Full Suspension Mountain Bike

[ukanonymous]

I am buying a present for someone with a herniated disc which is a full suspension mountain bike that has been recommended by a physio of his. But there seams to be a vast price range from 300 pounds up to 2000 pounds. He will mainly be using it on the road I guess and some off road paths but no real stuff like you see on the TV.

But I am just wondering if I spend 300 will this just be a really bad bike? I am guessing like the ones for 3000 are for pro riders. 1000 is a lot of money but I could spend this if it is worth it.

But I will happily spend 200 also if these bikes are reasonably decent for someone just trying to get active and doing minimal off road type stuff. Well not going head first down a mountain anyway.

Any advice please?

[bhg481]

If you're spending that much money, ask him which he thinks is best.

[alavahalf]

Pro riders don't use £3000 bikes ... they cost a whole lot more than that.
If the cycling thing is just a fad or an aid to recovery then go for the £300 bike as more than likely it will be parked up against the back of the house and abandoned, before being taken to the tip when it's all rusty.
If you do go for the cheaper bike as a rule they come with knobbly off road tyres. Get them removed by the shop and have them fit some kind of commuter style tyre as they will be much easier to use on the road surface where the bike will spend most of it's time.
You can get better brakes, wheels, hubs ,sprockets, gears etc... this is how you get to the £1000 range very easily, but do you need it ?
My son often puts a bike together to go to the Alps in the summer he spends in the region of £5000 .. he ends up with a bike that you can barely cycle along the road as it s totally unsuitable. But put it on a mountain side and you have got the perfect tool for rocketing down what had been a ski course in the winter months. He then comes back from holiday and breaks it up and sells the parts !
Decide what you want from the bike and buy accordingly, don't be taken in by prices.

[alavahalf]

Sorry forgot to mention, if you intend on using the bike mainly on the road avoid having any suspension as it saps your energy. A rigid frame and forks is the only combination needed.

[ukanonymous]

alavahalf thanks for the tips. The only thing is that this is what the physio recommended I am afraid. To stop any shocks on his back or something.
I did try full suspension bike on a road once but I guess if your not bothered about going fast it doesn't matter right?

[Fitzer]

Well you waste a vast amount of energy riding a full suspension bike on the road as they are a lot heavier than a standard road bike, so it isn't just speed that is a factor.

[ukanonymous]

well he will be riding with a 60 year old man so I think he should be pretty nicely matched in that case then. So what are full suspension bikes actually made for then? Only off road?