Fuul Suspension MTB

On 15/07/2007 13:21, FabJack said,

Quoted message said:

Is it possible to buy a full sus mtb for about £400 and expect it to last?

I suggest you pop out to WH Smiths and pick up the current issue
(August) of Mountain Biking UK. Cover story - "Full sus for less than
£500 - is it worth it?"

The answer appears to be a conservative "yes". FWIW, the Decathlon
Rockrider 6.3 scored 9 out of 10 for this category - and only £300. For
the type of riding you describe it ought to be OK.

Mind you, if you just want a softer ride, have you considered a
suspension seat-post?

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Paul Boyd said:

On 15/07/2007 13:21, FabJack said,

Quoted message said:

Is it possible to buy a full sus mtb for about £400 and expect it to
last?

I suggest you pop out to WH Smiths and pick up the current issue
(August) of Mountain Biking UK. Cover story - "Full sus for less than
£500 - is it worth it?"

The answer appears to be a conservative "yes". FWIW, the Decathlon
Rockrider 6.3 scored 9 out of 10 for this category - and only £300. For
the type of riding you describe it ought to be OK.

Mind you, if you just want a softer ride, have you considered a
suspension seat-post?

Thanks Paul. I'll make sure to get a copy. I had not considered a seat
post. Got to say some of the full susers I see passing me by got me
thinking I'd like a new toy!

In article <[email hidden]>, Paul Boyd
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Mind you, if you just want a softer ride, have you considered a
suspension seat-post?

IME sussy seatposts don't really soften the ride, they just take the
sting out of really big bumps.

in message <[email hidden]>, FabJack

(') said:

Is it possible to buy a full sus mtb for about £400 and expect it to
last?

No. Giant Trance at about £900 is the cheapest currently on the market
which I would consider worth the money.

Quoted message said:

Not a full on eyes out rider, local trails and tracks with some hard
bits.

I see Halfords have a couple in their Carrera range. Anybody have any
experience with them?

I have a friend who rides (and sometimes races) a Carrera. So far he's
broken two frames (but to their credit Halfords replaced them free, no
quibble).

Quoted message said:

My current ride is a 12 year old MTrax which has served me well but I'm
getting old and want a softer ride!

Am I expecteing too much?

Light, strong, cheap: choose two.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; making jokes about dyslexia isn't big, it isn't clever and
;; it isn't furry.

On 15/07/2007 17:28, Rob Morley said,

Quoted message said:

IME sussy seatposts don't really soften the ride, they just take the
sting out of really big bumps.

It was just a suggestion :-) I've never experienced them!

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 14:33:03 +0100, Paul Boyd <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

On 15/07/2007 13:21, FabJack said,

Quoted message said:

Is it possible to buy a full sus mtb for about £400 and expect it to last?

I suggest you pop out to WH Smiths and pick up the current issue
(August) of Mountain Biking UK. Cover story - "Full sus for less than
£500 - is it worth it?"

The answer appears to be a conservative "yes". FWIW, the Decathlon
Rockrider 6.3 scored 9 out of 10 for this category - and only £300. For
the type of riding you describe it ought to be OK.

Maybe OK, but is it worth having full suspenders for this price? No, I
don't think so. I looked at the full range of Decathlon bikes recently
and really they didn't inspire me at all, even in the bargain-basement
price range. I think anyone with 400 notes to spend would be far
better advised to avoid full-suss bikes entirely, and concentrate on a
reasonably light, but strong, rigind frame, with decent spring forks.

in message <[email hidden]>, Ace

(') said:

On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 14:33:03 +0100, Paul Boyd <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

On 15/07/2007 13:21, FabJack said,

Quoted message said:

Is it possible to buy a full sus mtb for about £400 and expect it to
last?

I suggest you pop out to WH Smiths and pick up the current issue
(August) of Mountain Biking UK. Cover story - "Full sus for less than
£500 - is it worth it?"

The answer appears to be a conservative "yes". FWIW, the Decathlon
Rockrider 6.3 scored 9 out of 10 for this category - and only £300. For
the type of riding you describe it ought to be OK.

Maybe OK, but is it worth having full suspenders for this price? No, I
don't think so. I looked at the full range of Decathlon bikes recently
and really they didn't inspire me at all, even in the bargain-basement
price range. I think anyone with 400 notes to spend would be far
better advised to avoid full-suss bikes entirely, and concentrate on a
reasonably light, but strong, rigind frame, with decent spring forks.

All good advice, although I'd say spend a little bit more and get decent
air forks. More adjustability, and (IMHO) better response.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; not so much a refugee from reality, more a bogus
;; asylum seeker

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Ace

(') said:

On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 14:33:03 +0100, Paul Boyd <[email hidden]>
wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The answer appears to be a conservative "yes". FWIW, the Decathlon
Rockrider 6.3 scored 9 out of 10 for this category - and only £300. For
the type of riding you describe it ought to be OK.

Maybe OK, but is it worth having full suspenders for this price? No, I
don't think so. I looked at the full range of Decathlon bikes recently
and really they didn't inspire me at all, even in the bargain-basement
price range. I think anyone with 400 notes to spend would be far
better advised to avoid full-suss bikes entirely, and concentrate on a
reasonably light, but strong, rigind frame, with decent spring forks.

All good advice, although I'd say spend a little bit more and get decent
air forks. More adjustability, and (IMHO) better response.

Indeed, but as you say, you do need to spend a bit more. In the
decathlon range the RockRider 8.1 is a much better buy, but at 499 GBP
is somewhat outside the OP's range.

I also note that the 6.3 referred to above doesn't appear on the UK
site, although it's still listed on the french one, at EU499, which is
significantly more than quoted.

Ace said the following on 15/07/2007 22:53:

Quoted message said:

Maybe OK, but is it worth having full suspenders for this price? No, I
don't think so. I looked at the full range of Decathlon bikes recently
and really they didn't inspire me at all, even in the bargain-basement
price range. I think anyone with 400 notes to spend would be far
better advised to avoid full-suss bikes entirely, and concentrate on a
reasonably light, but strong, rigind frame, with decent spring forks.

I hope I didn't get across that I was in any way recommending the
Decathlon :-) I was just offering it as a suggestion based on a
magazine review. I agree that for £400 you ain't going to get much, but
if that's what the OP has, then he's doing the right thing by trying to
get the best for the money.

Personally I ride a steel hardtail!

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:08:50 +0100, Paul Boyd

usenet.dont.work@plusnet said:

Ace said the following on 15/07/2007 22:53:

Quoted message said:

Maybe OK, but is it worth having full suspenders for this price? No, I
don't think so. I looked at the full range of Decathlon bikes recently
and really they didn't inspire me at all, even in the bargain-basement
price range. I think anyone with 400 notes to spend would be far
better advised to avoid full-suss bikes entirely, and concentrate on a
reasonably light, but strong, rigind frame, with decent spring forks.

I hope I didn't get across that I was in any way recommending the
Decathlon :-)

Well it did sound a bit like that...

Quoted message said:

I was just offering it as a suggestion based on a
magazine review. I agree that for £400 you ain't going to get much, but
if that's what the OP has, then he's doing the right thing by trying to
get the best for the money.

Sure. The OP was, of course, simply asking the wrong question.

Quoted message said:

Personally I ride a steel hardtail!

Well I've got a 531 road bike, a carbon/aluminium tail mtb and now my
nice new full suspension Focus, o/s ally framed. The latter is far and
away the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden, even with both front
and rear shocks locked out.

Although this is mainly because I've been riding with two 25cm pins
down my spine this year. They're now removed, and hopefully I'll be
able to ride the other bikes as well in a few weeks.

Ace said the following on 16/07/2007 15:18:

Quoted message said:

Well I've got a 531 road bike, a carbon/aluminium tail mtb and now my
nice new full suspension Focus, o/s ally framed. The latter is far and
away the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden, even with both front
and rear shocks locked out.

The Focus bikes do look good but I have this, probably totally
unjustified, "own brand" reservation about them - the Halfords effect.
Again, magazine reviewers seem to like them though. Just in case I ever
do feel the full-sus urge, I would have a butchers!

At the moment though, I've never even sat on a full-sus bike. I'm
immensely pleased with the P7 - it's a lovely springy bike without rear
suspension :-)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:57:57 +0100, Paul Boyd

usenet.dont.work@plusnet said:

Ace said the following on 16/07/2007 15:18:

Quoted message said:

Well I've got a 531 road bike, a carbon/aluminium tail mtb and now my
nice new full suspension Focus, o/s ally framed. The latter is far and
away the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden, even with both front
and rear shocks locked out.

The Focus bikes do look good but I have this, probably totally
unjustified, "own brand" reservation about them - the Halfords effect.

Eh? They're no-one's 'own brand', but just a normal manufacturer in
their own right selling through normal LBSs.
http://www.focus-bikes.de/

Quoted message said:

Again, magazine reviewers seem to like them though. Just in case I ever
do feel the full-sus urge, I would have a butchers!

Mine's this one, which I think (for the spec) was very reasonably
priced at EU1600 at a LBS in Mulhouse, up the road from me.
http://www.focus-bikes.de/englisch_neu/bikes_neu/bikes_lang.asp?modell=super%20bud

Ace said:

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:57:57 +0100, Paul Boyd

usenet.dont.work@plusnet said:

Ace said the following on 16/07/2007 15:18:

Quoted message said:

Well I've got a 531 road bike, a carbon/aluminium tail mtb and now my
nice new full suspension Focus, o/s ally framed. The latter is far and
away the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden, even with both front
and rear shocks locked out.

The Focus bikes do look good but I have this, probably totally
unjustified, "own brand" reservation about them - the Halfords effect.

Eh? They're no-one's 'own brand', but just a normal manufacturer in
their own right selling through normal LBSs.
http://www.focus-bikes.de/

Quoted message said:

Again, magazine reviewers seem to like them though. Just in case I ever
do feel the full-sus urge, I would have a butchers!

Mine's this one, which I think (for the spec) was very reasonably
priced at EU1600 at a LBS in Mulhouse, up the road from me.
http://www.focus-bikes.de/englisch_neu/bikes_neu/bikes_lang.asp?modell=super%20bud

Thanks everyone for replying. Some good advice and you've confirmed what
I thought (but was in denial of) that for the money I'd be better off
looking for a better specced hard tail than the one I have.

Or keep saving.

Cheers everyone.

On 16/07/2007 18:51, Ace said,

Quoted message said:

Eh? They're no-one's 'own brand', but just a normal manufacturer in
their own right selling through normal LBSs.
http://www.focus-bikes.de/

I thought they were wiggle's own brand. Oh well - I thought wrong!!

Quoted message said:

Mine's this one, which I think (for the spec) was very reasonably
priced at EU1600 at a LBS in Mulhouse, up the road from me.
http://www.focus-bikes.de/englisch_neu/bikes_neu/bikes_lang.asp?modell=super%20bud

Nice!

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Am Sun, 15 Jul 2007 20:02:17 +0100 schrieb Paul Boyd:

Quoted message said:

On 15/07/2007 17:28, Rob Morley said,

Quoted message said:

IME sussy seatposts don't really soften the ride, they just take the
sting out of really big bumps.

It was just a suggestion :-) I've never experienced them!

The better quality ones which include ball bearing have quite a decent
response. Or one can consider one of these paralellogram suspensions such
as this one: http://www.thudbuster.com/
In general for cycling on roads with the occasional bump bigger tyres on
lower pressure might be an option.

Andreas