I have bought a Boardman Pro bike from Halfords and I like it!
I realise this bike will not be 'cool' enough or 'now' enough for most of you but I don't really care. I have a tried and tested suspension design with [i]better[/i] kit than a lot of your Yetis, Pivots or Santa Cruzs for a lot less money than you will have paid for those. I realise i did have to deal with Halfords but so long as I don't talk to the spotty oiks and instead direct my attention to the older guys in the bikehut department I have always had good service from them and continued to on this occasion. I considered buying a £2k+ Spesh or Trek but decided that I didn't like the idea of paying more for a lesser equiped bike so saved myself £700-800 in the process.
Halfords had a delivery of 50 in January, I'm surprised they still have any at that spec and that price. I can't see why people would pay more for a 120mm travel bike.
So what if Spesh or Giant have bigger R&D departments, Boardman have obviously done their research and have spec'd the bike sensibly and have priced very very competitively!
I like my bike and I had a lot of change from the money I could have spent. That is all. Thanks for reading.
I realise this bike will not be 'cool' enough or 'now' enough for most of you but I don't really care
Nice strawman argument you have there. The Boardman bikes are highly thought of around these parts.
You don't happen to live around Mossley do you? I saw someone out on a very new look Boardman FS yesterday afternoon, it looked very smart.
Nice purchase 🙂
'who's that clip, clip clopping on my bridge?' 🙄
Just to add something - I bought this month's MBR yesterday and am quite enjoying it.
160mm all-mountain bike reviews, who'd have thought it?
every review i've read said the ride well and the parts list was impressive for the price, what's not to like unless you are a bike snob who spends more time polishing a bike than riding it?
ride and enjoy!
God, you're a sensitive soul. That's quite some defense in advance of anyone even commenting.
I've ridden on and thought it was a ridiculous bargin for the money and it rides absolutely fine.
they do look good, dont they?
as a general rule though, dont be blinded by the spec cos nice geo and ok kit will always be better than shonky geo and great kit. my mate got a deal on a felt which was clearly too steep in the head angle and tall in the bb for what he was using it for but it had full xt at the price range of slx. needless to say he regrets it now.
from what ive seen/heard of those boardmans you have nothing to worry about though. id be tempted to buy one, sell the frame and put the kit on something nice though, it would be a great bargain then 😉
To many pivots for my liking 😛
OMG!!! You got a boardman!?!?! From Halfords???!!!!!!! LMAO!!!
slowrider - Member
they do look good, dont they?as a general rule though, dont be blinded by the spec cos nice geo and ok kit will always be better than shonky geo and great kit. my mate got a deal on a felt which was clearly too steep in the head angle and tall in the bb for what he was using it for but it had full xt at the price range of slx. needless to say he regrets it now.
from what ive seen/heard of those boardmans you have nothing to worry about though. id be tempted to buy one, sell the frame and put the kit on something nice though, it would be a great bargain then
But it's a bargain anyway, all the reviews have been very good, and the geometry looks fine for general riding (ie not specifically DH or Alps etc).
Why would he go to the extra expense of buying another frame and swapping kit over when he has a perfectly decent one there?
Unless it's badge snobbery we're talking about? In which case, the Genius range would be better for kit-swapping.
I bought a Boardman Hybrid (flat-barred road bike) and i'm loving it!
Never being a roadie i've previously not been interested in road riding apart from the daily commute so the joy of a nice road ride just for fun is very new to me. Love the way the bike rides, handles nicely and feels lovely on the roads - plus comes with disc brakes and proper bars (hate drops).
i know he has a bargain, i dont dispute its a good deal or a good bike. im just saying that i would put it on a frame that i really wanted and feel smug about the deal i got. im not saying he should do the same, just confessing my own inner bike tart. id probably choose an ibis tranny i reckon, with the build from the 1300 quid fs one. i know you pay more for the fs but you get the bolt thru reba.
i wonder what a 2nd hand 'new' boardman frame would fetch?
id get it on c2w too, thats another 400 quid off!
Bought the Carbon Team myself for £750 and £100 worth free gear ordered in and not cycle to work.
Was tempted by the Pro-nice bit of kit but I crash alot.
Enjoy and I was nose up on boardmans too but quite impressed by them now.
Also the guy has 2yr warranty while cycle to work scheme doesn't and not everyone sticks to one job and rents the bike.
I have a tried and tested suspension design with better kit than a lot of your Yetis, Pivots or Santa Cruzs for a lot less money than you will have paid for those.
You're the best 😐
in a daft kind of way, i think the boardman bikes ARE cool...
they don't try to impress you with image or graphics or styling, there's no veneer of 'nicheness'.
in a way they're a little bit anti-establishment, showing the world that you really don't need to buy into a brand.
(ahem, cough santa-cruz, cough orange, cotic, yeti, intense, cough)
they're just bikes, and bikes are ace.
Boardman isn't a brand then? The way you describe it, it's a niche.
WGAS?
They're good value, and if you like it, then great.
Just to add something - I bought this month's MBR yesterday and am quite enjoying it.160mm all-mountain bike reviews, who'd have thought it?
Hmmm. I just bought MBR for the first time in years - (through boredom) about two hours ago. I've read the 160mm bike reviews - wish I'd spent the £4.25 on bog roll - in fact! 😈
Sounds like someone couldn't afford any of the bikes they mention and are feeling a little inferior so covering that by having a rant.
I got one too. Before the suspension pivot fell off it was surprisingly good. It's got a Horst link, but they don't sell in USA so no patent fee. It climbs standing very well, and it's fun to chuck about.
Been on the SS for winter and there's a pivot bolt on it's way so looking forward to that.
Cheers, al.
they are just carrera though really arent they? 😈
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ace
Bregante - MemberJust to add something - I bought this month's MBR yesterday and am quite enjoying it.
160mm all-mountain bike reviews, who'd have thought it?
Hmmm. I just bought MBR for the first time in years - (through boredom) about two hours ago. I've read the 160mm bike reviews - wish I'd spent the £4.25 on bog roll - in fact!
I meant that in a rather tongue in cheek way - that's why I mentioned the bike review. Don't they ALWAYS review 160mm full sus bikes. At least every time I pick it up anyway!
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I really like mine,very light too,and well made 😉
"they are just carrera though really arent they?"
More or less, same factory etc. Which is good, since today's carreras are also brilliant for the money.
"they are just carrera though really arent they?"More or less, same factory etc. Which is good, since today's carreras are also brilliant for the money.
don't worry, I am sure the 'carrera and boardman' factory also turns out much trendier and more expensive bikes too 🙂
One thing i noticed with the hybrid and road bikes was the quality of the weld finishing - perfectly smooth with lovely clean lines.
At those price you can't knock them and if you do then you're a fool. I'm tempted on geting one if I can convince the new work to do the cycle to work then I'll keep my frame and a few select bits and have a bike that will finally be decent.
Merida own the factory in which the Boardman/Carrera bikes are made, so no doubt it also pumps out some Spesh and the like too.
Boardmans look to be fantastic VFM, the £1000 carbon road bike and cross bike are both amazing for the money. I'd be a bit wary of their full suss though.
swoosh - i'm pleased for you
Had one for a very short while - 2008 hard tail comp. Bought it off of a guy I ride sometimes with. Was a bit big for me but it was a nice bike light and responsive. Prefer my Anthem... But seriously thinking of a top range boardman for a C2W 🙂
Another delighted HT Pro owner here - almost went for a Voodoo but the inferior componentry and crazy weight difference made it a no-brainer (God, I hate that phrase, but no other would do....).
I am guessing the OP did not get the replies he was after, seeing as he has abandoned his own thread.
"i wonder what a 2nd hand 'new' boardman frame would fetch?"
Halfords sold me an 08 frame for £109. Use it as my Second/Winter bike. It's good. Want better/lighter forks for it.
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Buzzlightyear i love the way halfords sell stuff uber cheap at times.
I've had some absolute bargains over the years, one of the best being a saracen zen frame with cranks still attached for 20quid.
I'd be a bit wary of their full suss though.
Why's that Dougal?
Not being funny, just that I quite fancy one myself - have only read good reports, apart from one bad experience from Mr Kelly as detailed in one of his previous posts and mentioned above.
That sounded more like a prep fault than inherent design weakness though.
All the mags seem to have posted positive reviews, but Singletrack did mention that the bearings seemed a little undersized.
Quite fancy the Pro full-susser - can anyone comment on long term reliability?
I like it Boardman bikes probably made by the same company who makes Specalized bikes Sounds like you Spec guys better get a refund LOL LOL
in their favour i think they have more personality than their namesake