Billy the Fish
Technocrat
Fair comments, but you get payback with interest on a downhill run where you should still be off the saddle anyway but it's 10x smoother. That's where the fun is, not on the uphill slog!
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O/T Mountain Bike buying advice
- Thread starter brighton terra
- Start date
Fair comments, but you get payback with interest on a downhill run where you should still be off the saddle anyway but it's 10x smoother. That's where the fun is, not on the uphill slog!
brighton terra
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #22
Thank you for your helpful comments. For what I need I think I'll probably go with the Voodoo.
MarioOrlandi
New member
- Jun 4, 2013
- 580
A flashy new bike will not cycle up hills, You Do. It is not the bike but the person riding it that counts.
I've just purchased a Boardman MTB Pro 2011-13 Bike, I think it retailed at around £1,100, but is last years. All the reviews talk about great spec, great kit etc and then finish by saying "nut it's a Halfords bike". They only have a few left I ended up paying £550 with a £50 voucher chucked in which is an absolute bargain IMHO.
This, every day of the week, my new bike is not only slow on hills, but not too good on the level, this has nothing to do with the bike spec but that fat git riding it. Someone also told me the bike I was considering was 2 kilos heavier than a comparable bike. I then mentioned that I myself am 2 stone over weight and therefore didn't see this as much of a problem!
MarioOrlandi
New member
- Jun 4, 2013
- 580
Hahaha my point exactly hahaha
Birdie Boy
Well-known member
- Jun 17, 2011
- 4,108
I have the Boardman Mountain Bike Comp HT 650B 2012/13 and I love it. If the OP can get this Pro for £550, it's a no brainer.
BTW, I am 5'7" and got the small fram and lifted the seat high, must have saved a few grams in weight there!
I have the Boardman Mountain Bike Comp HT 650B 2012/13 and I love it. If the OP can get this Pro for £550, it's a no brainer.
BTW, I am 5'7" and got the small fram and lifted the seat high, must have saved a few grams in weight there!
It's got to be worth ringing them it's a absolute bargain when you look at the spec etc. Yeah I'm 5' 6" and went for the medium, my problem is I also weigh nearly 14 stone, so not ready for the Olympics just yet but at 52 haven't given up all hope!
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Billy the Fish
Technocrat
http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/bikes/mountain-bikes.html?dir=asc&limit=48&order=price&sale=1758&suspension_type=1796&wheel_size=1917
Some good deals on here. They're all a pretty similar spec so I seriously doubt you'll notice much difference if you're just doing XC over the downs. Personally I'd go for a Scott, Cube, Specialized or Cannondale over the halfords bike any day, just for the fact they'll hold their value much better if you ever want to sell it. They all look much sexier as well.
Some good deals on here. They're all a pretty similar spec so I seriously doubt you'll notice much difference if you're just doing XC over the downs. Personally I'd go for a Scott, Cube, Specialized or Cannondale over the halfords bike any day, just for the fact they'll hold their value much better if you ever want to sell it. They all look much sexier as well.
Birdie Boy
Well-known member
- Jun 17, 2011
- 4,108
I disagree with the Boardman but agree on the Carrera's. The Boardmans look good and are a good spec for the price.
Billy the Fish
Technocrat
I was mostly talking about the Carrera and voodoo that the OP is getting. By all accounts the boardman bikes are decent. Still though, if it was a choice between two identical bikes and one had a Boardman badge and the other had a Scott badge, I'd still take the Scott every single time. (although boardman are almost always going to be better value for the spec)
butchy
Well-known member
If you take out a Pru Health or Pru Protect health/life cover policy then with their Vitality programme you get 50% off bikes at Evans Cycles (max discount of £500 per person i think). If you have existing cover with a different provider it would be worth checking how it compares in terms of premiums and then switching - Pru give out a lot of discounts on loads of things including the bikes deal.
To be honest I really do feel the main argument against a Boardman is borne out of snobbery, take the brand names away and compare £ for £ against specs and you have a clear winner.
However, the £1,100 Boardman MTB Pro, as a 2011-13 bike with a great spec, sold to me for £550, plus £50 voucher, I think I'd get pretty much my money back selling in the next few months? I'm not comparing full retail RRP against bikes merely saying the Boardman at the moment seems a bargain?
Billy the Fish
Technocrat
Agreed on both counts, you've had a proper result there.
Birdie Boy
Well-known member
- Jun 17, 2011
- 4,108
CPFC G
New member
- Dec 24, 2011
- 1,067
The OP can't go too far wrong these days there are a lot of decent bikes out there for not too much money. Specialized, Voodoo, Scott and Trek are all good makes.
For £500 I'd go down the second hand route, There are a lot of bikes on ebay that people have hardly used for less than half the original price.
Here is one on ebay, The seller is in Worthing.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOARDMAN-...rg=20140221143405&rk=6&rkt=24&sd=271574909990
I have had my Boardman Team R for 15 months and love it, So another thumbs up for Boardman bikes from me.
For £500 I'd go down the second hand route, There are a lot of bikes on ebay that people have hardly used for less than half the original price.
Here is one on ebay, The seller is in Worthing.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOARDMAN-...rg=20140221143405&rk=6&rkt=24&sd=271574909990
I have had my Boardman Team R for 15 months and love it, So another thumbs up for Boardman bikes from me.