ljc, it's a bit hard to put a price on my bike because it's all cobbled together out of odd bits, but the frame cost £400 and I guess the whole bike would be about £900-1000 to replace new. You're right about the cheap 'Mountain Bikes' though, they're the bane o' ma life... we call 'em 'trade waste bikes' at the shop because what we really want to do is slap a trade waste sticker on and leave them out for the scaffies! :-)

Gervase is right about brakes too, some of the brakes on older bikes are plain dangerous. I keep meaning to get a disc brake for the front (yes, like a motorbike) but I don't really ride enough to justify spending the money. Hmmm, disc brakes or money towards new bagpipes? No contest really.

Anyway, here's some more shiny new bikes to look at - these are what we sell most of at my shop. That's a new website by the way, so don't expect too much yet...