As above, just come back from a lovely week in the borders, managed to get three rides in but took a bit of a battering.

I started looking at full suspension bikes on the first Sunday after Dalbeattie and Drumlanrig and Mabie didn’t change my mind much.

Times are a bit tight, but I might be able to stretch to a grand or so with the credit card offers I’ve got open, and was looking at the new boardman team fs for £900 this week. Also the Norco fluid, Fuji Reveal and Calibre Bossnut. But most of the time I only ride cannock, and the current Bizango isn’t too much of an issue so I’m not sure whether just to sucking it up for the 3 days a year I’d rather have a bit of bounce.

What does the hive mind think?

That calibre is stonking for the cash. Was always of the opinion a 1k susser would be utter gash but that proved me wrong.

Terrible politically incorrect but i have a suspension seat post does the job.

going against n+1 but hiring an enduro type rig for the 1 or 2 times a year you need it would be far cheaper. let’s you try a few out and save for something better in a year or 2.
btw did Cannock for first time last week. passing through the midlands and thought it was ace. just the sort of riding I like. a little like dalby but better descents.

Hire a full suss for the 3 days a year you’ll need it?

I’m tempted by the hire idea, depends on the cost I suppose.

Had a blat round Cannock this mornin and it was tough going in places, I don’t do the monkey often and a couple of sections really left me feeling it through my feet. The bike radar review of the new Bordman looks pretty much spot on, don’t need anything too slack I don’t think, I don’t weight the front enough as it is, that new Marin on the home page looks pretty good though too.

Go Outdoors often have a 15% off deal around bank holiday time making the Bossnut £850. So even better value and if you order online through Topcashback you can get another 7% or so back. Making it even cheaper.

These deals are on at the moment if you know someone who has one of their platinum cards. They sent me mine yesterday but the extra 15% ends in 2/3 weeks.

Don’t know anyone with a 15% code, can get 10 though, and quidco is giving 7% too, so worth a look. They’d run out of 19″s earlier in the week when I looked, looks like they’ve restocked now. Hmmm.

Full sus rental would be a no go, the only place I could find is £40 a day, so I’d be looking at £210 a week, I think I’d rather spend £850 on the calibre.

Another option if you want to go fo something “a bit better” is to look at somewhere offering 0% finance. If you are able to do monthly payments instead of £850 in one go.

On One do, the advert flashing at the mo for me say they do too (All Terrain Cycles) I’m sure lots of other places do too.

There was a 19.5″ 2015 Boardman team fs popped up on a Facebook page that I get feeds from for £400 this morning if you live anywhere near Worksop.

I’ve gone and ordered the Bossnut, 10% discount code and 7% quidco cash back. I’ve stuck it on a 0% card too which got me another £25 cash back. All the cash back will pay for a new dropper because the seat tube is a different size to my Voodoo.

Exited.

The Boardy Team FS is a cracking bike for the money. I bought one virtually brand new for £500 off the Bay and sold it 18 months later for £650 and could have sold it 10 times over.
I only sold it because i got offered a Trek Fuel EX7 which was ever so slightly slightly better than the Boardy.

I have a boardman team fs in 26er frame (new shape) and shock in the shed u can have for 100 quid once I receive my new shock from zee germanz. (Borrowed the shock for new frame). Also have 26er bombers to suit.

The components appear to be better on the calibre than the boardman. I think you made the good choice. 😀