Viewing 27 posts - 1 through 27 (of 27 total)
  • £3k max and too much choice – please help
  • nishwick
    Free Member

    I know this questions gets asked lots, please help as I am now in a world of pain from reading too many reviews.
    My budget is £3k.
    I want a bike that is easy for an old git like me to ride uphill, cross country and on trail centres. Uphill is more important than downhill ability, so perhaps 140mm travel?
    Orange 5 pro
    Canyon Nerve CF
    Giant Trance X
    Stump jumper

    Am I missing anything out, like a Santa Cruz?

    I will test as many as I can.

    b45her
    Free Member

    from that description i’d go for the nerve CF.

    colin27
    Free Member

    Five Pro, or a Gyro Pro if you really value good climbing. IMO Orange are the only bikes in your list that offer performance and long term reliability (easy to clean, easy to service, easy to get spares for, etc). Stick a Hope headset and bb in and you make that bike bombproof.

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    shortcut
    Full Member

    Decision 1 what wheel size?!?

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    http://www.santacruzbikes.co.uk/heckler/#builder
    Heckler with some upgrades comes in at £3k, love mine

    Bregante
    Full Member

    I want a bike that is easy for an old git like me to ride uphill, cross country and on trail centres. Uphill is more important than downhill ability, so perhaps 140mm travel?

    If uphill is more important than downhill, I’d be looking at 100 or 120 mm travel as all will easily cope with the downhill aspect of what you describe. Regardless of what the mags say, 140 mm is not necessary for trail centres. (my FS set at 110 mm feels more than enough)

    I’d be thinking more along the lines of Epic (or Epic Evo), Giant Trance etc..

    hora
    Free Member

    Camber, Stumpjumper FSR, etc. 3k? I can only dream of spending that on a bike!

    timbo678
    Free Member

    Cube Super Stereo HPC Race…anything else would be second best

    dan45a
    Free Member

    This might fit your requirement. Here’s a review..

    http://m.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-giant-anthem-x-29er-1-12-45906/

    Not my thing but got some mates who swear by them for longer days out and Mtb marathon riding.

    Lot of choice out there though. Good luck.

    FuzzyWuzzy
    Full Member

    SC are just stupidly over-priced for what they are, if you have £6k to spend on a lottery-win bike then fair enough but there’s better bikes to be had for the £3k mark. I’d probably go Nerve CF myself to, 120mm sounds enough for what you describe – the 8.0 model and maybe put the extra aside to upgrade the brakes later if you need to. Or the Nerve AL 29er should work to and not much heavier.

    dantsw13
    Full Member

    OP, are you mechanically competent? Would you get enjoyment out of building up your own bike from a frame? That budget would get you a lovely self build!

    From what you describe you want, I would say a 120/130 FS is right up your street. If you want a great spec for your cash, a Canyon Nerve would be perfect. The Specialised stumpjumper as a mainstream bike, or maybe even a Camber 29er.

    mrhoppy
    Full Member

    Transition Bandit, fantastic allrounder and you can take your pick on wheel size.

    HermanShake
    Free Member

    It doesn’t help according to your first post (come on, this is STW), but a ti hardtail with a 120mm (for 26″) or 100mm (for 29″) adjustable fork would be light and climb well if you get the fit/build right. I’d probably get a 2×10 XT group and either a SID or Reba with a bunch of Hope bits.

    For that much I’d build rather than buy off-the-peg to prevent to the inevitable fettling, but that’s me.

    FWIW I had a Trance X, they’re great bikes and climb pretty well. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that so many linkage systems resemble Maestro.

    patriotpro
    Free Member

    You’re considering a Five when your priority is climbing ability… 😕

    edward2000
    Free Member

    Ax an ex Orange 5 owner I can confirm they are pretty lame at going up hills especially in the granny ring.

    iainc
    Full Member

    Trance X or 5 would be my choice. Giant better on the ups but hate that low down shock position in the firing line for the dirt. 5 less good climber, but great on the flats and downs, plus less maintenance, although a bit overpriced

    nishwick
    Free Member

    Thanks all, great advice so far… really appreciate it.
    150mm travel seems almost the standard, will try looking for less.
    Wheel size mentioned – good point – what do you all reckon?

    rascal
    Free Member

    Oops…you’ve opened a can of worms there Nish… 😉

    sluff
    Free Member

    What about the new Nukeproof Mega Trail?

    [/url]

    Nice spic for the cash.

    cubemeup
    Free Member

    if its mainly uphill you want why dont you look at the Cube 29’ers or and Canyon 29’ers

    patriotpro
    Free Member

    Has anyone actually got any available stock of the New Megas??

    nishwick
    Free Member

    Thanks all. It was a mindfield. I tried every bike, nothing felt amazing, so, kept mine for this year, bought some new Revelations, tubeless tires,handlebar etc, and now it feel amazing.
    So, thank you, your advice was not wasted at all.

    wobbliscott
    Free Member

    Well, you don’t NEED 140/150mm, but why not have it if you can so long as you’re not compromising your main goal. I don’t know why so many people are worried about being overbiked when in other areas of their life they will be over something else – like over car’d, over housed, over PC’d, over lawn-mowered, over home cinema system’d etc, etc.

    It will give you options and the ability to do something you were not originally intending to do when you first purchased your bike should you fancy it one day. However, there are many great 140/150mm All-Mountain bikes out there that will climb very well, though they will all be heavier than a shorter travel cross-country orientated bike which may or may not turn you off them as an option, but then again I think people put far too much emphasis on weight when selecting a mountain bike – 5lb (isn) separates the lightest and the heaviest (within reason), which is a small overall percentage of your all-up weight, so ultimately not an issue.

    Ultimately at the price range you’re looking at (and a bit below) there really is not a wrong choice once you’ve decided on the style/type of bike you’re going for.

    jonnyb1972
    Free Member

    Whyte M109S …..

    JCL
    Free Member
    dreednya
    Full Member

    Ibis Mojo Special Blend? Awesome at climbing and descending and everything in-between 🙂

Viewing 27 posts - 1 through 27 (of 27 total)

The topic ‘£3k max and too much choice – please help’ is closed to new replies.