Looking for hardtail MTB - €300-€400 range - any bargains?

Howitzer

Yo,

I fancy a hardtail mtb with front shox and cable discs.
Anyone seen any bargains?
I'd like better shifters than shimano ez-fire (whatever is next up in the range - deore etc?)

I'm only starting looking so haven't a clue yet.
Current bike is a Giant Escape hybrid (pic here).
I want more rubber on the ground and more comfortable ride for the commute + some off road maybe.

Any tips on this hunt appreciated.

Cheers!
Happy Friday!

Morgan

Howitzer wrote: »

I want more rubber on the ground and more comfortable ride for the commute + some off road maybe

Why do you want "more rubber on the ground"?
Why isn't your current bike comfortable?
Are you realistically be going to riding off-road?

Howitzer

I find the skinny tyres squirmy on wet days (Schwalbe Marathon... and they could do with a fresh pair). I reckon if I find the mtb tyres too slow / heavy on resistance I can put a less knobbly tyre on.

Hit a bad pothole that you've missed to look out for and you really fell it on the current bike - especially when running tyres at close to max pressure.

Edit: anyone got any recommendations for such a bike?

oilcanharry

@ Howitzer, try this link and scroll down a bit. This bike might still be for sale, it migh just suit your needs.

http://sportifwaterfordcc.blogspot.com/

kona

Carrera Vengance Disc spec.

You get Rock shox and hydraulic discs for e375.

blorg

You say you upgraded from a Dawes Discovery 201- do you still have that? It should take wider tyres than the Giant.

I note you say you appreciate the extra speed on the Giant; you are going to lose this with the cheap hardtail... I have a Dawes Discovery 201 myself and it is probably faster on the road than my much lighter carbon hardtail.

Mountain bikes are really at their best off road... the suspension fork in particular is a pain in the neck even if you have a good one with lockout.

Howitzer

My 201 is dead - cracked rear stay on the frame...

Yeh I'll have to get my hands on a hardtail and see can I live with the speed reduction.

Then try a normal one with fixed front forks.

Then give up and stick with my Giant.

What you reckon the widest tyre for my current 700x23c is?

blorg

Howitzer wrote: »

What you reckon the widest tyre for my current 700x23c is?

I presume your current tyres are 700x32? It comes with that size but you mention Marathons which it doesn't come with so I presume you changed them... difficult to say but it is disc brakes so the only limiting factor is going to be frame and fork clearance.

Quick search of the internet only comes up with an guess but this guy reckons it will take 700x40 easily enough.

Would be worth trying wider tyres before you buy an entire new bike I reckon, especially one which sounds inherently unsuited to the task at hand.

Do you still have the bits from the Dawes? I think my one is 700x40 but newer ones may be 700x37. If you had the tyres you could try them and see if there was still more room for something even bigger.

Did you feel the Dawes had enough comfort/rubber on the road etc?

Howitzer

Cheers blorg - this is definitely a route worth looking at.

I'll have a root around in the shed for the older tyres and see do they fit.

Thanks for that bit of groundwork!