Which £2k Full Sus XC bike?
Discussion
Hi all,
I've been out of mountain biking for a while (been concentrating on road cycling) but wanting to get back into it. What are currently the best XC models for under £2k? Based on what I previously knew, I've shortlisted so far the Orange Five S and Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Elite... what else should I be looking at?
Cheers
I've been out of mountain biking for a while (been concentrating on road cycling) but wanting to get back into it. What are currently the best XC models for under £2k? Based on what I previously knew, I've shortlisted so far the Orange Five S and Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Elite... what else should I be looking at?
Cheers
I take it from your post that you want to do predominantly XC, is that the sort of bike you are looking for? XC is a preety broad range these days so is it round your local woods or trail centres? If its the first it will probably be the shorter end of travel range you're looking for so prob 100mm up to 140mmish, being generally a lighter bike. If your cross country riding is a little burlier, perhaps trail centres you could look at upping that to 120-160mmish travel.
Have a look at the trek fuel range, these look great and are supposedly a fantastic bike. If you like the idea of more travel but still with the ability to climb then try specialized enduro or trek remedy.
Hope that helps, any more questions let us know.
Have a look at the trek fuel range, these look great and are supposedly a fantastic bike. If you like the idea of more travel but still with the ability to climb then try specialized enduro or trek remedy.
Hope that helps, any more questions let us know.
Similar answer to the what full sus for under 1K from me.
A Giant Trance X (5" travel) or a Giant Anthem X (4" Travel). The extra grand will get a higher specced version but in any case the Maestro suspension system is really effective.
Admittedly I do have a Trance X so am biased but I really do like it. It is light, climbs well, handles well and descends well.
A few test rides should make your decision easy.
A Giant Trance X (5" travel) or a Giant Anthem X (4" Travel). The extra grand will get a higher specced version but in any case the Maestro suspension system is really effective.
Admittedly I do have a Trance X so am biased but I really do like it. It is light, climbs well, handles well and descends well.
A few test rides should make your decision easy.
chrisga said:
I take it from your post that you want to do predominantly XC, is that the sort of bike you are looking for? XC is a preety broad range these days so is it round your local woods or trail centres? If its the first it will probably be the shorter end of travel range you're looking for so prob 100mm up to 140mmish, being generally a lighter bike. If your cross country riding is a little burlier, perhaps trail centres you could look at upping that to 120-160mmish travel.
Have a look at the trek fuel range, these look great and are supposedly a fantastic bike. If you like the idea of more travel but still with the ability to climb then try specialized enduro or trek remedy.
Hope that helps, any more questions let us know.
It will mainly be Peak District type trails, i.e. quite a lot of rocky areas in amongst the mud as well as some fairly steep decents.Have a look at the trek fuel range, these look great and are supposedly a fantastic bike. If you like the idea of more travel but still with the ability to climb then try specialized enduro or trek remedy.
Hope that helps, any more questions let us know.
I'm wanting lightness (for endurance/climbing) over the more DH orientated XC bike, although obviously everyone likes going down hills quick
The Specialized comes with Fox Talas adjustable (100,120,140mm) which is very appealing, but I'll take a look at the Giants and Treks also... any others to put on the test drive list?
if you can find one, the giant anthem x1 has taken all the superlatives this year.
i bought this http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/custom-mountain-bike... and love it, it was super fast around around the beast @ coed y brenin last month, nice plush reba sl (with lockout) at the front and a fox rp2 at the back, the spec is good and plenty of scope for upgrade. that reduction is incrediblly good value for money. i know some people here have a fetish for weight and this is about 25.8 lbs.
4" of travel is plenty enough for xc, dont let anyone tell you otherwise. anymore and you just bounce around the trails and it slows you down, any more and you wind up the travel and never use the full extent.
i bought this http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/custom-mountain-bike... and love it, it was super fast around around the beast @ coed y brenin last month, nice plush reba sl (with lockout) at the front and a fox rp2 at the back, the spec is good and plenty of scope for upgrade. that reduction is incrediblly good value for money. i know some people here have a fetish for weight and this is about 25.8 lbs.
4" of travel is plenty enough for xc, dont let anyone tell you otherwise. anymore and you just bounce around the trails and it slows you down, any more and you wind up the travel and never use the full extent.
pablo said:
4" of travel is plenty enough for xc, dont let anyone tell you otherwise. anymore and you just bounce around the trails and it slows you down, any more and you wind up the travel and never use the full extent.
Couldn't agree more - had a Yeti 575 which was PERFECT IMO for use in the alps, yet offered too much travel in Wales / locally.Have down-sized to a Santa Cruz Superlight and feel there is a marked difference - climbs are slightly easier, and the downhills feel more fun and rewarding. Going back to the Alps, I would of course use a bigger bike, but for the majority of the UK, 4" of travel is more than enough!
Gazzab said:
I have the stumpy. I like it. A friend has just got a new Scott genius 50. Looks good!!
+1Tried the Orange 5 and the Stumpy on my local routes on Cannock Chase and the Stumpy seems to suit them best, but the Orange was very nice too. I've never ridden a Giant Anthem, but they too have an excellent repuation and I know a few people who are very happy with them.
Try before you buy, even if you have to pay rent a bike - it's a lot cheaper than changing your minder post purchase!
FWIW, I've also done a little bit of downhill and Welsh trail centre riding with the Stumpy and it works there too.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/scott/genius-4...
nothing against the spesh but there as popular on the trails as BMW's on motorways!
go with something thats a little different and can fully lock out at a flick of a switch on your handlebars. also with 140mm travel it will handle a little free ride too.
nothing against the spesh but there as popular on the trails as BMW's on motorways!
go with something thats a little different and can fully lock out at a flick of a switch on your handlebars. also with 140mm travel it will handle a little free ride too.
vwsurfbum said:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/scott/genius-4...
nothing against the spesh but there as popular on the trails as BMW's on motorways!
go with something thats a little different and can fully lock out at a flick of a switch on your handlebars. also with 140mm travel it will handle a little free ride too.
28.19 lbs sans pedals?! for £2K..... nothing against the spesh but there as popular on the trails as BMW's on motorways!
go with something thats a little different and can fully lock out at a flick of a switch on your handlebars. also with 140mm travel it will handle a little free ride too.
bonkers... i had a good look at the genius but the rear triangle looks very fragile. there is no way it would land the occasional jump let alone "a little freeride" and last more than a year.
pablo said:
vwsurfbum said:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/scott/genius-4...
nothing against the spesh but there as popular on the trails as BMW's on motorways!
go with something thats a little different and can fully lock out at a flick of a switch on your handlebars. also with 140mm travel it will handle a little free ride too.
28.19 lbs sans pedals?! for £2K..... nothing against the spesh but there as popular on the trails as BMW's on motorways!
go with something thats a little different and can fully lock out at a flick of a switch on your handlebars. also with 140mm travel it will handle a little free ride too.
bonkers... i had a good look at the genius but the rear triangle looks very fragile. there is no way it would land the occasional jump let alone "a little freeride" and last more than a year.
its just my opinion though.
Specialized are very popular but that's because, like BMWs they tick an awful lot of the right boxes.
FWIW, a further consideration of the original question - having slogged through the Cannock Chase mud for three hours last night on my trusty '93 Rockhopper rigid -(now single speed by default!) - is mud clearance. IIRC, one of the stated benefits of the rear sus design of the Orange Five (and other similar designs) is their exceptional mud clearance. This might be owrth some thought if you're likely to be spending a lot of time on muddy tracks, especailly clay type soils...
FWIW, a further consideration of the original question - having slogged through the Cannock Chase mud for three hours last night on my trusty '93 Rockhopper rigid -(now single speed by default!) - is mud clearance. IIRC, one of the stated benefits of the rear sus design of the Orange Five (and other similar designs) is their exceptional mud clearance. This might be owrth some thought if you're likely to be spending a lot of time on muddy tracks, especailly clay type soils...
navier_stokes said:
What are your opinions of the standard spec of the Orange 5 and Specialized stumpy elite and which frame will suit me long term in terms of upgrade-ability?
Does anyone publish the weights of these bikes?
From what I could tell (only limited time in the saddle on the Orange Five) both were very comparable.Does anyone publish the weights of these bikes?
I know that Spec' have a lifetime frame warranty - not sure about Organge - but otherwise, there was little to split them. If anything, I'd say the Orange Five seemed better for slightly 'bigger' terrain and the Stumpy was a bit more 'nimble' on tighter singletrack stuff - the rear linkage works extremely well - but the set-up on the Orange would be way better for very muddy conditions and it was certainly well-planted. To be truthful, I'd like another go on an Orange Five, now I've got used to the Stumpy, just to re-compare....
FWIW, I run the bog standard '09 Stumpy 'Comp' and (since April) have no complaints
, whatsoever. It compares extremely well to my (much more expensive and lighter, carbon-framed) Epic racer.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff