New bike - man maths help!

New bike - man maths help!

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Discussion

Woody

Original Poster:

2,187 posts

284 months

Friday 4th September 2015
quotequote all
Guys,

Now that I don't have to go 'under the knife' any time soon I think it's time for that new bike I was promising myself.......

Have narrowed it down to 3 but need some opinions/man maths help lol

The contenders are:

Bird Aeris 3

Vitus Escarpe - Spec

Calibre Bossnut - Spec/Review

In true 'man-maths' style I've done a spreadsheet showing the specs:



Specs are all fairly comparable for the main components - just finishing kit that varies; but that'll probably get changed over time anyway....

Advantage of Bird and Vitus is that I can use my existing dropper post.

Looks like non of them have a lockout on the rear shock - is this going to be a problem?

The company uses CycleScheme which only the Calibre is available on. Which means that instead of £1k it'll cost me around £600.

Question is - are the others really worth the extra £1k???

Now I'm a huge fan of Bird and have followed them since they started - and having poked around Zulu's Bird (zero) briefly they are very well built/finished and great spec.

Reviews of the Vitus are very good - think it won the £1500 category not so long back in one of the mags.

The Calibre is a bit of an odd one though - British Design (Sheffield iirc) and only sold through Go-Outdoors. Their previous Hardtails have had rave reviews and quite frankly you have to wonder how they've com up with the spec for £1k. Ok so it's got a stupid name - but is that an issue??

Only one I can reasonably get a test ride on is the Bird, but will mean travelling to Swinley. Have noticed a couple of guys over the Chase with the Vitus so could possibly put a shout out for a look/sit on.

Here are the contenders:

Bird:


Vitus:


Calibre:


Looks wise I think the Bird wins as I can spec it in Orange smile

The Vitus is soon to be replaced with the 2016 model so no idea what the new colour scheme will be.....

The Calibre isn't a bad looking bike though....


Now my head says Calibre as that's the cheapest....

Vitus is a cracking bike for the price and can get a 10% discount on CRC with my British Cycling membership.

But the rest of me is shouting BIRD!!!!!

If I get the Calibre am I going to think in 12 months - wish I'd gotten the Bird/Vitus or if I get one of the others am I going to think what did my extra £1k get me??

Also the Bird is out of stock until mid October, the Vitus is out of stock until the new one is released and the Calibre would take a while due to company being slow on cyclescheme vouchers..... so no rush as all on same sort of lead in times!

Any other suggestions for upto/around £1500??

Cheers!

nicks1

23 posts

189 months

Woody

Original Poster:

2,187 posts

284 months

Friday 4th September 2015
quotequote all
I do like the Canyon Nerve - but am looking for something slightly slacker - my current HT has similar geometry. Looking for something more trail than XC.

Craikeybaby

10,411 posts

225 months

Friday 4th September 2015
quotequote all
I didn't know about the Calibre - I'll check that out next time I'm at a Go Outdoors.

I'm also going to be in the market for a full sus bike around the £1500 mark in the next few months, although I don't need any help with man maths, I've talked myself up from a new set of wheels, to a £1000 hardtail to a £1500 full sus bike rolleyes

I have been looking at the Bird Aeris, like you I'm impresesed by what Bird are doing, but I'm not too convinced by the fork/shock package. The other bike I have been looking at is the Trek Fuel EX 7, the 2015 model seems to be available around the £1500 mark. I don't know if that will be too XC for you though.

I currently have a Vitus hardtail and whilst the spec was good for the money it feels like a heavy bike (with pedals it is 15kg - 1.4kg more than advertised) and now that I'll be spending a bit more money I want to be able to try the bike first.

AyBee

10,535 posts

202 months

Friday 4th September 2015
quotequote all
£1k will go a long way to buying new wheels and a lock-out rear shock...

anonymous-user

54 months

Friday 4th September 2015
quotequote all
have a ride on each of them before deciding

colour scheme is important, but so is how it feels to ride

Craikeybaby

10,411 posts

225 months

Friday 4th September 2015
quotequote all
JPJPJP said:
have a ride on each of them before deciding

colour scheme is important, but so is how it feels to ride
That's what would put me off buying another Vitus.

AndyWoodall

2,625 posts

259 months

Saturday 5th September 2015
quotequote all
Head says the Vitus, people rave about that particular model.

Having previously not been too interested in the Bird hardtails that full suss has something about it that makes it worth a look. That particular spec looks rather tasty.

Tough one, I'd go with the Bird just so you have 'local' support, are those still only sold direct or have they got themselves into actual LBS's?

Craikeybaby

10,411 posts

225 months

Saturday 5th September 2015
quotequote all
I'm pretty sure they're direct sale only.

W00DY

15,492 posts

226 months

Saturday 5th September 2015
quotequote all
The Calibre does seem like excellent valu and the review I read was very positive. For £600 it's perhaps worth buying, thrashing and working out what you want from the next bike.

Bird would be my other choice since hey really seem to know what they'e doing and spec builds and geometry like proper mountain bikers. Look great too.

Vitus doesn't do much for me at that money although that's more of a personal prefference.


How about an On ONe Codeine? I'm very biased having just built one, but it's already the best bike I've owned. Brings out the hooligan in you.

£1500 for a bike (I'd recommend the Cane creek shock for another £100 though)

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOCODX9/on-one-code...

Or frame and shock for £549 and I reckon you could do really well on spec for another grand

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/ZXCODEINE/on-one-code...

Or the other bike I was very tempted by was the Rose Uncle Jimbo, which gets great reviews, looks brilliant and you can spec it how you'd like. This is the specI was looking at for under £1500 delivered.

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/bike/rose-uncle-jimbo-1...


tjdixon911

1,911 posts

237 months

Saturday 5th September 2015
quotequote all
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/spectral/spectral... - I have the 2015 7.0 EX and love it.

Some of the new Radon Stuff looks good http://www.radon-bikes.de/en/bikes-2016/mountainbi...

Craikeybaby

10,411 posts

225 months

Saturday 5th September 2015
quotequote all
That Canyon does look good!

Sargeant Orange

2,713 posts

147 months

Sunday 6th September 2015
quotequote all
Has to be the calibre if it's £600.

I'd go radon or canyon if you're determined to spend £1500, just look at the difference in specs. Only issue is the lack of large sizes at the moment (especially canyon) & lead times

Edited by Sargeant Orange on Sunday 6th September 11:57

jimmyVX

687 posts

207 months

Monday 7th September 2015
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Alternatively, I'll sell you a Medium 2014 Canyon Spectral Al 8.0 in Stealth Black......

Currently sat in my garage collecting dust!