Mountain Bike advice please..

[StreetHawk]

Thought i'd ask the ever reliable org about this bike..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Brand-New-Mountain-Bike_W0QQitemZ160234039241QQcmdZViewItem

I know very little about mountain bikes, is this any good? Worth a 100 pound offer?

It will be rarely used , maybe see a little off road action but not a great deal.. :-)

Any info much appreciated!

[ukgooner]

I would not touch it, you would be better off looking for a semi-decent secondhand one for that money.

[Scoobs]

Steer clear of suspension and disc brakes on cheap bikes. They add weight and won't work.

[Sosha]

Hybrid might do the job better?

[Stig]

Stick to the motorised sort of two wheels mate. Far more energy saving devices.

[Dan_UK]

Some mountain bike advice? Don't do this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swq9hBdvkKU

[andywilson460]

Go to Edinburgh bikes - you will need to up your budget, but they offer the best value bikes, with excellent components delivered to your door. They get recommendation after recommendation from cycling forums - a colleague of mine has one and loves it. Even if you are going to use a bike rarely the cheap ones are built so badly that the bottom bracket will break within a few months, parts will rust, and it will be in a landfill before you know it.

Invest a bit more and it'll last you forever

[Girth]

Here you go!

Bargain at that price http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/12580/Raleigh_Freeride_AT20_Mens_Bike_2007

[shifter]

Steer clear of suspension and disc brakes on cheap bikes. They add weight and won't work.


+1:D

[Ch00]

Rear suspension is a massive waste of energy. Every time you pound the peddles the rear shock will take some of that energy. Go for a hardtail.

Ch00

[ThEGr33k]

What sort of money are you looking to spend?

[flibble]

Yep, definitely go for a hardtail.. full suspension bikes only become efficient when you start spending over a certain amount. Anything less makes you look like you're po-going down the street.

Check out AW cycles (http://www.awcycles.co.uk/category/Bikes/Front_Suspension_Mountain_Bikes_63/Boulder_07~08/8023/index.aspx) in Caversham, they do a fairly good selection of bikes across the range.

What sort of riding are you planning? Sure there'll be better advice based on what you need the bike for/how much.

[krhall]

I want to get a new bike too, so I can start cycling to work again. I have a Carrera Subway 8 hybrid type bike, but want something quicker.....any ideas?

I have one of those schemes at work too so will probably use that.

[krhall]

Or is there anything I can do to my stock bike to make it a bit quicker?

[Gazza77]

Or is there anything I can do to my stock bike to make it a bit quicker?

Pedal faster. HTH ;)

[krhall]

Pedal faster. HTH ;)

gazza thanks, that sounds like a cheap modification to make, doesn't sound like an easy one though.

[Gazza77]

gazza thanks, that sounds like a cheap modification to make, doesn't sound like an easy one though.

I wouldn't know, I stick to an engine with my two wheels. :D

[krhall]

I need to get a bit fitter though...and despite losing weight everytime someone pulls out in front of me the SV isn't helping!

[xXBADGERXx]

I wouldnt bother with any form of suspension at all on anything under the 300 quid mark , I think the specialized Rockhopper has fairly ok front forks , but to be honest they wouldn`t offer any real benefits over anything even vaguely off the beaten track . I have a full suspension Orange Patriot with the ability to lock-out the action of my rear and front suspension and that stuff costs almost a grand in it`s own right , never mind including the rest of the bike . The Barracuda you were looking at is a horrible great big lump of Iron with nasty suspension , get a hardtail bike at least and if you need a softer ride then get larger width tyres and run a low pressure offroad ( I sometimes run 3" wide tyres at 27 psi with no pinch flatting) .

As far as the Carrera Subway goes , that had one of those rear hubs that had the gears built into it didn`t it , in which case you are pretty much stuck with the gearing on the rear but you may be able to change the chainrings on the front . Hope this helps .