Advice & recommendations please

[Gavstar]

Hi, virgin poster to this forum here....
The mrs and I want to buy a couple of mountain bikes to use for the odd weekend of off roading and rural cycling. Don't want to spend a fortune - prob couple of hundred quid each, so what do u recommend and what should we look out for? Does it make sense to buy something that can be upgraded bit by bit if we get seriously into it?
Cheers

[lotisi]

Perhaps try looking in Decathlon, if you find you are really enjoying yourself and want to upgrade sell it on ebay, by then you'll have more of an idea what kind of bike you want.

[WildCards]

lotisi said:

Perhaps try looking in Decathlon

Just what I thought of upon reading the OP
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rockrider-5-2-176034...

Decathlon bikes received some decent reviews in the mags last year, they would be on my shortlist for a few hundred squid.

[Gavstar]

Thanks. Anyone had any experience of evans cycles either on line or at London Victoria?

[Gavstar]

The bikes that you have suggested are what I would call standard - ie have no suspension bits on them. You can go to Halfords and pick up a bike for less than £100, which is covered in suspension and made to look like a proper off-roader. Now, I'm assuming this is to be avoided, and is probably just for show. Am I right? Just because a bike has suspension doesn't make it better off road than one without right?
Edited to add: I can now see that the bike suggested has front suspension, but still the bikes you see in Halfrauds have seat suspension etc too. Simply gimmicks?
Sorry for the numpty questions.....

Edited by Gavstar on Tuesday 8th January 09:23

[atom111]

At the price point you are looking at if it's got front and rear suspension it is not going to be very effective. The Decathalon bike shown looks to be a good all rounder. The issue is that if you buy a bike that is too heavy or doesn't feel that nice to ride then you probably won't spend long riding it.

Personally I would look for a front suspension only and no rear suspension at the price you are looking to pay it will be simpler and a little lighter.

[mk1fan]

Carreara Vulcan available for Halfords. Straight forward bike. In budget. Magazines raved about it last year. Plenty of Halfords around if you have problems with the bike.

Decathalon bikes - phenominal value but there are very few Decathalon stores around if issues arise.

[Gavstar]

Apologies for bouncing this one back to the top, but the Rockrider 6.2 is no longer available, and I wondered if the same advice applied to the 2008 Vulcan from Halfords? Link here - http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...CarSelectorGroupId__varient__categoryId_106166_crumbparentcategoryrn_106166

Thanks guys.

[mk1fan]

Err......See the post above yours??

[Gavstar]

mk1fan said:

Err......See the post above yours??

yeah i know, but was just wondering if the 2008 bike was as good a purchase as the 2007 model. Does not always follow that way..

[mk1fan]

I don't think the bike has been heavily revised for 2008.