Carbon mountain bike for relative beginner?
Discussion
Asking this for a friend. He has done a few rental days a Llandegla and wants to purchase a decent bike of his own now as he really likes mountain biking.
He is looking at a carbon YT Capra. Would you advise this is a good or bad idea for a beginner who is likely to fall off a fair bit?
I said I think an alu framed bike would be better for that reason but I know little about mountain bikes and said I'd ask for him on here.
He is looking at a carbon YT Capra. Would you advise this is a good or bad idea for a beginner who is likely to fall off a fair bit?
I said I think an alu framed bike would be better for that reason but I know little about mountain bikes and said I'd ask for him on here.
Stick to lightweight metals for MTB. Far less hassle when you come off them and hit something.
I work with CF everyday and have a Trek Fuel EX8 (aluminium). Great bike and a nice weight too.
Cant see the point of CF in this application other than willy waving you have a carbon bike.
Road bikes I would say yes too.
I work with CF everyday and have a Trek Fuel EX8 (aluminium). Great bike and a nice weight too.
Cant see the point of CF in this application other than willy waving you have a carbon bike.
Road bikes I would say yes too.
Carbon is fairly impact resistant and easier to repair than Alu if you're not too fusy about how it looks afterwards.
Capra's a terrible 'new rider' bike though, something that slack and long will be a handful at slower speeds and hard to keep up to speed for a novice who won't have the cornering skill yet.
At the other end of the spectrum it will allow them to just roll over a lot of obstacles without too much thought or skill.
I mean, it's still a MTB, they will be MTBing, happy days, but I know from personal experinance (my Second bike was a Spesh Enduro way back in '06) it'll make for a slow trail mincer who thinks they're awsome because they can ride the Blacks at the Centres without breaking a sweat.
Get something shorter travel, that's a bit more upright. It'll be easier to ride on anything but rocks at this stage and 12-18 months from now they're be an awful lot quicker than if they started out on a 170mm monster.
Capra's a terrible 'new rider' bike though, something that slack and long will be a handful at slower speeds and hard to keep up to speed for a novice who won't have the cornering skill yet.
At the other end of the spectrum it will allow them to just roll over a lot of obstacles without too much thought or skill.
I mean, it's still a MTB, they will be MTBing, happy days, but I know from personal experinance (my Second bike was a Spesh Enduro way back in '06) it'll make for a slow trail mincer who thinks they're awsome because they can ride the Blacks at the Centres without breaking a sweat.
Get something shorter travel, that's a bit more upright. It'll be easier to ride on anything but rocks at this stage and 12-18 months from now they're be an awful lot quicker than if they started out on a 170mm monster.
Surely something second hand, a couple of years old with a decent spec would be something.
Doesn't matter so much if (when) he falls off as it already has a couple of scratches, and he can upgrade it to how we wants his riding to go in the future.
More DH - wider bars, stiffer forks, stronger wheels
XC - lighter wheels, bigger gear spread, travel adjustable/compression adjustable forks/shock
Doesn't matter so much if (when) he falls off as it already has a couple of scratches, and he can upgrade it to how we wants his riding to go in the future.
More DH - wider bars, stiffer forks, stronger wheels
XC - lighter wheels, bigger gear spread, travel adjustable/compression adjustable forks/shock
Carbon is great - it's tough and it's light. My DH rig is CF and it's a lovely thing to ride.
But as PJ says a Capra is a daft bike to get as a first MTB - a beginner won't be going fast enough over challenging enough terrain for it to be anything other than an unwieldy bucking pig of a thing.
But as PJ says a Capra is a daft bike to get as a first MTB - a beginner won't be going fast enough over challenging enough terrain for it to be anything other than an unwieldy bucking pig of a thing.
Ive got both carbon bikes(2) and aluminium(3) and they can all be used by a beginner as said above, carbon is strong and tough. Im generally harder on the carbon bikes but havent managed to do anything bad to them yet or crack anything despite a few tasty offs. Carbon is generally lighter and you can feel it and so its great for climbing and speed bursts but for a beginner its more important that the bike is in a good condition and a correct size and type for the type of riding being done. A 120mm-140mm travel bike for langdegla is probably better suited then a real downhill bike. No point in taking a 160mm+ travel, downhill monster of a bike only to suffer on the climbs. Everyone starting out thinks that they want a mega downhill machine then regrets it as 80% of their time is spent climbing or on the flat. If hes new he wont get the most out of the bike for a while so its not too important that he needs a lightweight carbon steed. (all the gear - no idea) Ive been riding 8 years and still find it hard to justify using carbon frames but it it is nice to have them.
https://www.bird.bike/product/new-aeris-120/
New Bird Aeris 120 - on pre-order for January release, but it'll be a superb bike.
New Bird Aeris 120 - on pre-order for January release, but it'll be a superb bike.
I still think the Bossnut is the pick of the bunch for beginners. I think they're £800 at the moment.
If he doesn't take to it, you can laugh off £800, if he wants something bigger in a years time it'll still be a good bike to have in the collection or sell it off and you won't lose much.
If he doesn't take to it, you can laugh off £800, if he wants something bigger in a years time it'll still be a good bike to have in the collection or sell it off and you won't lose much.
I'm not a proponent of the 'start on a clunker, you'll learn the basics' movement as what it often does it put people off with a rubbish bike. But at the same time, I do beleive that the best bike available won't help develop skills.
However, I wouldn't recommend a Capra as a first 'serious' bike. Basically, because they're just too 'big'. I'm selling mine because it just ploughs through everything - it's not really any fun on the stuff I ride, and it numbs the trail. I've changed to a Transition Patrol and couldn't be happier. If he does a lot of climbing then, despite what everyone seems to think, it just doesn't climb as well as a shorter travel trail bike.
A Whyte T130SX would also be a brilliant choice further down the price scale.
Giant's Trance range are very good too, and if he feels patient, then check out offerings from Canyon.
The glaringly obvious choice for me though if he wants the flash of carbon would be the base spec CF Jeffsy.
TBH it sounds like he just wants something shiny that's way more capable than him and everyone will go 'oooh' at, in which case, just do what everyone else does and get a Santa Cruz variant and chuck some Enves on it.
However, I wouldn't recommend a Capra as a first 'serious' bike. Basically, because they're just too 'big'. I'm selling mine because it just ploughs through everything - it's not really any fun on the stuff I ride, and it numbs the trail. I've changed to a Transition Patrol and couldn't be happier. If he does a lot of climbing then, despite what everyone seems to think, it just doesn't climb as well as a shorter travel trail bike.
Floptimus Prime said:
What 120-140mm bike would be the pick of the bunch?
How much cash has he got? Transition Scout is a corker. It was between that and the Patrol for me but I just wanted that little extra in reserve. A build will start at around 3k though, but it sounds like he just wants to throw money at it. The Carbon ones will start at about 4.5k.A Whyte T130SX would also be a brilliant choice further down the price scale.
Giant's Trance range are very good too, and if he feels patient, then check out offerings from Canyon.
The glaringly obvious choice for me though if he wants the flash of carbon would be the base spec CF Jeffsy.
TBH it sounds like he just wants something shiny that's way more capable than him and everyone will go 'oooh' at, in which case, just do what everyone else does and get a Santa Cruz variant and chuck some Enves on it.
P-Jay said:
I still think the Bossnut is the pick of the bunch for beginners. I think they're £800 at the moment.
If he doesn't take to it, you can laugh off £800, if he wants something bigger in a years time it'll still be a good bike to have in the collection or sell it off and you won't lose much.
I would suggest something along these lines, I spent less than £500 on my first mountain bike, as I wasn't sure how much I would use it. The bikes I had been eying up were 3x the price. 2 years and 3,000km later, I have a much better idea of what I want from a bike and it is completely different to the bikes I originally wanted 2 years ago.If he doesn't take to it, you can laugh off £800, if he wants something bigger in a years time it'll still be a good bike to have in the collection or sell it off and you won't lose much.
gradeA said:
https://www.bird.bike/product/new-aeris-120/
New Bird Aeris 120 - on pre-order for January release, but it'll be a superb bike.
This has shot up to the top of the list for my next bike, hopefully I'll be able to get a test ride early next year.New Bird Aeris 120 - on pre-order for January release, but it'll be a superb bike.
You need to find out what he intends to ride. If it is trail centre stuff a capra will be overkill and probably hinder his development.
The Capra is great value though, equivalent to many alu bikes. Anything with about 130- 140mm of travel will be good.
As for carbon vs Alu. Cost is the main difference but I'm sceptical of how much manufacturers are compromising frames to achieve similar weights to carbon.
Spend the rest on some skills courses and get out of trail centres.
The Capra is great value though, equivalent to many alu bikes. Anything with about 130- 140mm of travel will be good.
As for carbon vs Alu. Cost is the main difference but I'm sceptical of how much manufacturers are compromising frames to achieve similar weights to carbon.
Spend the rest on some skills courses and get out of trail centres.
P-Jay said:
I still think the Bossnut is the pick of the bunch for beginners. I think they're £800 at the moment.
If he doesn't take to it, you can laugh off £800, if he wants something bigger in a years time it'll still be a good bike to have in the collection or sell it off and you won't lose much.
^^^This.If he doesn't take to it, you can laugh off £800, if he wants something bigger in a years time it'll still be a good bike to have in the collection or sell it off and you won't lose much.
No point spunking several £k on a bike with too much travel or that's slack enough to make climbing a chore - that's just going to put him off.
I'd vote BossNut or Boardman and a skills course.
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