Hi All,

Facing a quandary I would appreciate views on. After 8 years on full suspension Specialized I want to move back to a simpler bike (from maintenance perspective). The Cube ltd pro 29 with XT has caught my eye at £999. Other bikes that have caught my eye mean spending a bit more which I am relaxed with doing if they will be ‘better’ bikes are the Bird zero, Kona Honzo and whyte 901 or 905.

Riding wise, I regularly get cross country around Berkshire & Lancashire, South Downs, Swinley and bike parks in Wales with occasional trips to the lakes for cross country and bike parks. For ‘bigger’ days riding I am comfortable in hiring a heavier duty full suss if needed. In terms of me, 110kg ex rugby player who enjoys power than spinning the pedals to get around

Your views & advice welcome

Cheers

The LTD are VERY focused, very XC geometry and riding position, full on flat bar’d XC race bike.

Personally, if going even for Swinley and then adding in the other stuff, i’d be going more Bird Zero as it’s going to be slacker, easier, more ‘nice’ to ride.

what he weeksy said, I wouldn’t touch the cube unless your a XC racing snake (or have pretensions) & even then I wouldn’t recommend it for everyday riding.. Personally I’m a fan of Whyte range, but haven’t compared the ‘value’

More or less with the others.
Even if an XC race bike will be faster round some trail centres, its not always more fun. Something slightly slacker with clearance for bigger tyres is a more versatile option if not racing.

Look up the Pinnacle Iroko and Ramin – great geometry and value, seem to tread a middle ground of ‘relaxed’…

thanks all for your help and advice

Don’t leave… we can tyalk rubbbish for hours here….

What’s on the shopping list now ? We can talk you into or out of whatever else that is 🙂

Recommend what you have – Stanton Slackline, it’s awesome.

Kona Honzo sounds very similar to what I have (chromag surface) and I love it

On the face of it it does sound like a more versatile bike would be better suited to the variety of riding you do. Also, xc bikes come with lighter weight parts such as wheels etc which I doubt would last long under your 110kg and preferred stamping down the power method

The Whyte HT’s are the absolute dream bikes for hours of South Downs fun.

Would you consider second hand …..

lol stop selling my frame !

Sonder Transmitter https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/sonder-transmitter-nx1-1×11

Or

Vitus Sentier http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-bikes-sentier-vrs-hardtail-bike-slx-1×11-2017/rp-prod146561

Or Commencal Meta HT, I just build one of those for £1300 with a dropper, XT and nice bits so SLX should be doable for £1,000 + dropper

Haha!

Going nowhere 🙂 Any views on the Kona? From a looks perspective I think it is best. off to play on the configurator for birds and check out other suggestions.

Did you build the commencal yourself or did you get a store build? XT price of yours sounds great value

Chromag and Stanton are new to me – thanks !

Built it myself courtesy of some almost new Revelations that I bought for £170 on ebay…lucky. The rest is pretty standard, Crossrides, cheapo dropper, Easton stem and carbon barS.