Does The Boardman Mountain Bike Pro 29er Turn Heads For The Right Reasons?
The Boardman Mountain Bike Pro 29er is a fairly new model on the market but that hasn’t stopped MBR from calling it a definite contender for their favourite hardtail.
The Boardman bike has apparently been thoroughly tested to ensure that it can meet buyers needs and has plenty of top features in its specification like the Superlight X9 triple butted alloy frame, FSA Comet 368 39/27t chainset and ultra-light E4P SL finishing kit.
Boardman promise it will “turn heads for its performance, spec and looks” but is this really the case?
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What benefits have buyers enjoyed while riding this Boardman 29er Pro Mountain Bike?
As is understandable with reviews of this nature, some features will be highlighted with common regularity – as is the case with this bike’s great finish – but it is particularly interesting with this model that so many buyers are pleasantly surprised by the benefits of it being a 29er.
In many cases they keenly compare it to their previous 26” bike, saying that is offers greater handling – no matter what is put in front of it – and it handles familiar courses at greater speed. Boardman partially attribute this control to the geometry of the bike, which some riders have also praised.
In addition to this performance, buyers are also happy with the lack of time taken to get the Boardman mountain bike up and running, the great components, light weight – with it weighing in at around 12 kg – and the general high quality that is on offer.
For the most part, the specification seems to live up to buyers’ expectations or even exceeds them, with many highlighting the number of Shimano components.
It includes the hydraulic disc brakes, 2×10 gearing, gear shifter and 10 speed clutch rear derailleur – but there are some parts that are less desirable.
Which components let this Boardman Mountain Bike Pro 29er down and what other problems does it have?
The elements that fall flat in buyers reviews do so because they are very basic models where it makes more sense to upgrade them than live with them. These include the saddle, the pedals – which also have the disadvantage of having clips on them – and the tyres.
The manufacturers may say that they included Schwalbe Nobby Nic Folding 29″ x 2.25″ tyres for “excellent grip” and “inspiring confidence” but they do not seem to have had the desired effect.
Elsewhere, there are negative comments about the exposed gear cables and the white grips, which are entirely the wrong colour for such a sporty bike.
Summary: do these downsides effect the final verdict on this Boardman 29er bike?
The main selling point of the Boardman bike is that it is a 29er that not only sounds good on paper but also surpasses the 26” models that come before it in,, both in terms of performance and specification.
This mtb is not perfect and there are plenty of upgrades to be made based on personal preferences. However, it is a great starting point and introduction to the style for riders that are new to 29ers and it is still a high-end bike with lots to offer if you want to push yourself on the trails.
Find more reviews about the Boardman Mountain Bike Pro 29er model at Halfords here.
For me the saddle is mint and the best mtb saddle I’ve ever tried to the point I want them for my other bikes. The pedals I got were just basic plastic which are ok. I also found the tires to have shed loads of grip even with 50psi in the rear so can’t fault them.
The exposed gear cables running under the bottom tube are not ideal though, and the white grips were only white for the first ride. The 28 inch handle bars are too wide for me and will be chopped down or replaced as I’m not that keen on the angle. Time will tell with the no name hubs and I will have a pair of 27.5 wheels for the tightest technical trails I ride as although the handling matches or exceeds my 26ers I want more.