Hardtail, £1k, Saracen, Specialised or something else?

[CB07]

Firstly I haven't had one for quite a few years. However have cycled for as long as I can remember so, say 30 years! more recently on a Brompton, and before that many single speeds, road bikes and in my youth mountain bikes!

Over the weeks gone by I have been out in the woods, on trails and around the parks a lot with my two young kids who have taken a very keen interest in cycling. I would like a hardtail up to say £1k so I can go on longer rides with friends, but also so I don't destroy the Brompton in the woods! That's not a max budget but seems a sensible cut off, unless say 1200 gets something appreciatively better.

It will be from a LBS rather than Halfords et al since the scheme I will use is the green commute initiative.

Chap at Kinetic in Welwyn has a Saracen Mantra Trail 2020 which seems to fit the bill, and he is expecting some Specialised 2021 Rockhoppers in shortly. Anything to choose between the two? Or am I better of with something else altogether. He also sells Whyte bikes although these I am not familiar with and has nothing in at present suitable. Every bike shops stock seems to be totally depleted!

What would you look for at 1k?

Cheers,

CB

[nammynake]

You can’t really go wrong with Specialized but they are more expensive than most brands. I’m a Canyon fan, although delivery times can be long.

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mountain-bikes/trail-...

[rustyuk]

I would pick something up secondhand.

[anonymous-user]

https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/hardtail/voodoo-biza...

Although Halfords, i’d get the Voodoo
Better than most 1k bikes & usually under £700..

[CB07]

Unfortunately Voodoo are out as Halfords are
not on green commute initiative. Otherwise yes, that would probably be the option! Happy enough with the Saracen option. canyon I can get with the scheme, so that is an interesting choice, never heard of them! When I was a kid it was orange, Claud butler, Saracen, trek, cannon dale, specialised etc etc. Many more brands now and it’s all changed and the all seem to go up to the price of an actual car!

[So]

CB07 said:

Unfortunately Voodoo are out as Halfords are
not on green commute initiative. Otherwise yes, that would probably be the option! Happy enough with the Saracen option. canyon I can get with the scheme, so that is an interesting choice, never heard of them! When I was a kid it was orange, Claud butler, Saracen, trek, cannon dale, specialised etc etc. Many more brands now and it’s all changed and the all seem to go up to the price of an actual car!

We bought a couple of Specialized Pitch for two family members and they're very good. The Speclaized lower end hard tails are not that expensive.

I've never had a bad experience with Specialized. In fact, on one occasion I bought one in the US and shipped it back here and broke it through no fault of the bike's. Specialized UK invited me to their UK base, where one of their chaps fixed it with new parts FOC and gave me a tour of the place.

So, yes, Specialized.

[CB07]

rustyuk said:

I would pick something up secondhand.

That is an option, and I have my eye on eBay/retro bike forum.

However I’m sure there is a degree of rose tinted going on when I look around, as I am firmly stuck in the 90s when I am looking and as a used purchase they seem expensive! There seems to be an absolute dearth of good quality kit in the late 2000s all of it just looks like cheap junk from China.

So I am left with a new “1k” bike, which appears to me like it’s come on an awful lot since I was on a mountain bike (compared even with the 90s stuff) Granted, you are buying effectively a 600 quid bike with a 1k sticker price, but a) it will work b) have a warranty and c) not be nicked.

So it’s a 600 quid used purchase in cash, or 1k new, unused, warrantied, don’t even notice it as a salary sacrifice, etc etc.. Does a 600 quid eBay bike get me more than a 1k new bike?.. possibly/possibly not.

Not sure I’m that keen to take the risk! I just want something that is going to work, I can ride, hose off, put away and get back on it the next weekend.

[jackthelad1984]

I have a giant fathom hardtail, can be had for around your budget. Available in a few diffeent spec levels, and both 27.5 and 29 inch wheels. Cant really fault mine for the money.

[fathomfive]

CB07 said:

That is an option, and I have my eye on eBay/retro bike forum.

However I’m sure there is a degree of rose tinted going on when I look around, as I am firmly stuck in the 90s when I am looking and as a used purchase they seem expensive! There seems to be an absolute dearth of good quality kit in the late 2000s all of it just looks like cheap junk from China.

So I am left with a new “1k” bike, which appears to me like it’s come on an awful lot since I was on a mountain bike (compared even with the 90s stuff) Granted, you are buying effectively a 600 quid bike with a 1k sticker price, but a) it will work b) have a warranty and c) not be nicked.

So it’s a 600 quid used purchase in cash, or 1k new, unused, warrantied, don’t even notice it as a salary sacrifice, etc etc.. Does a 600 quid eBay bike get me more than a 1k new bike?.. possibly/possibly not.

Not sure I’m that keen to take the risk! I just want something that is going to work, I can ride, hose off, put away and get back on it the next weekend.

If you're looking retro, I've a Klein Pulse Race I've decided to sell, as I'm making way for a new hardtail myself.
PM me if you like.

[Pando99]

Whyte - can't fault them I have had one for a couple of years now

I have had Specialized MTB and road bikes for 10 years plus and also can't fault them.

However I have bought 3 x Merida Big 7 600 for my wife and kids and they are great -especially how light they are.

I would deffo recommend them

[dai1983]

Buying used is a bit crap at the moment due to a boom in bike buying. I'm looking myself and people are asking £500 for an Ali 2003 hardtail with 3x gearing and 26 inch rims.

[Macron]

Haven't seen a date on the 2021 Cannondale range, saw the Trek equivalent (electronically) today, has a RS silver fork, Roscoe 7. Out start Sept I think I read.

https://www.evanscycles.com/trek-roscoe-7-2021-mou...

Not that there's a lot in it but the Cannondale Trail 2 has RS gold, and the rest of the spec is pretty much identical.

https://www.evanscycles.com/cannondale-trail-2-202...

Eta this might be worth a read, the MBR review.

https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/hardtail/best-hardta...

I wouldn't buy a saracen, I did buy one, an urban cross as an emergency commuter, it was on sale at £339 I think, https://www.evanscycles.com/saracen-urban-cross-1-...

Paint finish was awful, dust and runs in it! When did you last see that? Wasn't upset when it was pinched a month later.

Edited by Macron on Wednesday 3rd June 08:01

Edited by Macron on Wednesday 3rd June 08:02

[rustyuk]

New get the Boardman

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/mountain-bikes/boar...

Or save £500 and buy a 3 year old one from ebay

[So]

rustyuk said:

New get the Boardman

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/mountain-bikes/boar...

Or save £500 and buy a 3 year old one from ebay

It looks nice, but are Boardman bikes any good?

Rightly or wrongly I always tar everything that Halfords sells with the same brush.

[CB07]

Someone above mentioned Canyon. They do look very interesting. Grand Canyon is bang on budget and appears to have excellent kit on it.

However I am starting to winder if something like a Pathlite might actually suit me! Sort of hybrid but with mountain bike spec kit on it, looks quite old school.

What do people think of these?

Also seems to be about the only website I can find with bikes actually available to purchase!

[So]

CB07 said:

Also seems to be about the only website I can find with bikes actually available to purchase!

I can profess no knowledge but that would make me suspicious. Is there a ludicrously long lead time for delivery?

[CB07]

So said:

I can profess no knowledge but that would make me suspicious. Is there a ludicrously long lead time for delivery?

All of these seem to be available, the guy on chat there said that the website is bang up to date.

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mountain-bikes/trail-...

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mountain-bikes/trail-...

And this one which is the Pathlite I was talking about
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/hybrid-city/touring-b...

I guess in terms of mountain bikes, you cant go too far wrong whichever brand you pick.

[So]

CB07 said:

All of these seem to be available, the guy on chat there said that the website is bang up to date.

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mountain-bikes/trail-...

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mountain-bikes/trail-...

And this one which is the Pathlite I was talking about
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/hybrid-city/touring-b...

I guess in terms of mountain bikes, you cant go too far wrong whichever brand you pick.

That Grand Canyon looks good, though I wouldn't want them setting up the saddle for me.

[anonymous-user]

So said:

That Grand Canyon looks good, though I wouldn't want them setting up the saddle for me.

Canyon used to offer great VFM but a 1k bike with a very st fork is pretty inexcusable. I mean the carrera fury half the price has a much better spec.

For a 1k bike solo air should be minimum.

[rustyuk]

So said:

rustyuk said:

New get the Boardman

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/mountain-bikes/boar...

Or save £500 and buy a 3 year old one from ebay

It looks nice, but are Boardman bikes any good?

Rightly or wrongly I always tar everything that Halfords sells with the same brush.

I got a Boardman on the Cycle to Work scheme 7 years ago. Still use it today to blast around the Peak District.

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/bes...

The hybrid tops the reviews here.