Thanks for reading and sorry for posting a message that I know will have been answered a million times, I’ve read loads of threads and am still as confused as ever.

I’m looking into getting back into cycling to become a little less fat and little fitter. In my youth (up until about the age of 20) I used to cycle everywhere, was regularly out on my mountain bike and thoroughly enjoyed it. This all stopped when my Orange Clockwork was stolen (along with most others I believe) any my road bike was replaced with a car when I got a job further from home. The Orange was replaced with a Marin which I never got on with.

I’m soon to be in possession of a £1000 C2W voucher and am looking for a new bike. I’ve ruled out road bikes as it’s too restrictive only using roads, I toyed with the idea of a CX bike but what I liked about the Orange was that I didn’t feel stretched out whilst riding, which I assume is going to be the position on a CX bike.

I’m not spoilt for choice where I live and work in a very remote location so at the moment I have another week and a half of just the WWW to research. I suppose I’m looking for a HT (never could get on with FS) with quite a short TT that can be thrown about a bit. Price wise it either needs to be just under £1k or the shop needs to be sympathetic with me topping up with cash under the counter so to speak. I’ve looked at on-one and I do like the look of the 45650b but at £945 +10% takes it out of my price range.

I’m no badge snob, don’t need the very latest kit and know very little about current groupsets etc. so if anyone could give any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

Mark

You sound a bit like where I was 6 months ago, though probably less fat and unfit, and much less time off the bike. My previous riding was almost all road and I’d never owned a mountain bike.

I talked to the local LBS who gave me what I think was really good advice, spending a lot of time finding out what sort of riding I fancied- cross country (and I am lucky in that I can do it straight from home). We settled on a 29er hardtail and the guy put some effort into talking me downscale to a less expensive bike (Whyte 529), to see how I got on.

I’m really enjoying it, apart from Friday’s rather good crash on to gritstone boulders, which has fortunately left me with only flesh wounds.

I think the 529 was about right for where I was at the time, not so heavy and low spec that riding was no fun, but not silly expensive or fancy. Sadly I had a go on a carbon hardtail a few weeks ago and the Whyte 29C-S is now firmly on the shopping list.

I like the 29er for covering ground and I also feel comfortable on them. Other here will know far more than I do about the choices available to you (though Whyte’s 629 is £ 999) but I’m very much a happy camper at the moment.

I did look at the Whyte briefly the other day and I think their is a stockist where I live. If it were my own money I would be spending less but I am in the fortunate position that my bike is fully funded (I just pay the tax on the settlement figure). It was either a new bike or dental insurance and a gym membership :).

The idea of a 29er does appeal but I’ll have to ride one to see how I get on with the big wheels.

The idea of a 29er does appeal but I’ll have to ride one to see how I get on with the big wheels.

Makes sense. I am tall and it just feels right for me.

Try the Orange Clockwork 29er

Great bike. I rode mine more than my Five when I bought it last February.

Base model around £800 I think but you should be able go get the S if you shop around.

Just had a look and there are also 650B options in the Whyte range at the same price point so will have to pop into LBS and have a look / sample. At 5’9 (on a good day) I’m not the tallest person…

Thanks for all your help. Any more suggestions from others greatly appreciated.

Now that is a tempting proposition curvature. Does anyone have any experience of a bike shop allowing an under the counter C2W cash top-up?