Mountain Bike advice
Discussion
I have a carerra banshee from halfords
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bik...
However, I'm thinking of swapping for the rockrider 520 as its a hard tail and lighter.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-520-mountain-...
I have no idea about specs and wanted someone in the know to give me an opinion on what is best for me as I'll probs do a trail like llandegla twice a year and then mostly pottering about up the canal etc
My thinking is sell the carerra for 2-250 ish and get the rockrider on cycle to work which would cost me about £240 all in. Which is the better bike?
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bik...
However, I'm thinking of swapping for the rockrider 520 as its a hard tail and lighter.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-520-mountain-...
I have no idea about specs and wanted someone in the know to give me an opinion on what is best for me as I'll probs do a trail like llandegla twice a year and then mostly pottering about up the canal etc
My thinking is sell the carerra for 2-250 ish and get the rockrider on cycle to work which would cost me about £240 all in. Which is the better bike?
I think you will struggle to get that price for the carrera it's a 2011/12 bike from a brand in the value end of the market plus it's then full suspension. £100-150 is probably the market price and a well advertised and very clean example could get close to £200 if your lucky and your buyer isn't clued up on bikes.
ecsrobin said:
I think you will struggle to get that price for the carrera it's a 2011/12 bike from a brand in the value end of the market plus it's then full suspension. £100-150 is probably the market price and a well advertised and very clean example could get close to £200 if your lucky and your buyer isn't clued up on bikes.
I sold my used, abused and well looked after Vulcan for £200 just over 12 month old - last summer. Same model year.Heavy but really not a bad bike - I miss it. A bit big for me, a lot of weight to lug up the climbs but damn did that thing descend beautifully.
The market for those isn't the hardcore, it's the entry level.
£200-£250 sounds about right. A little under £200 if you're unlucky, a bit over if you find the right buyer. Saw one go within minutes at £180 on one of the local bike selling facebook groups a couple of weeks ago, that it went so fast suggests it may have been underpriced.
Edited by TheLemming on Wednesday 4th February 11:26
Blah, blah, budget creep, blah...
I don't know you, nor anything about your finances. If I'm talking out of my hoop, ignore me. But, for what it's worth...
...I'd spend a chunk more, and nab myself a Rockrider 560. Yes, it's an extra £220, but in my opinion, it'd be worth it.
* It's lighter. Only by half a kilo (or 4%), but it is lighter.
* Better fork. "ROCK SHOX XC32 TK SOLO AIR" instead of the frankly terrible SR Suntour XCR fork on the 520. I speak from experience, as there's a (dying) Suntour XCR on my GT Avalanche, and another on my son's Giant Talon which is on it's last legs. It has a claimed 100mm of travel, but I'm lucky to get 30mm out of mine most of the time.
* Shimano Deore 10 speed gearing over Acera 9 speed. Both will function as intended, but I'd take Deore over Acera any day. I'm ordering a Deore groupset soon, to replace an Acera based mix'n'match 'groupset' on my GT.
Downsides? Both the Rockriders are on 26 inch wheels. No biggy, they're as round as any 27.5" or 29" wheels, and arguably stronger. But they do seem to be a dying size, driven by the industry trying to get us all onto bigger wheels (and buying new frames/bikes to suit those bigger wheels). Also, the 560 is running Avid DB1 brakes. No immediate problem, but they are filled with DOT4 fluid, whereas I far prefer the mineral oil system used by Shimano. I upgraded my Tektro cable disc brakes to a set of Deore 615s fairly recently, and I'm massively impressed with the performance improvement.
My GT Avalanche is a broadly similar bike to the Rockrider 520. Same size wheels, same sort of component level, a little heavier. So I speak as one who bought at a similar price point (£305), albeit way back in February 2009. I've had six years of sterling service from my bike, and it'll provide a good few more too, if I spend another £160 (at least) fitting it out with replacement parts or a groupset upgrade. I've done a lot more on mine than it was really meant for, all the way up to a few enduro races this year.
Ultimately, I wish I could have spent more when I bought mine, but despite it's age and thousands of miles of wear, a few judicious upgrades and keeping on top of maintenance kept it in good order until last week, when I snapped the rear mech, but that may well have been my own fault for incorrectly fitting a replacement part. I don't know Llandegla at all, but certainly the 520 will happily potter about on canal towpaths and fire roads all you want. If you're going to start trail riding, though, I'd certainly say that it'll pay to spend a little more, if you can stretch to it. I'm fortunate to be in a position where I can afford to look at one of these... http://shop.birdmtb.com/zero/zero-1.html ...but the very fact that I'm considering holding back on buying one, and spending £200 or so repairing/upgrading the GT is testament to the fact that, despite being an "entry level" bike, it still satisfies my requirements 6 years down the line.
I hope that at least some of that rambling waffle helps you make a decision...
I don't know you, nor anything about your finances. If I'm talking out of my hoop, ignore me. But, for what it's worth...
...I'd spend a chunk more, and nab myself a Rockrider 560. Yes, it's an extra £220, but in my opinion, it'd be worth it.
* It's lighter. Only by half a kilo (or 4%), but it is lighter.
* Better fork. "ROCK SHOX XC32 TK SOLO AIR" instead of the frankly terrible SR Suntour XCR fork on the 520. I speak from experience, as there's a (dying) Suntour XCR on my GT Avalanche, and another on my son's Giant Talon which is on it's last legs. It has a claimed 100mm of travel, but I'm lucky to get 30mm out of mine most of the time.
* Shimano Deore 10 speed gearing over Acera 9 speed. Both will function as intended, but I'd take Deore over Acera any day. I'm ordering a Deore groupset soon, to replace an Acera based mix'n'match 'groupset' on my GT.
Downsides? Both the Rockriders are on 26 inch wheels. No biggy, they're as round as any 27.5" or 29" wheels, and arguably stronger. But they do seem to be a dying size, driven by the industry trying to get us all onto bigger wheels (and buying new frames/bikes to suit those bigger wheels). Also, the 560 is running Avid DB1 brakes. No immediate problem, but they are filled with DOT4 fluid, whereas I far prefer the mineral oil system used by Shimano. I upgraded my Tektro cable disc brakes to a set of Deore 615s fairly recently, and I'm massively impressed with the performance improvement.
My GT Avalanche is a broadly similar bike to the Rockrider 520. Same size wheels, same sort of component level, a little heavier. So I speak as one who bought at a similar price point (£305), albeit way back in February 2009. I've had six years of sterling service from my bike, and it'll provide a good few more too, if I spend another £160 (at least) fitting it out with replacement parts or a groupset upgrade. I've done a lot more on mine than it was really meant for, all the way up to a few enduro races this year.
Ultimately, I wish I could have spent more when I bought mine, but despite it's age and thousands of miles of wear, a few judicious upgrades and keeping on top of maintenance kept it in good order until last week, when I snapped the rear mech, but that may well have been my own fault for incorrectly fitting a replacement part. I don't know Llandegla at all, but certainly the 520 will happily potter about on canal towpaths and fire roads all you want. If you're going to start trail riding, though, I'd certainly say that it'll pay to spend a little more, if you can stretch to it. I'm fortunate to be in a position where I can afford to look at one of these... http://shop.birdmtb.com/zero/zero-1.html ...but the very fact that I'm considering holding back on buying one, and spending £200 or so repairing/upgrading the GT is testament to the fact that, despite being an "entry level" bike, it still satisfies my requirements 6 years down the line.
I hope that at least some of that rambling waffle helps you make a decision...
Another one to consider if you can used them is the Calibre two two from Go-Outdoors.
Not air sprung forks but a decent set of RockShocks and Deore kit thrown in too.
Gets a good review HERE.
Not air sprung forks but a decent set of RockShocks and Deore kit thrown in too.
Gets a good review HERE.
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