I’m thinking of getting a hardtail to complement and contrast with my Maverick ML7. Interested in something light and handles well. Going through the Evans R2W scheme. Have been looking at the GF Big Sur. Any comments or recommendations around the £1000 mark would be gratefully received.

If you can stretch your budget past £1k slightly, then look at this…

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bike/altitude_20

I’ve got the same frame in a custom build (Incidentally I have an ML7 too funnily enough!) and I love it, first hardtail in years I’ve really liked. They handle briliantly, are stiff enough not to be flexy, yet have that “forgiving” steel feel, geometry and fit is spot on etc. Just really really like mine!

If you can’t stretch your budget beyond a grand, then there’s always the £150 cheaper Altitude 10, which has a Reynolds 520 frame instead of 853 (probably less than half a lb heavier) but otherwise similar spec, and it won an MBUK sub £1k hardtails test a few months ago.

I’ve just bought one of these for £935 including pedals and I don’t think I’ve chucked a leg over any of my other bkes since.

P7 Pro

I’m likely to buy a P7 when our work’s C2W scheme kicks in.

Boardman? Their £1000 model just won the WMB test.

That Cube looks **** ace!

Cove H/J!

WMB test would have given the Boardman 10 if it had different tyres.Scored 10 in MBR last year too.So much better spec wise than any other similarly priced bike.Frame is very nicely finished,too.