Advice.............. Possible All Mountain bike purchase?
Discussion
I grew up riding mountain bikes in the woods, alot of that meant on cheap basic hardtails in the late 1990s trying to go as quickly as possible down everything. I also had a bmx with very good brakes and dirt tyres which again was a huge amount of fun, especially when my dad would drive us to a bmx track. In both cases I grin thinking about managing to get these things to go as fast as possible.
When I left uni and got my first decent job i built a downhill bike from the frame up which was an absolute joy to ride downhill and had me grinning from ear to ear. However riding it anywhere was an absolute nightmare and it got sold due to a lack of use.
I'm now looking into coming back to mountain biking to get some more exercise and have some fun. Where I live has plenty of woods within 10-15 minutes ride and also a pump track within the same distance. Then within driving distance the places to ride are endless.
So ideally I'm wanting a bike that i can play around on a pumptrack on, ride the fast bits in the local woods and take further affield to bike parks and places with uplifts and bigger trails. Basically I'd like something that handles the fun stuff, but that will also be reasonable to ride there and back and to not make the flat/uphill bits something in which the bike seems too incapable and demotivating. Should i be looking at 'all mountain' type bikes here?
I wouldnt buy a Brand new bike unless it was massively discounted, I like tinkering and the mechanical aspect is something very enjoyable, plus the cost saving means im more than happy second hand. ideally I'd like to find something alloy framed (not carbon), with full suspension and 26'' wheels.
Looking around Santa-cruz bronson and nukeproof megas both seem like reasonable options but does anyone have another other advice/ bike options?
budget would be really around £1000
When I left uni and got my first decent job i built a downhill bike from the frame up which was an absolute joy to ride downhill and had me grinning from ear to ear. However riding it anywhere was an absolute nightmare and it got sold due to a lack of use.
I'm now looking into coming back to mountain biking to get some more exercise and have some fun. Where I live has plenty of woods within 10-15 minutes ride and also a pump track within the same distance. Then within driving distance the places to ride are endless.
So ideally I'm wanting a bike that i can play around on a pumptrack on, ride the fast bits in the local woods and take further affield to bike parks and places with uplifts and bigger trails. Basically I'd like something that handles the fun stuff, but that will also be reasonable to ride there and back and to not make the flat/uphill bits something in which the bike seems too incapable and demotivating. Should i be looking at 'all mountain' type bikes here?
I wouldnt buy a Brand new bike unless it was massively discounted, I like tinkering and the mechanical aspect is something very enjoyable, plus the cost saving means im more than happy second hand. ideally I'd like to find something alloy framed (not carbon), with full suspension and 26'' wheels.
Looking around Santa-cruz bronson and nukeproof megas both seem like reasonable options but does anyone have another other advice/ bike options?
budget would be really around £1000
You're after what's now called an "Enduro" bike. Big enough to do the downhills but capable of peddling up the hill in the first place.
I'd be looking at 150+mm travel, anything 26" will be a few years old now which sits well with your budget.
Bikes have become longer and slacker over the last few years so look for the trend setters from a few years ago.
I'd be looking at 150+mm travel, anything 26" will be a few years old now which sits well with your budget.
Bikes have become longer and slacker over the last few years so look for the trend setters from a few years ago.
Bird Cycleworks are a good bet.
Frames designed here for conditions here, frames manufactured in the far east, but built into complete bikes in Hampshire.
Sounds like you need a 'Zero' (the hard tail). They come (as complete bikes) in TR (trail) and AM (all mountain) flavours.
Framesets from £300 (TR) to £475 (AM-Boost)
Complete bikes from £1,232.50 (TR), £1,377.00 (AM), and £1,377.00 (AM-Boost)
Website here... https://www.bird.bike
I've got nothing to do with them, and don't (currently) own one. They had component supply issues when I was buying my last bike, and I had a deadline for a race. I ended up with a bargain Giant Anthem, but would have preferred a Bird Zero. The supply issues were to do with the run-out of the original Zero frame design. No Mk1 frames left now, so I'd imagine those supply issues have gone too. Well worth a look at the very least...
Frames designed here for conditions here, frames manufactured in the far east, but built into complete bikes in Hampshire.
Sounds like you need a 'Zero' (the hard tail). They come (as complete bikes) in TR (trail) and AM (all mountain) flavours.
Framesets from £300 (TR) to £475 (AM-Boost)
Complete bikes from £1,232.50 (TR), £1,377.00 (AM), and £1,377.00 (AM-Boost)
Website here... https://www.bird.bike
I've got nothing to do with them, and don't (currently) own one. They had component supply issues when I was buying my last bike, and I had a deadline for a race. I ended up with a bargain Giant Anthem, but would have preferred a Bird Zero. The supply issues were to do with the run-out of the original Zero frame design. No Mk1 frames left now, so I'd imagine those supply issues have gone too. Well worth a look at the very least...
Craikeybaby said:
I'd say you want something around the 130mm travel range, anything bigger won't be great for the pumptrack etc.
If you are keen on something 26" an Orange Five may be a good bet, they are a good all mountain bike.
I'd second that, my 2012 Five has been to pretty much all the trail centers in Wales, a few days at Bike Par Wales and a few trips to the Alps. Due to the way the frame is designed I ran it either with 140MM Fox 32's or 160MM Fox 36's, both amounts of travel are fine for the frame. I replaced it last year with an Alpine 6, as I was very happy with the quality of the frame.If you are keen on something 26" an Orange Five may be a good bet, they are a good all mountain bike.
I would consider a 27.5 wheeled bike, as this and 29" seem to be the new standard, 26" will slowly get used less and less, and getting high end parts will get harder. Also as mentioned above the geometry on bikes has changed alot in last few years (I think for the better) so would try and buy something less than a few years old if you could, I bought a Kona precept last year and am fairly happy with it. I can do chicksands bike park on it fine, but also whole day xc type rides too. (Lots of other good bikes these days though, the bossnut from go outdoors always gets great reviews.
Thanks chaps, as I said first impressions are awesome. Not hugely sold on the slx brakes compared to the hope v4s I had on my Dh bike but I've promised myself a couple of upgrades at some point having ridden it abit.
Just going to have to get a new inner tube on the way to work this afternoon as I've burst it faffing around outside with the kids.
Tomorrow's a day off so I'll be taking the eldest to a local 4x track for abit of a blast!
Just going to have to get a new inner tube on the way to work this afternoon as I've burst it faffing around outside with the kids.
Tomorrow's a day off so I'll be taking the eldest to a local 4x track for abit of a blast!
ar-em-en said:
Thanks chaps, as I said first impressions are awesome. Not hugely sold on the slx brakes compared to the hope v4s I had on my Dh bike but I've promised myself a couple of upgrades at some point having ridden it abit.
Just going to have to get a new inner tube on the way to work this afternoon as I've burst it faffing around outside with the kids.
Tomorrow's a day off so I'll be taking the eldest to a local 4x track for abit of a blast!
Excellent bike - enjoy. Get it set up tubeless instead of faffing with inner tubes. Just going to have to get a new inner tube on the way to work this afternoon as I've burst it faffing around outside with the kids.
Tomorrow's a day off so I'll be taking the eldest to a local 4x track for abit of a blast!
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