If you could only spend £200 what Mountain bike would you buy ?

[bobafett]

I know everyone will say save and spend more on something better but that's not an option as it's neither my money nor my bike 

So any thoughts at this bottom end of the market ?

I spotted the mongoose rockadile ARX disc reduced from £299 to £219 looked like a good entry level deal for an alloy frame, suntour suspension forks and disc brakes 

Help ! 

[trasher]

I know everyone will say save and spend more on something better but that's not an option as it's neither my money nor my bike 

So any thoughts at this bottom end of the market ?

I spotted the mongoose rockadile ARX disc reduced from £299 to £219 looked like a good entry level deal for an alloy frame, suntour suspension forks and disc brakes 

Help ! 

just had to be a mongoose 

you need to see someone mate     

hi my names john ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and im a gooseaholic   

[diesel]

I'd go second hand and look for a hardtaiil because you'll get more for your money

Cross Country = GT Zaskar or something similar GT Backwood, a Dialled bikes if you can get one for that money?

Dirt Jump = Dmr Sidekick with gears or similar

[skki3330]

Mate wait another month go to fleabay and buy yourself an old skooler, i bought a couple of years ago a Kona Uhu full suspension easten frame would have cost ya nearly £3000 in 97!!! 10 years later £120!!!! lol friends of mine spent £800 plus on there bikes and my old Kona kicks there arse!!

[bobafett]

I know everyone will say save and spend more on something better but that's not an option as it's neither my money nor my bike 
So any thoughts at this bottom end of the market ?
I spotted the mongoose rockadile ARX disc reduced from £299 to £219 looked like a good entry level deal for an alloy frame, suntour suspension forks and disc brakes 
Help ! 

just had to be a mongoose 
you need to see someone mate     
hi my names john ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and im a gooseaholic   

Tw@t 

 

What do you mean see someone ? I'm the founding member of MCA........ Mongoose Collectors Anonymous 

Now what about this £200 MTB ? 

I'd go second hand and look for a hardtaiil because you'll get more for your money
Cross Country = GT Zaskar or something similar GT Backwood, a Dialled bikes if you can get one for that money?
Dirt Jump = Dmr Sidekick with gears or similar

Yep only looking at hardtails because he'll do a fair bit of his riding on the road.

Second hand ain't gonna fly as it's a present for someone so it'll have to be brand new (not my decision but others chipping in will insist on it being a shiney new one !  )

So with that..... Any more thoughts ?

 

[currio]

I spotted the mongoose rockadile ARX disc

FFS 

[mattfx81]

Few cheapies on here.

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/index.html?action=search&searchtype=catID&quicksearch=645&p_start=0&sortType=&submit=back

[tickz]

I remember reading an article in MBUK mountain bike uk mag sub £500 test where a decathlon full sus bike at around £250 quid pissed all over the best of the rest, and they couldnt believe how good it was, im sure it was called a rockrider or something. let me ave a quick google...

[tickz]

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/rockrider-63-07-20096

here you go, this is that mags forum


btw. i have bought a GT from winstanleys before and it was all good

[bobafett]

Few cheapies on here.
http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/index.html?action=search&searchtype=catID&quicksearch=645&p_start=0&sortType=&submit=back

That's the trouble matt - there's fookin cheapies everywhere - the hard part for me is seperating the "cheap good deals" from the "cheap piles of sh!te" 

I remember reading an article in MBUK mountain bike uk mag sub £500 test where a decathlon full sus bike at around £250 quid pissed all over the best of the rest, and they couldnt believe how good it was, im sure it was called a rockrider or something. let me ave a quick google...

Was looking for hardtails really mate but I'll go take a look at that link 

Any more ?

[Hootski70]

John , i had a decathalon rock rider style o thing , was a bit more than £200 , but stil the best MTB i've riden . They are well built and if you can find out when they are bringing out a new one use your cash haggling with the manager and buy a ' last years model ' . Or find one in shop with a scratch on and speak to the manager about taking off his hands doing him a favour .

[pickle]

Second hand otherwise it'll be a POS! 

Any MTB at that price is on par with. Toys R Us bikes.....crap forks and crap brakes and gearset.

Look for Giant/Trek/GT avalanche/ Kona or specialised rockhopper, none of em will be bad.

[sid1972]

put it this way dude - if it's only costing £200 , NEVER, ever go near a mountain on it......  

better off going 2nd hand.... get more to show for your £200.

 

[ozone]

Best I can do on that budget is this - £203 brand new.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_518215_langId_-1_categoryId_165499

As others have said, your mate wouldn't go far wrong with a used GT, Spesh etc. 

[skki3330]

For that money this is the best your gunna get unless you can find a shop that have some bikes that are a couple of years old and they might give you a deal.

Decathlon Rockrider 5.2

[kdw712]

Decathlon Rockrider 5.2

gets good reviews for the money

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/rockrider-52-8964

[bobafett]

I suppose I'm a bit blinded by all the components at the moment being a bit new to MTB (haven't had one since the early nineties) but I'm looking at some of the "prefered" brands specs and Giant and Kona both have £300 offerings with the same suntour 2025 forks on as the mongoose rockadile 2010 I spotted for £219  

I'm not being mongoose obsessed here - honest ! Seriously, I'm really not, I'm just comparing spec sheets and surely the frames can't be THAT bad ? There's a mongoose "tyax sport" for £249 I found and it has suntour 100mm forks with lock-out that are found on bikes that are far more expensive so where is the rub ?  

Also both those goose bikes have disc brakes whereas the specialised, giant, kona models don't and all break the £200-£250 budget that is pretty much set in stone.

Aaaaaagggghhhhh   - think I'll recommend we buy him a scooter  

Those decathlon bikes look alright but all the cheaper models look to have "spinner" forks not suntour. Never heard of spinner so enlighten me  

[kdw712]

if you can go £250

look at this deal

hardrock from for £259

http://www.dalescycles.com/productdetails.asp?productid=50328

[NORTY40]

John if you can stretch a little more I can probably get you one of these cheaper than the listed price 

http://www.buyabikedeals.co.uk/store/mountain/yukon.html   he's also got the Specialized Hardrock  in so maybe i could get you a bit more off that  .  I wouldn't worry about disc brakes or the suspension forks too much as they won't be upto much on a sub £300 bike .  He might even have some older Trek models in ie 2008/9 etc we could steal off him 

[bobafett]

John if you can stretch a little more I can probably get you one of these cheaper than the listed price 
http://www.buyabikedeals.co.uk/store/mountain/yukon.html   he's also got the Specialized Hardrock  in so maybe i could get you a bit more off that  .  I wouldn't worry about disc brakes or the suspension forks too much as they won't be upto much on a sub £300 bike .  He might even have some older Trek models in ie 2008/9 etc we could steal off him