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I'm thinking about buying a mountain bike in readiness for the Easter weekend.
I'm near Inverness, and would probably ride longer trails around Aviemore. I'd be riding on my own, and routes such as the Burma Road, and the Cairngorm Loop interest me. I'd also like to do some bikepacking trips..
I'm more of a roadie, so I'm currently a timid off-road descender, and I can't do wheelies, jumps, or bunnyhops etc.
I think I just need to bite the bullet and buy a bike - pretty much of any sort. I don't want to spend ages weighing up specs/builds, as that way it will be winter before I know it!
Budget is limited, but rather than penny pinching too much I'd probably splash out on something half decent (maybe £1200/£1500/£2000) which rules out most full suspension bikes. I don't know if that sort of price range is realistic.
A quick look brings up hardtails such as Orange Clockwork 109/129, Santa Cruz Chameleon, and Cotic Solaris. I'm just not sure if any of these bikes would be a good choice for the sort of riding I'd be doing. A local bike shop might be able to build up a frame for less than the cost of a factory build. I quite like the Jones bikes and handlebars, but they're out of budget. I suffer from fingers going numb, so I'm not sure how I'd get on with a mountain bike anyhow, and although a light, simple, rigid bike appeals, perhaps I'd be wiser to try a bike with suspension. I'd like something which isn't too heavy, and which is relatively eager on the climbs, but not skittish on the descents.
Any recommendations on how to get started?
Hi
Check out my ad for my friends Carbon Stumpjumper. I believe for the his price and build you will struggle to find better.
email in profile if you want to contact him.
I'd want to demo some bikes first in that price range. It gives you a lot of choice for hardtails.
I never hear anything bad about Cotic, there's also the Stanton Sherpa which looks lovely.
If budget is a concern you can certainly get good hardtails for a lot less than a grand. Halfords and Evans have some excellent value entry level bikes.
Go for something with a decent light frame - it will ride nicer than a heavy one and the kit is all upgradable as it wears out.
Then think about forks and rims.
The rest is way less important.
Second hand stuff is sometimes very good value.
£1500 is a lot to drop on a true beginner bike.
All of the bikes you mention above are great, and whilst there are differences, they wouldn't be something that a beginner would really appreciate.
To a beginner, I'd say £500-£800 is worth spending on a bike for a coupe of years to see if you use it and like it. After that you can decide whether you fancy a new bike. At that point you might have picked up the enthusiasm to spend more on FS, and you should have developed some trail skills to make the most of it.
If I had to choose from above, the Chameleon is my favorite, but the budget build isn't very good value. The Solaris is slightly more traditional, and might actually be my recommendation - it's a lovely bike.
If you can do some of your own maintenance, then 2nd hand bikes can offer great value. But if not, you don't want to start out on a bike that might have problems.
Thanks very much. I'd consider a used bike, but it would have to be local, and well-maintained. I wouldn't want to buy something and have to replace all the drivetrain and service the forks etc. There are that many 'standards' for mountain bikes, it makes it quite difficult (for me) to work out what I'd be needing, and there's a good chance that if I splashed out on components they wouldn't be compatible if I later bought a newer frame.
I'll maybe pop into Bothy Bikes in Aviemore and see if they can get me on the trails for reasonable money.
Boardman ht pro from halfords. £810 with british cycling discount
1.5 k is a lot of money!
You should get an excellent bike for this!
Playful 27.5 inch bike?
I would look for 130 - 140 mm fork.
Minimum 2.3 inch rubber. Minimum 25 mm internal rim size.
Example, 1.4 k:
https://www.cyclelane.co.uk/m1b0s391p11080/MERIDA-Big-Trail-800-2017
2017 model, 17" and 19" frames still available. The BigTrail 800 is a fantastic fun trail bike. Great for a beginner and the trails you describe. 1.4 k is a very good price tag for this bike.
Review:
http://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/hardtail/merida-big-trail-review
@PO: uups. Please forget above. You are looking for a 29" bike...
Yeah, don't get a good bike, get a shit one, then you'll earn your stripes properly. Or....get a good one. All your picks are good bikes and 29ers are where it's at for covering the ground, (well I think so....) if it's light you're after avoid steel, boardmans always seem to get good reviews, the chameleon of old was always quite a harsh ride cos it was built sturdy, don't know if the new ones are any softer, sonder gets raved about on here but then the Solaris isn't THAT heavy.... rambling now....er... Solaris.<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Or sherpa. Or Onza payoff ( Only cos ive got one - might be a bit heavy for what you're after). Or one of the Whyte ones</span>
Oh and buy new, unless you're after something specific, Youre just buying someone elses problems second hand
Charge Cooker range?...... Plus tyres - 29 ish (in that they are a similar circumference but much wider - possibly more draggy) but give more “cushion” especially on the rear of a hardtail. More xc leaning on geometry and set up.
I’ve a Solaris albeit built in plus mode. I find it the most versatile of all my bikes too. Singletrack, all day rides, snow rides... it’s the one that gets pulled out the shed the most.
If I was looking I’d go for a Solaris,but all three of those you listed will be good
as others have said - why buy a cheap bike if you know what your budget is. Being a “beginner” doesn’t restrict you in cost — and if you’re a roadie then you’ll probably be stronger and faster than most of the people criticising your choice
It's worth looking around pinkbike classifieds and, here, to see what's available 2nd hand. bit more of a risk with problems, as above, but if you know roadbikes, you'll know what to look for. Suspension aside, I guess.
Mentioning it particularly because I picked up a mint Jones Spaceframe full bike for well inside your budget which needed nothing doing apart from tweaking position.
I've got a mk2 Solaris in 29er guise and love it. Such a nice bike to ride.
Just sayin #recommendwhatyouhave
I also have a Solaris mk2 and would genuinely recommend one for your needs.
They have a nice composed feel but are still fun when you go fast, the steel frame gives a comfy ride but it's still stiff enough.
I did a review here: http://unduro.co.uk/mtb/review-cotic-solaris/
Only thing to consider is that a new version appears to be on the way, however the current one would still be very good for the kind of riding you describe.
Whyte 629? Fork spec a bit poor but you could upgrade. Some good deals on 2016 models.
Singletrack reviwed the 529 not long ago - https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/review-whyte-529/
There is the big Tweedlove bike demo in May at Glentress where you can try a load of bikes and see what you like. Bit of a trek for you but worth doing. http://tweedlovemegademo.com/
I find my steel 29er a bit slow on long climbs even though a light build.
Nukeproof Scout 290 is good value, and a couple of models at different price points to choose from.
Or one of the Whyte 29"/27.5+ bikes as they all seem to get good reviews? I've ridden Whyte full-sus bikes and they've all impressed me.
I think all three of your options would be great too, and i don't agree with buying something budget first personally. It's like starting out running in Crocs to see if you like it before buying proper running shoes. Appreciate everyone has different budgets etc. but you're already a cyclist so it's unlikely you'll buy the bike and then never ride it.
Thanks very much., Lots to think about! Yes, my off-road skills are lacking, but I can appreciate a nice bike.
If I'm being honest with myself, from a test ride I had on a Jones a few years ago, it's definitely a bike I think would suit me really well. At the time I totted up the cost to build one, and they're not cheap. Even the diamond frame with the standard forks gets expensive if you build it as it was designed to be, with the proprietary hub, headset, bars, and wide rims & fat tyres.
I think a suspension bike would take me longer to adjust to. A few brief rides back-to-back with the Jones felt like I was riding a bucking bronco! No doubt I'd get used to it, and I remember thinking a full suspension bike was covering (smoothish) ground at a furious pace. A hardtail also felt a bit awkward, but I think it was better when I put my weight over the fork and let it do its own thing. I think the problem would be if the trail threw up more than it could cope with! Another rigid bike with fat tyres (29plus, I think) didn't have the neutral steering feel of the Jones.
I'll need to get myself down to the bike shop and see what the current deals are, and what they recommend.
I'm a big fan of buying from lbs so I'd nip into bothy bikes or the one in Inverness (monster? I'm out of touch, I used to work in Thorntons on castle st in about 1994!), never been in either though so not sure what they're like. You should be able to pick up something pretty good for 1k, and if you want to spend more I'd get some better wheels as they're probably a bit hefty on cheaper bikes, especially if it's a 29er.
Not a 29er but I rode a Sonder Transmitter Carbon at Northern Grip and it’s one hell of a bike 27+ might be more forgiving than a 29er if you’re new to it all too.. it’s the only hardtail which could tempt me from my beloved Cotic Soul....they do a cheaper alloy version with the same geometry too..both bikes get excellent reviews.