United Kingdom - Help me choose my bike? Please!

People, firstly I'm new here and I'm from North West London.

I'm buying a new bike within the price range of £239.99 to £299.99, I've narrowed my search down to 5 bikes, 5 from some of the best makes in the world. They are:

Carrera Kraken 2007
GT Avalanche 3.0 Disc 2008
Saracen Dirtrax 1 2007
Trek 4300 Disc 2007
Iron Horse Maverick 3.0 2007

Please vote in my poll for which is the best on spec and if you've had one of them please tell me if it's good or not and why. If you don't know what it looks like just type it in your browser on google.

Thank You

Getting worried as 3 sound like bikes from Halfords. Not a great fan of halfords due to lack of aftersales and competence of the sales staff.

Now you say London so is the bike to be used on the road? Mountain bikes are not the best for road use- heavy and 26" knobbly tyres take a lot of energy to ride. Suggest you look a bit further and look at The Hybrid range of bikes- Better ones are a road bike with straight bars and one to look at is the Giant FCR3. 07 models are being price cut at present and can be had for around £300- if you look.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-GB/bikes/road/1400/28831/

Trek do similar models and so do specialised.

If you want to get a bit more bang for buck then I second the vote for Giant or possibly a Kona. I've had both and find them both very good bikes as hardtails go. I wouldn't necessarily insist on a road bike for London although you'll be hard pressed to find genuine need for off-road (knobbly) tires so what ever you get should have road tires on them. Also, you should look for something with little, or restrictable movement in the front suspension as popping the occasional kerb or pothole won't demand as much as off-roading will and the less movement means more power, particularly up hills.

Best thing that I can recommend is to get yourself down to the Bike Show this weekend and have a good look about. A lot of shops will be demonstrating alongside the manufacturers and you'll be able to test out a very wide range of models and possibly pick up a bargain.

If you do go, don't forget to check out the London Cycling Campaign stand. The membership is worth it for the discounts alone.

Getting worried as 3 sound like bikes from Halfords. Not a great fan of halfords due to lack of aftersales and competence of the sales staff.

You can't just generalise like that just because you've become a victim of "Bike Snob Propaganda"

I bought my last 2 bikes from Halfords, spending more than £2,000 in the process but probably saving more than £2,000 in the same process.

The after sales service and competence I have received have been second to none with a lot of the work being FOC. The guys at my local Halfords ride for Team Bikehut and are top dollar.

She'd be better off spending £400 and looking at the bottom of the range Boardman Performance Hybrids. You could double your money and not get as good a spec and certainly not as good a ride.

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/boardman_hybrid_spec.pdf

Halfords sell thousand pound bikes!?

lbs yes, but £'s?

Halfords sell thousand pound bikes!?

lbs yes, but £'s?

You obviously don't get out enough.

My Gran's the same, she doesn't seem to know what's going on around her. It's probably something to do with the onset of dementure, but I tell her she should get out more!

I obviously don't need to visit halfords




See below ;)

I obviously don't need to visit halfords. See below ;)


OBVIOUSLY!!!!!

See Below.....you've been had fella and I bet you paid a lot more than £1,199! It's a no brainer


STUMPJUMPER HT COMP 07
Our price: 959.20
RRP: 1,199.00
FRAME M4 alloy hardtail
FORK Fox F90 RL 90mm, air spring, rebound/compression adj w/ lock out
HEADSET 1 1/8" Threadless
STEM Specialized adjustable rise, OS 31.8
HANDLEBARS Specialized XC flat 31.8mm OS bar
FRONT BRAKE Avid Juicy 5, hydraulic disc
REAR BRAKE Avid Juicy 5, hydraulic disc
BRAKE LEVERS Avid Juicy 5
FRONT DERAILLEUR Shimano LX
REAR DERAILLEUR SRAM X-9
SHIFT LEVERS SRAM X-7
CASSETTE Shimano HG50
CHAIN SRAM PC-951 w
CRANKSET Truvativ Stylo, 2pc crank/BB
CHAINRINGS 22S/32A/44A 4mm thick outer
BOTTOM BRACKET Truvativ GXP
PEDALS Shimano M-520 SPD
RIMS DT custom for Specialized X430, 24mm w/eyelets, 32h
FRONT HUB Specialized Stout disc, sealed cartridge bearing, high/low flange, 32h
REAR HUB Shimano M-525 disc, 32h, alloy QR
SPOKES DT Swiss 1.8mm stainless, alloy nipples
FRONT TYRE Specialized Fast Trak Pro 26x2.0", 120TPI, aramid bead, dual compound
REAR TYRE Specialized Fast Trak Pro 26x2.0", 120TPI, aramid bead, dual compound
TUBES Specialized Ultralight 26x2.0", presta
SADDLE Specialized BG Rival, hollow Cro-Mo rails
SEAT POST 2014 butted alloy, black, 30.9 x 350/400mm
SEAT BINDER 7050 hard annodized alloy collar w/ QR, 34.9mm clamp ID, black
NOTES Protective clear coat, derailleur hanger, reflectors, owners manual


BOARDMAN MTB PRO
Retail Price £999
FRAME Ultralight Aluminium triple butted Hardtail
FORK Rock Shox Reba SL 100mm air spring motion control rebound damping & lock out
HEADSET FSA Orbit Z with cartridge bearings
SPACERS Full Carbon
STEM Ritchey WCS 4 Axis OS 31.8mm
HANDLEBARS Ritchey WCS Rizer OS 31.8mm
SEATPOST Ritchey WCS v2 27.2mm
SADDLE CBoardman MTB Pro Titanium Rails
BRAKES Avid Juicy 7 Hydraulic disc brakes, 160mm rotors
SHIFTERS SRAM X-9 9 speed triggers
REAR MECH SRAM X-0 Mid Cage
FRONT MECH SRAM X-9
CASSETTE SRAM PG950 11-32T
CHAIN Shimano HG73
CHAINSET Truativ Stylo 3.3
BOTTOM BRACKET Truativ GXP
RIMS Ritchey discs WCS OCR 32H
HUBS Formula disc, sealed cartridge bearings
SPOKES Stainless steel double butted
TYRES Continental Vapor 2.1
PEDALS Shimano M535SR SPD 535

That's all nice and everything, but it doesn't make my sack quiver..
I've got a (heavily upgraded) V brake model & I'm not bothered about discs. SRAM push push shifting ain't for me either.
That is a great spec for the money, but it just ain't my style. Just my preference, though I'm sure many would differ.
I am slightly curious about the quality of the Boardman frame given the spec at that price though...

The one thing I do like is the fork, but then mine's hardly a slouch.

Oh, and since I got my bike via a mate's employee discount, I paid significantly less than retail. :D
Drivtrain/componentry upgrades have probably taken it up to a little over the original rrp (£999 in '06). Spread over the past year it's insignificant.

I'm looking at her now.. fighting the urge to lick her clean and make her gleam!

Does Boardman make you feel that way?

Just had a quick look at halfords site and they don't seem to stock boardman.
Can't be arsed to look elswhere, so I'll just take your word for it that it's fabulous.

Spliff and bed for me. G'night

Halfords have the franchise to sell the Boardman range from their larger Bikehut stores only. You can't buy them off the web.

Try here if you can't be arsed to go to a Bikehut:

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/

I'm looking at her now.. fighting the urge to lick her clean and make her gleam!

Does Boardman make you feel that way?

You bet, beautiful lines on the tubes and classy paint job.

Take the Jubilee Line to Canada Water - DECATHLON have everything you could want. At ANY price - and prices nobody else can match value-for-money