Hi

Please help me choose between these 2 bikes. I have between £1500 and £2000 to spend in my first full suspension bike. I live in the Peak District so will be riding the trails around there. Nothing too heavy going as I’m pretty rubbish on a MTB

So far I’ve narrowed it down to a trek fuel ex 8 29er or a Canyon nerve al 7.9.

http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=3182
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/fuel-ex-8-29er-2014-mountain-bike-ec051736#features

What do you guys reckon? Oh and sorry for the annoying help me choose question but I’m really stuck on this one

Ta
Chris

I have a Canyon AL29er and it has been excellent. A mate has the Trek ex9 29er, it has more travel (+10mm) and he loves his, I would say that the Trek is perhaps more versatile because of the extra travel and effective geometry, but the Canyon may well be lighter and pedals up hills a bit easier. I personally prefer the look of the Canyon but that is a matter of personal choice.

As far as kit goes, I’d prefer SLX to Elixir brakes, but the wheels are better on the Canyon.

The other advantage is that there are lots of Trek dealers in the UK if you do need help with the bike post sales. I personally have been very happy with Canyon’s after sales, but I do know some haven’t (do a search on here!)

Edit: I am aware that you are looking at an EX8 and my mate’s bike is an EX9, I was comparing correct specs

Cheers Jimw.

Sounds like I couldn’t go wrong with either bike really… Also helps that I could get the Trek tomorrow whereas I’d have to wait a month for the Canyon…

I can also get the trek for £1500 via a rebate from Evans… Decisions decisions…

Have a Canyon Al 9.9 which rides really well.

I would agree, both are very good medium travel 29er bikes.
At the time I bought mine, the Trek wasn’t easily available so would have had to wait for either. I just preferred the spec on my Canyon. At the time neither were available at any sort of discount.
I have had both Trek and Canyon bikes, both are much the same in terms of build quality IMHO

I have a Trek and got a no-quibble frame and rebuild replacement under warranty when it cracked. No problems in the 4 years since.

I have no experience of the Canyon as a company.

I realise warranty isn’t a very sexy way to choose, but made my life much easier when I needed it.

Different geometry. Trek seem to favour longer wheelbases and effective top tubes while Canyon have shorter top tubes and ship with longer stems.

You’ll be happy on either though. Great value bikes that will ride hard.

If your not that bothered about the canyon then buy the trek tomorrow.

If they still had the canyon al 8.9 in my size I’d definitely go for that… I’ll test ride the trek tomorrow and buy if it fits.

Cheers for the advice!

Don’t support Trek, they suck. The world would probably still have Klein, Bontrager and Gary Fisher bikes still if it wasn’t for Trek sucking.

Get this instead:
http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/slide-130-29-9.0-sl-17937/wg_id-7261
You’re welcome

That radon is a lot of bike for the money!

Maybe one of these instead…
http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=3606

Or the previous year model at discount if they have your size.

You could also consider Rose – another German direct sales company but with a much better customer service than Canyon and also the option to change the specification on many of the parts. They have a very helpful UK rep based near Bath who might be able to arrange a test ride – http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/products/bikes/mtb/all-mountain–tour/root-miller/

Trek were also responsible for the demise of LeMond road bikes as well.

Trek were also responsible for the demise of LeMond road bikes as well.

Their treatment of Greg Lemond during the LA years is why I will never own a Trek product, but probably not a factor for the OP.

Or you could just buy my trek ex 9.8 carbon for £2000

Don’t support Trek, they suck. The world would probably still have Klein, Bontrager and Gary Fisher bikes still if it wasn’t for Trek sucking

Riiiiight.

Because those three all sold up because business was going so well as indies.

johnnystorm – Member

Riiiiight.

Because those three all sold up because business was going so well as indies.Can you think of many other MTB companies that have vanished apart from Fat Chance?

And you can’t even buy a Trek by mail order. What a douchebag company

I have had my Trek ex fuel 29er for about 10mths now,excellent bike does everything I have asked of it 😀

Don’t support Trek, they suck. The world would probably still have Klein, Bontrager and Gary Fisher bikes still if it wasn’t for Trek sucking.

And we might still have actual, real bike shops if people didn’t support foreign internet retailers. The world sucks.

Can you think of many other MTB companies that have vanished apart from Fat Chance?

Yep. Loads.

Arrow
AMP
Overburys
Pace (pretty much)
MS Racing
Alpinestars
Sunn (are they still going? )
Fred Salmon Racing
Bigfoot/Ozone
Etc.

Oh, and what about the brands that Planet X snapped up? Tomac, Vitus, Nukeproof, etc.

And you can’t even buy a Trek by mail order. What a douchebag company

What a great stance in support of LBS that is by Trek . Also it means that the brand doesn’t get devalued by people jobbing out last years models and being ridden by people who think they are bike mechanics but actually can’t set the things up properly so they don’t ride as they should .

I got the Nerve 29er last month – it was a tough choice between that and the discounted Spectral 8.9 CH but glad I made the choice I did. So much faster on than my Zesty was on XC trails, haven’t really tried it out on gnarlier stuff yet but can’t see why there would be any issues.
It’s my second Canyon and the VFM, quality, and attention to detail is top notch.
Having said that you probably can’t go wrong with either.

Anywho… I went for the Trek. Took it and a few other bikes for a test ride at my not so local LBS. Loved the Trek and after riding a very racy road bike for years I’d forgotten just how comfortable an MTB could be.

Took it out around some of the trails near my house near Kinder scout in Hayfield. Couldn’t be happier and £1500 for the EX 8 29er seems to be the best deal for the bike by about £300 so I’m pretty chuffed.

Thanks for the advice everyone!