I’ve come to realise that I’m over biked. I bought a 5 spot last year and whilst I like it, what it excels at is not quite me. I want something that excels on the flatter twisty stuff in a more stretched position, to do a bit of (not too pointy end) xc racing, marathons etc as well as normal lung busting xc/trail leisure riding.

I rode a spark at a Demo day at the weekend and loved it. Loved the sharp handling, the racy attitude. Liked the twinlock lever.

So what else should I look at in the 100mm travel range? Quite tempted by a turner flux as I do love the 5spot and the turner ethos and build quality and it’s probably fast enough for a bit of weekend warrior xc racing. What else?

Specialized Epic
Giant Anthem
Or consider hardtail

the scott spark turns up more and more on my coaching sessions. very nice and hardier than they look

Cannondale Scalpel

Yeti 5 ?

Try a 29er… you’ll not regret it

I did consider a 29er as I’ve got an alfined 29er “mud bike” (niner sir9)as my other off road bike. I also rode a carbon 29er scale which made me realise quite what a heavyish steel frame and alfine hub does for agile handling. Maybe a tall boy or superfly but still not 100% sold on 29er fs – not sure why..

Yeti 5 – that’ll be a 5″ trail bike won’t it?

Epic & anthem – prob should try em. Never thought I’d go main stream again, but why not…

My Gary Fisher Rumblefish (29er) is perfect for big days out in the hills.

Giant and Spech are jumping on the band wagon now

Have a browse around here for ideas http://twentynineinches.com/

Blur XC?

Cannondale RZ120 is reckoned to be very good particularly when equipped with a lefty…

Giant Anthem X? Good value compared to most aswell.

I’m looking at a Flux at the mo too 😆

probably a 1lb over weight (compared to other xc frames) but I think I can live with that!

I think he means a Yeti ASR 5, not the 575 which is not that much different from the 5 Spot. I’d fancy the Epic myself, having ridden one and quite enjoying it, but plenty of other choices. Not really sure what you mean by “mainstream” or judge that by but don’t rule out good bikes on brand snobbishness. If you want something difficult to get hold of, how about a Morewood Zula?

depends on budget too!

new Santa Cruz blur XC carbon looks the ticket! 😉

have a look here: http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/lightweight-all-day-racy-full-suspension-pics

don’t ignore that scalpel suggestion!

Im very happy with my Cube Sting 8)

Sparks are brilliant bikes though

Canyon Lux MR – top spec for little money.
http://www.canyon.com/_uk/mountainbikes/series/lux-mr.html

Titus X-racer – see On One frames section.
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FRTITXCARRS/titus-x-carbon-105mm-xc-suspension-frame

I was exactly in the same boat as the OP, my Blur LT was too much bike. Got a Lux MR as above, havent ridden it properly yet so will post something next week. Will try and be objective but it is awfully pretty. Pics on another thread.

I have however done a good few miles on one of these, Nerve MR.

http://www.canyon.com/_uk/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=2070

Tremendous, and shows what a rip-off mainstream bike prices are.

Ive got this http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/rose-thrill-hill-8-2010//aid:371035 on order, should be here next week.

Ordered it a few weeks ago when they had a 20% discount offer on. 10.2kg for only £2039!

I’ve got a Spark 40 2011. It’s my first F/S in 15yrs of riding and it’s epic, erm, brilliant! 🙂

Oi, Climber! Get thee hence with your bloody clown bikes!! 😉

How goes it John??

RM Element RSL. Mine is lovely.

Rocky Mountain Element Team RSL by douglasfshearer, on Flickr

Lots of nice looking bikes there – ta v much.

It’s weird what your brain does – a year ago a right looking mtb in my eyes had a wedge of travel and my mind was all about what it felt like on the downs. Now I can’t get enough of fantasising about trail whippets streaking betwen the trees! Big bikes now look fugly. Big blokes bobbing along on big bikes on bridleways even more so!

I’d be seriously tempted by a 100mm Canyon if buying tomorrow – cracking value. A friend has just orderd their 120mm XC bike, so I’m keen to see what the finish is like on it.

How you finding that Rocky Mountain Dougal?

Ones I have owned or ridden for a good length of time
turner flux, very impressive trail bike hard to fault.
Titus racer x, more old school 71/73 degrees design but great price.
YETI ASr— sold it as it was a med and too small (try before you buy)looking back a better bike than i gave it credit for, good climber but Flux is better.
Commencal Super 4, very compedent day bike, good very good.

maverick durance/ml7.5, owned and loved great bikes bit more weight but oh so capable better still ML8.

Knolly endo sl..the only one i have not tried ..looks good and would be on my shopping list.

Not how much travel but how good is the travel you are getting, turners and most of the ones above feel more than the stated travel.

oh and mismatched front and rear travel way to go 120/130 front 100 rear rather splendid 😀

Thanks vondally.

turner flux, very impressive trail bike hard to fault.

But you would stop short of calling it a race bike? By race what I really mean is wheezing in a vaguely athletic way whilst those 20yrs my junior disappear into the distance and mop up all the prizes. Realistically most of the actual “racing” will be done over longer marathon/enduro distances. Flux does appeal as its could maybe stretch from xc course to the odd black run when press ganged into it by mates.

How you finding that Rocky Mountain Dougal?

Brilliant. Not much more I could ask of it really, it just does it’s job without an quibbles. Paint job is silly-good, definitely paying for that.

convert…not a racer (any more) but sounds like riding with my family that……….in all honesty, yes it is a race bike if you want a bike that cover the ground fast and effectively, so it climbs well/pedals exceptionally well, great traction and best of all shifts on singletack and dowms. No it is not a downhill demon that will hang onto DH bikes but it will get there as quick as a lot of AM bikes, very stable and nice on the downs there will be lighter bikes and some faster climbing BUT the flux is a real all day bike good at keeping the miles ticking by and is well made.

See Dave turners comments on this build……

[/i]What a package, as so many of us have tried to explain over the years, quality over quantity, ha, and this thing delivers traction and comfort in spades. I think I will assemble my own in the near future, for those rides where travel is not as important as traction and a little extra weight is worth the trade off for plush. I know that is not what most of the market want, but for the rider that is looking at the rocks more than the scale, this thing rips. We did over 3 hours today at a decent clip and never needed more travel than a Flux, but the amount of rocks and some roots and lots of ruts and braking holes this thing stuck to the trail like a cat.

DT
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=584065&highlight=all+mountain+flux

So i like the flux,had the HL and the DW system is better,grease ports/bushings are excellent the downside slightly low BB for my liking.

So yes you could race on it and enduros would be great keilder especially BUT i am also happy pedalling 33/36 pound bikes up the same hills and mountains at a slower pace.

For what it’s worth I had a horst link Flux which I rode for a while. Awesome bike, really was great fun to ride. Did Kielder on it last year no problems (well, other than a hope seat clamp bolt shearing…) But, for me, it wasn’t quite right! With 100mm of rear travel it was very comfy, but not quite fast enough, and too heavy… It’s a fast trail bike, not a race bike basically. I sold it and got a Scott Scale instead. Now that is fast. Very fast. I don’t miss the rear shock at all. I run fat tubeless tyres at low pressure which combined with the carbon frame make for a surprisingly comfy ride. Not quite the same as a full sus but good enough for me. The low weight makes climbing a breeze too. It also descends really well, the handling is spot on. Technical descents are a tad more ‘engaging’ now though!

Can’t see me buying a full bouncer again to be honest. Probably not helping matters much but hey if you liked the handling of the Spark you should try the Scale.

I’m in the process of changing my TNT 5 Spot at the moment and have settled on a Yeti ASR5c. Took one out for the day last weekend and it was the most fun I’ve had in ages.

I had a shortlist of 4 or 5 at the beginning of the day but after trying the Yeti I’m not even going to try the rest.

You should look at the epic such a good fast bike.

I think the Flux is a great XC bike for someone that isn’t bothered about the last 1% of performance, that just wants to race and enjoy themselves and not feel like they were beaten by others because they had better bikes.

Paul, that is me! 5 yrs ago I was all about the 1% but time has taken its toll! The burning flux question that seems to consume those at the mbr turner forum – to 100mm fork or 120mm fork

without question 110mm…………..no for me 120mm is ideal, better with a talas 120 to 100 system on the fly so to speak.

120mm on my DW Flux.