Quality Bike, Best Features for the Fairest Price

TheJay

A hardtail that is.

jonfev

gingerdad wrote: »

I would suggest

Trek
Orange
Marin


aviod halfords not very good bikes and the prices seem a bit off on sum, bought my daughter a bike Wheelbase for £135.00 and the same bike in halfords was £240.00

best to get to a good bike shop and try a load of different ones.

if you can get a 2007 one it will save you money. i have an Orange Clockwork R (old now) but bought it in 98 (97 bike) for £350.00 insetad of 550..

Regards

GD

If you avoid the cheap entry level bikes, halfords have some of the best value for money good spec bikes. They are big so you benefit from their huge buying power. The Carrera Kracken for example gets great reviews with the only criticism being about slightly heavy wheels and lack of badge credibility. As always, because they are a large main stream company the less informed will always criticise.

TheJay

Interesting!

TheJay

***bump***

MORPH3US

I don't think there is any more advice to give mate, I think you have to make a short list of the ones you want and then go test them and decide.

gingerdad

jonfev wrote: »

If you avoid the cheap entry level bikes, halfords have some of the best value for money good spec bikes. They are big so you benefit from their huge buying power. The Carrera Kracken for example gets great reviews with the only criticism being about slightly heavy wheels and lack of badge credibility. As always, because they are a large main stream company the less informed will always criticise.

well the raleigh bike i bought my daugher was 100 pounds more expensive in halfords than in my local independent shop, when i bought a bike for my wife halfords had very few ladies mountian bikes all heavy steel with cheap front suspension. i'll stick with large local bike shops who have a clue about what they are selling.

GD

gingerdad

MORPH3US wrote: »

Thats a bit of a generalisation.... as I said above, Halfords Carerra, GT and Boardman bikes are some of the best spec bikes around for the money....

(And no I don't work for Halfords or have a bike from there)

OP, my (biased) suggestion would be the GT Avalanche range

it is a bit but all the named makes like GT seem to also be cheaper else where.

GD

MORPH3US

The GT's in Halfords aren't sold anywhere else gingerdad... they are specced up by Halfords so whilst similar (i.e. avalanche 3 compares to Agressor XC3, Avalanche 2 compares to XC2 etc) they are specced slightly differently which is why they are slightly more expensive, plus Halfords might be £20 / £30 more expensive but then offer incentives like £50 free acessories voucher which make it a better deal.

That said, no-one but Halford (afaik) sell Carerra or Boardman bikes.... not sure about Kona's etc.... I did hear they will price match withint 60 miles though, so again overall, they have all angles covered.

BillScarab

From memory Carrera are Halfrods 'upmarket' own brand and Apollo are their budget own brand so you won't see either in other shops.

freakybacon

I've got a carrera kraken- its ok for the money(06 model bought on december 27th just as it was about to go out of date), once I had changed the pedals (wanted clipless) and tyres(something a bit more universal- i use it to ride to work as well as weekend hacking). The latest model has upgraded brakes on mine- tektro hydraulic discs as opposed to the tektro cable discs.

Just need some faster legs now!