Upgrading to a full suss from hard tail advice, whyte g150?
Discussion
Been back into riding near a year and love it!
Purchased a 2013 cube analog 29er hard tail when I started, it's been great but I feel I am reaching its limits.
I am averaging 50miles a week all pretty much on mtb trails and mountain passes (benefit of living in windermere!).
I broke it a few weeks ago and borrowed a 26" cube reaction hard tail ( I think) which I didn't like, and have played with an orange 5 which was good but I found it hard getting power down on the climbs.
As we are fairly going for it now I am having pain after a good ride in my knees and lower back, and I am struggling on the faster downhills.
We do a lot of fire road climbs, rocky climbs, muddy climbs, rocky and grassy downhills and the mtb trail rides at gis burn, grizedale, whinlatter etc.
I have decided I want an enduro style, all mountain bike with either 29 or 27.5 wheels, dropper seat, would like carbon buts it's not a deal breaker.
I have booked a cube stereo 160 for a 2hr ride for the 16th march and have today had a quick play with a whyte g150, with a longer ride booked for 4 weeks time.
The whyte felt amazing and I didn't struggle getting the power down ( no big hills though), however I am worried that it is only an 11-1 gearing (could change it if I struggle I suppose) and it is nearly 4k!
Budget is 4k tops and I want new
Purchased a 2013 cube analog 29er hard tail when I started, it's been great but I feel I am reaching its limits.
I am averaging 50miles a week all pretty much on mtb trails and mountain passes (benefit of living in windermere!).
I broke it a few weeks ago and borrowed a 26" cube reaction hard tail ( I think) which I didn't like, and have played with an orange 5 which was good but I found it hard getting power down on the climbs.
As we are fairly going for it now I am having pain after a good ride in my knees and lower back, and I am struggling on the faster downhills.
We do a lot of fire road climbs, rocky climbs, muddy climbs, rocky and grassy downhills and the mtb trail rides at gis burn, grizedale, whinlatter etc.
I have decided I want an enduro style, all mountain bike with either 29 or 27.5 wheels, dropper seat, would like carbon buts it's not a deal breaker.
I have booked a cube stereo 160 for a 2hr ride for the 16th march and have today had a quick play with a whyte g150, with a longer ride booked for 4 weeks time.
The whyte felt amazing and I didn't struggle getting the power down ( no big hills though), however I am worried that it is only an 11-1 gearing (could change it if I struggle I suppose) and it is nearly 4k!
Budget is 4k tops and I want new
At that price point I would be looking at a Santa Cruz Bronson or a Commencal Meta AM - bit of shopping around will find them in budget.
Or save yourself a some money and go for something like this:
http://www.yt-industries.com/shop/de/Bikes/Trail/C...
That's hell of a bike for the money - I had their previous AM/Enduro offering and honestly can't fault it.
Or alternatively build yourself a bike - if you can wait a while everything you could ever want will be on sale somewhere at some point over the course of a year.
Or save yourself a some money and go for something like this:
http://www.yt-industries.com/shop/de/Bikes/Trail/C...
That's hell of a bike for the money - I had their previous AM/Enduro offering and honestly can't fault it.
Or alternatively build yourself a bike - if you can wait a while everything you could ever want will be on sale somewhere at some point over the course of a year.
Canyon have some stonking bikes.
Probably a bit heavy and OTT for your kind of riding (£2999):
http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/bike.html?...
This would probably suit trail centres and Lakes riding (£2599):
http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/bike.html?...
Probably a bit heavy and OTT for your kind of riding (£2999):
http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/bike.html?...
This would probably suit trail centres and Lakes riding (£2599):
http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/bike.html?...
Edited by nammynake on Sunday 2nd March 18:17
I have the g-150 however not the works so I get the 2 x 10 gearing excellent bike. I went from a cube hard tail to this so do t have much full suspension to compare to.
I don't struggle with climbs on it apart from in really muddy conditions as the rear tyre isn't that great. Took it for a ride round the peaks last Weekend and it soaked it all up with little effort.
I don't struggle with climbs on it apart from in really muddy conditions as the rear tyre isn't that great. Took it for a ride round the peaks last Weekend and it soaked it all up with little effort.
Use sheldon browns gear calculator to look at the gearing. 1x11 has a 420% range, 2x10 has 478%, so you may be able to loose a little of the top end to get the climbing gear you want using a smaller front ring.
I've heard nothing but good stuff about 1x11 or 1x10 for that matter.
4k will build you a nice bike if you have particular requirements. I couldn't buy what I wanted off the shelf at the time so went down the self build route. And it's fun putting it all together
. There are a gazillion options at that level, and it will come down to rider prefernce, as none of them are bad bikes. Maybe look at the Knolly Warden if you fancy something a bit different?
I've heard nothing but good stuff about 1x11 or 1x10 for that matter.
4k will build you a nice bike if you have particular requirements. I couldn't buy what I wanted off the shelf at the time so went down the self build route. And it's fun putting it all together
. There are a gazillion options at that level, and it will come down to rider prefernce, as none of them are bad bikes. Maybe look at the Knolly Warden if you fancy something a bit different?I'd look at the Cotic Rocket by all accounts they climb like a good fs ht but can descend very very quickly. A good build is way under £4k too. There are a fair few owners on STW whose brains you can pick.
I tend to only run the shock locked out when I'm on the road. When off road I spend most of the time with the shock in the middle setting it's fine on the climbs. Only run the shock fully open when on steeper downhills. I find I can climb just as well as a hard tail, better when the ground gets a bit rougher.
It's a well specd bike for the money imo!
It's a well specd bike for the money imo!
I've just moved from HT to FS (after riding rigid and moving onto HT's for 25 years).
I was a bit wary of making the move, but glad I have.
My budget was a bit less than yours and didn't stretch to Carbon so my £2.5k bought me a 2014 Cube Fritzz Race. Loving it so far.
A much heavier beast than my carbon HT which I used to ride, but on the HT I found myself gingerly chasing my mates on their FS rides as they disappeared into the distance on the DH tracks at Bike Park Wales and FOD etc.
Yes, it is not as suited to 'Blue' XC trail centre routes as my HT was, but boy, does it make up for it on the downhill routes.
I was a bit wary of making the move, but glad I have.
My budget was a bit less than yours and didn't stretch to Carbon so my £2.5k bought me a 2014 Cube Fritzz Race. Loving it so far.
A much heavier beast than my carbon HT which I used to ride, but on the HT I found myself gingerly chasing my mates on their FS rides as they disappeared into the distance on the DH tracks at Bike Park Wales and FOD etc.
Yes, it is not as suited to 'Blue' XC trail centre routes as my HT was, but boy, does it make up for it on the downhill routes.
I was in a similar situation to yourself towards the end of last year, and ended up splashing out on one of these in the Leisure Lakes sale -
http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/p/9672/cube-stere...
I've done a fair bit of riding on it so far on similar trails to what you're describing (northern trail centres, Peak Distric etc), and I've been nothing but impressed! It climbs brilliantly, and I run out of skill waaaaay before I feel that Im running out of bike on the way back down! As you've mentioned, I find that I don't use the big ring too much other than road sections, but having it there is no issue.
I've also noticed that they've knocked another 150 quid off since I bought mine too, definitely shouldn't go back and look at things once you've made the purchase.....! Only got 16" and 18", so no good unless you're a short arse like me!
http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/p/9672/cube-stere...
I've done a fair bit of riding on it so far on similar trails to what you're describing (northern trail centres, Peak Distric etc), and I've been nothing but impressed! It climbs brilliantly, and I run out of skill waaaaay before I feel that Im running out of bike on the way back down! As you've mentioned, I find that I don't use the big ring too much other than road sections, but having it there is no issue.
I've also noticed that they've knocked another 150 quid off since I bought mine too, definitely shouldn't go back and look at things once you've made the purchase.....! Only got 16" and 18", so no good unless you're a short arse like me!
Well it's been a while and have tried a lot of bikes;
Cube stereo, cube sting, lappiere zesty, yeti's, Santa cruz's, whyte g150, whyte t129, specialized enduro, specialized stump thing and a few more I have forgotten!
I have decided on an orange 5 29er - it wasn't the easiest on long slogging climbs and I won't be setting any strava times, but it does just plod along very easily and it just gave me more energy at the top!
On the downhills it simply flies and encouraged me to go faster than I ever have before - and this was on a bike I didn't want to damage.
On forestry trails it seemed very similar to my current hard tail, just a lot comfier.
To be honest it is more capable than I am, and will hopefully do me for a long time.
To be really honest I could have chosen any of the bikes tested as I felt happy on all of them. It was simply (and amazingly) most cost effective to go with the orange and get the spec I wanted
Cube stereo, cube sting, lappiere zesty, yeti's, Santa cruz's, whyte g150, whyte t129, specialized enduro, specialized stump thing and a few more I have forgotten!
I have decided on an orange 5 29er - it wasn't the easiest on long slogging climbs and I won't be setting any strava times, but it does just plod along very easily and it just gave me more energy at the top!
On the downhills it simply flies and encouraged me to go faster than I ever have before - and this was on a bike I didn't want to damage.
On forestry trails it seemed very similar to my current hard tail, just a lot comfier.
To be honest it is more capable than I am, and will hopefully do me for a long time.
To be really honest I could have chosen any of the bikes tested as I felt happy on all of them. It was simply (and amazingly) most cost effective to go with the orange and get the spec I wanted
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