I am looking for a bike for having a go at trying some racing or marathon type racing next year. Things that i am looking for:
– Short travel 100mm ish travel prob both ends.
– Fairly light
– Comfy! Obviously this is personal opinion.

I have been looking at quite a few bikes, giant anthem’s, trek fuels, a couple of cubes and a load of other expensive carbon bikes i just cant afford.

Has anyone raced any of these bikes? What were they like over these types of distance. Also any training tips??

Trek Top Fuel would be my choice. The ali one can be picked up a lot cheaper when the models change.

As for training, how much time do you have per week?

giant xtc works fine for me in these kind of events as for training do as much as possible with a long spin on saturday or sunday and when you are fcuked go for another hour

thanks for the responses. Hadnt looked at the top fuels as i figured they would be a lot more expensive.

hours available per week would be 12-15 depending on shifts. usually nights.

does anyone know how much something like an anthem or fuel goes for 2nd hand? just seen a 2010 anthem basically standard in a used condition for £800. not sure if this is over the odds for a 2nd hand bike?

Have you looked at Canyon? Nerve XC is pretty light for the money, although 120mm travel. They do more specific marathon bikes, e.g. the LUX MR, but they’re priced a lot higher.

finished 3rd in a 12hr on an Epic this year,

training, just loads of miles I’m afraid

ride a carbon HT which does me fine, set up 100mm front.

This year though, looking at the new felt edict, hopefully with lighter chain, cassette and seatpost i’ll not be far off 21 lbs with it

Now, if only i had the money.

Honestly though, the felt does look wonderful, but top fuel, anthem, scott spark, even a titus carbon -x would do the job just as well. At the price point of these machines, it’ll more likely be the rider that wins it, not the bike