Mongoose 1999 Motivator Mini

Advantages: Great price & fair all rounder
Disadvantages: Tyres are poor in mud!

...are great on hard pack surfaces but if you ride in mud, your going to come off, buy decent tyres if going off road in mud!! FULL SPECS; Frame: Heat treated alloy formed ATB design with replaceable derailleur hanger Forks: SR/Suntour XCM DA 100mm travel with 30mm steel stanchions alloy legs and preload and hydraulic damping adjustment Gears: Shimano FD-C050 front and Shimano RD-M340 Acera 8 speed rear derailleurs Shifters: Shimano EF-50 triggers Chainset: SR/Suntour XCC-150 42/32/22 tooth gearing Brakes: Radius mechanical discs with 160mm rotors Wheels: Alex PC19 32 hole double wall alloy rims built on Joy Tech disc compatible alloy cassette hubs Tyres: Kenda Komodo 26x1.95 Handlebar: Mongoose 31.8mm clamp diameter alloy 30mm rise Stem: Mongoose alloy threadless Saddle: WTB Speed V Sport with Mongoose logo Seatpost... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Stops well, works in mud, doesn't fade
Disadvantages: Can be a little trying to get fitted correctly, can be noisy at times

...[Minor edits. It's around 18 months since I got my first Mini and a month ago, I purchased one for the rear, so I decided it was time for a few updates on the review] When discs first came out, they were designed with your hardcore downhill riders in mind and largely ignored by the cross country whippets out there, who prefered to spend their money on trying to shave more and more weight off their bikes with titanium this, and carbon fibre that. Anyway, I digress. The fact is that brake manufacturers have been trying to get XC riders to use the things for years, and right now, they're in vogue. The caliper sticks out less than two inches from the fork leg, perfect for those clumsy fools who keep "bonding with nature" (read: "crashing into trees"), so there's little chance of it being ripped off in an accident. The disc itself... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Very easy to use, move around and store.
Disadvantages: I'm sure there are better steppers but for a higher price.

...Before I start describing the wonders and blunders of the v fit mini stepper I'd like to explain why I opted for this style of home gym equipment. I read a bit on the internet about steppers and how people lose 2-3 inches just using the stepper every day, although this would be a nice bonus I wasn't focusing on losing weight so much as getting fitter and healthier. I live in a large block of flats in London, on the 7th floor with other people living below, above, each side and across the hall. Purely because of this I gave up on my collection of fitness DVDs as I didn't want to be banging about jumping and running every day to the tune of "Lift 2,3,4 and Down 2,3,4, Slide 2,3,4 and Back 2,3,4, and Starjumps...". So basically I believed the quietest exercise equipment I could buy would be a mini stepper. So off to Argos to get... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful