Hi all,
My company is finally letting me get a bike on the ctw scheme and after much chin rubbing and brain wracking I think I’ve narrowed my selection down to these 3 bikes. I mainly ride aggresive xc/ all mountain (I know, I know don’t start).

Spesh Rockhopper pro

Well, it’s a spesh. Nothing to worry about warranty or quality wise, maybe just a bit common? Can anyone tell me what it’s like for all mountain type stuff? Smallish jumps and drops etc? I know it’ll climb well.

Genesis Core 50

The spec looks great, but the brand snob in me makes me hesitant on this one. I’ve not really heard anything about the gensis brand from riders. Anyone got one and care to share their thoughts? The idea of spending nearly a grand on a bike I’m not familiar with seems a bit er….

Commencal Ramones

Liek the style of this one but Im worried it could be too close to my full susser (05 coiler) but would maybe be better for aggressive riding??. I’ve heard tales of broken commencals of late though too, anyone ridden one? Or even broken one? Also I can’t decide if I love or hate the idea of having a bike called Ramones either 😐

If there’s anything else around the same price, suggest away but no Halfords jobs please. Swore I’d never deal with them again.

Any thoughts or advice mucho obligado!!

I ride a Ramones.

It’s way more suited to ‘All Mountain’ than XC, mine weighs a fraction over 31 lbs so it’s no lightweight whippet, perfectly capable of climbing hills though (and let’s face it, climbing hills is rubbish regardless of the bike you’re on).

Yes, there were a lot of broken Commencals, I believe the problems were largely confined to the Meta (though feel free to correct me) and 2009 seemed to have been the problem year. The Ramones was introduced for 2010 and it is a strong bike, seriously strong. Actually, it’s virtually indestructible!

I shared your concerns about the name, but I actually like the band (and can name the majority of their albums, unlike Tim Lovejoy!). Besides, there used to be a band called Campeg Velocet, so it’s only fair.

I really like it, changed the forks from Tora 289 to Pike 454 Coil U-Turn and added DMR V12 pedals, Nukeproof lock-on grips, Halo QR skewers and an e13 Supercharger bash ring. It’s perfect for me. Only paid £660 for it too which offsets the cost of the components I’ve swapped out.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=44333

Apologies for not commenting on the brands you mentioned. The Cube’s at Chain Reaction appear to be good value. Never ridden one but you see a few about and they seem to look nice/ go well.

I’ve got an altitude 30 and I love it, all the angles feel right. The Core constantly gets good reviews in the mags, its in this months WMTB.

The Ramone is more of hard core hard tail so it’ll accept a longer fork. Both of these bikes are from Madison so should you get any issues they seem to sort them out PDQ.

Spesh is Spesh, good bike, great customer care but everyone has got one…

Personally I’d go for the Genesis.

I ride a Genesis iO and it’s a great bike, my mate rides a Core 30, that too is a cracking bike for the money, so the can only be better. AFAIK it’s got the slightly lighter frame and compared to the others on your list, better spec all round, especially brakes and fork.

Haven’t ridden any of them, but the Genesis looks the most versatile and like it would complement yr FS bike best.

Brand snob, yet your considering a Spesh and not sure on the Genesis??

We need your brand snob membership card back.

GHill

Brand snob, yet your considering a Spesh and not sure on the Genesis??

We need your brand snob membership card back.

Ya, well maybe I didn’t mean brand snob as much as I meant brand aware/concerned. I’ve just not heard much about the genesis brand, so to me they are a bit of an unknown quantity. Silly I know but I wouldnt buy a tv with a brand I hadnt seen before, if it looks too good to be true etc.

That cube reaction is a great (if slightly tarty) looking tool. But I think it looks very xc racey and that’s not what I want really.

bravohotel9er

I ride a Ramones.

It’s way more suited to ‘All Mountain’ than XC, mine weighs a fraction over 31 lbs so it’s no lightweight whippet, perfectly capable of climbing hills though (and let’s face it, climbing hills is rubbish regardless of the bike you’re on).

Thanks for the input but I think you’ve just put me off it 🙂 that weight would just be too close to my sus.

I’m swaying towards the core alright, now if I can just get my head around the colour. And the badge.

ive got genesis core20 and its a great piece of kit.handles anything its asked.as far as im aware genesis is a branch-off from ridgeback but i could be wrong.

well i used to work with ridgeback and now on genesis, so there’s a link but the brands are seperate in terms of what we do, why etc.

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/news/24/09/10/core-50-what-mtb-magazines-best-trail-hardtail-2010

this doesn’t mean it’ll suit you best of the bikes you mention, but it’ll give you more info on it. the original review’s on the site too.

james@genesis

So you’re unsure about a bike called Ramones yet are considering one called Genesis?!?

I have an Altitude 10 myself, steel fun and a good spec.

That cube reaction is a great (if slightly tarty) looking tool

*snigger at tool*
I too have a Genesis Altitude. Prefer it over my full suss. Great fun to ride. Can’t comment on the Core though but I know loads on here have Genesis’s.

to be fair the ramones were a cooler band than genesis…

…i’ll get fired for that sort of thing if i’m not carefull haha

I’ve got a genesis altitude & love it; great fun to ride. No experience of the Core, but as others have said, they get good reviews in the mags.

You’ll need to replace the tyres though; the MKs are rubbish in the mud.

rondo101 – Member
the MKs are rubbish in the mud.

Fixed that for you. It seems Conti’s definition of ‘Mountain’ is somewhat different to anyone else’s

james hope your better bike mech than comic mate!!!!

Surely Genesis are missing a trick by not having a bike called the Phil?
Or maybe a range of bikes named after band members, the Peter could be really abstract colours, the Phil could be raw laquer or summit suitably dull?

i hope the proof of that is in the comment and the bikes )

ok time to grab a jacket i think

Genesis an unknown quantity? Been sleeping under a rock for the last couple of years? 😛

Another Genesis Altitude owner here and it really is a nice bike to ride.

If it’s important, I’ve had more compliments about the Genesis than any other bike I’ve ever owned – mainly from more ‘experienced’ riders. 😕

james-o – Member
i hope the proof of that is in the comment and the bikes )

ok time to grab a jacket i think

Not required surely? 😛

bravohotel9er –

Not required surely?

Someone make it stop!

GaryLake

Genesis an unknown quantity? Been sleeping under a rock for the last couple of years?

Thats my pet name for her indoors. How’d you know. Anyway, maybe they just don’t have a big profile over here in Norn Ireland. Bad puns, strange colours and questionable names aside it looks like a good bike.

You must have got your balls out when you chose the colour for that core 50 james? Cos I cant decide whether I love it or loathe it.

Anyone know the weight of a core 50? It must be a good bit lighter than the twenty being triple butted.

“must have got your balls out when you chose the colour for that core 50 james?”

leave the colour of my bits out of this, please.. been a while since i landed on a top tube.

yeah, maybe a risky choice but i love it and the reaction was 90-95% positive from people at the show last year. a choice perceived as risky is often one that gains as many buyers as it looses, wheras a grey / safer colour just blends in – it’sw personal and impoasible to always get right without playing a bit safe. we tend to altern-8 between colour and tone through the range so if the colour’s a dealer breaker then you can go up or down a model.

Another vote for Genesis here, even not having tried the others.

Got a mate who wanted to take up biking, he ended up being recommended and sold a lower range Genesis Core by the LBS.

I was hugely impressed when I had a go on it. Fancy one myself actually.

Fantastic bike for the money. Kitted out just right, money saved where it can be and spent where it needs to be.

My choice would be the Genesis.

I have a Genesis core 50. Absolutely love it. Most confident I’ve ever felt on a bike. Great forks over the 40 too. Also looks stunning IMHO! Do it.

Fantastic bike for the money. Kitted out just right, money saved where it can be and spent where it needs to be

Exactly my opinion of Genesis.
Definitely the best choice.

I too have a Genesis Altitude. Prefer it over my full suss. Great fun to ride. Can’t comment on the Core though but I know loads on here have Genesis’s.

I bought a basic Core, and for general riding the same is true. Full suss is looking a bit redundant TBH.

Well I was in the same quandry a few months ago and actually bought the Core 50 in the spring through the bike to work scheme.

I have to say its an absolutely cracking bike, I think its about 26lbs so it is a light hardtail for the money.

Is a great alrounder and a good spec for the money. Where it absolutely excels is on swoopy flowy type trails wether trail centre or man made. It changes direction very quickly and I can only decribe it as “zingy” if that makes sense.

I find the geometry just right for an all rounder, not too slack that its flapping around on climbs, but not too steep to make it nervous on the descents.

If you want a light weight allrounder that climbs and descends well you will not be disappointed. The forks are very good for my heavy weight physique and I find them precise on the descents.

The one thing I did not like were the OE mountain kings, they roll very well but have terrible grip so they were changed early one, and I find the saddle a bit uncomfortable so that was recently swapped for a WTB one.

Great bike, buy it!!

After asking on here about genesis and getting feedback, including james from genesis (I don’t know why that helps but it does) I took a punt on an IO-ID. Like everyone else I reckon it’s an absolute cracker. No hesitation, genesis all the way mate.

surely someone must have a bad word to say about genesis bikes? – i’ll have a go…

– they’re very competitively priced.

dammit, i’ll try again…

– they’re some of the best looking bikes i’ve ever seen.

crumbs, this isn’t going well is it? …

– the altitude i rode was very lovely in every.

ahh, 5hit it. someone else have a go.

Another vote for the Genesis here. I have an ’09 Core 30 and love it. James-o, are you feeling all warm and smug yet? Or do we have to carry on 😀

Another vote for Genesis assuming the quality is the same as their other models. I have an Alptitude and have found it to be pretty much faultless, my fullsus bike has not seen daylight since I got the Genesis. Lots of fun to ride!

And another Genesis vote – I’ve owned an Altitude 10 (Reynolds 72? frame) and seriously impressed. Bought it on a complete whim: riding at GT, popped over to the Hub to buy some of their cheap SPDs, spotted an ex-hire Altitude for sale, bought it. DOH! But a great bike.

I also just sold my Vapour CX bike but only because it lacked discs. I think the whole genesis range is cracking, so a Core will be a good choice.

Well genesis must be doing something right. I think thats just about settled it for me. Now I just need to decide on what new lid to go with it and I’m sorted.
Thanks for all the feedback guys.

It’s like a Genesis love in!

Crashasaurus- What size are you after we’re out of 16″ now and only a couple left in the ohter sizes, give me a shout today and I’ll get one set aside for you

simon@bikedock.com

wow.. smug no, but pleased that riders see the same good things in the bikes that we do, it’s really good to hear. we just make bikes that we like to ride and hope you like them too, as cheesy / stock marketing speak’ as that can sound. and there’s always room to improve, like the new 853 and ti stuff and the new taper HT core 40 and 50..

A huge shout for the alpitude.
Possibly fav. ever bike owned.
Bought as frame only and then set of fox 32 floats fitted (140mm) XTR mainly and 1×9 speed. Picked the 16.5″ size and is like a Xc/ 4X/ jump bike in one.
Built into 26.5lb weight.
Was going to buy an Evil Sovereign and decided this was close, similar angles, sizing, but lighter by far.
Gets picked more often than my Turner 5spot (DW link) when going out for a ride.
Love it.
Paint doesn’t seem that durable – as minor grumble and odd size seat tube (30.0mm) made finding a Qr clamp a hassle. Also ISDG mount threaded when fitting a e13 device.

The Pewter colour has grown on me loads.

My only real gripe about my Altitude 10 is the seat tube has been reamed too much so the seatpost slips. A replacement post did the same, and from speaking to others it seems like I’m not the only one with that problem.

Other than that, it’s a really nice bike.