Wich bike should i buy?
A full on enduro bike
a trailbike with a bit less suspension
or an agressive hardtai

I’m on a tight budget and the trails where I live are not that extreem so exept from racing and an occasionally trip, a 160mm of travel is useless but it might be more confidance inspiaring to push my boundries.
Anny sugestions?

Use what you already own – then go bike shopping if you need to after your first race?

As far as confidence goes, geometry is probably more important than travel.
A 130mm trail bike with a slackashish head angle and long reach should be good.
Easiest races to have a go at are probably local ones to you,

The questions to answer before you even start looking at bikes:
– What is the max budget?
– Where do you ride 95% of the time?
– Where do you see your riding in 3 years time?
– What is your current ability, hardtails are far better at helping you improve technique?
– Are you prepared to take a slight risk in fit and buy direct brands like Canyon or do you want the after sales care of a LBS?

Once they are defined you then a plethora of choices. Get to a LBS and try some. Check for demo days (Santa Cruz had one today for instance at Glentress). Try friends bikes. There are SO many bikes out there now there is no one answer. This is a good time to buy however as 2016 bikes are on sale. Big travel often compensates for poor technique; I have witnessed a big-field enduro won on a 100mm Tallboy ridden by a top notch rider. For me, in the full suspension world, Santa Cruz, Whyte and Orange are great options for the UK with lifetime bearing warranty and widely available.

Its possible it may not be for you, so hire/borrow or use your own bike until you know the answer.

Definitely have a go on your current bike / borrowed one before investing. I did a couple of enduros this year and beforehand I was certain I’d love them and this would be the thing for me forever more. I’d saved up a deposit for an gnarpoon and was already to pull the trigger.

As it turned out, after two races I went home downbeat and decided that actually this wasn’t what I wanted at all. They were both really well organised and the trails were varied and challenging, but the idea of riding my bike for a total of about half an hour and pushing it back up the hill the rest of the time suddenly seemed alien and wasteful to me. It made me realise I actually wanted adventures, proper hills and days out, so got home and spent the deposit I’d saved on some riding weekends and new wheels for the little 120mm 26er full sus that is perfect for the vast majority of my riding.

So, in amongst my waffle, I’d recommend doing one first, even if its on a hardtail. They are full of really friendly, smiley people having a hoot who will be more than happy to chat about their bikes to you too. I spend most of one of the races gassing to a chap on a Bird Aeris, which I was very jealous of and looked just the job for Enduro. I’d check one of those out if the money is burning a hole in your pocket. He said their customer service was great and they were more than happy for you to test ride at Swinley Forest.

but the idea of riding my bike for a total of about half an hour and pushing it back up the hill the rest of the time suddenly seemed alien and wasteful to me.

Races can vary hugely, depending on series and venue, there are plenty out there that involve a large loop with stages spread around it as well.

As it turned out, after two races I went home downbeat and decided that actually this wasn’t what I wanted at all. They were both really well organised and the trails were varied and challenging, but the idea of riding my bike for a total of about half an hour and pushing it back up the hill the rest of the time suddenly seemed alien and wasteful to me.

Obviously did the wrong races then.

^^ actually, these are fair points. I did fairly local, smallish events. Something like the Ex or Ard Rock look great days out. So ignore me. 🙂