Discussion
Esteemed cyclists,
I've decided to get fit again and will be doing this via two wheels and a sore arse (possibly).
Anyway, I need a F/S trail bike that can handle just about anything, but yet it must be light enough to flick around like a little bogey.
I used to compete in DH many moons ago, but things have moved on and I find myself bemused by the amount of choice.
Budget is £1500 max and to give you an idea, I have looked at the likes of the Stumpy, Giant Trance and Boardman's FS range. Halfords however have proved themselves useless again and have lost the bike I wanted to try
Anyone got any recommendations?
I've decided to get fit again and will be doing this via two wheels and a sore arse (possibly).
Anyway, I need a F/S trail bike that can handle just about anything, but yet it must be light enough to flick around like a little bogey.
I used to compete in DH many moons ago, but things have moved on and I find myself bemused by the amount of choice.
Budget is £1500 max and to give you an idea, I have looked at the likes of the Stumpy, Giant Trance and Boardman's FS range. Halfords however have proved themselves useless again and have lost the bike I wanted to try
Anyone got any recommendations?
A nice Spesh Pitch Pro might be just the ticket. Cheaper than your budget and it's just blowing away the competion in comparision tests. It even out performed the Spesh Endruo (of which it's meant to be a budget version of if you didn't already know). in recent tests in MBUK.
You could spend the extra sterlins on a nice XT or SLX chainset as the Deore one fitted is the only failing in the otherwise pretty decent, if not too sexy spec list.
Spesh are also widely reguarded as having the best warranty in the industry.
I pal of mine has one and just loves it. You see them everywhere from commuting to the Mega.
Only one thing, if you're not 12st you'll need a different spring in the forks are they're coils and not air like aftermarket RS Pikes.
You could spend the extra sterlins on a nice XT or SLX chainset as the Deore one fitted is the only failing in the otherwise pretty decent, if not too sexy spec list.
Spesh are also widely reguarded as having the best warranty in the industry.
I pal of mine has one and just loves it. You see them everywhere from commuting to the Mega.
Only one thing, if you're not 12st you'll need a different spring in the forks are they're coils and not air like aftermarket RS Pikes.
Edited by P-Jay on Thursday 26th March 15:33
I've got a specialized stumpjumper pro with sid teams and fox float rl shock, hope mono m4s, trulative chainset, hope on dt rims, built up for about 2/3 your budget including new forks and brakes from ebay. can't fault it. I use a hardtail in the winter though, otherwise the shock won't last long.
trex ex8? flickable
stumpy? light
giant anthem? solid
i say go for the stumpy and take advantage of teh offer on specilaized at the moment where you spend £500+ and get 10% of what you spend on accessories.... thats £150 if you get the stumpy pro....
stumpy? light
giant anthem? solid
i say go for the stumpy and take advantage of teh offer on specilaized at the moment where you spend £500+ and get 10% of what you spend on accessories.... thats £150 if you get the stumpy pro....
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 27th March 13:42
Thanks for your suggestions folks.
I've actually ignored them all and gone for the Giant Trance X4
I discounted the Boardman stuff in the end, mainly because of retailer incompetence. This is a real shame, because apart from the old school geo (someone else’s words, not mine) the bikes are extremely good value and very competent. As usual, it's Halfords that lets the side down and IMO it will continue to hamper CB sales until a new retailer is sought.
As for the Stumpy; well it's a good bike, but I'm not a fan of the frame and the kit hanging off it wasn't as good as the Trance. Also, the Trance series uses the same frame throughout, so I've got an excellent basis to upgrade in time, rather than be left with an inferior frame (a la CB Bikes) which will never maximise the potential of the upgraded kit I end up fitting.
Anyhoo, I'll report back once I've been out, gotten wet and fallen off the thing
I've actually ignored them all and gone for the Giant Trance X4
I discounted the Boardman stuff in the end, mainly because of retailer incompetence. This is a real shame, because apart from the old school geo (someone else’s words, not mine) the bikes are extremely good value and very competent. As usual, it's Halfords that lets the side down and IMO it will continue to hamper CB sales until a new retailer is sought.
As for the Stumpy; well it's a good bike, but I'm not a fan of the frame and the kit hanging off it wasn't as good as the Trance. Also, the Trance series uses the same frame throughout, so I've got an excellent basis to upgrade in time, rather than be left with an inferior frame (a la CB Bikes) which will never maximise the potential of the upgraded kit I end up fitting.
Anyhoo, I'll report back once I've been out, gotten wet and fallen off the thing
Congrats 
I was all set on getting a Trance back in dec but went for a http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Par... in the end.
I was all set on getting a Trance back in dec but went for a http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Par... in the end.halfords dleaers are hit and miss which is a shame, the weston super mare branch were awesome when i bought my boardman road bike and a real credit to boardman and halfords, unfortunately, other stores let the side down and bad reviews and experiences are outweighing the good...
i am surprised that you consider the giant to be better specced in comparison to the stumpy, still each to their own i hope you enjoy it! it looks like a beefy bike for the advertised 28.1 lbs...
i am surprised that you consider the giant to be better specced in comparison to the stumpy, still each to their own i hope you enjoy it! it looks like a beefy bike for the advertised 28.1 lbs...
You're right about Halfords though. Lot of people buy them through C2W schemes so then don't have to go back!!Well indeed, but the problem with the CB bikes is that the frame is proportionate to the price you pay, which annoys me.
At least with the Giant, the frame (which is excellent) is the same irrespective of whether you choose the £1000 X5 or the £2100 X0, effectively allowing you to upgrade to X0 spec (or better) over time.
The Stumpy was a close call, but in the end I couldn't get my head over the looks and the Giant was better value.
Anyway, I've been out on the thing and I'm very impressed. On the lumpy stuff it's nice and supple, but yet when riding on the road, there is zero bob and the forks can be locked out to the point where the bike can be ridden like a rigid machine. Perfect
At least with the Giant, the frame (which is excellent) is the same irrespective of whether you choose the £1000 X5 or the £2100 X0, effectively allowing you to upgrade to X0 spec (or better) over time.
The Stumpy was a close call, but in the end I couldn't get my head over the looks and the Giant was better value.
Anyway, I've been out on the thing and I'm very impressed. On the lumpy stuff it's nice and supple, but yet when riding on the road, there is zero bob and the forks can be locked out to the point where the bike can be ridden like a rigid machine. Perfect
asbo said:
Well indeed, but the problem with the CB bikes is that the frame is proportionate to the price you pay, which annoys me.
At least with the Giant, the frame (which is excellent) is the same irrespective of whether you choose the £1000 X5 or the £2100 X0, effectively allowing you to upgrade to X0 spec (or better) over time.
The Stumpy was a close call, but in the end I couldn't get my head over the looks and the Giant was better value.
Anyway, I've been out on the thing and I'm very impressed. On the lumpy stuff it's nice and supple, but yet when riding on the road, there is zero bob and the forks can be locked out to the point where the bike can be ridden like a rigid machine. Perfect
cool glad you are happy, i am very surprised that the X5 frame is identical to the X0 but you must have done some research... i see they are described the same "hydro-formed alu etc etc" but is it really the same? At least with the Giant, the frame (which is excellent) is the same irrespective of whether you choose the £1000 X5 or the £2100 X0, effectively allowing you to upgrade to X0 spec (or better) over time.
The Stumpy was a close call, but in the end I couldn't get my head over the looks and the Giant was better value.
Anyway, I've been out on the thing and I'm very impressed. On the lumpy stuff it's nice and supple, but yet when riding on the road, there is zero bob and the forks can be locked out to the point where the bike can be ridden like a rigid machine. Perfect
I think the shock is upgraded but essentially yes.
I think you're wrong about the CB frames though. There are three spec levels of components but the same frame. The finish of the frame maybe different though.
ETA: No you're right. The Team and the Comp are the same frame - the Full Sus models - and the Pro is different.
I think you're wrong about the CB frames though. There are three spec levels of components but the same frame. The finish of the frame maybe different though.
ETA: No you're right. The Team and the Comp are the same frame - the Full Sus models - and the Pro is different.
Edited by mk1fan on Monday 30th March 13:49
pablo said:
asbo said:
Well indeed, but the problem with the CB bikes is that the frame is proportionate to the price you pay, which annoys me.
At least with the Giant, the frame (which is excellent) is the same irrespective of whether you choose the £1000 X5 or the £2100 X0, effectively allowing you to upgrade to X0 spec (or better) over time.
The Stumpy was a close call, but in the end I couldn't get my head over the looks and the Giant was better value.
Anyway, I've been out on the thing and I'm very impressed. On the lumpy stuff it's nice and supple, but yet when riding on the road, there is zero bob and the forks can be locked out to the point where the bike can be ridden like a rigid machine. Perfect
cool glad you are happy, i am very surprised that the X5 frame is identical to the X0 but you must have done some research... i see they are described the same "hydro-formed alu etc etc" but is it really the same? At least with the Giant, the frame (which is excellent) is the same irrespective of whether you choose the £1000 X5 or the £2100 X0, effectively allowing you to upgrade to X0 spec (or better) over time.
The Stumpy was a close call, but in the end I couldn't get my head over the looks and the Giant was better value.
Anyway, I've been out on the thing and I'm very impressed. On the lumpy stuff it's nice and supple, but yet when riding on the road, there is zero bob and the forks can be locked out to the point where the bike can be ridden like a rigid machine. Perfect
MK1Fan: As I understand it, the Sport and the Comp are the same frame, with the Team getting double butting and the pro, tripple. This applies to both HT and FS frames. It's a good way to get the price down, but it renders the bike uneconomical for upgrade in my opinion.
According to the Boardman website there are three MTB HT frames used. A double butted entry level, a fully double butted (????) intermediate frame and a triple butted best frame used by the Pro. The MTB FS frames are as I previously stated.
Thinking about it does make sense though. Using the HT as an example, these are the HT's Boardman offer. Spesh offer the Hardcock, the Cockhopper, the Stumpjumper and the S-Works as their HT's but also offer each one with different component specs. If you were wanting to go racing you wouldn't by the top Cockhopper you'd buy the Stump or S-W's with lower components and upgrade.
Thinking about it does make sense though. Using the HT as an example, these are the HT's Boardman offer. Spesh offer the Hardcock, the Cockhopper, the Stumpjumper and the S-Works as their HT's but also offer each one with different component specs. If you were wanting to go racing you wouldn't by the top Cockhopper you'd buy the Stump or S-W's with lower components and upgrade.
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