could someone recommend me a decent mountain bike? i am looking at full suspension and mainly for cross country and downhill rides on the rough stuff!
will probably go for second hand and a budget of about £500 cheers

There's plenty of choice 2nd hand for that sort of price but do you not have an option for a cycle2work scheme?? Mate of mine just got a new Giant Trance X4 for a bit over budget through the scheme (£1000 new).

For a mixture of XC and rough stuff then you'll be looking at 120mm - 140mm suspension travel. My Whyte E5 is fine as an all round FS bike with 130mm travel front and rear.

You wont go too far wrong with a Giant, Specialized Stuntjumper etc. Try www.bikeradar.com for specific reviews

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain

If you can stretch to £850 go for the KHS XC640.
I've just bought one - amazing spec for the price.
I got mine on the cycle to work scheme.

http://www.khsbikes.co.uk/bikes

[Edited on 8/6/10 by Wheels244]

cycle to work is awesome, I got 850 quids worth of gary fisher hardtail for a shade over 500

One thing to watch on the cycle to work scheme is you don't own the bike (until the very end) which can cause problems if you leave the employer for whatever reason or your boss decides to be an arse.

quote:

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Who owns the equipment?

The employer company/leasing company owns the equipment. The legislation that governs cycle to work schemes quite specifically forbids the employee to own the equipment - and therefore there can be no automatic right for the employee to own the equipment at the end of the Agreement. If they do, they cannot claim the tax exemption. Therefore bikeschemes operate as loans: the employer is technically loaning the equipment to the employee for a fixed-period of time. Although employees do not actually own the equipment, they remain custodian of the equipment and are free to use it as they wish, providing it is mainly for cycling to work.


What happens at the end of the scheme?

After the Agreement period is over, the employer may offer to sell the equipment to the employee for its then fair market value. If the equipment is leased the leasing company will appoint the employer as the disposal agent. There can be no automatic right for the employee to own the equipment at the end of the hire term, otherwise the Agreement is deemed to be a Hire Purchase Agreement, which does not attract the same tax exemption. However, clearly it is in the interests of all concerned if the employer does sell the equipment to the employee at the end of the hire period.


What if an employee leaves early or is made redundant?

If an employee leaves before the end of the scheme, they must pay their employer any outstanding salary deductions from their final net salary, as compensation for non completion of the salary sacrifice. They may then have continued use of the equipment without further payment until the hire period expires, when they may be invited to purchase the equipment and become the owner. It is important that the employee is not deemed to be given the automatic right to own the equipment otherwise they would not be able to benefit from the tax exemption. Employees must therefore not be offered the equipment to purchase until the culmination of the hire term.
In the case of redundancy, the balance of payments due on the equipment can be deducted from the employee's redundancy settlement. The employer may of course choose to waive or reduce this amount.

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I am a little biased...

But the early specialized enduro (circa 2004) are still fantastic bikes!

Mine happily cruises on the roads, but also is equally happy on some of the biggest world cup DH tracks in the world...

I think another member on here is buying my spare frame... otherwise I would have offered that to you..

The frames will last for a long time, but the bearings and bushings dont last more than a few years... so whatever used bike you buy, budget for new ones!

another vote for a giant trance here. I've had 2 and been well pleased. If you can't do cyclescheme, paulscycles are well worth a look for a bargain 'last years model'.

i currently have a 2001 specialized fsr expert but its getting a bit old now and fancy a change

I'm very biased - buy mine!!

I'll put photos and spec up when i get home. It's going on ebay otherwise . Love it but dont have any time to ride nowadays and need the cash .

Watch this space...

Update:

OK here's a pic (more detailed ones in my archive in the bike folder)...


Description

Basic spec is:

Compact 7005 ally FR/DH/jump frame (forget the make now and it's 'debadged' - oops!) but super strong, nicely welded and gussetted.

Marzocchi Dirt Jumper III forks 130mm travel - super plush.

Amoeba handle bars and billet stem, FSA pig DH pro headset.

Truvativ team DH isis (say NO to square taper!) botom bracket and Hussefelt cranks, fishbone pedals.

Single chainring with MRP system 2 bash guard and chain guide, Shimano mega-9 wide-range rear mech gives plenty of range for hilly stuff and fast XC/road use even with the single chainring.

Shimano XT hubs in 26" wheels, front wheel is Mavic D521 + Tioga factory DH 2.3" tyre, rear is Sun Rims single track + Intense comp 60 DH 2.4", both good tread.

Hope mini hydraulic brakes (best bit of the bike) with 200mm front and 180mm rear wavy rotors, recently bled and pads nearly new. Awesome one-finger stopping power!

Tuly pimpin On One Gimp saddle (second best bit).

Think that's basically it. Cost around £1200 to build (a good while ago, though not all original parts remain as I broke the original rear wheel and a couple of rear mechs, plus mashed the original square taper BB/cranks - horrble things, hence fitting the isis bits which aren't very old), all in good maintained condition but nicks/scratches as you can see and would expect. I used it for anything from dirt jumping, dual slalom, DH, XC trails and even road bashing. All it really needs is new handlebar grips as the existing ones are pretty horrible. Oh and I always meant to get round to fitting a QR for the seatpost as it was occasionally annoying using the allen key to move the seat up for comfy cruising, and down out of harms way for jumping and knarly stuff. Yours for £500 or reasonable offer (or anyone elses for that matter). I might formally put it in the for sale section, and if no interest it'll be on ebay

********

Whether you go for it or not, just my general opinion (and it's not just because I'd like to flog a hardtail, honest) - forget full suspension. For £500 you can't afford anything decent, and the rest of the bike has to be made of poo to pay for the rear sus. The fact is you simlpy dont need full-sus unless you're riding the knarliest DH tracks in the world or hucking off cliffs. A good hardtail with decent front forks will soak up any DH, XC and dirt jumping most mortals will be able to throw at it and is perfectly comfortable to ride. A full susser for XC just saps your strength bobbing up and down unless the rear has a lockout. You'll get better spec for your limited budget with a hardtail.

Liam

[Edited on 8/6/10 by Liam]

I ride a Specialized Stumpy FSR circa 2002, for the first 7 years, I hated it and consigned it to the back of the garage because the rear shock kept losing air. I paid to have this sorted twice and it was still crap.
In April I thought I'd have a go at sorting it myself so bought a kit from Mojo. Oh, my god, what a revealation!!
No air leaks and a shock that actually absorbs bumps!! I can't keep off it now. I set the rear travel to the lower (75mm) setting as I like the suspension to take the buzz out of the trails (I'm a hardtail bloke really). I've never changed the bearings on the rear links and everything on the bike is stock but it works really well . To cap it all I'm getting quite fit again

Sorry don't have any other suggestions....STICK WITH THE SPESH DANIEL