New hardtail bike - Advice needed

[daisycow]

Hi there, I got some sound advice here last tiime I purchased a bike, so hoping for the same.
I'm looking to upgrade my old Claude Butler bike, and my budget is in the region of £300.
I've spotted these two at the minute
Kona Fire Mountain Deluxe 2009 for £332, (I managed to get an extra 5% off price when I contacted the shop)
Kona Fire Mountain Deluxe 2009 : Cycle | Cycling | Singletrack Bikes

and

GT Aggressor XC 3 for £280 (halfords have an extra 20% of GT's today - so I've reserved one)
GT Aggressor XC 3 Mountain Bike 09 18" from Halfords Price £349.99 Web Exclusive! 20% Off ALL GT Bikes. Discount applied when added to basket

Most of the components are comparable (lockout forks etc) but the main differences are the gears and the brakes.
The GT has Hydraulic disc brakes, the Kona has mechanical, and the Kona has Deore gears, whilst the GT has only Acera.

I've only ever had mechainical disc brakes so don't know if its worth picking a bike for the upgraded ones - are they all that different. I can appreciate the value of the better gear system, but the GT is £50 cheaper and the two deraillers (on chain reaction cycles) come to this - so I could replace as things fall off.

I'm leaning towards the GT (mainly because of the price) but Kona is the more recognisable brand (to me anyway) so I'd assume the frame would be better, although when looking for reviews on the lower end kona bikes they are few and far between. If anything people are questioning the quality of Kona in recent years...

What do you guys think, or can anyone suggest any others?
Cheers

 

[Timmaa]

You might find the bikeradar forums useful.

What hardtail 2009 thread

 

[bro]

few peeps on here who know there stuff and a few threads in general section about it roud:

 

[seanicca]

take a look here, i was gonna order online but popped into the manchester store to check frame sizes etc and got a GT outpost £280 there and then

Evans Cycles | Bikes | Online Bike Shop

 

[mozr]

If I was to choose I would go with the Kona.

But, the most important bit about buying a bike, is actually sitting on it.

Honestly, you do all the research you want, but if you order off the net without actually trying it out you are tossing a coin.

 

[cracker666]

Pauls Cycles in Norfolk are mega cheap for decent bikes.
Kona
Giant
and are a propper LBS.

Mailorder sale and discounted bikes GT Mongoose Giant Kona Diamondback Trek, Cheapest sale offer cycles :: Pauls Cycles

Id save up and spend more,
My brakes cost over £200
Hydraulic brakes takes a little getting used to but are fantastic.

for other Bike forums try
Mtbr.com Forums

 

[cracker666]

One further note I take it you are female and it is for you.
You will need a female specific bike re geometry as your bodys are built diferent to ours and the distances between saddle and headstock will reflect this just to name one.

We have a Carrera Vulcan for the wife and I have changed the brakes to Avid Jucys 3's and a great bike at a good price.
This has been replaced by a full suss Giant.
The Vulcan was Under £300.00

 

[daisycow]

Thanks for the input

 

[snapman]

Just to add to the brakes question, hydraulic brakes work better in the wet, plus you don't have the problem of cable stretch. And with a good set of pads, a one finger pull of the lever and you'll stop dead! So be careful if you do go for hydraullic when you 1st start out.

Plus, after time, on V-brakes, your wheel rim can ware down, making the flat surface bevel due to the tyre pressure on the rim, then you no longer have a level braking surface. New wheels required.

Also, I found cycling in the Winter, moisture can gather in the cable sheaths, then freeze (granted, they should've been maintained a bit better!). I've had no problems occurring with the hydraulics in the Winter yet (touch wood).

On the model side of things, both are a decent make, so for the price, and what you use the bike for, it could be a case of 6 of one and half a dozen of the other.