Viewing 27 posts - 1 through 27 (of 27 total)
  • best 'one bike does all'
  • campfreddie
    Free Member

    i am currently running a newly-built Yeti Sb-66 with pikes etc etc and a very newly-built 20lbs Cannondale scalpel carbon with 650b conversion.

    the yeti rocks for trail centres and the scalpel just laps up xc like nothing else.

    i am however thinking that having the guts of £6k tied up in a pair of bikes might not be the best for my bank balance, so i’m thinking of moving them both on to replace with just one bike.

    most of my riding is xc around the new forest, but the bike needs to be able to handle places like afan and a planned alps long-weekend later this summer.

    so far i’m thinking 650b wheels, dropper post, circa 130mm travel, possibly carbon, 1×10 with range expander or 1×11 and circa £2.5k tops (new, custom built or second hand).

    the obvious choice is a canyon spectral (if i can get hold of one) or possibly a Radon (effectively the same, but not really marketed in the UK and offering a spec similar to the Canyon).

    what else should i be looking at?

    (btw. i don’t want a Turner, a Yeti ASR5 or a Titus FTM carbon as i’ve done those already).

    yourguitarhero
    Free Member
    maxtorque
    Full Member

    Following the STW convention of “Recommend What You Ride” (RWUR) i’d say my Zesty is pretty good compromise. Run in 140mm mode with a light set of wheels/tyres it’s ~11.5Kg, and yet, bolt on a spicy spec rear shock (for 160mm) and stick on some long forks (160mm Pikes) and some burly wheels/tyres and it becomes a reasonable descender at 13kg.

    The downsides? Well, it takes a bit of looking after, and certainly isn’t as tough as some of the more UK specific bikes.

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    campfreddie
    Free Member

    i don’t want 26 or 29 wheels.

    i also don’t want something too close to the yeti i have already built (otherwise, i might as well just sell the scalpel and use that for everything).

    i may end up building something, provided i can come up with a suitable frame… unfortuantely, there aren’t too many storming deals on 650b full-suss framesets at the moment.

    M6TTF
    Free Member

    unlikely to get hold of a spectral for this year. looked at radon myself too

    DaveyBoyWonder
    Free Member

    Flog the Yeti frame and the Cannondale and buy a new Five frame and dangle your current bits off it.

    thewanderer
    Free Member

    don’t want a Turner,

    don’t want 26 or 29 wheels

    Ignoring all that I reckon a plastic Turner would fit the bill

    Turner Czar

    It’s getting rave reviews on its trail ability

    thewanderer
    Free Member

    Of course maybe not best for the bank balance but best you stick with what you have if that is a concern

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    Best for your bank balance is probably to stick with what you have. Doubt the sale of those two bikes leave you much left over from a new bike purchase, maybe a grand at most if you do manage to stick to the 2.5k.

    takisawa2
    Full Member

    Krampus.

    BigJohn
    Full Member

    650b Cotic Soul

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    best ‘one bike does all’

    i don’t want 26 or 29 wheels.

    so you don’t want the best one then 😉

    munrobiker
    Free Member

    I had a similar dilemma this time last year. I needed a bike that would replace a Giant Anthem that I used for XC racing and local trail riding and an Orange Five with 160mm lyriks that I used in the Alps once a year, and regularly in the big mountains of the Lakes and the Highlands, as well as ragging it about the Peak District regularly.

    I built this Stumpy Evo Carbon up with a second hand frame, my existing seatpost and rear mech and everything else new from the CRC sales and, for most of the drivetrain and brakes, Germany.

    Total cost was £2.6k, weight is 25.5lb which is light enough for XC racing but it’s also capable enough that it beat all my times downhill on the Five on strava. Done a week in Andorra nicely too.

    onandon
    Free Member

    I also have a scalpel in a very similar spec to yours. I’m amazed just how well it copes with some rougher treatment.
    Do you really need another bike ?

    40mpg
    Full Member

    What Takisawa says – seriously. Sell the Cannondale, keep the Yeti, buy a fat bike or 29+ for the forest. Its teh way I’ve gone, it works, and its fun! (plus you can explore all the interesting little beaches down the waterfront and round Lymington way, all the way to the Purbecks in fact. And then you can drop in on Charlie The Bikemonger for a drink. what more could you ask for?)

    Kahurangi
    Full Member

    Keep the SB66 or change or for a SB66C. Buy and 2nd set of lightweight wheels with XC tyres. Job done.

    slackalice
    Free Member

    Keeping with tradition, I use my PYGA 120 for both XC and Alps and it handles both with aplomb, just put on 2.35 Damp Hands for the proper mountains 8)

    It’s a nice colour and not that many around too FTW 😀

    samjgeorge86
    Free Member

    RWUR; Nukeproof Mega TR… (They do a 650B version). I have the 26incher, (Proper size), and it is perfect for everything.

    grum
    Free Member

    Best for your bank balance is probably to stick with what you have. Doubt the sale of those two bikes leave you much left over from a new bike purchase, maybe a grand at most if you do manage to stick to the 2.5k.

    +1

    Also, SB66 for trail centres? I happily ride my 6″ travel Pitch anywhere but trail centres are probably the places I least need all that travel. 😕

    tomaso
    Free Member

    Mondraker Foxy would fit the bill, but the spec is not going to compete with the German direct sale bike – the frame however is where the £$£$ is.

    passtherizla
    Free Member

    You’ll lose so much money moving the bikes on to buy new ones it’s a completely false economy… Surely!?!?!?

    cfinnimore
    Free Member

    Get this man a moonstick.

    philfive
    Free Member

    I have one bike and it does everything. Unless you are competing at a decent level why would you need a bike for each discipline?

    Excluding DH bikes by the way.

    RWUR – Banshee Rune 650b

    But I do think a Banshee Spitfire is a better all round bet.

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    You need more than one bike, so its a non starter to begin with……..

    howsyourdad1
    Free Member

    I remember your post when you built up the Yeti. Please split it and sell me the Easton bars, stem and Stans wheels. If not, good luck with whatever you decide

    robbonzo
    Free Member

    Kona process 153? They are a bit heavy but you could get frame only and build it up, or swap our the standard wheels and tyres, go 1×10 and it’ll be under 30lbs easy.
    what about that new Canyon Strive?

    julians
    Free Member

    selling both and buying a single replacement is definitely going to be false economy, you’ll come out of it with very little actual cash for the bank balance.

    Keep the SB66, sell the scalpel, Job done. If you really must, then buy some light wheels and tyres and swap them round when you want to ride a long distance.

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

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