Been looking at full sus bikes and im on a VERY tight budget, wondering if anyone has any suggestions? Im not a hardcore downhill racer but im above a novice i would say. Also how much would i expect to get for my current hard tail, a merida matts trl 100-d?

Cheers

Just get a second hand frame and swap your current bits over. You can get something reasonable for under £100 if the budget is really tight.

What is VERY tight budget? If you let us know someone might just offer you a great bike for the right price.

Giant trance. Older versions are cheap second hand. have a 44mm headtube so taper steerers fit. Decent suspension. Seat post big enough for a dropper. Robust.

Avoid commencal frames. They often Snap.

Look on the classifieds there are often bargains amongst the overpriced crap

^.Excellent choice for a frame.I have one built up as a spare bike and they are superb to ride.You can build them up to be bulletproof.Maestro is one of the best 😀

2 words – Giant Trance. Very capable bike, both up and downhill Cheap as chips these days too.

Im currently riding one as its just a sweet bike to ride everywhere. Will take a beating and the Maestro link is plush.

3rd Giant Trance. I have had 2 older style ones. Cheap, strong and fun up and down. Do watch the top stay bearing though. It’s small, can seize and then rotate in frame wearing out an oval.

giant trance with 140 mm forks one of the best bikes going, real hardcore trail bike.

Sizing on them is odd, at 5ft 11 ish med was too small and large was large.

Giant Stance new for 2015 – brand new at £999 with Rockshox suspension front/rear, Shimano drivetrain and Shimano hydro discs.

Very surprised at the spec for the money, test rode one and very impressed.

Wowsers. Might not bother upgrading the bizango if that’s a grand.

The stance is nice but douse not have the mistro system

My older trance is 120 rear I have extended to 130 front had no issues with running out of travel and pedals really well,fully recommend them and can pick up real cheap

Yeah looking at it, would have to ride the trance and stance back to back, the £1500 trance looks good vfm

Back to the original question, the decathlon FS bikes take some beating for the money, but are a bit old skool xc

lot of love for the Trance, I was under the impression the frame was over weight for the travel (ala Orange ST), personally wouldn’t touch a new giant till they do away with the Overdrive headset crap.

What you need is a C’dale Prophet in your life.. and I happen to have one I need to sell 😉

Overdrive2 is now gone however overdrive is just around its just a taperd setup

2015 trances are cheaper this year dependent on model

Overdrive 2 is just on higher end road bikes, their aluminium and lower priced carbon road bikes and mtbs are regular taper setup 🙂

Loved my trance, moved the bits (and a bigger fork) over to a reign for more capability on big stuff.

a PROPER trance is 105mm travel. 120mm is the tranceX (fwiw)

As for overdrive, i bought my reign frame only, and it came with a normal headset rather than OD. Reallly not an issue.

nice thing about the giants is the range of options re travel and attitude.

What length is your fork? Just buy the frame that suits it! < 100mm: anthem, < 130: trance, 140mm:, tranceX, 150/160mmmm reign, etc etc…

Weight of mine in current form is bang on 30 pounds. That’s with a meaty wheel set and boat anchor Hussefelt cranks and coil Sektor fork. Doesn’t feel or ride heavy at all and is perfectly balanced. I was always a Giant naysayer as they are common as muck but they are well put together and excellent VFM. Picked my frame up for 120 Aussie dollars and powder coated it mattblack. In the bike rack at our local trail cafe it was getting a lot of positive comments so finish it nice and it’s still a very capable bike. [/gushmodeoff]

Tbh for my local trails and the odd away trip to trail centers the 120/130 setup is ideal i have no intention on changing the frame unless i have to with regards to running out of straight steerer forks or 26″rims