[Charlton Chestwig]

Was wondering if anyone knew if the 2012 Felt Q620 and Q720 are any good?

They may not be the best option at their RRP but there are some good deals one the web at the moment.

I used to do a bit of MTBing about 10+ years back (gulp) and as a machine to get me back into the game I thought it would be wise to go cheap and see how things go before possibly splashing the cash in the future.

Many thanks for any knowledge you can provide,

Rich

[underground]

I think the answer is 'not really'. Too many weak links in the componentry (e.g. Shit forks, tyres) that would probably have you reaching for your wallet in short order.
I'd suggest deciding exactly what you foresee yourself riding, doing the research via bike forums etc. to understand what people are riding, and then reading the reviews to find out what fares well.

Then you'll know either what's on offer at your budget, or what your budget needs to stretch to. What you want to avoid is buying a 'cheap' bike that soon becomes very expensive by virtue of upgrades as your riding is likely to progress quite quickly at first - but then that you can't sell on at anything like what it cost when you inevitably decide to upgrade the whole bike.

You should also carry on posting any likely candidates here for collective opinion! Tell us your budget and the kind of riding you'll likely be doing (or where) and I'm sure some options will be forthcoming. The second hand market will likely be perfect with patience too.

Oh and on budget- remember you'll want a helmet as bare minimum kit. Add gloves, Camelbak type bag, eye protection etc.etc. and you can probably add a couple if hundred

[slackline]

I know little about the clandestine world of bike pimps but what about the second hand option?  A few regulars here have sold what appear to my untrained eye to be bargains.

[Charlton Chestwig]

Another candidate for you then...

Merlin Malt 2 any good?

2012 bike seems to be available for a penny under 500 which is pretty much my max.
I guess this budget brings us into voodoo hoodoo range too.

Both seem to get good reviews...

[IanP]

Looks pretty decent though I don't know much about the rockshox xc range of forks which I believe have replaced Darts (not great) and Toras (basic but functional).  Also at Merlin the Mondraker Finalist looks pretty well speced and just sneaks in at £500 with the 10% online discount.  It also has pedals which the malt doesn't though since they're spds this might mean you need to by shoes!

Really £500 seems to be the starting point for a new proper mountain bike these days - the best specced at that point is probably the BTwin 8.1 from Decathlon - however I believe they're fairly old school in geometry (steep head angle, narrow bars) which is great if you looking to ride fast xc style, maybe not so good if you want to progress to more technical stuff.

[underground]

The Merlin Malt 2 looks really good, on spec and geometry etc. Also worth noting the 'shadow' rear mech - I.e. a clutch mech, the clutch stops chain slap and makes the bike nice and quiet... Worth having.

I think I'd buy it TBH.

Pedals- the ones that come with bikes are usually shite anyway. I'd suggest a pair of Nano Tech thru pin ones from Superstar Components as an excellent flat pedal to start and they aren't expensive. A lot for your money.

[Charlton Chestwig]

Cheers for the help,

I think I'm getting a better understanding of I'm doing now.

I do however seem to be having trouble choosing the "correct" size...
At 5'10'' or so with 33ish Leg I'm struggling to choose between 17in or 19in frame.
I think that if I were to be 100% XC focused then it would be the 19in. but I'm quite keen to try throwing myself about a bit an i was wondering if the 17in would be better for this. then again if I do choose to go out on some long plod would the 17in be harder work?

I'd be interested in any advice,

Many thanks.

[IanP]

Difficult to advise since it really is quite a personal thing.   From my perspective my preference is generally to go smaller when it comes to mountain bikes.  I'm 6' and my hardtail is a Rockhopper in 19 inch frame and I definitely wouldn't want anything bigger.  My regular bike is a Giant Trance in medium which I need the seatpost up at its maximum for climbing but I much prefer the smaller size for downhill / jumping.  It's currently beefed up with a 150mm coil fork and I still find it OK for longer rides / uphill. 

[Palomides]

The Merlin Malt 2 looks really good, on spec and geometry etc. Also worth noting the 'shadow' rear mech - I.e. a clutch mech, the clutch stops chain slap and makes the bike nice and quiet... Worth having.

"Shadow" mechs don't have the clutch, they just have neater cable entry and a slightly different shape that stops them sticking out too far (less chance of being ripped off!)

"Shadow+" mechs are the ones with the clutch. Only XTR, XT and SLX models are available, I think (but not all the latest mechs are shadow+)

In reply to Ian, I think that Dart3 became XC30 and Toras became XC32. Recon upwards still have the same name.

Edit: despite the forks not being that good (heavy and wooden compared to XC32 and up) the rest of the kit is pretty good - Deore works well, brakes are supposed to be about the best budget ones around, Shimano factory wheels are good IME, lighter than normal finishing kit. Could do a lot worse for a lot more!

[underground]

I see now, thanks for clarifying. I actually read a spec that was not from the Merlin site that had Recon forks but obviously that's not the case. You could still do worse.

[underground]

It just happens that the latest MBUK has a group test of 'your first proper mountain bike' at circa £500. All but one are let down by a crap fork, but the one is a Carrera Kraken @ £450

The verdict is 4.5 stars with a comment 'We haven't tested a better trail bike for under £500. It's superb in many ways'

[Norton Sharley]

The verdict is 4.5 stars with a comment 'We haven't been paid to advertise a better trail bike for under £500.

   

Buy a bike with a good frame and shit components and you'll never regret it*.  £500 bikes do not have good forks because good forks cost £500.  Deore running gear is all good, hydraulic brakes not mechanical are essential, expect to replace the tyres pretty soon and the wheels may not last too long.  But if it's a 'proper' bike none of this matters because you'll just make it better over the years.  Go smaller not larger on the frame.

That Merlin looks a bit old school geometry to me.  If I was buying a £500 mtb I'd be hard pressed to get beyond a Hoodoo Voodoo but I've never actually ridden one....

Where's Fatdoc?

* - as long as the frame fits

[tomtom]

Yeah where's fatdoc? This is his job!