Imagine this – you you have never ridden a mountain bike before and fancy giving it a go, but firstly you need to go out and buy yourself a bike.

But somehow, you are already in possession of your vast knowledge of all things bikey – frame geometry, fork performance, materials, posing value etc…

So what would your first mountain bike be. How much would you spend on it if there was a distinct possibilty you'd ride it twice while the weather was nice and then never touch it again….

I'd start @ £800 if I had the money – I originally started @ £300 in 1993 🙂

Edit: If money was not an issue 😉

I'd spend maybe £400 on a half decent 2nd hand hardtail. If you then decide not to continue then re-selling it should incur to big a loss.

In all honesty, I'd probably rent one for a weekend first.

i'd blow 2k on a bike and walk it down any slightly rough ground that i come across

Whyte 46, full XTR

I'd buy a Klein Attitude, realise that the hill was much steeper than it looked, stop in a pub for a pint and a pie, come out, find it missing, go home, then sulk, buy an Octavia or Passat then come on here and whine constantly about what a waste cheap components or tools are, youths, people who don't know how to drive as well as me,how the revenue top gear produces could revive the economy single handed, and speed cameras.

On Saturday nights when I'm p****d, I could come on here and have arguements with somebody exactly the same as me about bugger all.

LOL

This is exactly the situation i was in a few months ago. Never rode a mountain bike before, but blew, oh, maybe 1600 quid on a pimped blue pig, which is really rare here in italy. All the kids i now ride with look at me like i'm a fool for spending so much money on a hard tail. And i am. But happy as a clam. Worth every penny.

No really I would 🙂

Can you hold your breath for ten minutes and do you have a rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle in your pocket?

£400-500 on a decent specced 2nd hand hardtail probably. Something with decent frame/forks and hopefully gears not too worn.

100mm steel hardtail.

perfect uk bike imo.

jim29 – that was my third bike and it had XT on it 😛

I'm of the opinion that 700 pounds is where I would start – with an Orange or a Genesis for UK trail cool.

Also reckon I could build up an On One Summer Season myself for 630 pounds, and this would then be ripe for adding a decent fork if it turned out I enjoyed biking. And an OnOne with an expensive fork wouldn't look weird.

£500-£700 on a HT. If I could go back and buy a bike when I first started (7-8 years) with my present knowledge to keep it would be a turner 5 spot (horst link), marzocchi's, d521's and hopes.

Personally wouldn't look at spending more than £300 on a HT either 2nd hand or otherwise, whats the point if you are not sure you are going to enjoy it.
Yu can always sell it if you do enjoy it and get a better bike.
Something like a giant yukon is good for brand new

Find one i liked the look of and buy it after having a bit of a test ride.

Pook – Member

Can you hold your breath for ten minutes and do you have a rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle in your pocket?

That is a specific and obscure reference but, just to let you know it wasnt wasted, I got it!

Re the bike, £400-£500 on a second hand hard tail. If it doesn't end up getting used selling it on is going to cause minimal cash loss.

Pook – Member

Can you hold your breath for ten minutes and do you have a rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle in your pocket?

I have no idea, but for some reason it makes me think about chimps?

jahwomble = on fire tonight!

and pirates.

Waits for Mancomb to post a comment…

Ahhhhhhhhh, got it 🙂

A perfect opportunity for me to make a completely new set of mistakes then……:)

£800 – entry level Genesis Altitude or similar.

I would spend 700 quid on hookers, and nick a Klein Attitude from outside a pub.

Boardman Team