The new range of Carrera mountain bikes from Halfords features the £600 dropper post-ed 1x-drivtrain Fury and the dependable £450 Kraken.

>>> Which Halfords mountain bike is right for you?

This £250 to £600 range of hardtail Carrera mountain bikes is actually the first full range review for seven years. It’s heartening to see the mountain bikes moving to drivetrains with fewer chainrings, shorter stems, wider handlebars, dropper post routing and slacker, longer geometry.

We’re going to briefly highlight two models that can justifiably be called proper mountain bikes. What’s our minimum requirement for a bike to qualify as being a ‘proper mountain bike’? Hydraulic disc brakes, capable geometry and ideally some sort of wideish-range cassette.

Carrera Fury

Carrera Fury, £600*

Carrera Fury geometry chart

The top-end Carrera hardtail mountain bike offers impressive spec for the money. This will be one of the first bikes in the UK with Shimano’s new 1×10 Deore. To that, Carrera have added a dropper, a Suntour Raidon Air Fork and WTB Trail Boss tyres. All on a longer and slacker triple-butted frame.

Carrera Kraken

Carrera Kraken, £450*

Carrera Kraken geometry chart

Triple-butted frame. Shimano hydraulic brakes. 11-36T 9-speed cassette.

*UK price to be confirmed.

Halfords press release

HALFORDS today announces a technological first as it launches 26 new bikes in its best-selling Carrera range. Each model in the range boasts memory foam saddles, tyres with Carrera Puncture Protection, revised geometry and new designs, and they are being launched at a time of feverish demand for bikes as many look for alternative ways to commute and keep healthy.

Each bike features a memory foam saddle, which offers riders maximum comfort, moulding to their body and helping uniform distribution of weight. By reducing the hits and vibrations cyclists experience on their ride it means they can say goodbye to saddle soreness.

Each bike also boasts reinforced tyres, layered with aramid and light flexible rubber together with ceramic particles to help stop sharp objects puncturing them. The material is high-strength and durable, but puncture and cut-resistant and means cyclists are less likely to be punctured by sharp objects like glass, flint and rocks.

A poll by the cycling retailer with YouGov, shows that 88% of people considered saddle comfort the most important factor when choosing a bike, while 41% said they weren’t confident at repairing a puncture. 

According to Justin Stevenson, Halfords’ chief bike designer: “Whether for an everyday ride or a weekend adventure this range of bikes has been designed specifically with the rider in mind. After our research showed that saddle comfort was important we added memory foam saddles across these bikes. When we heard tyre performance was another factor, and the risk of punctures off-putting we added Carrera Puncture Protection to the range. We’ve kept weight and prices down because they are also critical for those looking to get the most from their cycling experience.”

There have also been specific modifications made to the range, with Carrera mountain bikes frames being stronger, more robust, with more aggressive slacker and longer geometry. All road bikes in the new range also boast disc brakes and wider 28c tyres ready for any weather conditions at an attractive price point.

Carrera Mountain Bikes

With 13 mountain bike models, these bring trickle down tech with an affordable price point. Priced between £250 and £600 they include all new modern tube profiles and geometry, which helps deliver strong, robust and eminently rideable frames, 2x drivetrains and dropper post routing, completed by shorter stems and wider bars.

Carrera Road Bikes

All five road bikes in the range now feature disc brakes and 28c tyres, a first at this price point, offering the best possible braking power no matter the conditions. They also include dropped seat stays, memory foam saddles and puncture proof tyres all for added comfort and dependability.

Carrera Urban Hybrid Bikes

Designed to be more comfortable than ever, the five urban hybrid bike models feature taller head tubes and memory foam saddles to assist riders on their urban adventures. With 2x drivetrains they are simpler to operate and require less maintenance. They are practical, inexpensive and comfortable.

Carrera Leisure Hybrid Bikes

Whether its local parks, woodland tracks or the daily commute these models range do it all in comfort and style. Front suspension helps off-road handling and wide saddles and an upright seating position help make these versatile bikes that will help riders cover more miles.
 
Halfords is the exclusive UK retailer of the Carrera bike range and the 26 models will be available in shops and online at Halfords.com from Monday 15 June.