Modern MTB needed for 30th Bday present - £300-400

[wm4wm4]

Hi People,

A group of friends are coming together to by our friend (a lady) a mountain bike for her Birthday.

She's pretty handy with a bike and has been to a number of trail centres in Wales where she has hired a bike and loved it every time. Happy on black runs etc. so is looking for something fast and fun.

We are looking for a hard-tail (probs medium - she is 5ft9) for around £300-400. Ideally robust as she is quite an aggressive rider and is prone to a few falls. However, she works in the design profession, so would probably appreciate something fairly stylish (maybe asking too much).

It needs to have disc-brakes and a half-decent groupset (maybe LX or XT)

Anybody any thoughts:

We had been looking at nicely specced inbreds and 456's, even a whippet if affordable...

Also looked at this one, butt awaiting a response: viewtopic.php?f=39&t=324556&start=20

 

[greencat]

Definitely looking at secondhand for that price and that groupset. If you are prepared to go with 26 inch wheels, you could end up with something very tasty indeed. I got a titanium hardtail for around 400 notes recently (no suspension or discs though, but the forks were also titanium and frame/wheels have fittings for discs).

On-one Inbred is a good(ish) though unremarkable choice specswise. I had one for years.

Look out for local facebook groups as well as eBay.

 

[wm4wm4]

Hi Greencat,

26" wheels preferable, as that is what we all ride still...

Thanks for your advice, do you have any facebook groups in mind. She is from Norfolk, but living in London, so could travel if needs be?

Thanks,

Wilf

 

[greencat]

All I can say is that there are several well used outdoors/bicycle specific buy and sell facebook groups in my area of North Wales where even gumtree fails due to rural nature of the area/low population density.

I'd be surprised if the same wasn't true for every locality across the UK. Here's just one of several I found for Norfolk for example:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/190315671066103/

There is, of course, pinkbike and singletrackworld's classifieds forum.

 

[wm4wm4]

thanks Greencat!