Bullet Proof SRi
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Registered: 11th Jul 05
Location: UK - Clacton on sea - Essex
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Well havent owned a bike now for over 10 years but decided id like to cycle again, maybe even take it away with me on short breaks and do some riding in the woods.
Its my 30th Bday soon and been lucky enough for some 1 to buy me a bike but on a £250 limit which i know isnt the highest amount but hopeing to get something fairly good for that.
So far the 3 or 4 bikes ive seen 2 have been carrera and 2 have been diamondback.
Carrera Valour
Carrera Vengance
These are both around the £300 mark, look nice, have front suspension with cable discs, though they are slightly over budget i have some halfords vouchers.
The other 1 was a Diamond back Beta, jump style frame that is also suitable for regular useage, £240 seems the price you can get it for, front suspension and v brakes, not had a chance to actually sit on this one, only seen pics.
I looked at what i thought were lesser models like apollo in halfords but they felt a bit cheaper tbh apart from a black and red one called apollo phaze which was around £200.
ve been out of the bike thing for a long time so dont really know whats good and whats not, anyone heard of iron horse bikes at all
please fell free to say they are crap
also being 6ft what size frame should i be looking at
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Cole
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Registered: 11th Nov 02
Location: eastbourne Drives:zafira sold now a qashqai
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If you can stretch to the £300 mark i would recomend the rockrider 5.3 from decathlon its the bike i have and it takes everything i throw at it it has front suspension with preload /rebound and lockout disc brakes as for frame size mine is a large which is how decathlon size their frames but i was tol around a 19" would be perfect for 6ft
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IvIarkgraham
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Registered: 27th Mar 04
Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
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Might be better off buying second hand?
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Bullet Proof SRi
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Registered: 11th Jul 05
Location: UK - Clacton on sea - Essex
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yeah i saw some on ebay, due to it being a present from some one they would like to get me summin new
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smcGSI16V
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Registered: 26th May 03
Location: Farnborough Drives: Thurlby 888 CDTi No.98
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Rock rider 8 from decathlon.
Or look 2nd hand. I picked up my boardman comp 2nd hand 6 months old had hardly been used for over £200 cheaper than brand new.
Plenty of bargains can be had, probably just have to be patient as it took me a good few weeks to get mine.
[Edited on 15-09-2012 by smcGSI16V]
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IvIarkgraham
Premium Member
Registered: 27th Mar 04
Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
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i got a scott voltage for £75 
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Bullet Proof SRi
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Registered: 11th Jul 05
Location: UK - Clacton on sea - Essex
User status: Offline
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Right following on from my earlier questions i had a real hunt around all the local shops over the last week or so finding out what i could and TBH theres a hell of alot of brands out there that ive just never heard of, Orbea, Cyote,
After a good look i realise that a specialized i would say is out of my price range unless i go second hand or want the bottom of the range one.
Diamondback, ive still yet to go look at the Beta jump style one as its not local, however i looked at the outlook model and whilst looking quite nice, its a fair bit on the heavy side, after looking at that i realised i may have to spend a bit more to get something with a little more quality so i set the bar at around £300.
All the bikes are around the same weight at 14kg
Ive tried to do some research and came up with the following bikes, your thoughts
diamondback beta jump style 2012
Frame: Alloy Dirt Jump frame 14"
Fork: RST Gila T8 100mm
Bars: Diamondback
Stem: Stubby
Speed: 21
Front Mech: Shimano
Rear Mech: Shimano
Front Brake: Tektro Alloy V
Rear Brake: Tektro Alloy V
Rims: Diamondback doublewall dirt jump
Front Hub: Alloy QR
Rear Hub: Alloy QR
Tyres: 2.35 MTB tyres Front 2.35 MTB tyres Rear
Seatpost: Outland
£230
Diamondback Resppnse 2011 - alot lighter this one then the outlook
Frame: Alloy hydroformed frame
Forks: Rock Shox Dart 2 100mm travel
Gearset: 27 speed Shimano Deore with Truvativ E300 3.0 cranks 42/34/24T
Brakeset: Shimano Hydraulic BL-M445 with 180mm rotors
Wheelset: Diamondback doublewall trail rims on Alloy 36H quick release hubs running 2.35" tyres
Controls: Truvativ Stylo riser bar 680mm width, with Outland stem
Finishing kit: Selle Royal Viper saddle with micro adjust saddle
£330
Carrera Vulcan - highly rated on bike radar, dont know if thats anything to go by
Alloy Rims: Yes
■Brake Type: Hydraulic Disc
■Chainset: SRAM S200 3.0 chainset
■Exact Frame Size: 20"
■Fork Lock-out : Yes
■Fork travel: 120mm
■Forks: Suntour XCM-V3 hydraulic damping and lockout
■Forks - Adjustable damping : Yes
■Frame Colour: Black and Lime
■Frame Material: Aluminium
■Frame Size: 21-22
■Frame-: Lightweight 7005 T6 aluminium
■Front Brake: Clarks SX hydraulic disc brake
■Front Mech: Shimano FD-M190
■Gear Shifters: SRAM X4 trigger shifters
■Gender: Mens
■Handle Bars: Alloy oversize riser bars (30mm rise) (31.8mm diameter)
■Headset: Semi integrated
■Hubs: Alloy with Q/R
■Number of Gears: 24
■Pedals: Wellgo alloy platform with toe clips
■Rear Brake: Clarks SX hydraulic disc brake
■Rear Mech: SRAM X4 rear mech
■Rims: Double wall alloy rims
■Saddle: Carrera
■Stem: Ahead aluminium stem
■Suspension: Front
■Tyre size: 2.1"
■Wheel size: 26"
■Approximate Weight (KG): 14.7
£360 - however i can get it for £300 due to a friend working there
Trek 3500
Frame - Alpha Silver Aluminium, w/disc compatible dropouts, replaceable derailleur hanger
Front suspension - SR Suntour XCT w/coil spring, preload adjustment, 80mm travel
Wheels - Formula DC20 aluminium front hub; Formula DC27 aluminium rear hub w/Bontrager AT-550 36-hole rims
Tyres - Bontrager LT3, 26x2.0"
Shifters - Shimano Tourney, 7 speed
Front derailleur - Shimano Tourney
Rear derailleur - Shimano Tourney
Crank - Shimano M131, 48/38/28
Cassette - SRAM PG-730 12-32, 7 speed
Pedals - Wellgo nylon platform
Saddle - Bontrager SSR
Seatpost - Bontrager SSR, 31.6mm, 20mm offset
Handlebar - Bontrager Riser, 25.4mm, 30mm rise
Stem - Bontrager Approved, 25.4mm, 25 degree
Headset - 1-1/8" threadless
Brakeset - HL 280 mechanical disc w/Shimano Tourney levers
Grips - Bontrager SSR
Extras - Rack & mudguard mounts
£295
Voodoo Bantu
Approximate Weight (KG): 15.2kg
■Brake Type: Hydraulic Disc
■Chainset: Shimano FC-M311
■Fork Lock-out : Yes
■Fork travel: 120mm
■Forks: 120mm Suntour Raidon air suspension fork with lockout
■Frame Colour: Matt dark blue
■Frame Material: Alloy
■Frame Size: 19-20
■Frame-: Lightweight 7005 aluminium
■Front Brake: Shimano BR-M445 Hydraulic disc 180mm rotor
■Front Mech: Shimano FD-M310
■Gear Shifters: Shimano Acera SL-M360 24spd
■Gender: Mens
■Handle Bars: Riser 31.8mm
■Headset: Semi Integrated 1 1/8 Aheadset
■Hubs: Formula 36 hole Q/R disc hub
■Number of Gears: 24
■Pedals: Wellgo LU313 alloy black
■Rear Brake: Shimano BR-M445 Hydraulic disc 160mm rotor
■Rear Mech: Shimano Acera RD-M360
■Rims: Double wall alloy black 36 hole disc rim
■Saddle: VL-3165
■Seatpost: 400mm SP-602 alloy 27.2
■Suspension: Front
■Tyre size: 2.1"
■Tyres: Innova 26 x 2.1 tyres
■Wheel size: 26"
■Exact Frame Size: 20"
■Stem: 31.8mm alloy 90mm 16/18 100mm 20"
£359.99 - again i can get for £300
[Edited on 23-09-2012 by Bullet Proof SRi]
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Cole
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Registered: 11th Nov 02
Location: eastbourne Drives:zafira sold now a qashqai
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Of all the bikes get the Vulcan the cable brakes on the trek are what lets it down. My best mate just bought a Vulcan and he cant fault it was nice to ride as well and if you can get it for £300 the that's what seals the deal in all fairness
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Simon
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Registered: 24th Apr 03
Location: Oxfordshire
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Trek or Carrera, not sure why you are even considering the Diamondback?!
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podgeworth
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Registered: 25th Nov 07
Location: West Yorkshire
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The second diamond back is the better specced out of the 4, low spec SRAM is shit and the clarks brakes are not much to write home about on the carrera. Same with the low lever treks, paying for a name rather than the gear that's on it.
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Bullet Proof SRi
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Registered: 11th Jul 05
Location: UK - Clacton on sea - Essex
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looks like im gonna go for either the voodoo or the vulcan
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Mike
Organiser: North West and North Wales
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Registered: 20th May 06
Location: nr. Skipton, North Yorkshire
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I bought the Voodoo Bantu a month or so back after not being able to find any kind of negative review on it. I'm happy with it. It's gone pretty much everywhere I've pointed it including some fairly boggy bits today, the only failing point being the out of practice, unfit rider. Brakes are nice, saddle's decent, I did 13 miles today, mostly seated, just wearing jeans, no padded shorts and it was comfy enough.
Imo the matt blue looks the bollocks too
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