What Full Sus XC Bike?
Discussion
I've got a Specialised FSR XC Pro which was around £1,300 new. It's a great bike, although the forks were crap, so I ended up changing those. If I'd started out with your budget rather than adding to it later, I think I would've gone for a Stumpy. I've only ridden one briefly, and that was set up for someone considerably lighter than me, but it felt pretty impressive.
Echo Kermit.
The Marin Mount Vision gets good reviews in the mags too for that money.
Whats your current bikes components like? If they are any good, how about a frame only build?
I've got an FSR XC Pro like Kermit, and enjoy it a lot .... That still doesn't stop me sliding a few quid away each month into the Santa Cruz Nomad / Pace fork fund
The Marin Mount Vision gets good reviews in the mags too for that money.
Whats your current bikes components like? If they are any good, how about a frame only build?
I've got an FSR XC Pro like Kermit, and enjoy it a lot .... That still doesn't stop me sliding a few quid away each month into the Santa Cruz Nomad / Pace fork fund
Giant Anthem.
I have one and love it. I wanted a fast, efficient long distance bike, and it fits the bill perfectly. I’m taking it up to Scotland in a weeks time, and I know its going to be perfect for the multi-day ride I have in mind. Fun and satisfying bike.
Its 90mm travel at the rear, and I have it paired up with a 90mm fox shock at the front.
Perhaps you could take the route I have; upgrade your hardtail with an Anthem frame and buy some nice light weight bits at the same time. I upgraded a 2006 Stumpjumper HT (with some existing modest upgrades), with Thompson bits + new bar, Jucy 7s and an Anthem frame. Ended up with a v light and effective XC bike for a bit over 1.2k on top of the existing Stumpjumper I started with. You need a 80mm - 100mm shock up front, which you probably already have on your HT. Looks the nutz too.
I have one and love it. I wanted a fast, efficient long distance bike, and it fits the bill perfectly. I’m taking it up to Scotland in a weeks time, and I know its going to be perfect for the multi-day ride I have in mind. Fun and satisfying bike.
Its 90mm travel at the rear, and I have it paired up with a 90mm fox shock at the front.
Perhaps you could take the route I have; upgrade your hardtail with an Anthem frame and buy some nice light weight bits at the same time. I upgraded a 2006 Stumpjumper HT (with some existing modest upgrades), with Thompson bits + new bar, Jucy 7s and an Anthem frame. Ended up with a v light and effective XC bike for a bit over 1.2k on top of the existing Stumpjumper I started with. You need a 80mm - 100mm shock up front, which you probably already have on your HT. Looks the nutz too.
Edited by MTY4000 on Friday 20th April 09:32
Cove Hustler (if you are going the frame only route at £1495 for frame and shock) is fabulous and the geometry is pueeerrrffeeect for the UK trails.
You may still find some entry level '06 Orange Five's knocking around and discounted to £1500. Single pivot and British equivalent to the Hustler with spot on geometry. The '07 bike has neater welding on the rear swingarm.
You may still find some entry level '06 Orange Five's knocking around and discounted to £1500. Single pivot and British equivalent to the Hustler with spot on geometry. The '07 bike has neater welding on the rear swingarm.
mk1fan said:
Cove Hustler (if you are going the frame only route at £1495 for frame and shock) is fabulous and the geometry is pueeerrrffeeect for the UK trails.
You may still find some entry level '06 Orange Five's knocking around and discounted to £1500. Single pivot and British equivalent to the Hustler with spot on geometry. The '07 bike has neater welding on the rear swingarm.
You may still find some entry level '06 Orange Five's knocking around and discounted to £1500. Single pivot and British equivalent to the Hustler with spot on geometry. The '07 bike has neater welding on the rear swingarm.
My '03 Sub 5 is sweeeeet. Run's rings round a friends Marin East Peak I had for a week.
£1500 shouldn't be a problem once the rtade shows start and the old prices go down. You can get some mahoosive discounts.
I have a scott ransom 10 and it does me for what i throw at it. It carbon fiber frame and standard it weighs a little over 30lbs. It stays at the front on single track/long rides etc. Ive done 6 foot drop offs on it (its only my balls that stop be doing anything bigger) and it is nice for thrashing flat out down the rocky rooty down hills, and is strong enough if you get out of shape. £ for £ i think it is a good all rounder. There is a ransom 20 on ebay at the moment for less than a grand.. Well worth a look..
mk1fan said:
There already available at that price from the adverts in the back of MBR etc...
My mate has an '06 Five and loves it. I have a Stiffee that I am really tempted to swap for a Hustler. It's just I love my 17inch Stiffee soooo much.
My mate has an '06 Five and loves it. I have a Stiffee that I am really tempted to swap for a Hustler. It's just I love my 17inch Stiffee soooo much
. Edited by mk1fan on Friday 20th April 17:05
i am in same position, i have a 06 stiffeeFR in 17" and i am very tempted with a hustler too, and am doing a test ride of a hustler in a few weeks, looks like i am gonna end up with a dillema, which bike to ride.
However, if your budget is for a complete bike, i reckon Scott do some great bikes with genious and scale in your range, if you are looking for a deal on a new scott, i have a friend who can offer a good deals on the complete new scott range.
pm me if you are intrested and i can pass on a link with info
I have a 2006 Canondale Rush 600 and love it.
Before the 'Dale I had a Klein Attitude, and find the Rush to be far and away the better bike.
My only issue was learning to trust the Leftie front...
So much depends on the "fit" of the bike the only answer is to go and have test rides.
Then post asking for peoples experience of your short list!
Finally- make sure you get something that you stop to look back at when you put it away at the end of a ride.
You've got to want to get back out on it as soon as possible.
Before the 'Dale I had a Klein Attitude, and find the Rush to be far and away the better bike.
My only issue was learning to trust the Leftie front...
So much depends on the "fit" of the bike the only answer is to go and have test rides.
Then post asking for peoples experience of your short list!
Finally- make sure you get something that you stop to look back at when you put it away at the end of a ride.
You've got to want to get back out on it as soon as possible.
Make friends with your local bike shop that deals in this sort of stuff, and ask them to keep an ear out for any ex-demo bikes being hawked by distributors. I picked up a 3-month old, fully warranteed Yeti 575 for equivalent of GBP1500 this way - not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it!
pombstard said:
Make friends with your local bike shop that deals in this sort of stuff, and ask them to keep an ear out for any ex-demo bikes being hawked by distributors. I picked up a 3-month old, fully warranteed Yeti 575 for equivalent of GBP1500 this way - not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it!
Nice move mate !!
pastrana72 said:
i am in same position, i have a 06 stiffeeFR in 17" and i am very tempted with a hustler too, and am doing a test ride of a hustler in a few weeks, looks like i am gonna end up with a dillema, which bike to ride.
I have to stop myself booking a test ride on the Hustler demo bike in Nirvana. 17inch and powder blue it maybe a case of not handing it back to them.
I can't recommend the Specialized Stumpy Comp FSR enough***. I've got the '06 model and it's brilliant. For £1500, you should be able to pick one up.
Better still....a Santa Cruz Blur LT or Nomad (awesome), but then you're looking at serious money. I borrowed a Nomad with Fox 36's and a DHX 5.0 and it was out of this world. Perfect balance. I felt totally confident on it. Just wish I could afford one.....one day
Anyhow...Specialized Stumpy FSR.
*** this bit added!!!
Better still....a Santa Cruz Blur LT or Nomad (awesome), but then you're looking at serious money. I borrowed a Nomad with Fox 36's and a DHX 5.0 and it was out of this world. Perfect balance. I felt totally confident on it. Just wish I could afford one.....one day
Anyhow...Specialized Stumpy FSR.
*** this bit added!!!
Edited by beanbag on Friday 27th April 14:13
beanbag said:
I can't recommend the Specialized Stumpy Comp FSR. I've got the '06 model and it's brilliant. For £1500, you should be able to pick one up.
Better still....a Santa Cruz Blur LT or Nomad (awesome), but then you're looking at serious money. I borrowed a Nomad with Fox 36's and a DHX 5.0 and it was out of this world. Perfect balance. I felt totally confident on it. Just wish I could afford one.....one day
Anyhow...Specialized Stumpy FSR.
Better still....a Santa Cruz Blur LT or Nomad (awesome), but then you're looking at serious money. I borrowed a Nomad with Fox 36's and a DHX 5.0 and it was out of this world. Perfect balance. I felt totally confident on it. Just wish I could afford one.....one day
Anyhow...Specialized Stumpy FSR.
You may wish to change the above to can, given the rest of the post!
thanks guys ! Is the Stumpy a good XC bike? I tend to ride steep rain gulleys and bridleways. With a mix of fast downhill and technical slow stuff (rocks and roots). I hardly touch the roads and do very little flat stuff. I find it hard to keep up with my friends when my hardtails back end is being thrown around.
I can recommend the Stumpy. I was out on Holmsbury hill nr Peaslake on Wednesday evening, and it coped with everything I could throw at it. I tried my friends Rocky Mountain ETSX, and it more than matched it.
The Brain is also a marvel when climbing up the hills after each run! It really eliminates the bobbing.
The Brain is also a marvel when climbing up the hills after each run! It really eliminates the bobbing.
gazzab said:
thanks guys ! Is the Stumpy a good XC bike? I tend to ride steep rain gulleys and bridleways. With a mix of fast downhill and technical slow stuff (rocks and roots). I hardly touch the roads and do very little flat stuff. I find it hard to keep up with my friends when my hardtails back end is being thrown around.
The stumpy is not a road bike by any stretch of the imagination. It's classed as Extreme XC so it'll handle most drops and downhill tracks with ease. This isn't to say you can take it off a 20ft drop, but you'll find it covers most terrain nicely.
I've actually just signed up to a place in Austria called the Bike Park Semmering ( www.bikeparksemmering.at/pages/new/en/ ), which is a ski slope converted to bike use in the summer. Looks awesome and a snip at about £150 for the season pass. I just need a good full-face helmet with shoulder and elbow pads, but that's to come. I've already got some good shin/knee pads from Raceface for Xmas from the bro-in-law as I managed to rip my shin open on the ol' DMR's. F***ing painful!!!!
Edited by beanbag on Friday 27th April 14:50
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