Mountain Bikes

wend33

My other half is mountain bike mad - he has an Orange Patriot Excel full sus and a Pace RC305 hardtail - both in the £2.5k realm! He spent last weekend doing a 24 hour race called Mountain Mayhem - solo!
He would agree with what has been said many times in this thread - get the best bike you can for the money avoiding cheap disc brakes and suspension and getting a decent frame. As for Halfords, our local one is not too bad for customer service - the lads in there love their bikes and if you get them talking they will offer some honest advice (they're not on commission after all!). That said, other half only goes in for sundry items not actual bikes. 'My' bike is one of his cast offs - a Kona King Kikapu full sus - and it has a lock off for the rear suspension if it gets on my nerves.

Fruity1

wend33 wrote: »

My other half is mountain bike mad - he has an Orange Patriot Excel full sus and a Pace RC305 hardtail - both in the £2.5k realm! He spent last weekend doing a 24 hour race called Mountain Mayhem - solo!

Has to be one of the first years they could get round the course without needing to mudwrestle thro it at some point.

Bernie

...about £80 delivered. It was brilliant! Fantastic value for money. I abused it horribly, left it out in all weathers and used it nearly every day, cycled to work (only 15 mins) and then went out each lunchtime for a 11 - 15 mile ride with the wife. When I changed jobs and had to return to commuting by car, I flogged it off at auction after 4 years use and got £20 back.

The only time this dirt-cheap bike let me down was when the chain broke - I'd never used a bike so much before that the chain wore out and failed.

It weight a ton, therefore was very good for exercising - I used to say it had the training weights built in!

If you're a serious cyclist then these 4 figure sums quoted may well be justified (personally I reckon most of it is to gather bragging rights). To me and the wife, wanting to burn calories as we pedalled about, forking out for lightweight, high-tech bikes seems going against the whole point.

Our longest ride on our heavy behemoths was from Norwich to Kings Lynn - about 47 miles where we collect our car from repair. We allowed ourselves a Big Mac meal on the strength of that trip.

...oh! and another vote for Paul's Cycles, we used to drive miles to this shop but now live up the road in Dereham:

http://paulscycles.co.uk/products.php

:beer:

wend33

Fruity1 wrote: »

Has to be one of the first years they could get round the course without needing to mudwrestle thro it at some point.

You're telling me! I dread his return as I know that there will be mounds of stinking washing to tackle, caked in mud. First stop - a bucket of water to wash off the worst before it goes anywhere near the washing machine!
Not long to go before Sleepless in the Saddle - more washing! And they seem to think its an excuse to eat pot noodle for 48 hours solid!;)

wend33

Bernie wrote: »

If you're a serious cyclist then these 4 figure sums quoted may well be justified (personally I reckon most of it is to gather bragging rights). To me and the wife, wanting to burn calories as we pedalled about, forking out for lightweight, high-tech bikes seems going against the whole point.

I too cringe at the price of these bikes but, when my other half is hurtling through the countryside throwing himself off what to me looks like a cliff, then I'm glad that he has a good quality bike to make the landing that isn't going to fall apart or crack.

Although I now ride an expensive bike it's only because it was sitting, begging. Before that I had a bike that cost less than £100. You should have seen other half's face though when I threatened to put a shopping basket on his cast off Kona!

As for bragging, his latest bike looks quite plain. In fact, when we were out in town the other day a bloke came over to admire the 'cast off' bike and completely ignored the other bike whereas a true bike nut would have been drooling. Other Half says this is why he likes his new bike - understated and pure! he forgets the 'custom built and very expensive' part!;)

Fruity1

wend33 wrote: »

Not long to go before Sleepless in the Saddle - more washing! And they seem to think its an excuse to eat pot noodle for 48 hours solid!;)

Well theres no way the guy who organises these events lives off pot noodle! Have you met 'Fat' Pat? Really decent guy but he doesn't compete.

wend33

Fruity1 wrote: »

Well theres no way the guy who organises these events lives off pot noodle! Have you met 'Fat' Pat? Really decent guy but he doesn't compete.

I have to say that, despite many invitations to join the sweaty urchins in their tent for the weekend, I have always opted to stay at home! And this year I even convinced other half to eat decent food and made him a few portions of wholemeal pasta and vegetables to eat instead of the usual rubbish. They do say that they meet lots of people at the events and have a great time in a really nice atmosphere.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Bernie wrote: »

.If you're a serious cyclist then these 4 figure sums quoted may well be justified (personally I reckon most of it is to gather bragging rights).

Try doing a red-route on your bike, and see if you still think that good bikes are for 'bragging rights'.

wend33

Fruity1 wrote: »

Well theres no way the guy who organises these events lives off pot noodle! Have you met 'Fat' Pat? Really decent guy but he doesn't compete.

I asked other half this evening and he said he shook Fat Pat's hand on Sunday - aparently he shakes everyones hand as they cross the finish line! His mate reckons he used to be quite a serious road bike man once upon a time...