After my recent split with my missus - I've found myself with a lot more time on my hands, and I'm looking for a way to fill it! A few years ago, I was really into cycling, and I'd do miles and miles every weekend.

So I've decided to buy myself a new bike, hopefully to get my fitness back up to what it was, and get out an about at the weekends. I live right next to Rutland water, which has a 26 mile cycle track, with wooded sections which are great for a bit of downhill action!

I've got about £300 to spend on a decent bike. I've seen this in Halfords, reduced from £525 to £300. It seems quite a good spec, with Rock Shox and double disc brakes. It's either that or a second hand Kona or similar.

Has anyone got any ideas or recommendations for a decent spec bike around £300?

Ta!

You can get reduced Kona's etc too this time of year, but to be fair, the halfords ones look like good buys. I was put off wondering if the  'hardcore brand riders' would laugh... but I'm rubbish and a scaredycat on a downhill section so they have enough to laugh at anyway!

ha, my bike came from rutland cycles!!!!

 cant see the pic as im at work and its blocked....

but what i can say is that your not really going to get much of a downhill rig for £300, have you looked on ebay??? you can prob get an older bike but with a bit of spec on it?????

really is down to what type of riding you are going to do tho, i can tell you i would never want to take my DH bike on a 20 odd mile ride... i would never come back, they are real hard work on any up-hill and to be fair even flat is not much fun!!...

might be worth saving a bit more cash up and getting something a bit better??

what about a lid and pads??  you could spend your £300 on them and not even have a bike??? or are you going to ride without them?

 Snap! I live close to Rutland water as well, and cycle round it often. Once I managed 2 laps-couldnt sit down for a week after lol!

Anyway, I think that bike would be ok for Rutland, wouldnt want to do much else with it though. You get what you pay for and all that!

Best thing to do would be to go to the Rutland bike shop and have a test ride on a few different size bikes to find the best size frame for your height. You never know they even might have a few bikes on special offer that might fall into your price bracket.

There is also a shop down the road in Deeping St James that has a bike shop with loads of different bikes in. Maybe worth a look?

kona stinky!!

Cheers guys. I was looking for a general purpose bike, but with the capability to do a bit of downhill riding now and again. I'll go and have a look at Rutland Cycling (only 2 miles away!) and see what they've got. They may even have some good spec ex hire bikes.

 I defo would'nt use a halfords bike if I wanted to attempt downhilling.

At a 4 cross track in Bedford I watched a guy who attempted to do the run on a halfords bike. The first jump destroyed the rear suspension and at the end of the run his wheels were oval, and the front shocks seals had split. Was cringe worthy to watch though!

I broke my last bike at the headstock, it split in two when I landed a jump. It might be a case of buy cheap - buy twice!

If you bought a kona or similar, the frame should be strong but with cheaper chainset etc... that can all be upgraded when needed, and if you only do cross country, it shoul last a while. Thats my theory anyway, most of your money goes on the frame at least.

Should you really get into it, then you can buy twice, but save up and get something really amazing.

My flatmate is a massive into dh he lives for it.

He just purchased a new dh bike best part of £6k . . they need to be so tough and have so much travel in the suspension. awsome piece of kit to ride. but if your just getting in to it then something from halfrauds should do. expect to hurt yourself though!!

Oh his bike is a santa cruz v10 with a lot of upgrades.

 Good idea to get a helmet as well! Not so much for casual cycling, but having a facial scrub with gravel hurts no matter what speed you fall off!

It depends what you are classing as downhill, no way in hell is that thing man enough for any serious downhilling.

Sounds to me that you need a "Freeride" type bike, similar to the SX trail I use (which also happens to be pretty good downhill, a fair few pro riders use that frame) just look up Darren Berrecloth on Youtube!

As someone suggested a used Kona Stinky would be a good choice on a budget.

I've just got back from the cycle shop, and everything of a decent spec is £700+

I think I'll keep my eye out for a top condition 2nd hand one.

Have you had a look at the Kona hardtails?

I know of a Norco Sasquatch hardtail for sale local to me for £250 which is a bit of a bargain.

Marzocchi Bomber forks, 203mm Hydraulic disks, Sun Ringle rims, few other modifications on it.....not a bad hardtail at all.

Similar to this.

http://www.norco.com/bikes/mountain/shore-hardtail/sasquatch/

 you could take my stinky off me if the price was right..........

iv spent about 3.5k on it tho...........

Cyrix:

I know of a Norco Sasquatch hardtail for sale local to me for £250 which is a bit of a bargain.

Marzocchi Bomber forks, 203mm Hydraulic disks, Sun Ringle rims, few other modifications on it.....not a bad hardtail at all.

Similar to this.

http://www.norco.com/bikes/mountain/shore-hardtail/sasquatch/

What sort of nick is it in mate? Is there any chance you could get hold of some pictures of it? Very interested given the price and spec.

Orange do good dh bikes, plenty on ebay last time i looked for reasonable money

PM'd you in case you get Gazumped, lol.

Ta very much!

Cyrix:

PM'd you in case you get Gazumped, lol.

Going up to get it on Saturday. Cheers very much Cyrix - I owe you a drink!

I was going to view it last night but had to change my plans, in which case you wouldn't have been, lol!!!

Let me know what it's like when you get it

Due to divorse costs i could'nt afford to buy a new bike so i built my own from ebay using good branded components for just over £200 The only thing i bought new are the rims, everything else are near new items at very cheap prices.

eg:

Shimano Diore hydro brakes f/r complete £45

Ritchy head set £2.20

Shimano 9 speed rear mech £3.20

Weinmann gold rims (new) £60

monkey lite carbon fibre bars £20

Claud Butler frame (ex cond) £53

Rock shox J4 with remote lockout like new £40

etc etc etc!!!

Love it and a similar spec bike would have set me back £700-800

 I havent ridden for years, but still got my old GT LTS frame sat in garage, along with a handsome dog dirtbike, (from terrain cycles).

 I'm with Coatsie, If you know the mechanics of a bike you'll get much more for your money if you build your own from Ebay bits n bobs. Even buying a 2nd hand bike will save you loads, you'd be surprised how many people buy top bikes on a whim then get bored with them. My carbon Stumpjumper was built for about a grand and brand new it would set you back easily £2500 to £3000. In a way bikes are like cars, let someone else take the depreciation hit.

  If you used to be into cycling why limit yourself to a DH machine, theres loads of XC bikes now that can handle mild downhill use. I've used my Stumpjumper at Fort William etc and my bottle goes way before I reach the limits of my bike.

 Ajax1976 & Cot51e both nice bikes,i have just bought a kona scrap from my mate who has moved house and hasnt the room its an 2007 which he said give him £200 so couldnt refuse even though thats more of a dirt/jump bike.Thats the thing i miss about my BMX where you could easily throw them in the back of the car

This was mines back in the day

Really wish I'd never sold it (still have the frame...so really considdering rebuilding it )

It had the most perfect geometry and I could wheelie it endlessly

 dont get halfords lol always big mistake!!

Second Hand from ebay.

I brought a brand new stumpy FSR in 2006 for £2k and have raced it hard. It still in very good working order but had a hard life down Afan/Cymcarm etc etc. Just did the newnham 60K race in Plymouth last weekend.

I also do DH after selling my MX bikes because of knee damage. I would get a good XC bike as your use it much much more then a DH rigg

Good luck and enjoy