Beginner Mountain Bike sub €800

Armaghmagic

Hi all,

Could you recommend a good beginner mountain bike for under €800. I have been recommended the Carrera Kraken(€560), Carrera Fury (€750), Trek 3900(€490) and a Scott at €540 (cannot remember the model)......what is the best value and size for a 5ft 11" male. I am getting this on the Cycle to Work scheme!

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Padaer09

Got a 2012 boardman comp for €670 from halfords at xmas. I'm no expert but can't complain. Definitely better than other bikes I've tried. Lovely frame. Gets you up the hill as well as down. One complaint is the crankset. Clicks and creeks a bit but I'm sure it's fixable.

2012 fury spec isn't as good as the old one. Canyons are meant to be good too.

bikedude

If you are getting the bike on the bike to work, why not get the 1k limit?
You would need to wait another 5 years to use it again!

If you are using the bike to do MTB, and not as a commuter, or as a get to the local shop bike, have a look at the Cubes below.

If you want to use as a commuter, or get to the shop bike, a MTB may not be what you are looking for, so would worth to stop by your local shop and chat with someone.

If you want to give a try on Montain Biking, might be worth to fork the money for a cheaper bike without the Cycle to Work, or rent a bike (www.biking.ie) to give a try before buying one.

Look for a good suspension fork to come with the bike, they are expensive to buy new! Decent gears SLX/ X7, or a step up XT/X9.

Disk breaks are a must on a decent MTB, Shimano's are reliable, Deore / SLX / XT. But this you can change later, there are plenty available second hand, and is a easy enough job to swap then.

Most shops will give you one extra 10% discount if you use the cycle to work. On top of the Tax Discount you have,

Cube LTD PRO Bike 2012 - € 1,205 / €1,080 With the 10%
http://cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=232&idproduct=47467

Cube LTD Bike 2012 - € 1048.00 / € 943.00
http://cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=232&idproduct=47530

Armaghmagic

Thanks very much for that post Bikedude,

I live close to Ravensdale forest so would be looking for a bit of rough terrain biking, only road biking would be for the 4km from my house to the forest! What do you think of the carreras specs/prices?

Carrera Fury - http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_810735_langId_-1_categoryId_212589#tab2

Carrera Kraken - http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_810647_langId_-1_categoryId_212589#tab2

I am a complete amatuer so something that is reliable and fit for a bit of knocking about the mountain is the main thing!

I take your point about spending the limit seeing as I cannot go for it again for 5 years, what are the best bikes for €1,000?

JH_raheny

just got the Cube attention myself and is well happy, I know list price is more than your budget but the will give you discount, paid 756 euro for mine
https://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=232&idproduct=47497

This looks like a good buy as well
https://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=232&idproduct=40017

JH_raheny

just spotted another member selling this, a little more than your budget but looks like a great deal
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056576892

xyz123

its worth going to a bike shop where they know a bit about mtbs and where they will give you proper advice on fit and size. theres nothing worse than a bike that doesnt fit, particularly if you've spent good money on it.

Armaghmagic

JH_raheny wrote: »

just spotted another member selling this, a little more than your budget but looks like a great deal
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056576892

Thanks for this and for the previous links......the above looks good but would like to take advantage of the bike to work scheme on a new bike! So the cubes are looking like the pick of the bunch......what outlets do these bikes?

Armaghmagic

xyz123 wrote: »

its worth going to a bike shop where they know a bit about mtbs and where they will give you proper advice on fit and size. theres nothing worse than a bike that doesnt fit, particularly if you've spent good money on it.

Thanks for that, was told that an 18" frame would be suffice! One bike shop was tryin to sell me a Trek and the other was tryin to sell me a Scott so looking for advice from people not trying to screw me over just to get commission or get rid of unsellable stock!

xyz123

18in sounds about right. the Trek 3900 has mechanical disk brakes afaik, and you really want hydraulic. Good luck with the hunt and with the bike when you get it!

Cuddlesworth

Armaghmagic wrote: »

Thanks for that, was told that an 18" frame would be suffice! One bike shop was tryin to sell me a Trek and the other was tryin to sell me a Scott so looking for advice from people not trying to screw me over just to get commission or get rid of unsellable stock!

www.buildabike.ie

Bought mine there off the scheme. They had a issue with the size and frame of my bike last minute, so bumped me up to the next model at no cost. Good advise all round, having done some a lot of MTB in previous years it all made perfect sense. Would happily recommend them.

bikedude

Hi, the cubes I had send have a good spec for the price, specially the LTD pro.

A good bike will be part of the joy to ride, no noises, woblly, and won't be breaking all the time! And you will feel guilty with the money spend and will use the bike:D

Not sure where you based, but if you are around Dublin, cyclesuperstore, expert cycles, snow and rock, have lads that are mountain bikers and will be more than happy to help find the bike that fits your needs and pocket.

If you haven't have a chance to do some MTB, rent a bike and have a go before take the plunge and spend the money, cyclesuperstore has some demo bikes as well that you can take out for a spin.

I would look for a good fork, rock shox (avoid the dart model) or fox. Shimano SLX/XT or SRAM x7/x9

Trek, Specialized, Scott, cube, Cannondale, giant brands, are the most usual brands.

Hidraulic disk breaks, shimano, Hayes.

Also you will need a helmet and some gloves.

Good look with the search!

Tenzor07

Try Revolution cycles in Newry, they are called Greenbikes now by the looks of there Facebook page... Prob the best and closest bike store..

www.facebook.com/RevolutionBikeStore

Jonny7

yeah go with the Cubes, also look out for Kona can't go wrong with either really

Carerra's are a bit sub-par

If you find a bike you fancy in a shop, perhaps come on here for a final check before you buy, it's a lot of dosh.

Armaghmagic

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Try Revolution cycles in Newry, they are called Greenbikes now by the looks of there Facebook page... Prob the best and closest bike store..

www.facebook.com/RevolutionBikeStore

Thanks for that Tenzor, however I think for the bike to work scheme only applies to the Republic!

Armaghmagic

Ok, just found out that Halfords is not part of my companies Partner Bike shops so I am reduced to what I can buy now......Scott Aspect 40 or Trek 3900 were the 2 suggested to me in a couple of the shops, both around the €550 mark?

I am in Dundalk so can anyone suggest the best place to buy in the town? Tommy The Bike, Cycle Shop and Cycle Centre are the 3 main shops!

Armaghmagic

Was in town and was looking at a KTM Ultra fire for €730, are these a good bike for the money.....was also showing me a Giant Revel 1 for €500. Are either these worth considering or are there better for the same price?

Armaghmagic

Ok, making this decision is too difficult so I think a used mountain bike around the €300 mark might be the better option and then go for the Bike to Work scheme in a year or 2......anywhere that specializes in Used Mountain bikes? Saw the following in donedeal, what is your opinion?

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/bicycles/3119443

rab!dmonkey

Always some bargains to be found with used entry-level mountain bikes. What you posted is not a good example of this though. The fork is obviously knackered and the bike itself only just about qualifies as a mountain bike. Keep looking.

Armaghmagic

rab!dmonkey wrote: »

Always some bargains to be found with used entry-level mountain bikes. What you posted is not a good example of this though. The fork is obviously knackered and the bike itself only just about qualifies as a mountain bike. Keep looking.

Thanks for that advice, as you can probably guess I know nothing on the subject......so could you find me an example of a good one? How much are you talking for a good quality one? What are the main things you need to look for and look out for?

Jonny7

Second-hand mountain bikes are hard to buy as you need to know a fair bit (some have taken a real hammering)

Why not settle on an entry level new bike?

Best of both worlds - cheap-ish and functional.

Go in and talk to the bike shop owners, get some options, then come here with a selection of bikes, someone will point out the best.

rab!dmonkey

I would agree with Jonny, it can be a bit of a minefield if you're not familiar with what to look for. €300 is a pretty low price for a decent bike, even a used one. I'd say €400 is where you'd want to start looking for a decent starter.

Things to look out for:
1) As a beginner you ought to start on a hardtail. Decent full-suspension bikes are not available in your price range (you'd want to spend about a grand) and you'll learn more on a hardtail.

2) Check the fork and all bearings for play. This means wheels, bottom bracket (i.e: cranks), headset (fork/frame interface). Check that the fork goes through its travel smoothly and that any adjustments and lockouts work.

3) Check that the wheels run true: no side-to-side or up and down wobble.

4) Check that the gears shift properly. Shift the chain to the middle ring at the front and then go through the rear cogs one by one. You should get one gear for one push. There shouldn't be excessive clicking and the gears should not shift of their own accord when you're pedalling. This sort of thing can be fixed relatively easily, but the presence of problems here is indicative of a bike that hasn't been properly looked after.

5) Test ride the bike making use of all of the functions you expect it to have: shift through all the gears, try some hard pedalling, hard braking, ride off of a small kerb. If you hear any creaks or clicks while riding, walk away. It could be as simple as a pedal thread requiring grease or it could be a crack in the frame about to turn into a snap.

Armaghmagic

Thanks so much for that great advice.....ok the 3 shops in Dundalk have both recommended 3 different bikes at the €500 price tag! Can you please give me your 1st choice?

- Giant Revel 1

- Trek 3900

- Scott Aspect 40

Or should I go for a more expensive bike? Whats the best would I get for €1,000? As i said I'm an amateur so would i need to spend that much? But on the other side I won't be able to use the Bike to Work scheme for another 5 years so i will need something that will take abuse over that many years!

Armaghmagic

Thanks so much for that great advice.....ok the 3 shops in Dundalk have both recommended 3 different bikes at the €500 price tag! Can you please give me your 1st choice?

- Giant Revel 1

- Trek 3900

- Scott Aspect 40

Or should I go for a more expensive bike? Whats the best would I get for €1,000? As i said I'm an amateur so would i need to spend that much? But on the other side I won't be able to use the Bike to Work scheme for another 5 years so i will need something that will take abuse over that many years!

Lawdie

Go back to all 3 shops in Dundalk. Ride/test as much as possible on all three bikes. Buy the one that feels best to you, don't get too weighed down from others advice as long as you get disc brakes, 'reasonable' groupset and 100mm travel you're sorted. Ask them to invoice out the 1k and get a voucher from the shop for the cost balance €500.

Now here is the fun bit, ride the living hell out of the bike, with the wheels buckled, bearings grinding to bits and shocks gone return with your voucher and upgrade to tubeless wheels and better shock (with a few euros added).

If you haven't buckled the wheels and blown out the forks within the year then use the €500 voucher to get a hybrid or road bike.

Armaghmagic

Think the Scott out of the 3 of those is best, might ring the 3 shops tomorrow and ask what is the best bike they can do for €800, would it be worth spending the extra few hundred?

Jonny7

I feel the Trek has the best components (Bontrager) followed by the Scott

Just try out the bikes, take a test ride, go all the way up and down the gears, leave good stand-over height, whichever "feels" best go for.

You want a bike that you can control rather than it controlling you. Stay with the 500 euro bikes, you have cash left over for helmet, repair tools/kits, etc and you don't feel like you are riding a pristine Rolls Royce around the place - plus they are decent entry-level bikes.

rab!dmonkey

To be honest I don't think it's worth getting a new mountain bike at this price range. The forks on all of these bikes are quite poor. My little brother, who weighs only about 40 kg, got a Revel 0 (the top spec) under a year ago and the fork is in bits now. It's quite a nice bike otherwise, though like most entry-level mtbs, the tyres are a compromise between off-road grip and on-road speed. That said, the Revel is the only one of the three with hydraulic disc brakes, which offer a little more power and control and are a little easier to maintain.

I'd lean towards the Revel because of its slightly slacker geometry and hydraulic brakes.

The stock pedals on bikes are always rubbish. Many decent bikes don't even include them. Wellgo V-8s are cheap as chips and should do fine until you decide whether you want to stick with flat pedals or try clips. Flat-soled skate shoes are the best type of shoe short of dedicated cycling ones.

As a guy who rides his bikes hard and demands a lot from his gear, I'm probably a little biased. These bikes obviously aren't the best of the best, but they should last long enough to get you hooked and then you can sell it on and get something a bit sturdier.

Armaghmagic

Thanks for that great information......I am going to ring the 3 shops again tomorrow and see what they recommend to me for €800 and I will post them up and see what you guys think?

rab!dmonkey

Good call, let us know how you get on.

random.stranger

Just to throw a spanner in the works here.

With that budget I'd go for an ex-rental bike from Ballyhoura or somewhere like that.

Something with Tora forks & hydraulic brakes. Something like a KTM Ultra Flite or
Norco Charger. Cost about e480 & probably about 3 months old.

I'll have to qualify my advice with the fact that I'm a newbie & there's much more experienced people on here to give advice.

Armaghmagic

Thanks random, I am very inexperienced so honestly any advice is greatly appreciated.

OK, so after all the homework is done I have the following bikes and would appreciate any advice.....

Under €600

• Scott Aspect 40 - €559 (with €56 of accessories thrown in)
• Trek 3900 - €490 (after 10% discount, RRP is € 550)
• Giant Revel 1 - €500

Under €900

• Scott Aspect 20 - €800 (with €80 of accessories thrown in)
• Lapierre Raid 400 - €755 (with €75 of accessories thrown in)
• Lapierre Raid 500 - €910 (with €91 of accessories thrown in)
• Trek 4900 - €800 (after 10% discount)
• Trek 6000 - €880 (after 10% discount)
• KTM Ultra Fire - €820 (along with helmet,lights,lock,bottle/cage)

So basically im asking what is the best from each group and is it worth spending the extra to get a bike from the higher price range?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!

Tenzor07

Don't bother with a 29er unless your buying a Large frame size..

there's a lad selling an immaculate condition Giant XTC in the adverts section, i'd buy that in a second! Excellent bike!

Armaghmagic

Thanks Tenzor,

Had a look at that bike and it looks the part alright, only issue is I will be getting a new bike on the Bike to Work scheme so (fingers crossed) will be getting it half price!

Also im 5ft11 so frame size would be about 18"

Tenzor07

Armaghmagic wrote: »

Also im 5ft11 so frame size would be about 18"

Standard 26er would be perfect for you...

I would personally go for the Scott Scale 80, all Shimano stuff and good forks...

At the Sub €1000 price point the differences are only slight, but spend as much of the €1k as you can...

rab!dmonkey

I've taken a look at your new options and I'm disappointed to see that they all still have Suntour forks. Suntour's own website describes these forks as suitable for 'Recreational Trail Riding', rather than genuine mountain biking. They are the level above the Suntour forks on the cheaper bikes, but I wouldn't still wouldn't bet on them lasting much longer. After a year of riding I'd say you'll probably be in a position to replace the fork, no matter which bike you choose.

The other components are generally all a step above the cheaper three bikes. I'm a bit sceptical of 29ers (though I've never tried one) and the components on the Aspect 80 are not on par with the other bikes, so I'd stay away from those Scotts.

I like the Trek 6000 the most out of what I see here. Almost all of the Shimano parts on the Trek are from their bona fide mountain bike ranges. It has nice high volume tyres too as well as the best fork of any of the bikes you've posted.

At this price range you might also consider a Canyon Yellowstone. Lots of people here have bought Canyon bikes of all types on CTW and I've never heard anything bad about them. Almost every component on the bike is a step above the Trek 6000. The fork in particular is a lot lighter and from a more reputable brand. You'll also get a bike box, pump and torque wrench (a quite expensive and useful tool). Add €50 for delivery and you can still get a helmet, bottle/cage for under €900.

The XTC that Tenzor mentioned is definitely a very good deal. It does have very steep and forward XC-race geometry though. This is perfect for climbing, but as a beginner, you might find it does not inspire confidence while descending.

Of course the drawback to these last two bikes is that you won't have as good a relationship with your LBS and you'll likely be paying full price for any repairs or replacement parts from them down the road. Having said that, the internet is a great learning tool, so you should be alright doing most repairs and parts replacements on your own so long as you do a little research first.

On the subject of accesories, the most important are a multi-tool with every allen key on your bike, tyre levers, mini pump, patch kit.

Armaghmagic

Got a call from the shop that does the Scotts and he told me to forget about the 29er and Scale 80 and instead look at the following

Scott Aspect 20
Lapierre Raid 400
Lapierre Raid 500

Would these be any addition? I have updated my table of bikes....

Where would I be able to get the Canyon bike you mentioned rab!dmonkey?

Tenzor07

Armaghmagic wrote: »

Where would I be able to get the Canyon bike you mentioned rab!dmonkey?

http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=2537

rab!dmonkey

Canyon bikes are only sold on their website.

The LaPierre Raid 500 has a nice spec and a nice slack head angle which should help you descend more easily. It has a Rock Shox fork which you'll probably have an easier time getting serviced as it's a better established brand than Suntour. If the Raid 500 available around the same price as the Canyon, I would probably recommend the Raid for a first time mountain biker so they can take advantage of some support from their LBS.

For future reference, the following are the Shimano component groups, in ascending quality:

• Non-group/part number only
• Alivio
• Deore
• SLX
• Deore XT
• XTR
• Saint

Sram components:

• X5
• X7
• X9
• X0
• XX

Armaghmagic

rab!dmonkey wrote: »

Canyon bikes are only sold on their website.

The LaPierre Raid 500 has a nice spec and a nice slack head angle which should help you descend more easily. It has a Rock Shox fork which you'll probably have an easier time getting serviced as it's a better established brand than Suntour. If the Raid 500 available around the same price as the Canyon, I would probably recommend the Raid for a first time mountain biker so they can take advantage of some support from their LBS.

For future reference, the following are the Shimano component groups, in ascending quality:

• Non-group/part number only
• Alivio
• Deore
• SLX
• Deore XT
• XTR
• Saint

Sram components:

• X5
• X7
• X9
• X0
• XX
  

Wow very informative post, thanks very much for your help!

Think I might give the shop a ring and see if I can get a spin on that raid......what do you reckon of the price and what are the most important accessories to get with my €91?

Last question I promise

petethedrummer

Armaghmagic wrote: »

I am in Dundalk so can anyone suggest the best place to buy in the town? Tommy The Bike, Cycle Shop and Cycle Centre are the 3 main shops!

Just on this. The Cycle Shop was the cheapest for bikes last time I checked pricing. Cheaper than Eurocycles (in Dublin) when I was checking the price on a Felt.

Armaghmagic

petethedrummer wrote: »

Just on this. The Cycle Shop was the cheapest for bikes last time I checked pricing. Cheaper than Eurocycles (in Dublin) when I was checking the price on a Felt.

Thanks, this is the shop that was recommending the Trek bikes to me. Would prefer to buy off him to be honest, wonder if he does Lapierre??

rab!dmonkey

Obviously a helmet will be first. The shop should be able to find one that fits properly. No need to spend a large amount here - the only thing increased price will get you is more vents and less weight. Gloves shouldn't cost too much and you'll be glad you're wearing them when you fall. After that I'd say a multi-tool, tyre levers and a patch kit, maybe a spare tube or two as well. If you're commuting and don't have a secure place to lock your bike, get a good U-lock. Otherwise pick up some cycle shorts.

petethedrummer

Armaghmagic wrote: »

Thanks, this is the shop that was recommending the Trek bikes to me. Would prefer to buy off him to be honest, wonder if he does Lapierre??

I don't know. Just ask him for a list of all the brands he sells.

I'm not sure if he does the first service free, I presume he does, I do my most of my own servicing so never bothered to ask.

Armaghmagic

OK the order is in for my Lapierre Raid 500, with spare tubes, helmet, shorts, speedo, bike bag, bottle/cage and all for the 1k allocated under the CTW scheme! Thanks for all the advice folks, greatly appreciated!

Armaghmagic

Just an update......have the bike almost a week now and loving it!! Have done 80km already (which is good for me :rolleyes:) and many more to come over the weekend hopefully!! If my journey is not over 20km away and I dont need the car to carry stuff then it is the bike all the time. Dinner on Sunday with a mate, heading to the gym on Saturday, doing guitar lesson on Sunday.....the bike will cover some ground!!

Bike came with helmet, padded shorts, trip computer, lock, bottle+cage and lights front and rear so all I need (might invest in gloves though)! Bit heavy for the road, where I was embarrassed by lighter road bikes, but when I hit the local forest it came into its own......would go as far to say it was the best fun ive had with my trousers (or in my case padded shorts) on!!