Buying advice. Older "brand" at discount or Calibre Bossnut?
Discussion
Upgrading from a Decathlon hardtail and I want a full suspension next. I've seen all the good reviews for the Bossnut and it looks a good deal at £1000. Was even better at £900 until they ended that deal a couple of days ago. Bloody HR dept at work was meant to be setting up a cycle scheme but faffed around too long so I can't be arsed with waiting for them to sort themselves out.
Whilst looking around I also found a Giant 27.5" Anthem 2 from 2014 significantly reduced from £1800 to £1100. The reasons this may interest me more than the bossnut are that the resale value of the Giant will surely be much better than the bossnut if I think of upgrading in 2 years or so and also the components in (what was) a £1800 bike are likely to be significantly better than in a £1000 bike, even if it did win mountain bike of the year in 2015!
Is my logic flawed or does that sound reasonable?
Whilst looking around I also found a Giant 27.5" Anthem 2 from 2014 significantly reduced from £1800 to £1100. The reasons this may interest me more than the bossnut are that the resale value of the Giant will surely be much better than the bossnut if I think of upgrading in 2 years or so and also the components in (what was) a £1800 bike are likely to be significantly better than in a £1000 bike, even if it did win mountain bike of the year in 2015!
Is my logic flawed or does that sound reasonable?
I got myself a Giant Anthem 3 27.5" back in March.
I'd thoroughly recommend getting one. It's a fabulous machine, I got mine price-matched down to £900 from £1500 as it was the last one on the shop floor (it was already marked down, but not by that much).
I ride mine quite hard. It's a short-travel (100mm) full suspension bike, and although it feels like a hard-tail to pedal it, I make full use of the available travel at both ends.
So far all it's cost me is a chain and cassette, plus brake pads. Soon it'll be getting new tyres for winter mud, a pulley wheel set for the rear mech, and another chain/cassette change. Pretty close to 2,000 miles on it in the eight months since March. It had one 'failure' in it's first race - the quick-link in the chain somehow opened and got bent. I fashioned a repair with a Leatherman tool and finished the race distance (just), and anyhow, you can't blame a component failure like that on a complete bike.
I'd thoroughly recommend getting one. It's a fabulous machine, I got mine price-matched down to £900 from £1500 as it was the last one on the shop floor (it was already marked down, but not by that much).
I ride mine quite hard. It's a short-travel (100mm) full suspension bike, and although it feels like a hard-tail to pedal it, I make full use of the available travel at both ends.
So far all it's cost me is a chain and cassette, plus brake pads. Soon it'll be getting new tyres for winter mud, a pulley wheel set for the rear mech, and another chain/cassette change. Pretty close to 2,000 miles on it in the eight months since March. It had one 'failure' in it's first race - the quick-link in the chain somehow opened and got bent. I fashioned a repair with a Leatherman tool and finished the race distance (just), and anyhow, you can't blame a component failure like that on a complete bike.
I think the numbered bike all have the same frame. And yes, '1' is higher spec than '4'. Then there is a frame change for models above the '1', I think, perhaps called the 'Advanced' instead of having a number. Not sure on that last bit though. Way out of my budget at that sort of price point.
So the '2' you are looking at will be one up the range from my '3'. I doubt it will feel that much diferent to ride, but it'll probably be lighter, possibly with better wheels and/or gear components.
Certainly when I bought mine it was a hard price to beat. I'd been looking on eBay and suchlike at pre-owned carbon hardtails for around that sort of money, and yet I ended up on a brand new full susser, in budget, and with full warranty from a decent LBS. As an aside, I think someone mentioned Bird above. At my budget I was very keen on a Bird Zero (hardtail) at the time, but they were having component supply issues (no wheels!) and didn't come up with a solution to get a bike in time for my race until the day after I paid for the Anthem
Bird are good though - frames made abroad (to their own design), but bikes are built in-house right here in Hampshire by the founders of the brand, and pretty much on a 'to order' basis. I'd certainly give them some thought, but sadly their full suspension 'Aeris' model starts a few £s north of what I had put aside for a bike at the time...
So the '2' you are looking at will be one up the range from my '3'. I doubt it will feel that much diferent to ride, but it'll probably be lighter, possibly with better wheels and/or gear components.
Certainly when I bought mine it was a hard price to beat. I'd been looking on eBay and suchlike at pre-owned carbon hardtails for around that sort of money, and yet I ended up on a brand new full susser, in budget, and with full warranty from a decent LBS. As an aside, I think someone mentioned Bird above. At my budget I was very keen on a Bird Zero (hardtail) at the time, but they were having component supply issues (no wheels!) and didn't come up with a solution to get a bike in time for my race until the day after I paid for the Anthem
Bird are good though - frames made abroad (to their own design), but bikes are built in-house right here in Hampshire by the founders of the brand, and pretty much on a 'to order' basis. I'd certainly give them some thought, but sadly their full suspension 'Aeris' model starts a few £s north of what I had put aside for a bike at the time...I managed to persuade a local Go Outdoors to give me a 10% discount to get the Bossnut at £899. First impressions are very good. Took it out for a spin last night and the difference between it and my £350 hardtail is enormous. It's a bit like stepping out of a 1980 Fiesta into a modern-day golf where everything feels so well put together and more luxurious.
Still need to tweak the setup a bit as the front end was skittering a bit on big stones in corners, so I need to readjust all the bits & pieces to make it fit me properly. Very promising start though!
Still need to tweak the setup a bit as the front end was skittering a bit on big stones in corners, so I need to readjust all the bits & pieces to make it fit me properly. Very promising start though!
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