http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/22-off-any-purchase-halfords-1603626

I agree Bizango is the way to go for £500 ish

Consider the Voodoo Bizango from Halfords which usually costs £600. It has won lots of awards/group tests, e.g. http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/hardtail/product/review-voodoo-bizango-15-49837/

It beats more expensive bikes too.

If you wait for one of Halfords's 10% off cycling sales and then combine it with this method to get 22% off, then you can get it for close to £400.

It's my first proper MTB so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I like it a lot.

Only the xl frame left in stock, don't hang about if you want it. I would say good bike for £399 buy it. At rrp £599, the component specs are a bit low vs carrera, btwin etc at the same price point.

I just bought this http://m.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-two-two-alloy-hardtail-mountain-bike-p275612

Been wanting to get back into cycling to get fit and did lots of reading and reviews were good in the price range. I am pretty impressed with it too.

Consider the Voodoo Bizango from Halfords which usually costs £600. It has won lots of awards/group tests, e.g. http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/hardtail/product/review-voodoo-bizango-15-49837/

It beats more expensive bikes too.

If you wait for one of Halfords's 10% off cycling sales and then combine it with this method to get 22% off, then you can get it for close to £400.

It's my first proper MTB so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I like it a lot.

Look on eBay or Gumtree for a Trek X Caliber (or even a Trek Superfly). Far better components than this or anything Halfrauds sell.

+1 for the Bizango.

Cant comment on the latest model but the 2014 model has been ace for me, has been a really good bike to reaquiant myself with mountain biking. 120mm travel Raidon air forks, and a deore groupset set it up nicely.

They are going for very reasonable prices now on gumtree/ebay £2-350.

Wow I can remember back in the 90s when the rockhopper was a premium priced bike. £400 is just crazy.

I have this bike to get me back in to mountain biking and is excellent, this price is bonkers! Always get a good frame as the components can be upgraded. Specialized is a premium company with a proven track record. This brand is like the Ferrari of the bike world, you can get a great bike for the same money but what would you rather be riding? You are investing in years of research and technology.... Waiting for the slating but heat from me!

How does one get 22% + 10% off on the Bizango?

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/22-off-any-purchase-halfords-1603626

I agree Bizango is the way to go for £500 ish

This bike has 29er wheels, the gooutdoors model is 26, I am guessing most of the similar priced halfords models are 650/26?

Do you want the bigger wheels, if you can live with 26 then you may be able to get a better new or used bargain as they are "out of fashion", also it's likely to give you a lighter bike, but the 29er should roll better

I have gone from a well specced up 26 Cube Xt to a 29er Boardman Xt, and it certainly tackles terrain easier, but I miss the nimbleness if the 26.

I would also prefer 10speed at the rear.

The Spesh frame will be a nice standard frame to build on.

​Go on ebay and buy a second hand Cannondale, e.g. 121973946728, 141978380572, 172163104818. Plenty out there. Ask lots of questions and make sure you trust the seller. Any sign they are a plonker just leave it.

29er is no good for my tiny 5ft 6 frame. Just too big as tried one. 26 is just fine for me. A 29er is gonna be OK for some but will not fit all. It's just another gimmick to sell bikes imo.

​ A little early to be be trolling isn't it Brilly?

dunno, what time do you normally start?

what did you mean though?

Specialized Bikes*

*fashionable overpriced bikes for magazine readers and Sunday gloater's.

Seems like a decent bike for the money :smiley: on paper at least, if you're spending more, you could do a lot worse than this from go outdoors http://m.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-gauntlet-650b-mountain-bike-p343871

650b+ plus will get very popular over the next few years, id expect a few bargain 29er's.

I bought the specialized rock hopper comp 2015 about this time last year for a little over 500 from Rutland cycles. Probably the best hardball frame out there. Nothing in this range has a frame that can compete. Would highly recommend. They are not overpriced as they have same components as other non premium brands in the same price range.

Sale prices may be but the RRP's are shocking.

So - in essence, as a 100 kilo, 6 foot 1 individual if I want to do some beginner single track this is perfect?

As I improve I can upgrade the components to reflect harder trails?

£400 well spent. I live near Rutland Warehouse so can pick up.

Youd be hard pushed to find owt better for £400 and its perfetcly adequate but if you do get more serious its the forks that are going to let it down. You can pick up rock shox rebas up for £200 now and again if you look hard enough and they would make it a much better bike.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-580-mountain-bike-275-id_8336093.html

Seems pretty hard to beat.

Actually the fork on this is pretty terrible. The Rockrider 540 from Decathlon for £340 comes with an XCR fork, which is a bit better. There's also the Calibre range from Go Outdoors, which scores very highly in reviews and you can get something with a Rockshox fork for this money.

Doh, sorry, I missed the link from my post. I have updated it but luckily 7600e covered it.

I'd say this, happy with my btwin mtb and commuting bike and more often than not the staff in my local branch are excellent. There is certainly value in chatting with them if you're curious or trying to decide.
plus they have a crazy good 365 day returns policy with their loyalty card, combined with lifetime warranty on frame and 2 years on mechanical parts, it really is hard to beat for the entry level cyclist after value for money and peace of mind :wink:

Would never touch a Decathlon B'TWIN make. Poorly made. Mix and match components and from Decathlon.

Yes that's about right, B'TWIN for entry level and casual road commuting. .

It's pretty much this mountain bike with a higher RRP

After tons of research I bought the new Bizango to upgrade from an old Specialised Hardrock Sport Disc Pro and couldn't be happier, feels much more of a better bike and I'd say it's probably the best sub £700 MTB out there. Only negative is the colour might not be to everyone's taste.

Great bike great price, seen it £50 cheaper but many moons ago. You can test ride at evans cycles for free.

Heat from me, great pice for a rock hopper. Normally the basic hard rock is this price. I've got a 2011 rock hopper and it's great as an entry level hardtail. Snap this up!

All sizes out of stock now, thought these would go quick, you can split hairs over this bike or that bike but £399 for something half decent with specialized painted on the down tube is always going to sell out.

look at the carrera fury in halfords. was £649, on sale £479. Buy a kids British cycling membership for around £6 and use the membership card to get 10% off. Then buy halfords gift vouchers to pay the balance using one of the 10% discount codes you can read about on here. That will get you the bike for some where in the £300's and it is a good one if you don't mind giving it a once over to double check the halfords build/set up.

Awesome - night do that tomorrow.

look at Rutland's ex demo giant etc.I race Giant and also have had a Cube both great well made bikes.My only other advice is try and get a test ride.Quite a few local bike shops can arrange demo bikes.Giant have a range of bikes they ship to your local shop then you loan them for a weekend etc.I am sure Trek and some of the other brands do similar things.

OOS

This month's (June) MBR magazine reviews sub-£500 mountain bikes. The winner is the Vitus Nucleus 275 VR

if you are after voodoo bizango, you can have it for as low as £366.35 brand new
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/voodoo-bizango-bike-massive-savings-366-35-halfords-2442595