I would have thought the Giant or the Cannondale would be the most versatile?

I had a 140mm Mongoose Teocali and it was really quite soggy to pedal, a struggle to keep up with people of similar fitness on different bikes. The PinnR is a totally different bike to the other two. I don’t think its had a good write up in the magazines and you’d struggle on anything not pointing downhill.

If you want more travel than the Cannondale or Giant, but still pedallable on normal trails you should be looking at the usual Lapierre Spicy’s(or even Froggy), Orange Alpines, Trek Remedys, Commencal 6 etc etc

What are your mates riding?

Some good looking Lapierres on e bay at the mo

So I’d count the Mongoose out then. It may spark good memories of past times of technical downhill riding, but it will be a beast to pedal to get to any technical downhills in the first place and you’ll be so far behind your mates they’ll have gone home by the time you catch up 😉

Whatabout this Saracen Ariel

They’ve been described as “mini downhill bikes” that can act as a trail bike, rather than a slightly overweight trail bike. Fox dampers front and rear, where else would you find that at £1100?? Quite a few other deals around on those too.

Or the ubiquitous Specialized Pitch? Another trail bike with ‘mini downhill’ bike aspirations.

I can categorically say don’t get the Mongoose, that suspension design is bobbins – I have one with the same in the shed

Right, looking at the specs, I’d actually go for a Trance X3 from Pauls Cycles, not the X2. There’s not much in it, but the X3 is £300 cheaper. The difference between deore and SLX for instance is not worth the extra.

I’d then look at something like a set of Rockshox Revelations in 140mm travel guise with the same 15mm axle as the original forks, or perhaps just go for a set of Fox Float 140’s with 15mm axle. But fox are more expensive. A set of Rockshox Rev’s is going to set you back something like £400 new. You should get £300 for your unused 120mm fox’s though by selling on here or eBay.

You’ve then got £200 left in the kitty to upgrade the bike if you wish, or spend on getting to some new trails!

…and lasses

I might be interested in the forks and wheels, are they 2011 and what hubs?

Ahhhh, looking for 2011 140 Floats and pro 2 evo on Flows, nevermind.

On a purely subjective level, can I just say that I always the Giant looked like a squashed accordion? I hate the frame design.

For my money … two choices for trail allrounder:

Trance X … I’ve had an X0 for three years & it’s been really very good. It is light, it climbs very well & is rideable all day. The week before last I spent 5.5 days on it going across the Lakes, Yorkshire Dales & Moors on it with a mate who used his X2 … both bikes were superb.

Lapierre Zesty … I’ve just bought one of these and absolutely love it. Slightly more surefooted going down hill than the Trance X & climbs like it doesn’t know when it’s time to stop. Super light, but it’s a 914 so damn well should be. I’ve demo’d the 314, which hooked me into the Zesty.

Both bikes have great spec for the money right across the range.

I’ve not ridden the Dale RZ One Forty but rode a hardtail Lefty last year for a day jungle trekking (on holiday!) and it was ok, but it was a hire bike so unfair to judge it further.