New Mountain Bike advice needed
Discussion
Hello all! Having recently gone on a health kick I've been out more on my on Carrera Vulcan I got from Halfords in 2013! I've been really enjoying it and would like to get a new bike, however I'm not really up to speed on modern mountain biking! I want a full suspension bike but having looked I can't believe the price of some of them and the amount of different specs!
I've sold the motorcycle and at first was going to spend about 1k on a mountain bike but realising this isn't going to get me an entry level full suspension I've upped my limit to 3k. I don't really want to go much more than this really! Back when I was lad a mountain bike over £500 was considered expensive!
Any help will be appreciated!
I've sold the motorcycle and at first was going to spend about 1k on a mountain bike but realising this isn't going to get me an entry level full suspension I've upped my limit to 3k. I don't really want to go much more than this really! Back when I was lad a mountain bike over £500 was considered expensive!
Any help will be appreciated!
This is a bit like going into General Gassing and saying I’d like to buy a car 
What sort of riding do you enjoy doing, or more importantly, what sort of riding do you anticipate doing?
Recommendations for a bike really vary depending on what you’re looking to do. 30 miles of undulating non-technical ‘traditional’ mountain biking will require something very different to a bike capable of doing uplift days. Bikes are so expensive it definitely pays to buy the right thing.
Don’t necessarily dismiss hardtails either. £2.5 to £3k will get you a really, really good bike capable of almost any trail or enduro track in the U.K. if you lose the rear shock. I accept that hardtails aren’t for everyone though.
What sort of riding do you enjoy doing, or more importantly, what sort of riding do you anticipate doing?
Recommendations for a bike really vary depending on what you’re looking to do. 30 miles of undulating non-technical ‘traditional’ mountain biking will require something very different to a bike capable of doing uplift days. Bikes are so expensive it definitely pays to buy the right thing.
Don’t necessarily dismiss hardtails either. £2.5 to £3k will get you a really, really good bike capable of almost any trail or enduro track in the U.K. if you lose the rear shock. I accept that hardtails aren’t for everyone though.
Buy secondhand.
There are loads of people who buy expensive bikes with the very best of intentions, but life gets in the way and they never get used. Buy a reputable brand - Trek, Specialized, Nukeproof, Mondraker, Santa Cruz, etc and get proof ownership and you're away. My full suspension was £3,500 new, I paid £1,400 when it was 2 years old and was in mint condition and has served me really well over the last few years. My son's just purchased a £3,200 bike for £1,200 - The dropper is on the fritz, but an £80 Brand-X at Christmas will sort that out. It does take some time watching the market to understand what's a bargain and what isn't. Facebook Marketplace and eBay have loads available.
But as mentioned above - do you really need a full sus? For loops of the local trails a decent hardtail would be fine.
There are loads of people who buy expensive bikes with the very best of intentions, but life gets in the way and they never get used. Buy a reputable brand - Trek, Specialized, Nukeproof, Mondraker, Santa Cruz, etc and get proof ownership and you're away. My full suspension was £3,500 new, I paid £1,400 when it was 2 years old and was in mint condition and has served me really well over the last few years. My son's just purchased a £3,200 bike for £1,200 - The dropper is on the fritz, but an £80 Brand-X at Christmas will sort that out. It does take some time watching the market to understand what's a bargain and what isn't. Facebook Marketplace and eBay have loads available.
But as mentioned above - do you really need a full sus? For loops of the local trails a decent hardtail would be fine.
Omega82 said:
I live in Dorset so got plenty of off roading tracks, also have a bike park close by( okeford hill) but don't think I will be tackling that anytime soon!
In the long serving pistonheads spirit of recommending things that you haven’t asked for, in your position I’d just buy a Stif Squatch Pro. Very decent spec, totally bombproof and won’t need anything beyond servicing and tyres for the next 10 years. I’m thinking of buying the Squatch AM next year. Don’t need it but everyone needs (another!) hardcore steel hardtail in the garage. I wouldn’t spend up to 3k on a hard tail. I know okeford and have ridden it and if you do get a hard tail and end up wanting to go there you will need a full suss.
Only you can decide if 2nd hand is ok or you want to buy new. I would buy 2nd hand .
Also at that budget you could consider a decent full sus ebike. I know you are on a health kick but an ebike will help you stay on the trails for longer and go further so worth considering as you will still get fit.
I am in Dorset too (ferndown) and know the trails out near okeford well.
Pm me if you want any local advice, there are some bikes for sale in my club that could be good for you.
Only you can decide if 2nd hand is ok or you want to buy new. I would buy 2nd hand .
Also at that budget you could consider a decent full sus ebike. I know you are on a health kick but an ebike will help you stay on the trails for longer and go further so worth considering as you will still get fit.
I am in Dorset too (ferndown) and know the trails out near okeford well.
Pm me if you want any local advice, there are some bikes for sale in my club that could be good for you.
£3k is a great budget, especially for second hand. You probably need to refine what you want from the bike though. But some general spec pointers. Carbon frame is well within budget. Carbon isn't necessarily the last word in frames but if weight is a thing for you, it's the way forward.
Full suspension adds weight by definition but you can't beat it for comfort & suppleness on trail. Aim for Fox 34 or 36 on the front with a grip 2 damper or Rockshox Pike/Lyrik with charger damper internals rather than a motion control damper. For a rear shock, the main choices are air or coil (literally a spring around a damper) Coils are supple but trickier to set up, air shocks are easily configured & far more common factory fit, neither is better than the other, just a matter of preference
Brake wise, all the various hydraulic options are open to you. I like Shimano SLX or XT higher end stuff but SRAM Code or Guide are also largely good choices. Magura or Hope brakes are less common as OEM but very good upgrades you often find on used bikes. You can have either two or four piston calipers, four is obvs more stopping power, two is fine for most trail riding.
After that, a dropper post is the greatest invention since the wheel, I'd say it's a must have on any modern MTB. After all that, you're into stuff like wheelsets, hubs, finishing kit like bars, saddles, pedals etc. which are largely personal choices for the rider.
90% of riders just bash up & down trails at the weekend so arguably top end gear is overkill but it's nice to have nice things & if your budget is there, why not?
Full suspension adds weight by definition but you can't beat it for comfort & suppleness on trail. Aim for Fox 34 or 36 on the front with a grip 2 damper or Rockshox Pike/Lyrik with charger damper internals rather than a motion control damper. For a rear shock, the main choices are air or coil (literally a spring around a damper) Coils are supple but trickier to set up, air shocks are easily configured & far more common factory fit, neither is better than the other, just a matter of preference
Brake wise, all the various hydraulic options are open to you. I like Shimano SLX or XT higher end stuff but SRAM Code or Guide are also largely good choices. Magura or Hope brakes are less common as OEM but very good upgrades you often find on used bikes. You can have either two or four piston calipers, four is obvs more stopping power, two is fine for most trail riding.
After that, a dropper post is the greatest invention since the wheel, I'd say it's a must have on any modern MTB. After all that, you're into stuff like wheelsets, hubs, finishing kit like bars, saddles, pedals etc. which are largely personal choices for the rider.
90% of riders just bash up & down trails at the weekend so arguably top end gear is overkill but it's nice to have nice things & if your budget is there, why not?
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