Many of you know I've been thinking of getting a less fragile bike for some time, and I've been having a look round the web recently. As I'm never likely to go on anything hardcore I don't want to spend too much, but would prefer it not to fall to bits when facing more that the odd bump.
Looking at some reviews and prices the best value in the £200-300 all seem to be Claud Butler 2007 models which have significant reductions. They get good reviews from MTB Mag and from User sites I can find.
Anyone care to offer an oppionion on the spec of the following I would be very interested. Or if they know anywhere locally that stocks them or similar.
Cape Wrath D24 £280
http://www.all-about-the-home.co.uk/cla ... lAodml3QFQ
Cape Wrath XC £253
http://www.bikes2udirect.com/B2080.html?id=7mQSXgNa
Rock £217
http://www.bikes2udirect.com/B2098.html?id=7mQSXgNa
Claud Butler 2007 Cape Wrath or Rock???
Moderator: Moderators
I think I would spend the money and get the disc brakes now rather than shell out 40% of the bike value again to replace the rim brakes with discs. If you are going to do any riding in the winter or when the trails are remotely wet, you will need discs, rims just don't work efficiently enough under these conditions.
Don't know anything about the wheels provided, I would hope they are up to most abuse they will receive on the trails. I tend to find I am hard on my wheels (similiar story to my windsurfing kit ) so always go for the strongest ones I can find and I just live with the extra weight when riding uphill. I would go with what is provided and just keep an eye on the spoke tension, replacing the rims only if they need it.
Gears sound okay. More expensive bikes would have 9 but frankly don't need it. During the muddy winter months I think the simplest systems are the best and would be happy with 8 on that basis, no one needs 27 gears anyway!
Just to confuse your choice further, I have PMed you a review scanned in from What Mountain Bike.
Don't know anything about the wheels provided, I would hope they are up to most abuse they will receive on the trails. I tend to find I am hard on my wheels (similiar story to my windsurfing kit ) so always go for the strongest ones I can find and I just live with the extra weight when riding uphill. I would go with what is provided and just keep an eye on the spoke tension, replacing the rims only if they need it.
Gears sound okay. More expensive bikes would have 9 but frankly don't need it. During the muddy winter months I think the simplest systems are the best and would be happy with 8 on that basis, no one needs 27 gears anyway!
Just to confuse your choice further, I have PMed you a review scanned in from What Mountain Bike.
If found, please return to the pub.
Thanks guys, although I must admit I rather compromised from your advice. I've always felt that disk brakes sound too much like hard work, so I went for the Cape Wrath XC, not sure how much I'm likely to do in the wet anyway, although the bike and wheels have the lugs for upgrading to Disk.
The components on the XC are a step up on the D24, the folks the same as the on the Saracen MTB the mag recommended with Lockout and rebound adjustment, if I ever work out how to use them. This model is from the next price bracket when comparing RRPs, and the 2007 XC is closer to Cape Wrath that MTB gave 10/10 Gold rating a couple of years back.
I actually got it from a shop in Wooton Bassett. Not quite as cheap as the web I did a bit of a deal so we got a few other things added, and like to support local shops if it doesn't cost me too much.
Oh and sorry Huw, its Grey not red.
The components on the XC are a step up on the D24, the folks the same as the on the Saracen MTB the mag recommended with Lockout and rebound adjustment, if I ever work out how to use them. This model is from the next price bracket when comparing RRPs, and the 2007 XC is closer to Cape Wrath that MTB gave 10/10 Gold rating a couple of years back.
I actually got it from a shop in Wooton Bassett. Not quite as cheap as the web I did a bit of a deal so we got a few other things added, and like to support local shops if it doesn't cost me too much.
Oh and sorry Huw, its Grey not red.
Graham
'some other things' included a very basic bike for me.
He took me out for a ride in the afternoon and suddenly veered down a bridleway.
Despite the dry weather I managed to find a lot of mud
I also fell off (thankfully not into the mud but it was a close thing)
I think you're all mad.
ps - Huw - my gloves are red
He took me out for a ride in the afternoon and suddenly veered down a bridleway.
Despite the dry weather I managed to find a lot of mud
I also fell off (thankfully not into the mud but it was a close thing)
I think you're all mad.
ps - Huw - my gloves are red
It must be silly season. I've just bought......
... a touring bike! Hopefully arriving tomorrow.
Dawes Super Galaxy. A good, solid 14Kgs worth (at least), though - truth be told - I suspect it's much more than that. All that money, and it still has crappy centre-pull cantilever brakes.
Thing is, these things are about as rare as rocking horse doo. Advertised everywhere. Available nowhere. I think I got one of the last ones in the country before next year's stock arrives.
It's not red, but "bronze", apparently. Reddish, undertones, I suggest.
... a touring bike! Hopefully arriving tomorrow.
Dawes Super Galaxy. A good, solid 14Kgs worth (at least), though - truth be told - I suspect it's much more than that. All that money, and it still has crappy centre-pull cantilever brakes.
Thing is, these things are about as rare as rocking horse doo. Advertised everywhere. Available nowhere. I think I got one of the last ones in the country before next year's stock arrives.
It's not red, but "bronze", apparently. Reddish, undertones, I suggest.
It's an ill wind that never blows at all.