Evening all. As title, bro in law’s 50th, wants to get into mtb, he’s 5’8″, his preference is a full suss due to a bit of a bad back and it’s (I know a big gamble) a surprise! I’m thinking 650b, all mountain, maybe a Giant Trance 2 or 3. Found a Whyte T130 sx for £1400?! Any other suggestions welcome. Thanks.

Everyone is going to come in and recommend what they have.

I reckon you could get a nice Bird Aeris build for that budget. I’m in love with mine!

Customer service is second to none and they actually care about biking too 🙂

Specialised camber comp. I would normally recommend a canyon nerve, but he may want to ride it while the weather is still nice.

Some decent Whyte’s for that also Boardman FS Comp is getting good reviews.
my other half just bought a Merida 120 XT edition for £1900, can’t fault it.

In a shock reversal I’m not going to recommend what I ride, I’d buy a bird aeris.

Take a look at Pauls Cycles, they have Trance 1,2,3 & 4’s. The 2015 1 is only 1699.

Great thanks chaps. Lots of options there. I’m going to pass on the info. Cheers.

Pauls cycles also still have the canondale trigger 2 carbon in for £1 under £2k, stunning bike

Trance, Rose Granite Chief, Boardman, Bossnut (saves a few quid).

One of this months bike mags has the entry level YT Capra up against same level Canyon Strive Race, both around the £2k mark. Makes interesting reading indeed.

Something from the LBS so when things break he has someone other than you to sort it?

If your LBS happens to be Evans, they do a 30 day return if he doesn’t get on with it as well (not sure on the terms though).

Is 2nd hand an option here in 26er flavour?
If so I have a £5k superbike that would suit his budget.

I can email you info? 🙂

Julz, link to that bike test?

Cotic Rocket – think you can just get a build in around 2k Yes, I am recommending what i have 🙂

£800 on sh hardtail and some lessons.

Add in Cube or Lapierre too. Many good bikes around that proce point. Your Trance call is a good one.

I’m sure folk will recommend what they ride.
I’m no different . I bought my 27.5 Trance last year to replace an older 26″ 2008 version.
I ride a medium, 5’9″ tall ( and, over 50 meself).
Mine is basically the SX version with 160 front, / 140 travel. In the past 6 weeks apart from local forest riding, it’s quite capably been up a proper Welsh mountain, red / black Coed y Brenin, ridden a big classic Peaks loop and worked very well at an old school d/h uplift day.
I considered several bikes, before buying, Kona Process, Giant Reign, Orbea Rallon and Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt all made the final cut, before settling on another Trance. With a ‘sensible’ head on, I didn’t need a more endoooro bike, for most of my rides, but I’m not the bravest of riders and needed a slight skills compensator and also, my previous bike had served well, sure, all that was left of the original, seven years on, was the frame, rear shock and cranks, but nothing broke and it worked well, so I went with Giant again.

Bird Aeris for £1500 and spend the rest on kit.

£800 on sh hardtail and some lessons.

This. 2k on a bike for getting into MTB’ing? People recommending bikes like the Bird Aeris and YT Capra????

He’s going to be 50, I think he can treat himself if he wants and knows if he can afford it. It’s not the law you have to serve an apprenticeship on something cheap. Might as well get something that really inspires you.

£800 on sh hardtail and some lessons.

a bad back

What lessons do you recommend – how to be a chiropractor ?

Learning MTB at the age of 50, is he going to get the most out of a med-long travel bike?

Look at the riding he’s going to do and adjust the bike accordingly.

If it’s really going to be trail centre stuff, maybe some jumping etc, then the Aeris looks like the best thing since sliced bread (I want one).

If it’s going to be long days in the saddle doing natural trails, I’d look to one of the short travel 29ers (I’ve got one).

have to agree. if only picking up at 50 then being overbiked will quickly end badly.

Re: bad back, age etc.

I get backache from my full-sus, but not from my hardtail – there’s more to it than that (my full-sus is a tiny 4x frame).

I’ve also had a hardtail that killed my back – really harsh xc alu, I’ve since had steel ones that didn’t. And a steel one that did after >2 hrs – a BFe.

There are many possible answers, but a s/h soul & a clue how to use it would be a very good place to start.

Mid travel trail bike is a good place to start, yes 2k is a lot for a first bike but a 1k fs will be a bit so-so and the buyer has the cash so why not ? A FS is good for the back and bones generally and a bit of skills compensation won’t hurt. As for starting at 50 who care (I started at 44 and have roadie mates who have started mtb at 52) he could be on an Alps/Wales/Lakes holiday next year no problem if he gets into it.

Bad back? Go the lbs route, try some stuff and the one that fits the best.

Camber 29er. And no it’s not what I ride. Really depends on where it is going to be ridden 90% of the time.