Hi,

I'm looking for a new hardtail mountain bike and was wondering what recommendations you could give me for a new one between £850 and £1100.

I have looked into the Cannondale SL 2 and the Rockhopper Expert SL.

Does anyone have any experience of these bikes or any other recommendations?

Many Thanks

Craig

The Orange Crush seems to get good reviews. British too!

Check it out here.

Have a look at Merida & Moda, they both do a nice range of bikes in the price range

what type of riding, how heavy are you and how experienced?

I'm 6 foot tall, of a medium build and about 12.5 stone. It would be for mostly for cross country that I would be using it.

I was out on the bike fairly constantly about 4-5 years ago but I would like to get back into it. As such I'm slightly out of the loop now. It was a Kona Caldera which I previously had.

Build yer own, very satisfying. Get a frame and fork from On-One for a start.

Genesis Altitude is nice if you fancy steel

+1 I'd recommend On-One Scandal frame with their Bargain Reba forks, SLX Group from Merlin, some Custom wheels, probably XT Hubs on Mav 717's, again from Merlin and the finishing kit of your choice. End up with a crackin and very light XC machine for aroud a grand.

Gawd, I'm speccing other peoples bikes now….. Must stop 😳

I realise that you've said hardtail, but the Giant Anthem X's are very good – and feel like a hardtail. I'd recommend a demo.

Otherwise go for whatever your LBS sell?

Genesis Altitude 10

Spot on!

charge duster?

The cannondale has the benefit of a supremely good aluminium frame – you won't find better at that price. They've been making ALu bikes for 30 years and it will be backed with a lifetime warranty. The price you pay for this frame majesty is that the spec of everything else can be substandard at the pricepoint.

The opposite course is to do what Smuzzy suggests – build up an anti-Cannondale. Mediocre frame from on-one but shop around for excellent spec with the components.

For the Money a Orange Crush

Boardman pro? Cube ht ltd? Rocklobster team tig?

All apparently excellent for the money, as per my friends and people on here, and all available for a grand in some spec or other.

i lashed a grand on a Merida matts 900. Fantastic frame quality, all XT, Reba SL fork, decent wheelset. i just wasn't inspired by the obvious choice (rockhopper)
i'm well pleased by the bike, just had to change the saddle which is excruciating.

Look at the giant xtc's on pauls cycles. They do some seriously good deals!

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b4s2p1690

Holy Crap,

I had never previously heard of Genesis.

The main suggestions are building my own one – which I dont fancy doing, or

The Orange crush or the Genesis Altitude 10.

Does anyone know of any likns for reviews for these bikes.

Also, no one has said anything about the Cannondale or Rockhopper. Is that for any particular reason?

Thanks again

Craig

marin indian fire trail. Light, fast and fun

Hmmm, an On-One Scandal and a selection of great parts or a superior cannondale frame with mediocre parts, know which I'd choose, in fact I got one last week and its been designed in this country for this countrys crap conditions.

Go with what suits your riding style, what you want to use it for and what fits you. For example, I know Large Spesh HTs fit me to a T. But I'd have a very hard time looking beyond that Genesis Altitude 10…

Or a Merlin Malt 4. Lovely light frame and generally pretty well spec'ed for the money. Limited options to test one out but they are cracking bikes.

well i can't recommend the giant xtc enough, lighter, better specced, cheaper. What more could you want?

Genesis Altitude 10 Review
Another Altitude 10 Review
Altitude 20 Review

More reviews of Genesis Stuff here…

Hope that helps…

FWIW, I've got an Altitude 30 frame (the 853 one) built up as a custom build, I love it. If I was in the market for dropping £1k on an off the shelf bike, I'd not hesitate buying the 10…

That Giant is 21" – maybe a bit large. Killer deal though!

And with the merlin bikes they do reasonably priced upgrade options. As others have said it depends on what you want the bike for. The genesis may be a bit OTT compared to the ones you originally mentioned.

Another race bike option: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=44335

Depends how race oriented you want it to be.

Hardcore option: orange crush
Trail option: Genesis 10
Race option: The Giant XTC if it fits you!

the xtc shouldn't even be a 100% race bike, u could rape ur mates up hills though

If your budget is strictly 1000 then go for a Merlin Malt 4 with upgraded forks.

If you can stretch to 1400 then go for an Anthem X4. I bought a frame and built it up, it is one heck of an amazing ride!

+2 for the Merlin Malt 4 made of kinesium. For £1000 add a full SLX groupset and a set of reba race forks, job done.

they've beaten me to it, but we've just stocked in the genesis altitude 10, a lovely bit of kit, especially for the money. we should have a demo 20 soon, if you wanted a blast on something first.

Si