[Closed] If you had £600?

I’d be Looking at a 29er hardtail. Best all rounder imo

Something with decent forks and frame. So if go for an older whyte 900 series, or older Solaris something like that. Thing is if you want any decent second hand bike for that money, you have to go back a while, so an original Solaris which is 135 qr rear and shorter. But would still be great.

Bang for buck I'd just look at eBay within 50 miles until I saw something that took my fancy. So many options at that price you'd be likely to pick up something excellent.

Or buy a new bizango

You're welcome.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/brompton-m3l-3-speed-folding-bike-red/1324891265

it is a bit of a stealth question but also just really interesting to see what folk would do in this time of £3-4k standard bike purchases....£600 should still get you a seriously good piece of kit, capable of worrying the £3-4k bikes on the trails.

I have had many mtbs and ridden most disciplines, just been on drop bars only for a couple of years but really fancy an mtb again, for the odd race and some trail hooning (plus my oldest lad is only a year or two off being able to hit proper trails) but it won't get used much, so just seems silly to spend loads of dosh on it.

A fixed gear track bike, all the bike I need to enjoy the riding where I live. Get a pretty good one for £600 used.

Bet you could get a nice asr 5 or 26er stumpjumper for that sort of money

best value, most fun, best specced and general happiness inducing bike

As above, a Brompton. More smiles per mile than any of my bikes. More useful, more fun, more life changing. Just an ace bike.

+1 for a Yeti 5. The bike I judge all other bikes against (my son now has mine).

There is an old school 24” wheel, big hit on Facebook marketplace for £450. I’d buy that just to see how bad it really was back then...

There's an ibis mojo in the classified ads that wants snapping up

Beats the arse out of a Brompton!

I would look for a 2nd hand 29er hardtail, there’s all sorts on ebay.
Or get down to halfords and look for a last year bike reduced.

Few of the lads I ride with have just bought ex demo Scott aspects xt and rockshox for £350 each. Decent deal imho

the best value, most fun, best specced and general happiness inducing bike

Maybe not the best specced as it has no suspension but the Surly Krampus is by far the best value, most fun and happiness inducing bike I've ever had. Not many of them out there but £600 for an early one in good condition, in moonlight swamp green should be doable.

Well, of course it depends what you already have. Two of the last four bikes I’ve bought were a fat bike for £700 and a cross bike for £200. Both fantastic second-hand bargains that have given me so much pleasure. Now, I’d be looking for a Krampus or a Stooge Speedball

It's certainly a buyers market at this time of year. Got a 650B hardtail I'm about to list but might wait until spring. It's only short of a dropper post but this and the bike could be had for less than £600

Bighits weren't bad per se, they were a budget option and good for what they were.

I'd buy my Trailstar again, paid about £450 9 years ago, proper do everything hardtail. Not the fastest or lightest but does everything I've ever needed it to.

good call on the trail star.... one of the best bikes i ever owned, felt like a game changer when i bought it! tyres lasted ages, as they were never on the ground

Actually, buy my 2008 Reign. It’s still fantastic, I just don’t ride it anymore 🙁

cheers but too old for a full suss for me and too much of a beast really, weren't they 170mm?... despite seeing if an awesome bike can be had for around £600 id like something with fairly modern geo and weight possibilities.

Wasn’t really serious. 🙂 The Reign is 150mm and came with, I think, 140mm Fox 32s. I swapped them out for a 160mm Wotan then an X-Fusion Vengeance. It is a beast downhill but not the best for flatter, gentler stuff if I’m honest.

I think it'll be more a chase of keeping an eye of gumtree/ebay/classified and see what comes up locally. At that price point I'd definitely want to collect.

29er Orange @ £630 looks ok for a start..(not mine)

https://singletrackworld.com/classifieds/advert/orange-clockwork-29er/

best value, most fun, best specced and general happiness inducing bike

A Calibre Dune and a set of replacement tyres. New.

I'd probably get a large 26in freeride or DH bike, just for those few times a year that I miss having one.
But considering your brief, a secondhand Boardman pro 29er with a few key upgrades. The black, silver & green one.

I'd buy that Dialled cruiser BMX in the classifieds for £500. Mainly just to look at because it's lovely, riding it would probably kill me

Some sort of steel 29er hardtail like a a Genesis High Latitude.

Calibre Dune, or Voodoo Bizango, new.

Or for best bang for buck, leaving plenty of that budget for other bits, Voodoo Marasa.

Probably a DJ/4x/DS bike to rag round Leeds bike park, if I had the space to store it.

Another vote for a steel 29er ht, with 120mm fork.

£600?

I'd stretch to £650 and get that Sherpa in classifieds.

Please.

Before i do......

😀

I got my mk2 Soul off here for IIRC £300. A set of better forks for about £100 and a dropper post. And built it new wheels for peanuts, and sold a bunch of the bits that came on it. It can't owe me more than £400 and it's as much fun as any bike I've ever had. 26 ain't dead, it just went super cheap

Find a decent SS Surly 1x1, have your fun, and when you sell it (if ever) you'll get your £600 back and be able to start the same fun loop again. 🙂

Something steel rigid and ss

The mojo was mine and so is the Sherpa 😁
Mojo gone but Sherpa still there if you’re keen. £650 mind...

best value, most fun, best specced and general happiness inducing bike?

Calibre Dune fatty gets my vote. Bought for <500 new, 2 years ago. Still amazed by the fun, value it offers + opens up new riding routes. 'best specced'? Nope, not even close...but it works. Easy upgrades as it wears out.

2nd hand Kona Honzo or similar