Tekforums
Chat => Sports, Hobbies & Motors => Topic started by: matt5cott on February 10, 2012, 08:56:37 AM
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http://www.tekforums.net/sports-hobbies-cycling/going-to-get-a-bike!/15/
(http://www.tekforums.net/sports-hobbies-cycling/going-to-get-a-bike!/15/)
Some good advice at the end of here, but it's a year out of date now, £350/400 I should be able to stump up, more if it's worth it
(http://www.lorealcouponsprintable.com/wp-content/uploads/Loreal-Coupons.jpg)
Suggestions? :)
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Will be for road and off-road use.
Perhaps moreso road as Nottingham has a work place parking levy coming into force :thumbdown:
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Advice from last year is still valid. Don't buy a bike from Halfords though.
They may have a reasonable range, but their aftersales is shocking.
If you're wanting to go off road, get a mountain bike as you can ride road with them. Can't ride off road on a road bike.
The Claude Butler Cape Wrath is always a good choice, with different specs to suit how much you want to spend.
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/claud-butler-cape-wrath-3-mens-id57102.html
That's a good price ;)
Spend between £350 and £500. The more the better. The bike will feel better, last longer and generally be more enjoyable.
If you don't like it, you've got more of a chance of getting most of your money back if you sell it. Cheap bikes lose money like an Alfa Romeo :D
Read this too,
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/best-mountain-bikes-under-500-29451/
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Don't know how tall you are, but this is nice.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Specialized-Rockhopper-SL-mountain-bike-17-5-inch-frame-8-months-old-/130645530291?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item1e6b1496b3#ht_500wt_1156
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Cheers so far guys :) I'm 6ft1, and I don't mind if a bikes white, or green, or any colour really :cheers:
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http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=74272
Kona Blast. Job done.
A few of my friends have had these, I've had a few higher end Kona's and they've been fantastic.
They ride nicely, the frame warrants upgrading to better bits when the cheaper stuff on it breaks.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=72861
Cube Aim, also a very nice riding bike.
You'd probably want an 18"
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Thanks Soopah :D
That Kona looks and sounds like a great bike, but the Cube, omg that just looks sexual! :drool:
I am now completely confused even further! Wub
One thing to note though, if I do pull the trigger on one of these I'm unlikely to mod it any further from 'standard' tbh, not one to tinker much really, is this something I need to take into account?
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Thanks Soopah :D
That Kona looks and sounds like a great bike, but the Cube, omg that just looks sexual! :drool:
I am now completely confused even further! Wub
One thing to note though, if I do pull the trigger on one of these I'm unlikely to mod it any further from 'standard' tbh, not one to tinker much really, is this something I need to take into account?
No, but bear in mind that the cheaper parts that adorn these bikes will wear out and break quicker than a more costly bike.
These bikes have cheaper components, as you are paying for a great frame. It would be prudent to replace the cheap parts with better parts when the need arises. No need to change the cheap parts if they are working perfectly well.
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Generic Kona Blast reviews : http://www.mtbr.com/cat/bikes/xc-hardtail/kona/blast/prd_363356_1527crx.aspx
Cube Aim Reviews : http://www.mtbr.com/cat/bikes/xc-hardtail/cube-bikes/aim/prd_417653_1527crx.aspx
If it was my money, I'd take the Kona.
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If it was my money, I'd take the Kona.
God damn it, I just cannot get on with that blue colour scheme, it reminds me too much of sweets I had as a kid :lol:
The cube in black and white is just gorgeous, this must be what ladies feel like when they see shoes/bags they want :lol: it's not in stock till March 5th so I have time to decide anyway :thumbup:
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I don't think you'd be disappointed with either tbh.
Try a couple of other bikes for size while you're waiting for that to come into stock.
Leisure Lakes have Cube bikes.
If you could stretch that budget, the Kona Fire Mountain is a classic, and is leaps and bounds above the Blast and the Cube.
http://www.konaworld.com/mtb_trail_allmountain_hardtail.cfm?content=fire_mountain
But as a novice, I wouldn't spend any more than that.
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Hmm, that Kona Fire Mountain does come in 'gay gold' which matches my car ;D
But it's £100/£150 more than the other two, just how many leaps and bounds are we talking here! :panic:
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It's more the level of componentry on the bike than anything.
The Cube and the other Kona have great frames and low grade components. The Fire Mountain is more rounded with a great frame and good components. Again, you wouldn't be disappointed with any of them.
The Fire Mountain would be lighter and the components would be more robust and perform better than their cheaper counterparts.
If you don't want or can't stretch, then don't worry. It's not a massive job to upgrade when bits break. :ptu:
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After the theft of my On-One the other week, I've replaced it with a '12 Cannondale Trail SL 5. Got a cracking deal on it too.
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After the theft of my On-One the other week, I've replaced it with a '12 Cannondale Trail SL 5. Got a cracking deal on it too.
Shame it wasn't 3 less or you would have been on a ragga tip.
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£900 though for an SL2 :D
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Getting back to the original post.
After spending a bit of time with my Cannondale Trail SL5, I can hartilly recommend one.
I've just been a jammy sod and got some Fox 32 RL forks, Hope Hoops, X0 Rear mech, X9 Shifters and a pink Race Face bar for not much more than I paid for the bike ;)
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Getting back to the original post.
After spending a bit of time with my Cannondale Trail SL5, I can hartilly recommend one.
*white noise*
I understood the first bit, and shall check them out thanks :bow:
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Basically means they use the same frame on their top of the range trail sl and is worth upgrading over time.
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
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What did you go for in the end?
I've just upgraded my Cannondale to this fine specimen.
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7591857/2013-01-11%2017.47.00.jpg)
Basically same bike, different frame.
Utterly utterly brilliant.
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but.... without a motor/battery you'll have to pedal everywhere ? :-p
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Guaranteed the stuff I ride, I'd be faster than you with a motor.
Also, this weighs ~27lbs. What's your battery beast weigh? :D
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Guaranteed the stuff I ride, I'd be faster than you with a motor.
Also, this weighs ~27lbs. What's your battery beast weigh? :D
you mean the bike you ride or where you ride ? mine does 50mph and pulls wheelies with the (20lb ish) motor on the front
new motor on it's way, 4 times the power yaaha!
but yeah... I can't rid for crap tbh... getting better tho... still getting used to going around roundabouts at 40mph on a pedal bike... not used to leaning over that far!
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Guaranteed the stuff I ride, I'd be faster than you with a motor.
Also, this weighs ~27lbs. What's your battery beast weigh? :D
you mean the bike you ride of where you ride ? mine does 50mph and pulls wheelies with the (20lb ish) motor on the front
new motor on it's way, 4 times the power yaaha!
but yeah... I can't rid for crap tbh... getting better tho... still getting used to going around roundabouts at 40mph on a pedal bike... not used to leaning over that far!
just attach some wings & go over the roundabouts instead:OP
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just attach some wings & go over the roundabouts instead:OP
I'm happy as long as I'm not going over the handlebars tbh...
(still need to get a helmet!)
supa, are avid BB7 brakes any good ? they're what everyone told me to get ? (need to be cable operated)
got those and 203mm disks going on front and back as soon as the new motor turns up :-)
spent like £250 on them so they better be good..... was going to stock with the old ones but there were a few times I had to use my feet to stop...
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just attach some wings & go over the roundabouts instead:OP
I'm happy as long as I'm not going over the handlebars tbh...
(still need to get a helmet!)
supa, are avid BB7 brakes any good ? they're what everyone told me to get ? (need to be cable operated)
got those and 203mm disks going on front and back as soon as the new motor turns up :-)
spent like £250 on them so they better be good..... was going to stock with the old ones but there were a few times I had to use my feet to stop...
Mate you're doing 50mph... I'd be switching out toy brakes and looking at moped hydraulic setups. I'd also be bloody careful as above 15mph you're a normal road vehicle so need tax, insurance and likely a motorbike licence and I don't know of many private roads with roundabouts on.
Heat build up in overloaded (70lbs + your weight) bicycle tyres at a constant 50mph must be huge too, likelihood for a blow out is high.
Argos do helmets for £30 that are decent enough but I'd be wearing some normal biker gear too as road rash sucks, I've come off at 25mph on a push bike in a long sleeved rugby shirt and crag hopper combats and almost ended up needing skin grafts and ground the bone in my (elbow) forearm on the concrete.
Be careful!
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not worried about a blow out
more worried about forgetting to tighten the bolt through the front wheel and the wheel coming off at 40mph.... again :s
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just attach some wings & go over the roundabouts instead:OP
I'm happy as long as I'm not going over the handlebars tbh...
(still need to get a helmet!)
supa, are avid BB7 brakes any good ? they're what everyone told me to get ? (need to be cable operated)
got those and 203mm disks going on front and back as soon as the new motor turns up :-)
spent like £250 on them so they better be good..... was going to stock with the old ones but there were a few times I had to use my feet to stop...
:o £250 for BB7's? You've been had matey. Send them back. You can get Shimano XT Hydraulics for that.
Why do they need to be cabled? Even at 203mm, you might find they overheat still. If they do, you should be able to put some Hope vented rotors on.
Also check what the maximum rotor size the frame and fork can safely take.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=67749
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=67208
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I need cable breaks because I need to put a switch on the leaver to cut the motor power when I break.... too easy to keep full power on and brake at the same time in a brown trousers moment :-o
feck on the price tho... was linked to them by someone on the electric bike forum... probably his own shop :-s
I'm not on the brakes a lot... mostly coast well before any junctions/obstetrical... it's just for that odd time when some numpty pulls out in front of you and you have to jam the breaks on.... (and give him a dose of the 72v horn of too course ;) )
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Can't you just have a little push to break switch inside the lever? Pull the brakes on, it gets the switch and cuts the power?
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Can't you just have a little push to break switch inside the lever? Pull the brakes on, it gets the switch and cuts the power?
yeah that's what I needed... just thought cable would be easier than hydraulic ?
i read that high end cable breaks with decent leavers are as good as hydraulic ?
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High end cable discs are about as good as cheap Hydros.
I would consider putting Hydro's on there, as there are many upgrade paths.
Hope M4's
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=73417
V2 Vented Rotor
http://www.bikeoutlet.co.uk/products/Hope_Moto_V2_203mm_Vented_Disc_Rotor-1820-65.html
Tbh though. If anything's going to snap the frame, this brake setup will.
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DEALS!!!
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b65s2p0
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Hey guys. In a month or 2 I'm thinking about spending out £400ish on a bike for both off road and also just getting around. Recommendations?
Also what would you recommend to lock it up with?
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Oh I'm back and forth between hatfield & hitchin at the moment if looking for local retail stores.
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I don't know what your local stores would be, but £400 is good for an entry level mountain bike. Most if not all of the usual bike press rave about the Halfords Voodoo Hoodoo.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_786847_langId_-1_categoryId_165499
If the Hoodoo is too much monies, then the Bantu is pretty good too.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_786851_langId_-1_categoryId_165499
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Kind of tempted to spend more and go for the cube aim disc 29er as its just so pretty :p
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Personally, I don't like how cubes ride, and I don't like 29ers either :D
If it was my ££ (and I wanted 29ers) I'd be looking at the Lapierre Raid or the Cannondale Trail 29er.
The problem is though, Suntour have the budget market sewn up with their horrible cheap suspension fork.
It used to be that you could get something half reasonable from rockshox or manitou on the sub £600 bikes.
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Pushing the budget even further mtr.co.uk have given the Voodoo Bizango hard tail of the year for sub £600
http://www.mbr.co.uk/bikes/voodoo-bizango-29er-review-2013/
Lots of choices and plenty of money :p
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Looks bang on that.
Voodoo are/were a very good brand and it looks like their new overlords are looking to keep that up.
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Just a question if I'm willing to stretch to that price (considering cost of lock & gear on top). Hmmm will have to see how much cash I have to play with in a couple weeks and if they give me my tax return (yey free money)
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Just a question if I'm willing to stretch to that price (considering cost of lock & gear on top). Hmmm will have to see how much cash I have to play with in a couple weeks and if they give me my tax return (yey free money)
You can normally negotiate up to 10% of the cost of the bike in accessories.
On a £600 bike, you only need a Sold Secure bronze lock, kryptonite offer the cost of the bike back if it's locked with their lock and it gets stolen, providing you can send them the lock. I prefer Abus stuff.
Helmet I'd try and get free with the bike.
Actually, Halfords sell Knog stuff, so you might get a cheap helmet and a knog lock for free. If not, Wiggle have some stuff cheap enough.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/knog-bouncer-steel-u-lock/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/met-terra-mtb-helmet/
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http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain/29er/product/review-voodoo-bizango-13-47282
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None in stock anywhere near Hertfordshire or London at the moment, keeping my eye on it.