Another which bike - £500 hard tail for mostly trail riding, hydro brakes.

Not fussed about latest model, I have looked at Paul's Cycles, etc but the choice is bewildering for a roadie like me. Must be reasonably lightweight though.

List of candidates are ;

Cannondale sl4

Spesh hard rock pro disc

Gt avalanche 1.0

Spesh rockhopper (out of price range really)

Any help and opinions appreciated. TIA

Hard rock if it was out of those.

but £600 gets a rockhopper (or cheaper poss)

rockrider 8.1 but ide probably swap out the tyres

Thanks Mickey, i Hadn't considered the Rockrider, looks a great spec for the money.

Is there a catch I am missing ?

If you know a little about bikes I,d go for a decent used used one off "preloved" or fleabay. A cannondale SL1 would be nice and you could pick a nice clean example for the same price as the sl4.

Having gone through everything you are now going through I eventually went for the RockRider 8.1 as the spec' is better than anything else in that price-range and not far off anything up to £1K. The frame looks well made, is light and IMO looks very tasty.
I WAS going to change the tyres (and may still do) but the guy at Decathlon (who is a MTBr) tells me it is a good tyre and will serve me well........bearing in mind I was going to buy new ones from him so he had no axe to grind.

Rockrider or a Rockhopper.

rockrider. and the michelin dry XC + tyres on mine have been great. well apart from in the ice and snow but i would expect that.

Nothing wrong with the rockrider, and good spec for the money.

I recently got the female equivalent of this from CRC (2009 Lisa) - very good spec for the money (if an 18" is the right size)

http://paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b7s2p1938

I looked at equivalent current models, they all weighed a ton compared to the Kona

No. That's the one I'd get.

I ended up with a Rockhopper Comp (friend price) from Corley Cycles, Milton Keynes. Excellent price and one of the best bike shops you could find anywhere.

It's pretty light and nimble, better spec than the basic Rockhopper (not hugely different though). I am very pleased with it so far.

Thanks so much for your insights, Mickey I was sorely tempted by the Rockrider and would have gone for it if this one had not come up at the right price.

Cheers All.

oki doki happy to help hope you have a nice ride