A friend is looking at buying a ht xc bike for around the £5/600 mark.

Anybody know of any good deals anywhere at the mo?

He’s cinsidering buying a Mariva or something although I thought this was a Vauxhall people carrier.

Any advice appreciated

Sorry Merida – http://www.merida-bikes.com/en_gb/bike/2011/52/MTB+Hardtail/MATTS+Trail+800-D

He was looking at the one above because the shop is willing to do him some discount. I’m not very clued up on ht’s.

What type of riding does said friend want to do?
Personally I wouldn’t touch Merida after they stitched a shop owner friend of mine up and they still haven’t taken down the signs they put up for the 2009 product launch in my village. I’m sure the bikes are fine though.

I think they got decent reviews, but if he’s new to MTBing – make sure he gets the right size.

See a very similar post I started yesterday for some ideas: clicky linky

I was pretty impressed with the BMC blast in Evans my mate got and they had £150 off the Commencal Premier Pro 2011 which looked nice if he is prepared to go to £700.

Thanks. I’ll send him that link. He’s tested the one I linked a little and it feels the right size.

He’s mainly going to be riding cross country. He’s been away from them playing on motorbikes and he’s coming back to it now.

It is an awkward price to buy at because if he spent a couple of hundred more he would start to get into the reduced price Ghost range, that kind of thing.

I’ll pass it on. Cheers for your help

I bought a 2008 Merida 700 dfs ht. Got it on the cycletowork scheme, which is how i ended up with it! Wanted a Gt Avalanche but the merida is a Cracking piece of kit, fast, light yet solid. Would be nice to have a lock out as standard but it rides great. Not needed to do much to it, so rides well and lasts well. What’s not to like?

Kona Blink in a Box for £500

That’s a £900 bike, brand new!

Pretty decent spec on it too, well maybe not amazing for £900 but for £500 it’d be award winning!