Recommend a bike for me: steel frame, mountain bike/commuter

[Aaron76]

I wonder if one you fine people could offer me some advice please?

I've had a bit of an odd craving for an old school steel framed mountain bike circa 80s/90s that had a set of steel forks (non-suspension). I have in mind a good hack for commuting and the odd bit of canal-bank type off roading. Nothing hardcore! If it had eyelets for mudguards all the better...

I'm leaning towards old school Raleigh, Marin, Saracen or Specialized.

Can anybody recommend anything based on your experience? Probably have a budget of around £200...

Thanks for any advice

Aaron

 

[juice]

Hi Aaron,

you can't go wrong with Marin steel bikes. I have an Eldrige Grade and a Muirwoods. Both bikes are really fun to ride. It also would be no mistake to buy a Specialized Rockhopper or a Stumpjumper. If you after a complete bike you should avoid anything with plastic components on it. My Muirwoods is mostly Shimano LX equipped and that groupset works fine. If you find some DX or XT stuff on the bike you are going to buy the better.
Can't tell you about Raleigh or Saracen bikes. Never rode one of them.
Maybe you want to consider Scott bikes as well. The Scott Super Lite in my signature was the one I got the most fun per £ out of but that one is alloy and not steel. Scott Windriver or Boulder would be good quality steel bikes.
And all these bikes have eylets. My last advice despite what the skinnwall style police has to say about that one is no matter what bike you get buy some proper new tyres for it.

Hope this helps a little.

Adam

 

[jujupunk]

I would say an mid 90s saracen, Tufftrax or a Kili. They have everything you're looking for and bargains can be found on here and ebay. They are more than capable for roads/canals paths/bridleways

Good luck with your search!

 

[Raging_Bulls]

Aaron,

Another vote for Scott here. They're seriously underrated and can be found cheap.

I paid £35 for mine (found it on eBay), and mechanically it's very sound. I've had to adjust a few spokes in the rear wheel, but apart from that it feels like it'll do another 1000 miles before it'll need a service. (cables and a good de-grease, perhaps new tyres and brake pads).

 

[legrandefromage]

I can sell you the perfect bike for your budget - perhaps?

 

[Aaron76]

Hmmm, very tempting! What is the standover height and size of that frame by the way?

I think I'll give the Raleigh idea a miss given the quality of what is out there for similar sorts of money...a chap nearby has a Raleigh Max going for peanuts that's been in his shed for 14 years...might be good for a train station hack. But for a proper fun commuter, wow - these are a different world

Happy days to come I suspect....

 

[legrandefromage]

its a 19" frame

 

[beagle]

I'd say look for an 80s Stumpjumper, Rockhopper or similar. I think the geometry 80s bikes makes for better commuter/touring conversions than 90s bikes that tend to be racier, longer and much lower at the front. Just burly and practical.

I know a bloke that rides around on an 80s Fisher that he's probably had since new. It's done up as a touring/commuting/chipping about bike that looks like the kind of thing Grant Petersen from Rivendell would build if you gave him an 80s MTB frame. Mudguards, rack, basket, the lot. It amuses me that it has loads of premium retro trinketry like Cook Bros cranks on it. I covet that bike.

 

[oldave]

Saracen. Hands down. Often bargains. Usually brilliant!

 

[jujupunk]

I can sell you the perfect bike for your budget - perhaps?

Buy this, you can't go wrong the frames are class!