Help – Bike build for a friend!

Hi All,

I hope you can help me, a friend has asked my advice on the sort of bike to get after his missus offered him one for Christmas 😀

The only slight catch is that she has a budget of £250, they are both new to MTBing and don’t really understand how much it can cost. My mate is willing to chuck some of his own money in but not a huge amount more. I suggested to him going down the second hand route but he would prefer a new bike, so my next thought was new frame (456 or similar?) with second hand parts.

He was more taken by this idea, but wanted to know how much would likely be spent. So far I have a short list of 3 frames:

On-One Inbred
Ragley Blue Pig
Ragley mmmBop

but am struggling for forks, I’m not sure I could live with myself suggesting he picked up a Suntour or RS Dart or similar knowing that it’ll be heavy and poo. I did suggest rigid for the moment upgrading the fork sometime down the line but he’s adamant he wants a suspension fork.

I was wondering if the STW Massive would be able to help me out on this one? It’d be another rider on the trails!!!!!!!!

Cheers

Dom

Blue pig or mmmbop would be shit with under 130mm forks.

is he wanting a full bike for £250?

buy used from ebay, I got my commencal for under £500, it’s not perfect but it’s a good bike.

Unfortunately ideally it’d be a full build for around £250.

I’m taking him around some shops to have a look at stuff next weekend hopefully so he can see the sort of thing he can get for that price. Trouble is I can’t imagine any shop selling that sort of price band allowing us to demo it off road!!!!!!!

I’ll see what ebay has to offer.

you’ll not get anything decent self build at that price,I’d agree 2nd hand route as well.My mate started not long ago and managed to find a as new carrera fury (great value starter bike,read the reviews)for £250 they are out there youv’e just got to look hard.

Hmmm, thought it might be a bit of an ask.

I’m concerned with the running gear/forks going tits up after a few weeks of use and replacement parts being required.

Bike radar here I come!!

You’ve made the mistake projecting your own enthusiasm for MTBs onto someone new to it all, To be honest if he’s a “beginner” then there’s worse out there than a £250-300 Carrera…

Most people actually don’t get that serious about riding after the honeymoon period, first couple of months it’s all dandy then they either stick with it or take up another fad £250 is fine for a starter bike… if he likes it then he’ll be pestering you again for buying advice around his birthday…

how about this?

Maybe this is true….

I’ve been having a look at the Halfords bikes compared to similar priced bikes on CRC and Wiggle.

They seem to come out favourably, although this Ghost from CRC seems lighter…

Buy the frame that you think best suits from ebay then upgrade the parts over the next 2 to 3 months.

Buy the wrong bike and they will never get into biking, your best bet is to borrow a bike from someone take them out a few times, get them hooked, then talk them into a custom bike build over a few months.

I could build an OK bike for £250, infact I’ve just decided right now that I will see what I can build for £250 and let you see it 8)

I’ve not been hugely impressed with what I have found full build so far, mostly due to the range of gears… Most are 21 speed, 11 – 28, don’t know about the Careera though it doesn’t say.

Unless gear range isn’t that important!

21, 24, 27… 30, does it really matter?

Nah, not really…

The biggest problem building a bike up whether 2nd hand or new parts are used with such a low budget is that you will eventually have to make similar compromises to the off the peg builds (so you could well wind up going 21/24 speed on cost anyway) honestly I think it’s better to get a basic Halfrauds bike or similar then they’re up and running straight away, less faff, having a Gucci bike to start with is just a waste if it takes an age to build and then lives in the shed for six months…

Ex-hire kona from skyline cycles? £350 ish.

Hmmmmm….

SO far without Fork, bars, grips, headset or stem I am well over budget 🙁

Looks like halfrauds is the likely bet, I’ll have a look and see what the local LBS’ have in store, would much prefer to support them than the frauds!!!! Cheers guys!

kaesae – I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

can you get to london ??

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Carrera-Vulcan-Ltd-Edition-/170570584194?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item27b6cc9082

don’t just discount halfords, the fury’s are good, if you can pick one up in your budget you have won

One of teh edinburgh bike co op own brand revolution bikes? £250 gets you a basic v brake mtb, £300 a mecahanical disc brake one great value for money

Hi Guys,

Cheers for all your help, we ended up going for the Carrera Vengeance. I’m quite impressed with the bike and his skillz so far, one ride in. Although we did manage to rip the valve out of the inner tube whilst topping the tires up! I’ll put that down to teething pains, and suggest he pursuades Halfords to give him a new one.

Dom