Entry level Full Sus MTB Recommendation

Old Jim

Looking to buy an entry level full suspension mountain bike on the bike to work scheme, so budget about 1.2k region and would need need to be new. Something like this from Halfords at 960 seems ideal but is out of stock - https://www.halfords.ie/bikes/mountain-bikes/boardman-mtr-8.6-mens-mountain-bike-2021---s-m-l-xl-frames-370790.html

I can't find anything similar in that price bracket. I would need XL size. I would be new to trail riding so just want something to test the waters!

Gerry

Its a tough ask. That halfords bike not bad for the money.. still a bit compromised. looks like cable brakes. The fork not bad though. It could all potentially be upgraded in time. But boardman have a decent reputation.

You'll struggle to find similar elsewhere.

You could have a look secondhand and then consider using bike2work to upgrade that bike. But that's not for everyone.

Maybe best option might be to contact halfords and see if they can get one in for you.

Alkers

I would strongly recommend going second hand, it's a buyers market ATM and you should find something handy enough that is much better than that bike

fatbhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121982938#Comment_121982938

100% agree. There is mental value out there now. Yeti SB150s for 2.5K. You'll get a great bike for between 1.5 and 2K. Just make sure it's 2020 onwards basically. eMTBs are going for 3K. Join a few of the Facebook MTB Buy & Sell groups; that's where they come up.

You won't get the BikeToWork, but you'll get a great bike, ride it for a while, figure out pretty quickly what's what with MTBing and the bikes themselves, especially if you join up with groups out riding (e.g. MAD), and then when you're in a better position to figure out your next MTB you'll have a full BikeToWork waiting on you to use (once you use it, you can't use it again for another 4 or 5 years, so you need to not waste it).