Choosing your first bike is not quite easy as ABC. It's not even as easy as 1-2-3, so we've tested 12 sub-£600 hardtails to help you spend your pocket money wisely.

Marathon Bikes - There's no point buying a super-light marathon bike if it falls apart on the first ride. And on a multi-day marathon, you really need a machine that can hold up. We put the GT Marathon Pro to the test.