Viewing 36 posts - 1 through 36 (of 36 total)
  • New bike for 2015 – recommendations
  • davidrussell
    Free Member

    Morning all,

    I’d like to change bikes in 2015. Currently i ride the Pronghorn Pr6-lt (150mm full suss with talas 32’s) and i’m quite happy with it, but i’d like to try something new and since i last looked there are tons of new bikes out there that can challenge the established mfrs in terms of price and performance.

    vital stats – i’m 6″1, 85kg and 34″ inseam. Riding is mostly natural trails and big days in the scottish hills. some trailcentre stuff but nothing to gnarly, although i’m not a dainty rider so nothing too whippet-like. i’d prefer something with a more “enduro” slant than a race bike.

    i dont think i need 150mm if i’m brtually honest with myself, so something around 140mm mark would be fine. However the pronghorn pedals pretty well uphill so if there was an unmissable 160mm bike out there i’d consider it too. Not sure how the 10mm difference either way would be translated in real terms but thats good marketing for you…

    similarly i’m a marketers dream as i’m keen to try a 29’er / 650b. I can’t reasonably explain why as i dont have an inherent problem with 26″ but some of the arguments do seem to make sense. I have done a bit of reading on 29 v 650b but some of the articles are quite old and i think tech has moved on a fair bit in this arena. i’ve never ridden either of the new sizes, but i will sometime soon.

    The triple chainset is cumbersome and chain flap is a real PITA on the prongy so i like the idea of “1xsomething” for simplicity as that tech seems to have come of age now.

    i’ll do my own research obviously but i assume you guys like nerding it up over bike specs as much as i do, so chuck your recommendations in the ring and i’ll spend the winter chewing them over.

    Cheers

    stewartc
    Free Member

    Giant Trance (there many flavors to choose from, 140mm at the back but 140/160 options at the front)

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    Those new transition bikes look ace, can’t comment on the ride though

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    jaffejoffer
    Free Member

    id be looking at one of them new Transition Scouts, well Patrol personally but Scout if you want 140. failing that Kona Process 134.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    I’d say defintiely try a mid-travel 29er, sounds like they might be right up your street.

    Do you prefer building your own bike or buying off the peg?

    barffy
    Free Member

    Vitus Escarpe? Looks seriously tasty. This one’s the top end kit but they do quite a few different spec levels.

    AlexSimon
    Full Member

    Loads of good bikes out there. Very hard to choose between them.
    Clever shocks are making many different suspension designs pedal well.

    I’m still trying to decide.
    My contenders are:
    Banshee Spitfire
    Knolly Warden or 2015 Endorphin
    Bird Aeris
    Transition Patrol/Scout

    I’ve ridden the Spitfire and liked it. Will be riding the Warden in 2 weeks and will try and get on the Aeris ASAP. No idea if the transitions are going to be rideable soon.

    I’m after something that I can build up my way (Shimano 1×10 with a range extender probably) and something that will last 5 years without feeling out of date.

    moshimonster
    Free Member

    Hey, you sound exactly like me!! I’m the same height, weight, riding profile etc. and looking for exactly the same kind of trail bike!

    My research has come up with the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Evo 29er as a safe bet. Or perhaps a Trek Remedy 9.8 29. Or maybe the Trance mentioned above.

    BUT I’m seriously thinking of dropping the travel slightly (120 mm all round) and going for a Specialised Camber Evo. I’m toning back on the really gnarly stuff, but still want a proper trail bike and reviews of this bike suggest it is faster and more fun than the Stumpy on all but the gnarliest of trails. Also still has a meaty cut down Pike up front and by all accounts the frame is plenty stiff enough. Could be just the ticket for charging around UK trails. These guys seem to be having fun on the kind of trails I enjoy:-

    [video] http://youtu.be/Ri9wklazxSs [/video]

    davidrussell
    Free Member

    thanks for the replies so far. the vitus does look really nice 🙂

    i think in terms of value for money i’d buy off the peg, but i’d not buy something if there were too many things i’d want to change, if that makes sense.

    i suppose in terms of a shopping list i’d like the XX1 or equivalent, dropper and preferably shimano brakes. appreciate that i’ll probably have to compromise though.

    i didn’t mention a budget, but up to 4k would be doable, if not reasonable :0

    keep the suggestions coming!

    pictonroad
    Full Member

    My mate just built up a Carbon Tallboy LT for that sort of money with carbon rims on hopes, full XT, reverb, pikes, Easton finishing kit.

    Its pretty much perfect for a do everything bike, 26-28lbs depending on pedals or tyres, it’s what I’d go for. Much more fun getting small boxes in the post and putting them together yourself.

    moshimonster
    Free Member

    think in terms of value for money i’d buy off the peg, but i’d not buy something if there were too many things i’d want to change, if that makes sense.

    Same here! Spesh Camber Evo or Stumpy FSR should tick all your spec boxes mentioned – XT brakes on 2015 models, 1×11 Sram drive, wide bars, decent dropper post etc

    moshimonster
    Free Member

    My mate just built up a Carbon Tallboy LT for that sort of money with carbon rims on hopes, full XT, reverb, pikes, Easton finishing kit.

    For £4K and with carbon rims! I seriously doubt it unless he gets staff discounts. That’s a £6K bike if ever there was one.

    pictonroad
    Full Member

    Well, if you ask his wife it was £1800…

    Last year’s frame from Stif with Kashima shock, £1800, Pikes & Reverb from Germany, groupset from Merlin, bars & stem from CRC at 50% off, lightbicycle rims built on hopes. Think he already had saddle & pedals

    Nowhere near £6k to build but yes, it’s a £6k bike.

    moshimonster
    Free Member

    Ha ha! Good effort in that case. Nice bike too!

    pictonroad
    Full Member

    it bloody is. 😈

    I hate him.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    The new Whyte t129 looks promising.

    Orange Segment ditto, but a self-build definitely the way to go with them. Poor VFM on full bikes.

    Or I can personally recommend this frame, combined with a Pike RC from Alltricks for £330-ish…
    http://www.blueflowbikes.com/hammerhead-thumper-closeouts/hammerhead-thumper-frame

    coogan
    Free Member

    Pivot Mach 6 is an absolute hoot to ride. Mine with 27.5, 11 speed, carbon stuff.

    moshimonster
    Free Member

    Or I can personally recommend this frame, combined with a Pike RC from Alltricks for £330-ish…

    Looks pretty good, geo looks spot on with current trends. Price is right too, but really needs better graphics. I know it makes no difference to the ride, but….

    chakaping
    Free Member

    Looks pretty good, geo looks spot on with current trends. Price is right too, but really needs better graphics. I know it makes no difference to the ride, but….

    I put a 1-deg slackset in and I’ve ridden Helvellyn and a couple of the Tweed Valley EWS tracks on it – it’s been very impressive, even on the twisty, steep bits.

    Paint much nicer in the flesh, black cherry colour – I’ll live with the graphics until it’s battered enough to need a respray.

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Those new transition bikes look ace, can’t comment on the ride though

    I second RocketDog, I have a Covert which rides brilliantly and for OP the Bandit would have been great which in the new range I suppose is the Scout

    davidrussell
    Free Member

    Any more suggestions from the Saturday morning crew?

    matther01
    Free Member

    Its a world of choice at the mo!

    New commencals are looking quite good IMO

    My choice would be in no particular order:

    Spitfire
    Process
    Aerial
    Patrol
    V4 AM

    Superficial
    Free Member

    Have a look at the Mondraker Foxy – the ‘forward geometry’ is getting great reviews. If it was me, maybe a Canyon Spectral (CF version coming soon).

    deanfbm
    Free Member

    My next bike.

    Transition have got it so right for next year. Geometry, suspension design (have a look on linkage design blog for how good they got it), weight might be a little high, but itll be strong.

    I think they’re available october time.

    As for a trail bike (the type of bike design for the riding you’re doing, essentially XC with some technical stuff thrown in), the scout or smuggler would be real good for. Want free speed and grip, go 29er, want a bit more nimbleness and acceleration, go with the smaller wheels. I see it so much on here on the subject of what bike to get, why is the default 6″ for all round riding? 6″ is DH bike you can pedal around territory.

    doug_basqueMTB.com
    Full Member

    If you don’t have the Orbea Rallon on your list then you are missing out! It really is special. 160mm but great climbing and great fun in tight singletrack.

    benpinnick
    Full Member

    @deanbfm – that leverage curve looks nice on the scout, much like an Aeris. Have you ridden one? Would be interested to know how it feels, although I think I can probably guess!

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    The new Transitions look great, suspension is a big step forwards – and their launch video is excellent – giddy up! 😉

    However I’d still get a Banshee Spitfire again if I was buying now – pedals likes an efficient 140mm bike but descends like a bigger bike. The KS-link design means it pedals really well, is very stiff so the suspension can work in practice like it’s designed to in theory, is very low friction so you get tons of grip, the anti-squat which makes it pedal so well reduces hugely once you’re deeper in the travel so it doesn’t noticeably kick back or lock up through the rough, and the progressive leverage ratio means the travel feels bottomless (instead of just the spring ramping up the damping also ramps up).

    And the fundamental geometry is so right but adaptable to your riding: 26 or 27.5 wheels, 429mm or 439mm chainstays, BB drop 18/12/6mm & HA 66/66.5/67deg (with 160mm 26″ or 150mm 27.5″ fork) by changing the dropout position (low&slack/neutral/high&steep). A test ride can only tell you so much so it’s great to have a bike which as you live with it you can get as right as possible for your needs.

    Mine has 27.5 wheels, 439mm chainstays (with the 429mm dropouts there would still be as much mud clearance as the fork has but I prefer the balance with the slightly longer back-end), 160mm Pike, neutral dropout position usually (I use the low&slack position for uplift days), CCDBA-CS. It deserves a great fork and shock – once you’ve got them tweaked in you can ignore them until they need a service, don’t need the climb or pedal settings at all.

    Having done some tweaking I’m back at the base tune on the shock with 28% sag as Keith Banshee recommended, and 25% sag on the Pike with two bottomless tokens, fairly quick rebound and moderate low speed compression damping.

    Ignoring all the techy geekery, it’s just a bloody awesome bike! Looks great too… 😀

    davidrussell
    Free Member

    something wrong with the banshee site unfortunately and its not just their spelling…

    http://www.bansheebikes.com/bikes_page/banshee-spitfire-mountian-bike/

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    Useful review: http://m.vitalmtb.com/product/guide/Frames,7/Banshee-Bikes/Spitfire-v2,12133

    And this is of the Rune (20mm more at the back, slightly taller slacker shorter geometry, and a bit burlier, otherwise very similar): http://m.pinkbike.com/news/Banshee-Rune-650B-Tested-2013.html

    davidrussell
    Free Member

    that transition scout looks awesome. lots of bikes to check out, thanks for the replies so far!

    davidrussell
    Free Member

    thread resurrection.

    doing a pointless paper exercise to put the canyon spectral AL/ CF, transition scout and banshee spitfire through a ranking system, because i’m bored and the wife is watching SCD.

    what criteria would you use to rate a bike assuming you can’t ride it?

    i’ve come up with: price, geo, looks, spec, weight so far. any other criteria?

    nickdavies
    Full Member

    Canyon Spectral from what you’ve said in OP – that’s what I’d get having a strive now. I’d be eyeing this fella up.. http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=3603

    To play top trumps i’d put geometry first, then price & weight up top as easy ones for spec.
    I’d also check for cheapening out, i.e. Pike RC’s, groups with cheaper bits chucked in, etc…
    There’s a lot of X01 Pike enduro bikes out there like this to keep the cost down.

    davidrussell
    Free Member

    its on the list nick, that exact spec seems pretty much ideal. not sure if the CF version is worth 600 euros more for 1.5lb in weight though.

    the canyon price/ spec is prety hard to beat on paper, the transition is 1000 euros ish more for a lower spec – thats the benefit of a direct business model i suppose.

    tomhoward
    Full Member

    Demo a Santa Cruz 5010, Bronson and Nomad.
    Pick the frame you like the bestest.
    Build it up to the spec and budget to suit.

    [/frameproof suit wearing fanboi]

    davidrussell
    Free Member

    i hadn’t give the Sc range much thought to be honest, 5010 looks nice in black though. they are pricey 🙂

    hambl90
    Free Member

    If I could afford it I’d definitely demo a Rocky Mountain altitude.

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