I'm looking to purchase a hard tail mountain bike on a cycle to work scheme. What's the best value hard tail out there at the moment?
I was looking at a Merlin Rock Lobster, but they seem to have dropped the spec considerably in the past year. The Boardman Pro is now looking to be the best bet.
Can you think of anything else?
Cheers
Matt
What are you looking for? Best Rear mech for £1k, or best frame/fork combination that gives you the best ride and is worth upgrading over time?
The Boardman is going to give the the best rear mech undoubtedly as it's got a SRAM XO, but if you want the best overall package that's worth upgrading over time, I'd get a [url= http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/mountain/altitude/altitude-10/overview/ ]Genesis Altitude 10[/url]
I've got the 853 version, and it rides as good, if not better than a Cotic Soul! OK, mine's not a stock bike, but you can upgrade it over time. The Reynolds 520 tubed version is less than 1/2 a pound heavier than the 853, so you're not really missing out on much in that respect.
[url= http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/altitude-10-09-34014 ]Review of 2009 Altitude 10[/url]
[url= http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/altitude-30-32036 ]Review of 2009 Altitude 30[/url]
[url= http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/reviews/ ]Yet more reviews here...[/url]
merlin malt 4's are amazing ive heard
I went for the Boardman (having already got the Boardman Full Sus last year) and am very very impressed. Way more comfortable than my Kona HT and incredibly light. Yes it has amazing kit (including the rear mech) but it also rides very well.
I considered the genesis - depends on what you want really.
If you're looking for something quite hard hitting, I know it's a GT, and I know it's Halfords, but there's something very appealing about this
Air sprung Revs
20mm Maxle
Carbon Elixir Rs
SLX/ XT mix
Depends.
The frame and forks package that best fits your build, and rides best, might be the one with the low rent spec. No point ordering a super value mail order bike if when it arrives it's not really "you".
People get really hungup on "spec", as if anidiot like me could really tell the difference between say deore and lx blindfolded, on a cold muddy day.
My first decent mtb was an old Orange c16. It got stolen but was still the best bike in the shop for "me" at my price range. Indeed, it was £150 more than the marins/specialiseds I looked at, and with a lower rent spec, but the frame, the geometry - was just great for me, and rode in such a zippy, whippet way that the cheaper, better specced bikes in the shop couldnt.
Only way to tell is to ride them.......
dont get hung up on thinking a bikes better or worse than another just because the odd part is a couple of quid less or more than on another bike.
Can you not get one of those spangly new coloured 456's for a grand built up?
Dam that GT [i]looks[/i] really nice!
Charge dusters seem nice
i could never bring myself to buy any of the boardman bikes.
the thing is he was in my class right through secondary school.
we got on ok but lets say he wasn,t the sharpest pencil in the case.
his knickname was bat boardman???.
he would go around drawring the bat sign everwhere with his name in the middle
(at 16) so thats the reason however strange it may seem....
Take a look at the Orange Crush, it's just over at £1099, but I'm sure some dealer would do it for a grant. Spec is good and you wont get a better alu frame and forks (Fox Float R 140) for the money.
leisure lakes doing the crush with a slightly downgraded spec for a grand especially for c2w. if it was a p7 and i wasnt limited to halfords i'd go for it
i'm still deciding between a boardman pro and a voodoo wanga - looks a good bet if hung up over a boardman frame?
The Leisure Lakes Crush looks like a good option for C2W, disappointed by the loss of the Fox forks though, would have preferred to see savings elsewhere.
i'm still deciding between a boardman pro and a voodoo wanga
Pick them both up (that's pretty much all that Halfords will let you do anyway!!) and you'll feel the difference in weight straight away - it's very pronounced. Can you tell I went for the Boardman?
Wanga out of those 2.
Upgrade as you go.
Very pleased with my Cube Limited
yeah i think i'll go with the wanga - not much to upgrade as its pretty workhorse type stuff anyway, maybe upgrade the wheels and obviously tyres of choice...
singlespeedable a bonus too (feels a rohloff project coming on 😉 )