worth changing my bike ?

[count duckula]

I currently have a one on 456 ti hardtail and have started thinking it is time for a change, my rides are :-

25% road
10% downhill (flint mainly)
35% bridal/tow paths
20% woodland
10% fields

The question is would I benefit from a 29inch full floater ?
The santa cruz tall boy ltc is looking nice at the moment.
http://www.santacruzbikes.co.uk/tallboy_lt_carbon

so should I stick or twist ?

[anonymous-user]

cant really see what the 29er would do better to be honest, it will make things easier, especially the bridlepath and road stuff but i cant see a 29er making it that much more fun. aside from the dh stuff, you could spec a cracking cx bike for around £1K which would bring a whole new perspective to those rides....

[itsnotarace]

A CX bike does sound the logical choice

[Gren]

Think you're 'overbiked' at the moment (although I don't blame you - nice bike) and the Tallboy whilst making me insanely jealous would be even more the case.

The CX bike recommendation seems the right one... apart from the downhill bit

[MadDad]

Agreed, CX bike would tick all of the boxes (aside from the downhill)....

Here is my CX ride from the weekend, pretty much covers all of the surfaces you describe!

http://app.strava.com/rides/7928619

Bike is a CAADX 105, quick on the black stuff (best I have managed so far is 46mph downhill into Henley on Thames), very capable off road, and forces you to think about your line as there is no front sus to make up for your mistakes!!

I have a small fleet of bikes in the garage, my CX is by far my current fave!

[itsnotarace]

MadDad said:

http://app.strava.com/rides/7928619

My neck of the woods! Good effort on a cx bike, especially with all the ruts. They can get quite deep in places!

[clonmult]

swerni said:

Buy another bike.

You never need an excuse to buy more bikes!

Hehehe, very true ....

But I'm squarely in the 29er camp. Not regretted my choice once. Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc. Hydraulic Discs are excellent under all conditions.

Got a set of wheels for the commute (45 mile round trip) running Schwalbe Marathons. Lock out the front fork, commute nice and easy.

The second set of wheels are a little loopy, running Schwalbe Rapid Robs which only just fit in the frame, but gives it an uber comfy on-road ride, and then the trails at the nearby woods are huge fun - the grip from those Rapid Robs is way beyond my ability.

[count duckula]

I had not considered a CX, the routes I take are very close to ride in the link, (I do Goring, Thames Path, Kidmore end etc), I think maybe longer term a CX may appear in the garage. Still quite fancy the santa cruz, I will investigate my options.

[MadDad]

itsnotarace said:

My neck of the woods! Good effort on a cx bike, especially with all the ruts. They can get quite deep in places!

Thanks, it was a hell of a challenge in the conditions! 4x4 ruts were a couple of feet deep in places which made difficult going - defo going to go back in the summer and do it again when it dries out.

CD - you may have a CX bike by then, so we could meet up and go for a spin!!

[itsnotarace]

MadDad said:

defo going to go back in the summer and do it again when it dries out.

You'd think, but what happens is all the horse hoof prints dry solid leaving the ground surface corrugated so you end up with really stiff wrists from the vibration. To be fair it's not like that on the majority, only a few sections between Streatley and Avebury but especially above Lambourn and Marlborough where they train the racehorses