Lange Frame 7

Advantages: Strong, light, looks nice
Disadvantages: Chain stays can cause chain suck and problems with quick release pins

...For those of you out looking for a new frame, i'd recommend purchasing a Marine Quake frame. I bought a marine Quake 9 a few months back and its certianly given me value for money, and is one of the most sturdy bikes i've had. The Marine Quake frame comes in three colour scheme those being a combination of grey yellow red and blue. The Quake 9 model has a yellow and grey paint job and looks rather plush. The frame comes in a range of sizes, but being a dirt jumping/Dual bike those sizes are generally small (my own model is a 13" frame). The tubing is triangular in shape, which from your science lessons will tell you adds to strength. Where the top and down tubes meet, extra triangular plates have been welded on to give the bike some strength (especially for those of you thinking of running tripple crown forks). The chain stays... Read review

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Advantages: Gorgeous piece of kit
Disadvantages: Needs to be looked after to avoid rust

...abroad and finished in Halifax. The P7 is available in five different guises. You've got the option of having it kitted out with Shimano Deore, which fits in around the middle of the Shimano range. If you're starting out as a mountain biker, Deore isn't a bad place to start, replacing parts with more expensive kit as it breaks. Also available is a bike kitted out with Shimano XT kit, great for the more serious rider. Each of these is available with either a rigid Orange fork or a Manitou suspension fork. These four options will take you from £600 for a rigid Deore P7 to £1000 for a hardtail (front suspension) XT P7. So, that's four options. What's the fifth? Well, £320 will buy you a frame with nothing hanging off it. Just a lump of steel. Popping into the pub for a quick bite after picking the frame up encouraged loads... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to fit and maintain plus great price
Disadvantages: Will need adjusting from time to time

...Overall: The Avid BB7 mechanical disc brake is a good option if you're looking for an aftermarket mechanical disc brake that's both affordable and adjustable. By most accounts (including mine), the Tri-Align Caliper Positioning System is the easiest way to mount a disc brake on a mountain bike, and it allows you to spend less time cursing tiny shims and stomping around your shop or garage. While I wouldn't argue that the long-term performance of the Avid mechanical brakes trumps that of most hydraulic brake systems on the market, they're far and above the best mechanical disc brakes that I've tried. If you have the choice between a set of Avid mechanicals and pretty much any other mechanical disc brake available today, go with the Avid and save yourself a bunch of headaches and many days of sore hands. If you're considering a set... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful