Adjusted for traffic volume by country
Aug 2023 · Alan Muldoon
When unboxing the Carrera Fury our first thought was that Halfords must have made a blunder. How could the Fury possibly have an air-sprung fork, wide-range Shimano Deore 1×10 drivetrain, Shimano hydraulic brakes and a dropper post and still hit our £600-700 target price range? Best hardtail mountain bikes: classic trail-shredding machines Sounds impossible right? Obviously not, as the Carrera Fury is indeed £680 with no hidden catches or loyalty cards required. It clearly has the best specification in this category then, so what’s the catch? Well, it is the only bike in this test with 27.5in wheels, so they don’t roll over bumps as effectively as 29in wheels, or 27.5in wheels fitted with Plus size (2.8-3.0in) tyres. This translates to a harsher ride, especially when combined with the Carrera’s skinny 2.25in tyres. But there are also advantages of smaller wheels, like increased strength and reduced weight. They also make it easier for smaller riders to get off the back of the bike on steep descents without buzzing their bums on the rear tyre. Carrera hasn’t really lent in to this advantage though, as the size L frame is really tall, both in top tube height and seat tube length. The 510mm seat tube is so tall in fact, that at 5ft 11in, even with the 125mm dropper post slammed in the frame, the saddle height was still borderline too high. And while the older 1⅛in head tube instantly dates the frame, it’s not a big deal, as most of the bikes at this price point use 1⅛in forks anyway. And the Fury has the best fork in class. No, the real limiting factor here is that the bike is only available in three frame sizes, S, M and L and fewer options mean lower costs for the brand, hence the ability to splurge on the parts. Suspension Being air-sprung, the spring rate on the 120mm travel Suntour Raidon LO-R fork can be matched precisely to the rider weight with nothing more than a shock pump. It also has externally adjustable hydraulic rebound damping, so the return rate of the fork can be matched to the spring rate. Confused? Don’t be. This simply means the fork on the Fury offers the most controlled action in its class. It’s the most sensitive, so it offers the best grip and comfort too. Best mountain bikes under £1000: brilliant bargain bikes Alloy upper tubes save weight and the icing on the cake is the stiffer Q-Loc 15mm bolt-thru axle. There’s definitely a knack to removing it, but once you get the hang of it it’s one of the fastest systems we’ve used for removing the front wheel. Components It’s hard to know where to start here, so let’s go with the dropper post. Being able to adjust your saddle height on the fly by up to 125mm, is genuinely game-changing. Slam the saddle for descending, or lower it by 10mm for technical climbing. It’s fast, easy and efficient. Okay, so the post on …Continue reading »
Best fork in class. Powerful, light action Shimano brakes. Wide-ratio ten speed gears. Dropper post
Harsh ride quality. Only three frame sizes. Tall seat tube. 27.5in wheel size only
Aug 2023 · Alan Muldoon
When unboxing the Carrera Fury our first thought was that Halfords must have made a blunder. How could the Fury possibly have an air-sprung fork, wide-range Shimano Deore 1×10 drivetrain, Shimano hydraulic brakes and a dropper post and still hit our £600-700 target price range? Best hardtail mountain bikes: classic trail-shredding machines Sounds impossible right? Obviously not, as the Carrera Fury is indeed £680 with no hidden catches or loyalty cards required. It clearly has the best specification in this category then, so what’s the catch? Well, it is the only bike in this test with 27.5in wheels, so they don’t roll over bumps as effectively as 29in wheels, or 27.5in wheels fitted with Plus size (2.8-3.0in) tyres. This translates to a harsher ride, especially when combined with the Carrera’s skinny 2.25in tyres. But there are also advantages of smaller wheels, like increased strength and reduced weight. They also make it easier for smaller riders to get off the back of the bike on steep descents without buzzing their bums on the rear tyre. Carrera hasn’t really lent in to this advantage though, as the size L frame is really tall, both in top tube height and seat tube length. The 510mm seat tube is so tall in fact, that at 5ft 11in, even with the 125mm dropper post slammed in the frame, the saddle height was still borderline too high. And while the older 1⅛in head tube instantly dates the frame, it’s not a big deal, as most of the bikes at this price point use 1⅛in forks anyway. And the Fury has the best fork in class. No, the real limiting factor here is that the bike is only available in three frame sizes, S, M and L and fewer options mean lower costs for the brand, hence the ability to splurge on the parts. Suspension Being air-sprung, the spring rate on the 120mm travel Suntour Raidon LO-R fork can be matched precisely to the rider weight with nothing more than a shock pump. It also has externally adjustable hydraulic rebound damping, so the return rate of the fork can be matched to the spring rate. Confused? Don’t be. This simply means the fork on the Fury offers the most controlled action in its class. It’s the most sensitive, so it offers the best grip and comfort too. Best mountain bikes under £1000: brilliant bargain bikes Alloy upper tubes save weight and the icing on the cake is the stiffer Q-Loc 15mm bolt-thru axle. There’s definitely a knack to removing it, but once you get the hang of it it’s one of the fastest systems we’ve used for removing the front wheel. Components It’s hard to know where to start here, so let’s go with the dropper post. Being able to adjust your saddle height on the fly by up to 125mm, is genuinely game-changing. Slam the saddle for descending, or lower it by 10mm for technical climbing. It’s fast, easy and efficient. Okay, so the post on …Continue reading »
Best fork in class. Powerful, light action Shimano brakes. Wide-ratio ten speed gears. Dropper post
Harsh ride quality. Only three frame sizes. Tall seat tube. 27.5in wheel size only
Jan 2023 · Simon Withers
A keenly priced road bike, but the limited bottom gear may hold you back on the hills
Shimano groupset
Cable disc brakes
Decent comfort
Limited bottom gear
On the heavy side
Tyres are fragile
Jan 2023 · John Stevenson
Great value folder with practical essentials ready fitted
Great value
Quick handling
Mudguards and rack included
Not the most compact fold
Relatively heavy
Tall riders will need a longer seatpost
Aug 2022 · John Stevenson
Brilliant versatile round-town bike with really handy extras to cope with the great British weather
Ready-to-go commuter bike
Heated grips fight the winter chill
Wide gear range
Very good hydraulic disc brakes
Mudguards and lights are quite basic
May 2022 · Matt Lamy
Fantastic fun and fast folding bike that will leave you questioning why you'd want to spend any more
Excellent spec
Great fun to ride
Impressive price
A bit short for riders over 6ft
Q: Which Carrera bikes are most popular?
The most popular Carrera model families are the Vulcan Mountain Bike, Valour, and Titan.
Q: Does Carrera make eBikes?
Yes, Carrera manufactures both conventional bikes and e-bikes.