Hi, I’m new, so please be gentle 🙂

I’m thinking about getting a new bike on the cycle to work scheme, and I’m apparently allowed to use pretty much any bike shop around Greater Manchester that supports the scheme 🙂

I’d like to spend around £600 and was considering either the Kona Blast Delux 09 or the Mongoose Amasa Comp 09. What are peoples thoughts. Are there any other bikes I should think about in the same price range?

Loads . . .

But £600 generally won’t get you a good fork, which on a hardtail is very important!

Going on what Evans Cycles have on their website, the Genesis Core 20 2009 Mountain Bike, looks
decent value, been knocked down in price, it’s got a RS Tora fork which is the best of the lower end forks.
You don’t want a fork any lower down the pecking order than this.

Will depend on where you can get it from though, try and find out.

The two you have chosen aren’t great value for the money as Kona are pretty poorly specced on the value for money front.

Try and spend as much as possible!

maybe thisnice frame, decent fork, good brakes, just a bit more!

http://merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=51&categoryId=39

Is Merlin too far?

Just a little bit. £600 is kind of my maximum I’m afraid

ok, . . . go for this

this

and spend your left over cash on a better fork to plug in the front.

as it stands it’s just as good as the other two you mentioned.

They’ve got a store near Manchester and they do the bike to work scheme.

I’ve got something similar, and it rocks!

Much arse!

Having checked, it seems about the only two bike shops around Manchester that aren’t part of the scheme that the University is in are Evans and Edinburgh!

Personally, I’d say sod the scheme and just get what you want anyway!!

What would you recommend as a fork upgrade to the Commencal Normal disc 09?
RideOn could do me the bike and a Rockshox tora sl soloair for a tad over my budget.

Seems fair enough, but not sure they’re over £110 worth of more fork than what’s on them already?

RS are pretty reliable though and it’s certainly better than what’s on it now.

good reviews here!

http://www.mtbr.com/cat/suspension/2008-forks/rockshox/rs-tora-318-solo-air/PRD_416304_1565crx.aspx

They’ve also got some MX Pro ETA’s from 07 nocking about in a sale, ask them about them too.

These offer a bit more trail cred, and are probably lighter.