 The reason you won't get much feedback on BM, I think, is simply that the average BMer won't have ridden many bikes at that price point. The best source of print reviews is probably What Mountain Bike magazine. MBR tends to look down its nose at anything costing less than a grand whereas WMTB is refreshingly open minded about cheaper bikes - some of their reviews are on bikeradar.com. They did their annual 'best of' issue recently, which might be useful if you can find a copy.
Giant have a well-earned reptuation for offering decent value for money. They spec really well at the price because they have huge buying power. Edinburgh Bike Co-Ops stuff is also good value for money. If you're interested in getting something better specced for the same money, try scanning some of the online bike shops, they often have great deals on last year's models.
To be honest, you should get something reasonable from any of the major brands - Specialized Hardrock, GT Avalanche, Trek 3900 etc. Given that a good suspension fork will cost more than any of those bikes on its own, you won't get front suspension that a keen mountain biker will rate in performance terms, but it should give you better comfort than a rigid fork.
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 well if your after :- Probably a hardtail, and it's got to be reliable and not too expensive -- £200-£300Well have a looky at the Dawes Discovery range mighty fine bike IYAM. But then again I'm not a MB geek, thank heaven! Ive got a 401 that ive had for 5 years. No problems with it, used on the Trans Pennine trail and country lanes. Not as good as my RALEIGH GRIFTER as you can't fold the mud flaps in on to the tyre to made that motor bike sound 
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 Bringing it back to the Halfords suggestions, I bought a Saracen Rufftrax from them just over three years ago now and have had no problems with the bike or the level of service from Halfords. I have gone from just using it on roads and the occasional bridal way to now using it all over the south downs (but only where bikes are allowed, obviously) A hardtail bike, the front suspension is fine although i agree it could better but that would have meant spending alot more money! Which i didn't want to do. I have changed the handlebars and seat post which if i can do then any one can, total spent so far..... £240.00, job done! Also might be worth having a look at chainreactioncycles.com always a few deals on there. Hope this helps.
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 On to the general standard of Halfords... highly variable, ranging from very good and staffed by knowledgeable cyclists and capable mechanics to places where the sum total of Clues is negligible. So don't rule them out, but if you visit one and their stock answer is "errrrr" or a fumbling attempt at what they think you want to hear, time to move on! Pete.
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I agree Peter, 100% I am lucky in that i have 2 big Halfords with a few miles of where i live. In one the guys in the bike department are proper legends, they listen to what you want and help accordingly the other, i wouldn't buy a bottle of 3 in 1 oil from let alone anything to do with a mountain bike. Guy, as Peter says above if the stock answer is errrrrr........ walk away, quickly.
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I'd heard good reports of the bike bloke at my local Halfords and so went to have a chat with him. He certainly seemed to know his stuff and, if anything, was a bit of a mountain bike geek. Unfortunately he wasn't willing to -- or the firm didn't allow him to -- knock any money off the bikes I was interested in. All these seemed to have gone up in price in recent times, and I didn't think they represented especially good value at full price. They did have an offer of £50 worth of accessories, but I've got all the kit I need.
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 This is a bit of a long and wandering post but hopefully some of the info is of use. Peter Clinch is right about Halfords and the staff varying I have found them to be very helpful, for example once lending me spanners to tighten up a headset for free. However often unlike local bike shops the staff aren’t all enthusiastic cyclists and so don’t always know as much. I had a Halfords hard tail bike (before it got stolen) and it was £130 about 1/2 price in sale (the full price would have been paying too much for it) and it was good value at the price but the wheels were soft and always needing re-truing. I expect Halfords put on very cheap wheels to lower the price of the bike. The bike also came free with a service. After is was stolen I got a specialised hybrid bike, more expensive at £250 (still less than original marked price of 1st bike), this has performed much better as although the components aren't the top of the range they are all balanced so there is not one weak part that need fixing all the time. I got this bike from a local bike shop and it also came with a free service. If I buy any more bikes again in the future I will definitely go to one of my local bike shops as its good to support independent traders and the service I have found better. I would also buy a branded bike as before I thought you were paying for the name but now I think they offer good value. If you go to a good local bike shop they might have some second-hand bikes which are often give better value for money (cyclists love to keep up with the latest gear even more than people on this site  ). They should also ensure you get the correct sized bike. At the budget your looking I would be suspect of front suspension (certainly don’t by a full suspension bike they weight a ton) it might give a very bouncy ride on the road and not dampen the bumps as much as it should. One last point is if your carrying any weight on a bike I would use a rack instead of a rucksack as unlike walking you lean forwards slightly (even on upright hybrids) and so it puts more pressure on your spine.
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One place worth looking is your local bike hire place. They often have really good quality bikes to dispose of at various points in the season and seem to do a good job of prepping them for resale. I admit my experience is a bit ltd here, but local outfits Wheelbase in Staveley and Grizedale Mountain Bikes in, um, Grizedale, are reputable and reliable. Just a thought.
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 I have a Carera Kracken which is a halfords own brand for £300. I dont know how it campares to a more expensive bike cos I have never ridden one but its fine for doing what the local MTB center would call a green run, and even a bit harder. Its not too exhausting to ride on the road as as it comes with hybrid tyers. It has front suspension and I can ride 10 or 15k off road on lots of bumpy tracks without suffering. It has disc brakes which I like because I often ride in muddy conditions and it makes sense to me to keep the brakes away from the mud. No they are not great top of the range hydrolic brakes but they have always stopped me just fine PS I have been known to wear B3 boots in the Brecon Beacons but only because I am training for something more exiting.
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 hi just bought my girlfriend a BEOne ten ltd edition hardtail from chain reaction cycles bit over your buget at £400 but you get a superb spec`d bike that gets excelent reviews
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 Guy, I was in exatly the same position as you, and went for a Claud Butler Stone River, which a bit of searching around I got for £260. CB Stone River My requirements were pretty similar to yours, and this has been a great buy.
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| Edited: 09/05/08 12:25 |
Just in case it's some help. What Mountain Bike's best sub-£300 bikes are: 1. Saracen Element - £300 2. Gary Fisher Tarpon - £220 3. Merida Sub 20-D - £280 I know Guy Kesteven and Steve Worland who test for WMTB? and I'd trust their judgement. They've both ridden a hell of a lot of bikes and they're not snobby about budget kit either. Anyway, let us know what you go for in the end 
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The tip about hire shops is spot on, Biketreks in Ambleside once directed me to their bike hire as they had some for sale. When I did that there was a £500 Trek for £200 or so, and it was the previous years spec too so less than a year. Being a tall person it looked like it hadn't been hired out much as well. Unfortunately I discovered that my money suddenly had to go elswhere (on my car). You said you trekked around Cumbrian bike shops. Try Biketreks bike hire place, you might be lucky. Of course I have had the same snotty, patronising and condescending manner from them for a new bike at £250 (my mate swears by them but has built up a £2k plus bike from parts so probably gets £2k's worth of service). Gyllsides in Ambleside listened to my needs better in the past and suggested some alternatives I hadn't thought of for a different bike realted product.
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Guy, not sure I agree with a £450 bike being overkill, it's not the same as your analogy of B2 boots for a summer walk. A full suspension bike with 6" travel either end would be overkill. A £450 hardtail would have better quality components, which will work better and last longer, and probably a more comfortable ride. Having said that you can get a perfectly reasonable bike for around £300, and some of them at that price have reasonable suspension forks now. What Mountain Bike ran a test in January of bikes around £300, their winner was the Gary Fisher Wahoo. If you want I can either scan and email, or photocopy and post that review and a couple of others. It gives useful pointers on what to look out for. The point about racks is a good one, many frames don't have mounts for racks/mudguards, you can still fit them with clamps and adapters but's it's messier.
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Sod it all Guy, up the budget to about £2,500 and buy a Santa Cruz Nomad
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Got the Giant Terrago in the end. The spec looked good for the money, especially with £95 off, and it rides well. Only had it on the road and down a couple of farm tracks so far, but will try to get it up to the Highlands in the next few weeks.
Thanks for the advice all.
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I'm getting an ever growing desire to get out on some trails. Rather fortuitously, 5 months after buying a Cannondale F5 my father has bought himself a Globe Sport as he finds the Cannondale too uncomfortable for 25+ miles on the road.... Net result is I have near un-interupted access to an F5. Now I just need to start using it...
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