Hello experts. I have recently (5-6 months ago) become an off road biking enthusiast but am able to recognise the limitations of my current bike. So I'd like to upgrade but need advise about what to buy and what I need to consider and why. Can you tell me?

Try giving a little more info and you might get a bit more help.

Failing that get a red one as they're faster.

What kind of riding do you do?

Where do you ride?

How much do you want to spend?

Hardtail or full suss?

Buy one that's made by a man with a beard in a shed. Ideally with no gears and funny sized wheels. That's the flavour of the month.

Okay – the extra info. The current bike I have is a Muddy Fox of some description. I think its got a 16" frame. (For singlespeedstu it's a kind of gold colour – will this slow it down?)

I tend to ride on dirt/stone tracks, fields, hills – off road. Typically cycling 8 – 10 miles per day.

The main problem with the bike is that it has not suspension so when I finish the ride my arms feel like they have been operating a pneumatic drill for the duration. So I could potentially upgrade – is that possible/sensible.

The brakes are old fashioned centre pull wheel rim brakes. The gears are Shimano Altus.

What else should I tell you?

Budget?

Change the record will you fake posh chip eater. 🙄

@iflogit.

The gold colour would be faster than a green bike but still not as fast as a red one.

Spend? No more than is necessary. £500 – £750. The main issue is what do I get by spending more, what must I have – what can I do without. I think a hardtail but willing to be persuaded.

Start with a good frame and forks and don't worry about the rest of it. Upgrade the bits as they wear out.
Have a look at Specialized, Trek and Giant hardtails in your price bracket, they are usually best value.

someone posted a full suss bike from decathlon on here the other day, it was 800 down from 1000 but was probsbly worth half as much again. id go and have a look there but take someone who knows their stuff as decathlon usually dont!

Maybe try and get a deal on an 07 or 08 bike from one of the big manufacturers.

You can get quite a lot of bike for £750.

iflogit- if you're riding on dirt and stone tracks try and keep things simple. Go for a basic but lightweight bike, rather than upgrading a basic bike that has an Altus spec. If you can stretch to about £500 this will get you a wonderful bike that'll do all you need and more should you get further into it.

I'd say in this situation, buy new and buy from a local shop. That way they're always there to help you out when you need advice- you'll (generally) get much clearer advice from a shop than an internet forum, and if you can show them much wrong they can avoid baffling technical descriptions to help sort it out, rather than describing it on the internet.

Upgrading a basic bike like yours has its negatives and positives. On the plus side, it's cheaper than a new bike. On the down side, to get it to a really nice spec it'll be better value to get an all new bike. A lot of places will do trade ins, and if not you can sell yours on ebay or a similar site.

In a new bike, look for 8 or 9 speed gears and forks from a reputable brand- the best ones to look for around £500 are called Rock Shox Darts. They have around 4" of suspension travel and usually have a lock that turns the suspension off on the road to make your life easier. Look for Shimano gears, and Avid or Shimano rim brakes (like you have at the moment) or disc brakes that stop on a disc at the middle of the wheel. Try and go for major brands such as Specialized, Trek and Giant as they offer the best value. Don't go to a chain shop where they will try and sell what's on the floor, not what you need.

Around that price point these are good options-

Trek 4500- http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/mountain_hardtail/4_series/4500e/

Giant XTC4- http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-GB/bikes/mountain/2442/32687/

Specialized Rockhopper- http://www.specialized.com/gb/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=40637&eid=107

Kona Blast- http://www.konaworld.com/09_blast_uk.cfm

Or my personal favourite-

Norco Storm- http://www.norco.com/bikes/mountain/cross-country-ht/storm/

Don't buy off the internet either- you'll have to get a shop to build it, and if you have any problems you won't have any local support to help you out. At your price point, and your level of riding, full suss is an extra complication you don't need. A hardtail will be lighter. Disc brakes are a real bonus- they make life a lot easier as they're more powerful and cheaper in the long run as pads last longer and maintenance is less. Gears- look for Shimano Deore, or maybe Alivio. SLX is better still. 8 or 9 speed isn't important for the minute- you won't notice enough difference for one to be an advantage over the other..

Hope you enjoy it!

Just dug out the last MBR Dirty Dozen test – winner was the Voodoo Bantu for £580. Looks great – Avid Juicy disc brakes, RaceFace finishing kit, Suntour Epicon forks (you could easily fit some decent RockShox into your budget though)
Only downside is…. http://www.halfords.co.uk

Equal with it was the Specialized Rockhopper Disc @£587. Again the Dart fors are a bit duff and worth upgrading – there's probably a model higher up the range within budget.
Hargroves are a Spesh dealer.

Lots to think about – thanks eveyone. Don't let me stop you from keeping it coming, though.

£749 from Hargroves. Tasty!

Don't do what I did, and buy a really nice, lightweight bike, that's not at all suitable for a beginner. 🙄 😆

As a beginner, I'd definitely go for a hardtail.

Genesis Core 30?

Mayebe a Specialized or summit like, but I'd definatley consider the Rockrider 9.2 if you live near a decathalon, stupidly good value even if just for teh components, like fork, gearing etc – most of which you'll ditch for a shed built steel single speed bike with no suspension that'll feel just like your old one but will be MILES better as it's from a shed in some deepest 'shire and a "proper" mountain bike*.

*May happen if you spend too much time on here 😆

Oh, and I'd also say don't blow all your budget ont he bike. A decent bike shop will offer a discount on things to go with it.

Good things for starting out include-

A pump ( a good one!)
A mini tool to fix any problems on the trail
Tyre levers and a patch kit to fix punctures.
A good helmet, like a Met Falco or Giro Rift.
Decent gloves- full finger, not mitts for added protection.
Decent bike shorts- try a baggy short with a padded insert.
Decent bike jersey- much nicer than riding in a t-shirt as it pulls the sweat away and keeps you comfy.
Decent lightweight raincoat- something like an Altura Nevis. About £50- they drop at the back to keep your arse dry and have vents to keep you cool.

Other nice things to have, but not essential would be-

Clip in shoes and pedals- they really are a world of difference. The best way to get faster without getting fitter!
A camelbak hydration system.