I’m taking the plunge, I’m selling my quake and I’m going for a new bike. Ideally an all mountain bike just to get the more travel as my riding has changed quite a bit from just doing XC. I’m now doing a fair bit of freeride stuff, downhills and XC so after a good all rounder.

Price I want to spend is ideally about £2k with the use of finance, I want to get something really good as for me now this is the most I have spent on a bike.

I have been looking at hecklers previously owned one and there pretty great, I have ridden an orange alpine 160 also which is also a good bike. But i want to know if there are any other models I should be considering which maybe don’t have a big name?

(I have been offered a mates orange five pro 2013 for 1800 which I am considering but not sure if it will do the job I want)

When you say freeride are we talking Josh Bender or 4-5ft drops onto nice transitions? Also Downhills is it more Champery or trail centre?

If the latter then a 5 will be fine. I would have thought the 5 is just as capable as a heckler.

Canyon Strive?

Fox performance 34 FiT TALAS fork, Fox Performance CTD shock, Shimano XT drobertrain, Avid Elixir 7 Trail brakes.

£2100. Bang on bargain for what you’re after.

Don’t overlook amazing deals on used bikes that were bought rashly and stored almost as new in a shed or garage, with only a few rusty bolts to replace in order to achieve timewarp condition.

The 1990 Dawes Tracker for instance, with nigh on indestructible Reynolds 500 tubing, stable geometry, a Biopace chainset to achieve that ‘wof wof wof’ elliptical power peak, all combined with reliable Exage componentry and ‘it just works’ thumbshifty goodness.

Disc brakes may have contemporary and fleeting appeal, but you’ve never really experienced modulation like wot one gets with Exage cantilevers, equipped with that ‘XTR grey’ pad-paste magically appearing to coat and protect those precious Araya rims whilst riding British trails.

Suspension? They’re called ‘knees and wrists’!

Used deals often come with easter eggs that can save a lot of money on essential sometimes costly aftermarket additions, ie sharkfin stay protectors, hard-to-source crud catcher with stays, Mint Sauce stickers, or even a gel saddle cover.

A discerning buyer would then be free to spend the remaining £1980.95 on a modern light setup, new spoke reflectors, premium sunglasses and merino underthings.

For the not so tall? they come in a smaller size

You think i’m joking? Would I be unkind about my first real bike? free tip – when buying used one often look for clues into the life and condition of a bike by examing any seemingly superfluous detail in the sales pics, for instance the quality of walling propping up the seller’s pride and joy.

Enduro EVO??

or the strive if spec is important.

Whyte T-129 S?

review