

No matter what brand you choose, I'd suggest something with front suspension only (a hardtail) and Shimano LX level components or better. Look for aluminum or alumunim alloy frame. Double butted.

Prepare to spend at least 300-400 pds.for a GOOD bike that will perform decently and last you a long time without trouble.

[s0cks]

My m8 spent £1400 on a mountain bike. Absolutely stunning.

No matter what go for an aluminium frame. You won't regret it. My last bikes have been steel and its like riding a tank. I always wondered why my m8s were so much faster! Then I rode an aluminium framed bike and it was like riding a feather.

As Scionic said, only go for front suspension (with a decent amount of travel and even better if you can adjust the dampening).

Or you could buy my hardly used, steel, halfrauds bike for £75 :P

[knightrider]

ally frames are soooo much better you can throw the thing about and the weight doesnt hinder you like a steel framed bike, goe for v brakes again doubt you'll need discs there just costly to fix when you break them,

as scionic said cannondale are a good company worth a look

[Boro Sera]

I have a Gary Fisher Marlin......Ally framed hardtail. Superb bike, both on and off the road.

The best advice I can give is go to a specialist mountain bike shop rather than somewhere like Halfords. Make sure you get one that fits you too........ask in the shop about frame size.

If you can wait for a few months too, till around october( ish)...all the shops have next years models arriving by that time, so they have to clear out the 'older' stock. That's what I did....

Got a 600 quid bike, brand new.....for 320

Rich

[Moffmo]

i buillt my own, got a ally frame which is super light off eBay for 40 quid lol

Before that i had a merlin frame which was just as light, rock shock judies and Shimano parts...

My brother has a 1k raileigh spezalized bike and its full sus and i hate it, weighs a ton and the suspension takes all your engry ou of the pedalling.

Get some decent wheels too, im probably on my 4th set becuase of bunny hopping etc

[nrgizerbunny]

i've got a Look road frame (http://www.lookcycle.com) with dura ace everywhere. i would say the following bits of advice.

1. get as light(+strong) wheels as you can, it makes MUCH more difference than the frame weight.

2. make sure the front derailleur is braze on. if you get the band type they have a nasty habit of reacting to metal frames.

3. Get an aluminium frame.

4. Get a shimano groupset. SRAM stuff is a cheap imitation and breaks. Campag is not really suitable for what you want

5. get one that fits you perfect, faffing around with a disproporionately long stem will probably give you back ache in the long run.

6. most important one: GET CLIPLESS PEDALS, once you've tried them you won't go back. I'm not too hot with mountain bikes but most of my uni mates use SPD's. I personally use Look with carnac shoes but thats for a road bike.

[Moffmo]

6. most important one: GET CLIPLESS PEDALS, once you've tried them you won't go back. I'm not too hot with mountain bikes but most of my uni mates use SPD's. I personally use Look with carnac shoes but thats for a road bike.

←

Clip pedals for off roading is well dangerous, just get some xplanet ones with the spikes and your feet wont come off, just dont bang your shin in them (ouch)

[nrgizerbunny]

6. most important one: GET CLIPLESS PEDALS, once you've tried them you won't go back. I'm not too hot with mountain bikes but most of my uni mates use SPD's. I personally use Look with carnac shoes but thats for a road bike.

←

Clip pedals for off roading is well dangerous, just get some xplanet ones with the spikes and your feet wont come off, just dont bang your shin in them (ouch)

←

yes i'd have to agree with this! it is dangerous but for pedalling along country roads i'd still have the clipless pedals and then take them out flip the pedal over for offroading. :D

[Chappers]

Get a Kona..

Spend as much as you can on a sweet hardtail. Yes, fully sus is more luxury, but also teaches to ride 'lazy' when downhilling or riding through fast twtchy singletrack.

Get clipless and flattys. Clipless when your going on a long hike. Flatty's for chucking it about and learning to crash.. :D

[scionic]

Kona's are excellent, I agree.

Clipless pedals are also excellent for off-roading, whoever says they aren't doesn't know what they are talking about. I can get my feet out of the clip as fast as you can pull yours off a pedal. By clipless we are talking about SPD pedals, not the little plastic nylon cage your shoe goes into. THOSE are dangerous, but you can get your foot out of an SPD in a fraction of a second. Just takes a small amount of practice and the the control/performance you get is SO worth it...

[Boro Sera]

once you're used to SPD pedals, you wonder how you ever lived without them. But for general hooning I prefer the shin wrecking abilities of the bear traps !

Used to have a Kona......superb bikes !

[Moffmo]

Im sorry, youv lost me with the SPD pedals

By clipless i thought you were on about the big fat pedals with loads of spikes coming out of them

[jaxx]

Marin Mount Vision about 1500quid

or..

Whyte PRST-4 XT about 2k though, got the mad swing arm front suspension but rather awesome

[nrgizerbunny]

clipless pedals are a physical locking attachment like ski boots between your shoes and the pedal, once in you have to twist your feet to get them out, when offroading i assume you have to get your feet out a lot more and for this, i would have thought double sided pedal/clipless would be the way to go.

common types of clipless pedal are:

shimano - SPD/R/SL

Time

Look

Speedplay

[jaxx]

clipless pedals are lethal when you first use them

ive seen many folk flop over when coming to a halt!

[Moffmo]

clipless pedals are lethal when you first use them

ive seen many folk flop over when coming to a halt!

←

I once went offroading and my dad had clipon pedals and we were bombing it down this big hill and every time he fell it wasnt pretty

[Boro Sera]

i thought you were on about the big fat pedals with loads of spikes coming out of them

←

Bear Traps ! Genius things !

<< evil laugh >>

[scionic]

Im sorry, youv lost me with the SPD pedals

By clipless i thought you were on about the big fat pedals with loads of spikes coming out of them

←

Pedals like THESE

Used with shoes like THESE

[scionic]

clipless pedals are lethal when you first use them

ive seen many folk flop over when coming to a halt!

←

Unless your a moron all you need is a day of riding around with them and it becomes second-nature. Seriously.

I fell over a bunch the first day I had them. After that I was all set.

[munkeyboy]

Have a look at www.paulscycles.co.uk i got a giant atx870.

its a 2 year old spec discs f&r and front sus when new cast £950 i got it for £450 yes it is new but old spec

[dazwan]

For £500(ish) you could get a half decent Specialized or a Kona. Have a look at Orange as well, they are usually good bikes (not sure of prices though). If you do get a mountain bike and plan on using it on the roads a lot invest in some road or combi tyres (you can get road tyres suitable for mountain bikes most places, even halfords).

Ask if the shop has any of last years bikes (lots of decent bike shops will have a few left over). You can often save a few hundred quid by getting a bike specced with last seasons gear. Most people wouldn't notice the difference between the old and new models, unless there was a radical overhaul in the frame design.

Whatever you do make sure you can go along to the shop and have a go on the bike. Really good shops will let you borrow the bike for half an hour to have a cycle around on, at least try and have a few laps of the car park, it could make all the difference.

And please buy a cycle helmet when you are getting your bike! a decent shop should offer you a few quid off any extras if you buy a bike and then start pointing at hats/pumps/locks/tools/etc.

[dannyb999]

Ive got a Marin Rocky Ridge, Aluminium frame, front Manatou Spyder R Suspension, Deore LX 27 speed mega 9 gears, an best of all its bright orange and silver!!! very cool! cost about £800 few years ago!

but definately get the light aluminium frame, well worth the extra cash!