Best bike for under £200

The best mountain bike for under £200.
Whilst £200 seems like quite a bit of money there are not many new and suitable bikes available for under £200.
(When I say suitable – I mean bikes that wont fall apart after 2 rides, rust after 1 month in the shed, seize up after a week of neglect or have unsuitable components that are down right dangerous)

Looking for bikes at under £200 you basically have 3 options.
1. Buy second hand on ebay etc… and be prepared to pick up. You might find a good deal – its very possible. But most second hand bikes at this price point will be thoroughly used and abused. Be prepared to do quite a bit of maintenance to make your steed road worthy.

2. Wait for the sale season (normally begins september / october) and see if you can pick up a RRP £300 bike for under the £200 mark.

3. Buy a brand new and capable steed like the one listed below.

Mizani Summit FD, Mountain Bike – £179.97 (RRP £249)

The Mizani Summit looks to be a competent performer at a fantastic price. I must say for the money the bike look visually great with better than most geometry.
Plus points are EZ Shimano group set and 2.35 inch tyres, Alloy 6061 frame, sealed cartridge Bottom Bracket and double walled rims with alloy hubs.
The 60mm travel suspension fork is going to be pretty useless at this price point but it will provide a good dampening of trail vibration if not much else.
The front brake is a mechanical disk – which will perform better than most rim brakes – and it means the lugs will be there should you wish to upgrade to a hydraulic disk in the future (maybe pick up a cheap oem one from ebay)

At £179.97 I cant find a better deal currently at this price. The Mizani will be more than suitable for weekend rides on towpaths and trails and cope admirably with commuting. For someone wishing to get into mountain biking or recreational cycling – this bike should be a great low budget starting point!

Grab a bargain over at bikesdirect365

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Coming in £40 over budget is the excellent Ghost SE 1200 Hardtail Bike 2013 at £239.99.
RRP is £419 so your saving over 40% with this sale.
If you can afford the extra £40 this may be the best option if your looking for a serious machine and a proper mountain bike!

Mizani Summit FD, Moun

The Ghost MTB features Shimano Altus and SRAM Groupset, Tektro Brakes, a Suntour 100mm travel front fork, DT spokes on Alloy rims, Ghost finishing kit and branded 7005 alloy frame.

Be assured this is a proper mountain bike just ready to be upgraded component wise in the future.
The frame features some great trickle down Ghost technology that has been adapted from high price point machines.

Technologies:

• Tapered Headtube: The tapered head tube broadens towards the bottom leading to better force transfer from the fork to the frame. The increased stiffness of the tapered head tube combined with the tapered fork lead to the bicycle’s improved and more direct steering.
• Continious Cable Housing: The derailleur cables have continuous cable housings. Great long-term shift performance is guaranteed by eliminating any negative effects dirt might cause in the derailleur cables.
• Postmount Direct: PM Direct’s screwless design and simplified adjustability has become the new standard. Mounting the brake caliper directly onto to the post results in a clean look and optimum heat transfer.
• Oversized Headtube: The oversized head tube is able to improve force transfer from the fork to the frame. The broader frame tube structure increases the frame’s torsion strength and ability to better withstand stress.

If you can push your budget to £239 then this bike makes alot of sense!
Available for £239 with free delivery over at CRC