Do-it-all bikes for about £3.5k

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Do-it-all bikes for about £3.5k

88 posts & 68 voices | Started 2 years ago by stevious | Latest reply from stevious

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stevious - Member

Morning all.

I might have a bit of cash coming my way and was thinking of making a serious bike purchase. Currently ride a Rockhopper (with a few upgrades), do mostly XC stuff (trail centres and big Scottish mountain days), and am looking for something that will basically take whatever I throw at it.

Am going to try and demo a few bikes before I make any purchases so am just looking for suggestions as to what is out there. So far on my list are:

- Santa Cruz Blur LT
- Turner 5-spot
- Orange 5

Any other ideas?

Posted 2 years ago #
ooOOoo - Member

Oooooh nice budget!
Ibis Mojo
Trek Remedy 9.8 (carbon)

Posted 2 years ago #
hp_source - Member

Pace 405?

Posted 2 years ago #
shermer75 - Member

Yeti 575! There can be no other!!

Posted 2 years ago #
geetee1972 - Member

You've got the world to choose from with that budget.

Lappiere Zesty's seem to be getting good press at the moment as are the Treks, the Remedy 8 is a well specced bike. Both these come in well under 30lbs.

If want an alternative niche brand, consider the Nicolai Helius AC. You won't get as good a component spec out of your budget as for either the SC or Turner, but they are unique in the market and offer superbe egineering and construction with the opportunity to customise the frame to your needs.

Posted 2 years ago #
davidtaylforth - Member

I dont know what your capable of throwing at a bike, but a decent hardtail is perfect for trail centres or "big" mountain days. You could get some sort of cotic built up for about £1500, then you can spend the rest of the money on something fun (not bits of metal and plastic)

Posted 2 years ago #
stevious - Member

Cheers for the suggestions so far.

I should add that I'm irrationally adverse to carbon frames.

Posted 2 years ago #
therealhoops - Member

Nicolai Helius FR

Posted 2 years ago #
freeridenick - Member

Marin Attack Trail 6.9
Meta 5 carbon

2 bikes that are stupidly fun to ride.

Posted 2 years ago #
cynic-al - Member

I'd get 2 bikes for that, and no way would I go from a Rockhopper to a £3.5K bike without having ridden a few. Each to their own!

Posted 2 years ago #
sofatester - Member

Buy a decent Ti hardtail and spec it with kit that wont break/wear out in a year. Hope, Mavic, Shimano, Thomson etc...

Then use the rest for a couple of weeks riding somewhere amazing!

Posted 2 years ago #
ooOOoo - Member

Oh yeah, I tried about 10 bikes before deciding. I would get on every demo day you possibly can.
You could get a HT, but you have a HT, so a big light FS may help you progress your riding more. If that's what you want.

Posted 2 years ago #
PeterPoddy - Member

For that sort of money, don't get a 'do it all' bike, just get 2 cheaper bikes.

Posted 2 years ago #
davidtaylforth - Member

Buy a decent Ti hardtail and spec it with kit that wont break/wear out in a year. Hope, Mavic, Shimano, Thomson etc...

Will that not cost somewhere near £3.5k?

Ti hardtails seem pretty pointless, may aswell get your full sus instead

Posted 2 years ago #
stevious - Member

I'll not be getting a hardtail, nor will I be buying more than one bike.

Will endeavour to demo as many bikes as I can.

Keep those suggestions coming.

Posted 2 years ago #
PeterPoddy - Member

I'll not be getting a hardtail, nor will I be buying more than one bike.

OK, Just get one £2k bike and spend the rest going to great places to ride. I can recommned Moab, Utah.

£3.5k on a bike is a waste of money.

Posted 2 years ago #
grumm - Member

I personally think that the law of diminishing returns comes in heavily past about £2000-£2500

OK, Just get one £2k bike and spend the rest going to great places to ride.

This.

Posted 2 years ago #
The Flying Ox - Member

Pronghorn LT6 Trail. You'll get an XT-equipped one for less than £3500. Seeing as you're an Edinburgh fellow, it would be criminal not to head over to Flying Fox Bikes in Alva to have a demo.

Seriously, test ride one then forget the rest.

EDIT: That's not a plug for Flying Fox, by the way. They're just the only guys that sell them.

Posted 2 years ago #
Paceman - Member

Also worth a look as do-it-all options...

Cotic Hemlock, Yeti 575, Pace RC405, Intense Tracer, Gary Fisher Roscoe ?

Posted 2 years ago #
stevious - Member

Got a good list so far, cheers.

And some free financial advice to boot.

Posted 2 years ago #
giantonagiant - Member

"I dont know what your capable of throwing at a bike, but a decent hardtail is perfect for trail centres or "big" mountain days. You could get some sort of cotic built up for about £1500, then you can spend the rest of the money on something fun (not bits of metal and plastic)"

"no way would I go from a Rockhopper to a £3.5K bike without having ridden a few. Each to their own!"

"Just get one £2k bike and spend the rest going to great places to ride. I can recommned Moab, Utah."

"£3.5k on a bike is a waste of money."

"I personally think that the law of diminishing returns comes in heavily past about £2000-£2500"

'Nuff said. Wise words chaps. +1 to all y'all.

Posted 2 years ago #
reggiegasket - Member

If I had that budget I'd spend less and go ti hardtail for sure, as suggested.

Posted 2 years ago #
saxabar - Member

I found myself in a similar situation and went for an Alpine 160. It is a touch overkill for the UK but it serves the "do-it-all" role perfectly, particularly as I spend a month or two riding in France every year. Without wishing to gush, I love it. I tend to agree with others though - if your budget is going to curtail international or local riding opportunities then look around the £2000 mark.

Posted 2 years ago #
chakaping - Member

I agree £2,500 is about the limit before diminishing returns get too steep to stomach, but I certainly wouldn't try to stop somebody spending £3.5k on a bike.

That's about the going rate for a boutique alu FS frame with top-end kit anyway, isn't it?

Do try a few before buying though - demo season is just getting going.

Posted 2 years ago #
ooOOoo - Member

hmmm I don't think you're actually listening to him...

Posted 2 years ago #
stevious - Member

hmmm I don't think you're actually listening to him...

Thanks ooOOoo.

Posted 2 years ago #
Gnnr - Member

5spots frames are on sale just now with £500 off RRP, so that would leave way more than enough to build up a great trail bike.

Exactly what I've just done, new frame then some carefully selected parts mainly from the classifieds - (thanks to all)

Would still leave you a enough cash for a decent holiday!

Posted 2 years ago #
si_progressivebikes - Member

I would echo some of the above, spend a bit less and you will still end up with a great bike, 2-2.5K would be a good point for a full susser.

Also, let me be the first to say a Chumba! Just about to offer a rolling chassis deal on the VF2 frames, £1950 gets you frame, Fox Float QR15 fork, Hope Hoops, Thomson stem and post, Chumba grips and saddle. Add a SLX group set and away you go!

Another STW regulars bike

Posted 2 years ago #
muggomagic - Member

no way would I go from a Rockhopper to a £3.5K bike without having ridden a few. Each to their own!

I don't get that al, are you saying if he currently had a more expensive bike that he wouldn't need to try before buying or are you suggesting that going from a rockhopper to a £3.5k bike might be too much to handle?

As for recommendations. If you're spending that type of money you should go for something special. I'd look at Yeti, Intense, Turner, Titus. Have to add that if I had that sort of budget again, I'd get myself a remedy and a 29er hardtail.

Posted 2 years ago #
FuzzyWuzzy - Member

I'd happily blow it all on one bike, probably a Lapierre Zesty although I'd def demo some others (most of which are listed in the thread already), not sure if anyone mentioned the new Stumpy either - worth looking at.
Difference between a lot of bikes in the same range at £2.5k and £3.5k will be carbon vs aluminium frame. If you're happy with an alu frame on a £2.5k model I wouldn't spend more just to get XTR for example.

Posted 2 years ago #
organic355 - Member

for £3.5k the bike would have to make me breakfast in the morning and iron my shirts!!

Posted 2 years ago #
muggomagic - Member

for £3.5k the bike would have to make me breakfast in the morning and iron my shirts!!

I do believe you can get a Thai bike that will do all that for £3.5k and much more.

Posted 2 years ago #
chakaping - Member

He did say he was going to demo the bikes, to be fair.

Posted 2 years ago #
Amos - Member

YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575 YETI 575

Posted 2 years ago #
freegan bikefascist - Member

Stuff I've tried;

Mojo (or Mojo SL. Mojo HD could be worth a punt aswell)
575 (or ASR5 carbon. Not tried the ASR5 yet but want to)
Intense Spider 2 (or Tracer, if you prefer slacker)

For HT, get a really nice frame and bling the F%^k out if it;
De Kerf or Evil Sovereign would get my vote

I rekon you could build any one of them (less sure on the HD or the ASR5 Carbon) into a nice build for <2500 though, keep the extra grand for something else

Posted 2 years ago #