What enduro bike?
Author
Discussion

Janosh

Original Poster:

1,783 posts

196 months

Friday 10th August 2012
quotequote all
I have decided to sell my downhill bike and get something a little more versatile (worth noting I live and ride in the Alps) I've never owned a 'go everywhere' bike so could do with some advice!

So I need something that will still stand up to a decent DH track, but can also be ridden all day.

Bikes I'm looking at:

Intense Tracer
Santa Cruz Nomad

I know the Spesh Enduro and Trek Remedy are rated, but they just don't excite me the way the others do!

Any thoughts?

TheBaj

183 posts

206 months

Friday 10th August 2012
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A Canyon Strive might be worth a look too, good specs for the price.

Rolls

1,502 posts

206 months

Friday 10th August 2012
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I had a Yeti 575 when in the Alps, with some Fox 36' van's on the front - rode very nicely, and went downhill ok too!

Edited by Rolls on Friday 10th August 13:02

Janosh

Original Poster:

1,783 posts

196 months

Friday 10th August 2012
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies, also liking the look of the Yeti ASR 7 now!

P-Jay

11,404 posts

220 months

Friday 10th August 2012
quotequote all
Out of that two I'd go with the Nomad, especially with Alps to play with. The Tracer is happest with a 5" fork (I'm told) and in the 5" travel setting.

But personally if I could justify the money for a new custom enduro build for the Alps I'd go with an Intense Uzzi or Cove G-Spot.

That said I recently read on Pinkbike that the Enduro and Endruo Evo are by far the most popular privateer bike in the Euro Endruo Circuit.

My Spicy was pretty amazing in the Alps this Summer, but so were my mate's Nomads, Pitches and Enduros.

Janosh

Original Poster:

1,783 posts

196 months

Friday 10th August 2012
quotequote all
I'm not liking where my 'research' is leading me.... The new carbon Nomad seems to be the ideal go anywhere, do anything bike.

Let's not mention cost to the wife though whistle

Rolls

1,502 posts

206 months

Friday 10th August 2012
quotequote all
Expect it would be fine, but i'd be nervous having a full carbon bike in the alps! I'd be much happier on a ali jobbie!

Janosh

Original Poster:

1,783 posts

196 months

Friday 10th August 2012
quotequote all
Agreed - although there are no issues with the carbon V10's as far as I know..

P-Jay

11,404 posts

220 months

Friday 10th August 2012
quotequote all
Rolls said:
Expect it would be fine, but i'd be nervous having a full carbon bike in the alps! I'd be much happier on a ali jobbie!
Know how you feel. I know Carbon frames are stronger than Alu one as well as I know the Sun will rise in the morning.... but there is that little voice in the back of my mind that tells me one day it'll snap into a million jagged sharp bits and kill me to death.

Janosh

Original Poster:

1,783 posts

196 months

Saturday 11th August 2012
quotequote all
Ok, new front runner is the Spicy 516... Have read lots of good reviews and seems like good value for money.. Getting close to pulling the trigger now!

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

227 months

Saturday 11th August 2012
quotequote all
Have a look at the Turner 5 spot too.

I swapped my Whyte 46 (which was crap) for one and it is a superb do anything rig. I built mine using the Maverick forks from the Whyte and in a XL frame it weighs in at ~ 28 pounds.

I have never ridden a Full sus that climbs so well in terms of finding traction, and despite 'only' having 5" of travel you never feel like you need more. It also has one of the stiffest back ends on the market, which was why I bought it; the Whyte was flaccid in comparison. It tracks superbly.



Jimbo.

4,219 posts

218 months

Saturday 11th August 2012
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Janosh said:
Ok, new front runner is the Spicy 516... Have read lots of good reviews and seems like good value for money.. Getting close to pulling the trigger now!
Snappiere :/

DH track/ride all day are two opposing things, and at best you're going to get a "jack of all trades, master of none" machine.

HOWEVER, that aside, if it's such a machine you want, I'd suggest looking at an Orange Alpine 160. Used one for a day whilst in Morzine. It was OK smile You could sometimes (Swiss National course, or some of the stupidly steep unofficial stuff in the PdS) sense it's XC origins with it being steeper/pointier than other, more DH-orientated bikes, but it coped. Pedalling around between places, or on the flatter stuff, it was quite happy.

anonymous-user

83 months

Saturday 11th August 2012
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If i were going to buy a bike to ride in the Alps, i'd get something French..............


(whats developed in your own backyard ought to be pretty good in that same backyard!)

P-Jay

11,404 posts

220 months

Saturday 11th August 2012
quotequote all
Snappiere? I've not heard of any frame failures, let alone many to get that sort of nickname.

Love my 516, rode it for a week in Morzine and 6 months bashing about Wales and nothing's gone wrong once.

Jimbo.

4,219 posts

218 months

Saturday 11th August 2012
quotequote all
P-Jay said:
Snappiere? I've not heard of any frame failures, let alone many to get that sort of nickname.

Love my 516, rode it for a week in Morzine and 6 months bashing about Wales and nothing's gone wrong once.
Granted it's three out of however many that may exist, but three guys I know with them have all had frames snap/crack. All three have promptly offloaded the warranty replacements and moved onto Transitions and the like...

EDIT: This isn't a Lappiere witch hunt, BTW!

Janosh

Original Poster:

1,783 posts

196 months

Saturday 11th August 2012
quotequote all
P-Jay said:
Snappiere? I've not heard of any frame failures, let alone many to get that sort of nickname.

Love my 516, rode it for a week in Morzine and 6 months bashing about Wales and nothing's gone wrong once.
I hope you're right! Currently looking at a bargain 2010 bike (pre bolt-through rear) so i hope that's not an issue?

P-Jay

11,404 posts

220 months

Monday 13th August 2012
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Janosh said:
P-Jay said:
Snappiere? I've not heard of any frame failures, let alone many to get that sort of nickname.

Love my 516, rode it for a week in Morzine and 6 months bashing about Wales and nothing's gone wrong once.
I hope you're right! Currently looking at a bargain 2010 bike (pre bolt-through rear) so i hope that's not an issue?
Since Jimbo. 's post I've been googling like mad in case my otherwise faultless '11 516 was about to explode underneath me. Seems there was a bad batch (or possibly due to the design) of swingarms fitted to 2010 DH bikes. All replaced under warranty.

My friend rides a 2010 216, apart from the st OE spec forks it's been very good to him, rides very nicely on some 36's now.

Janosh

Original Poster:

1,783 posts

196 months

Monday 13th August 2012
quotequote all
Ok, the search is complete!

I've done a deal on a Nuke Proof Mega, should have it next week biggrin

Thanks for all the advice & suggestions.

P-Jay

11,404 posts

220 months

Monday 13th August 2012
quotequote all
Janosh said:
Ok, the search is complete!

I've done a deal on a Nuke Proof Mega, should have it next week biggrin

Thanks for all the advice & suggestions.
Good choice, can't think why I didn't think of that. One of the boys has just bought one, rides very well. The frame looks very well made too.

Janosh

Original Poster:

1,783 posts

196 months

Monday 13th August 2012
quotequote all
P-Jay - Given that I'm 5'11 and I want it to replace my DH bike but double as an enduro, do you think I should go for a large? I've heard that they come up quite small, ie. the large is an ~18.5