If you want a brand new bike go ahead and buy the Bird, The thing with the Rip is that it has a 20" rear wheel instead of the 19". With the 20" backwheel you have Very limited choice on rear tyres, well theres only one tyre you can use and thats the onza sticky fingers, with the 19" you have a better selection, Echo, Try-all, Maxxis and monty tyres. But you could go with a second hand bike, and youl get a much better spec bike than the bird or the rip. You could pick up a really well specced out bike for £400. Complete with maguras, decent wheels, brakes and more. The second hand bike will also ride alot better than the onzas will with the after market bars and stems which will aid you in improving much faster. you'd need a fair bit more than £50 to spend on a rip.