My bike at the moment as too small so I’m on the hunt for a new one, any one on here in to biking /got any recommendations/ anything for sale

any help is appreciated

 

GT

 

I'd suggest looking to see if anywhere near you is holding a demo day. I know the bike shop at rutland water has most of the major manufactures go a couple of times a year and you can try out the latest models.
Ebay is always a good place to look as well. some great bargains to be found

 

Evans cycles have a wide range of bikes so definatly worth going there for a nosey and sit, some of them even have staff that know their stuff
Next thing is your budget, how much can you afford.

Personally, I would go for a Specialized

 

mate a budget is needed tbh...

 

chainreaction cycles is pretty good too depending on how much i wanna spend

 

crc have gone down the pan lately, shame, as they used to be brilliant

 

Your proberly not interest in the bikes I ride, but if you using it for getting to work and keeping fit, and enjoying going out for a good long ride I'd recommend anything made by specialized or GT.
Rutland cycle have a good web site and do stock some good bike, and a good mate works there and there mailorder is very good!

 

Budget is key here. Also depends what you want to use it for mainly? ie going down rocky hills at 40mph, or tinkering along canal paths and gentle things like that.

Alot of badge snobs will disagree, but halfords do sell some decent bikes, if you're looking for something middle of the road, they have massive buying power, so can often offer better specced bikes at a lower cost than competitors.

 

Well it would be used for going out on shorter runs (I live 5 miles from town) but would alls maybe be used for longer runs depending on where the party is at, bit of off road here and there and that’s about it.

Id need a reasonably large frame as I’m pushing 6ft4

as for budget there isn’t really one I just don’t want to be spending mega money, I want something well speced that will last and I don’t mind paying that little bit extra some thing with plenty bang for its buck

 

would be mainly on the sketchy b roads arround my house to the town and single track fran morads with a bit of off roading here and there

 

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/mtbht/ht_comp.html

 

looks good but its a hard tail ive allways had a full sus bike, will i notice a big difference, i tryed my mates racing bike last year and it was HELL on the pothole ridden roads beside me and even the tinyest of bumps shatterd my spine never tryed or had a hard tail what like are they?

 

Halford do, do very good bikes at good prices, their GT and Carrara** range are very good. I got a bike from there for a mate, he wanted a bike for the same reason you do, and I think he's pulling 6'2" the bike I got him was a 18" carrara cant remember the model, but its was only about Ł350, came with a well spec, good gears, disc brakes, and lockout front susp. I rode it home from halford and it was really nice to ride, and I'm a bit odd about bikes, I ride a 12" (frame size) very large travel front forks 180mm-200mm, 24" wheels and very wide 3" tires, and only 7gear, and I can happily do 26miles round rutland water. But that Halfords carrara bike was very nice to ride and I would have be very happy to have paid my money for it.

 

well i was looking at them last year the carrera banshee was the one i had my eye on but i gave up because the weather got shit and i needed the money for a car

 

See my bike is to keep the car on the road, use it for work, and as the car is a bare shell, I dont get the choose at the mo.
best thing you can do is spend an hour google-ing** online bike shops with a price in you head and see what the best you can find. halfords site would be a good start and Evans cycles, rutland cycle are good as said.

 

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165499

wht do you think about that one?

 

lol, you big girls blouse! Hard tails are awesome, you'll get a much better spec for your budget going for a hard tail than a similarly priced full sus.
I ride a hard tail so I'm a bit biased, but my legs are my rear suspension, and like I said, you'll get a far superior fork on a hard tail than a similarly priced full sus.
I've tried plenty of full sus bikes, and they are so comfy, but I think they are so comfy they alomost make you feel disconnected from the terrain, but thats just my opinion.

 

+1 very true your get a better bike if you go down the hardtail route, yes full sus are for girl, but so is two brakes, but its what you want in a bike that is important.

 

I bought this in November on offer for Ł440, i'm 6ft and the size is good. Plenty more left in the seatpost.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165499

They do the XC2 for Ł399 ath the moment.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165499

Mainly do road/gravel and it does me. Need thinner tyres for the road as they drag abit.

 

Ibought this last summer great bit of kit for the money
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165499

same range i think they are a great bike for the money

 

Wouldn't of minded that one, tad expensive for me on a bike though.

 

I only was ment to get a new bike for my 7 year old and ended up walking out a grand poorer

 

Callum, Don't think for a second riding a hardtail will be anything like your mates road bike was. I ride both and i hate my road bike unless i am out on smooth open roads. Its a very harsh ride. I ride to work (on my hardtail scott) down a few hardly used/maintained roads. its comfy. Also a full suss for the odd occasion off road will have you wishing for a hardtail after waisting all your energy bobbing up and down whilst riding smooth trails or road. (unless you go for lock out rear, but then the geometry isn't ideal).

your best off going to try some out somewhere.

P.s, don't go overly large on your frame, don't forget you need nut clearence if you have to stop going uphill and have to stand forward. i ride an 19" with 35" inside leg.

 

ok thanks well ive got a 36 leg so ill bear thet inmind