Quote:
Gear system : Shimanoââ‚à ‚¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s benchmark Deore 27 speed mechs and shifters
(which means what?)
|
Right, 27 speed refers to the number of gear combinations possible on the bike. Three at the front, nine at the back, to make 27. In actual fact, a few of these are fairly useless as running big front to big rear or small front to small rear can accelerate chain wear, and usually replicates a combination available elsewhere if you take the time to figure it out.
The Deore is just the model of the shifters and derailleurs. It sort of fits in the middle of the Shimano range, and is fairly good stuff.
When it comes to full suspension bikes, you really don't want to look at anything around the £500 mark, you usually end up with something ridiculously heavy with design issues surrounding the rear suspension, often getting things like drivetrain feedback causing bob as you pedal. As others have said, around this price point a decent hardtail is probably a better option.
As for downhilling, you're not going to find a bike that'll let you do DH at this sort of price point. You generally need oodles of suspension, and a quality frame build to cope with DH, this isn't the sort of thing that usually comes in under £1800 or so.
Speak to local bike shops, see if they've got any of last years stock festering out the back.
Look around, then buy this:
http://www.orangebikes.com/2004bikes...hp?bike=gringo
Or maybe that's just me being a devoted Orange owner
Edit: As for forums, try
www.bikemagic.com or
www.singletrackworld.com