UKC

I was browsing idly around Decathlon yesterday, as you do, when I spotted this:

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-920-se-mountain-bike-275-id_8387540.h...

It looked to me like a pretty decent spec for the price point. I noted especially the 1 x 11 drive train - significantly less faff than a triple like my last MTB had. I'll admit that haven't been paying a great deal of attention to mountain bikes recently so this was the first one to have a single chainwheel I'd seen that wasn't a mega-expensive full susser. Have these been "a thing" for a while, or is it a only relatively recently that this type of componentry has filtered down to the sub-£1,000 hardtail market?

Doing a bit more research when I got home I found this:

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/boardman-mountain-bike...

which I'm sure wasn't on display in Halfrauds last time I was in there a couple of weeks ago, and this:

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-line-10-mountain-bike-p414112

which, apart from the eye-searing colour scheme, looks like stonking value going solely by the spec, including as it does a dropper post - although the cassette is only a 10-speed. It's supposedly based on the Bossnut full susser which has had rave reviews.

I've been thinking that a bike like one of the above could lure me back to the trails. I presume that other manufacturers have similar products that would be worth looking at. Anyone got any suggestions?

I'd also be interested in people's opinions about the pros and cons of a 29er vs 27.5/650B. And, while we're at it, whether a 10-speed would be at a significant disadvantage vs an 11-speed, given that the overall range seems to be the same at 11-42. (Although I note that the Rockrider has a 30-tooth chainwheel vs the 34-tooth on the Boardman and Calibre bikes which, combined with the smaller wheels, suggests to me that the Decathlon bike would be a tad easier uphill for softies - like me!)

In reply to Martin W:

https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/sonder-transmitter
I was looking at getting one of these as an insurance replacement
It's not just about the kit, the more modern geometry longer and slacker is pretty fun on the trails
Plus tyres are recommended by the guys I know have used them and it is possible to drop down to trail or trail plus tyres

In reply to Martin W:

I've got the previous generation of the Boardman bike which you linked:

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/boardman-mountain-bike...

I've only just started mountain biking, however I've commuted to work on a road bike for several years, I am a big fan of the 1 x 11 gearing, the 29" wheels seem to roll over most things without any trouble. The disc brakes seem to be pretty effective and the bike is nice and light for lifting over gates etc.

All in all I think it's a rather more fun bike to ride than my road bike!

In reply to Martin W:

I went for this and I really rate it. https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/mountain-bikes/gt-pantera-expert-2017-...

In reply to Martin W:

I thought for the this price range, you are meant to go for the frame and the fork rather than gears?

I wanted 1x as well for similar budget (<£1.2k), but had limited options due to cycle to work scheme and ended up with 2x10. I am still toying with the idea of getting a 1x. I take trains to long XC routes, so I need to cycle on roads and long rides mean that I appreciate having both higher and lower end of gears. Maybe it's just an excuse not to get fitter.

In reply to PPP:

I thought I was sorted for a bike but that bloody calibre is making new want it. Basically every upgrade I am considering at the moment. I've been trying out 1x recently. I've discovered that if I'm in reasonable shape, there's no hill I can't get up with a bit of trying. It's on the road that I miss the top gears. I used to be able to pedal to about 40 mph but on 1x I max out at 30 with just over 20 as comfortable spinning. Off road, 1x is fine but can lack oomph on road. My overall verdict is that it's a small price to pay for a massive increase in simplicity and ease. I'm sold.

In reply to Monk:

Stick a 34t cog on the front...gives a better high speed pedal stroke, and gets yer legs fit for uphills

In reply to Martin W:

Something else to throw in the ring....

2x11 speed in Shimano flavour, 130mm travel, comes with 27.5+ wheels but you could save for a few months and get a set of 29er wheels as well, essentially two bikes in one!!!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ghost-roket-5-al-hardtail-mountain-bike-...

In reply to peebles boy:

Or keep the 27.5 plus wheels but ditch the weight, maintenance and expense of suspension: https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-ramin-3-plus-2017-mountain-bike-EV2641... that's what I got a year and a bit ago - has been excellent fun so far. Sometimes I think I should have got something with suspension, but so far I'm riding down stuff as rough as I dare to go anyway (have added a dropper seatpost which helps a lot), but the bike is great for bikepacking too, which is partly what I wanted it for.

In reply to Martin W:

These should be on your list:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-bikes/mountain-bikes/hardtail?f=22...

In reply to Martin W:

I got me one of these - love it! Such fun to ride, decent spec, climbs and descends well..
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cannondale-Beast-of-the-East-3-27-5-Mountain-Bike-...

In reply to Martin W:

Another useful resource for you:

http://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/hardtail/mbr-hardtail-of-the-year-sneak-previe...

Thanks for all these suggestions of alternatives. It looks like mountain bike has evolved more than I imagined in the time since I sold my Trek 6500 (which was notable in my eyes for having disc brakes!)

I'd still be interested in people's views of the pros and cons of 29er vs 27.5/650b.

And exactly how useful is a dropper seat post?

In reply to Martin W:


Very (about as essential as having two wheels)

In reply to ChrisJD:


Depends on what sort of riding you do. It would be utterly redundant on my bike. As would “full sus”.

In reply to Si_G:

Lol, knew some sort of niche biker would enjoy my comment. It's why I posted it.

Dropper posts are starting to be seen on X/gravel bikes, and horror of horrors, even on road bikes.

In reply to Si_G:

I don't think I'll ever own a full sus bike due to never having the spare cash to justify owning one. I've been on hardtails since the early 90s & currently have a 6" travel fork steel 1 x10 hardtail. A dropper post was something I debated about getting. Was it was worth the cost and additional weight? Absolutely. The difference it makes to my riding is phenomenal.

In reply to Martin W:

I'm loving 1x 10. So much simpler than my old 3 x set ups.

In reply to Martin W:

I'm in the same boat, looking for a similar bike to you and unaware of 'recent' developments in the MTB world.

I'm almost decided on going down the TobyA rigid route, although with a different bike ( https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/sonder-frontier-nx1-rigid-rumpus-650b ). I tried out the 650b+ version recently - it really was a lot of fun and I loved the 1 x 11 groupset.

In reply to James FR:

My first MTB had a rigid fork - and a lovely plush steel frame (late 1990s Specialized Rockhopper - almost wish I'd hung on to it). I was very pleasantly impressed at the much greater degree of security and directional control a suspension fork provided on rough ground. My current alu frame/carbon fork CX/gravel bikeis noticeably more 'squirrely' on some of the rougher local landrover tracks. If I do get back in to MTB trail riding I don't think I'd want to be without a bouncy front end - though lock-out is nice for road riding.

In reply to James FR:

The Frontiers look great, in the Bike and Bivvy facebook group there have been a few good reports, I think rather like the Ramin 3+ - really good if you are interested in bikepacking. But like I said, I got a dropper seat post for mine and its given me loads more confidence on technical descents - well worth considering!

In reply to Martin W:
29" on a hardtail is ideal for gravel/tarmac routes with the odd bit of "mountain biking" on singletrack etc.
27.5" is better for smaller people (many bikes will only come with 29" wheels in size medium and above) and more big mountain/backcountry riding (IMO)
650b/27.5+ is a compromise between the simplicity of a hardtail and the comfort of a full suss..

Having been riding an Orbea Loki + bike for the last 10months (it became my go-to bike, soooooooo much more fun than my full suss), then having a crack on my mates steel 29" hardtail last week, the extra grip, comfort and cushioning of the + size tyres was instantly noticeable. I thought + tyres would be a fad, even when I bought the Loki, but they're here to stay, and with good reason.
1x set ups are great for faff free riding, but if you're doing a lot of backcountry riding, as opposed to trail centre, 2x set ups still get my vote for grinding out the long ups and blasting down landy tracks on the way home.

Whatever you get, for £800-£1000, it's tough to find a crap bike these days!

EDIT - the dropper post question - possibly the biggest leap forward in mtn bike technology in the last decade, they have revolutionised riding. If you don't get one with your bike, and don't have the big bucks to buy a fancy one, the Giant Contact one is good price point and fairly decent quality. Alternatively, check out teh Orbea Digit seatpost - not a dropper as such, but as close as you'll get to it without the weight penalty and the problems you can get with hydraulics/stuck cables etc.