Claud Butler Cape Wrath mountain bike

I've finally been persuaded that my 17 yr old Muddy Fox has been superceded by better specified, lighter mountain bikes! Local bike shop has recommended the above, @ £399 which is about my limit. I really don't know much about bikes other than that I enjoy riding them, and am planning more adventure races in 2006. Not an out and out technical dare devil but definitely ride mainly off road.

Any views on this bike? Anything else I should be looking at?

shall we add you to the Fred Whitton list then Laura ;)

sr, this bike is fine for entry level, it comes disc ready which means it can be upgraded easily. I would shop around tho, if this has discs already then £399 iws about right, if not Evans are doing this on a special for £300 with v brakes. it is a lot of bike for £300 and can be uprated as and when.

the evans i saw it in was the one in leeds at the xscape. hope this helps.

Scar, I own one of these! I was meant to be buying a Gary Fisher £900+ but when I test rode it straight after the Fisher, I asked myself was there £500 difference in the ride and the answer was NO. It really is excellent value for money MTB Rider magazine gave it 10/10. I race bikes, and this is well capable of everything you throw at it. The only thing I changed was the saddle, and thats a persoal choice on any bike anyway.

As per Rosey have a shop around.
Get an MTB magazine and see what specials are one. There are always lots of really good deals on 2005 bikes...
I got a £800 GT about 4 years ago for 500....

Some scroat is currently enjoying its good handling.....but thats another story!!!!!

Sometimes though it's good to get a bike from the local shop - I mean if you can save a few hundred then don't - but if it's £50 it's nice to have the option of taking it back for a free service and things like that. You never know sometimes things do go wrong - spokes that haven't been properly stressed and retensioned and things like that.

Thanks guys. Sorry IR, you are dealing with complete ignoramus here - do you mean brake discs? And what are v brakes?

Thanks Pebbles, that's interesting. Your experience bears out what local shop told me , they aren't trying to push me into a more expensive bike and always offer good basic advice, that's why I trust them.

Saying that, I'll have a look in Ambleside as well, just itching to get one for New yr trip to Scotland.

popsider - Fred Whitton, no way, it's all on road and I'd be left for dead by cyclists on flash road bikes with tyres so slim you could push them through the eye of the provervial needle:)

sorry sr, yes, I mean disk brakes.

If this bike has disc brakes for £399 then I would say its a very good buy.

If it has the 'older' system of brakes 'v-brakes' it uses the same principle of road bikes, rubber pads against the wheel rim to stop.

If this is the case, Evans are doing this for £300. It will cost you £100 ish to upgrade to discs of which this bike is capable so you take the choice. If you are a 'learner', I would buy the £300 version which is VERY good value for money and if you feel the need or get to the standard whereby it makes a difference then upgrade at a later date.

As others say, shop around, but I did this already and the reason I came across this bike is it would cost MORE money to upgrade my bike with many of the components that this comes with already than it would to buy it !!!

Can't give it a more glowing report I am afraid.