sorry for the long windedness of this. But its best to know the full story and all.

I got into mountainbiking towards the end of last year after I had fallen out of love with road biking/triathlon.
I got the bug quickly and spent almost every other weekend at cannock bashing round the monkey trail (I have a strage personality, a little OCD like where I get the most joy out of doing(riding) the same thing over and over and over again to gradually improve) I don’t like new stuff, it just scares me. My last trip to cannock involved 4 laps round the monkey to try and improve each time. I’m sad like that.

Anyway, I also have a love for building bikes, I like light things (a habit I got from road biking) and I like to race people.

I got myself a giant anthem which seeing as I have the riding ability of a 5 year old girl was a great bike. I did a bit of racing on a friends 29er hard tail and decided that I hadn’t built anything in a while so I built up a on-one 29er race.

Now this bike is lovely, it rides very fast and is great for xc/racing. But I feel like my enjoyment is starting to go a little as I don’t have the ability on the rocky downhill sections, I feel I would get more enjoyment out of something bouncier.

So, my quandry is, the anthem doesn’t do this stuff that well either. The guys I have been riding with have 140mm+ travel bikes that seem great fun down these sections.

But I’m not sure whether to –
A) beef up the anthem with some 100-130 revs that I happen to have. Possibly throwing the geometry all off.
B) Get a 26er full sus frame designed for 140mm or thereabouts.
C) get a 29er full sus frame.

The 29er option seems the best to me as I prefer being on the 29er, but this would make things so much more expensive as 29er full sus frames aren’t cheap and it would need another set of 29er forks, which also arent cheap!!!

So any opinions would be nice.

Just to stress, before many people chime in with comments about not needing that much travel, I know I don’t need it, but I think I would have more fun with it!
At the end of the day mountain biking is a bit of fun for me in the off-season.

Thanks.

improve yourself – mtb is about your own skill more than shaving 10g off your bike

If you like the 29er on one try a Titus rockstar, cheeeep from on one at the mo, I’ve built one up with 120mm forks and it feels quicker over rough stuff than my previous 140mm five spot, the only time I notice the travel difference is on drops to flat where the rockstar has 100mm rear travel,
Otherwise it pedals better, climbs better, and descends just as quick…
I’m lovin it muchly at the moment…. 😀

I never said about wanting this bike to be light! If anything I would prefer sturdy. And as I mentioned in the last bit this isn’t about my own skill. Which of course I am trying to improve.
This is about fun!

Thats the one I am looking at Khani, not sure about the 750 pricetag though 🙁

Mine is a version one frame from wiggle, £666 with an rp23 boost valve and it looks as well built as my old turner..
Don’t bother looking on wiggle though cos I got the last one..

Well, its not the bike (having seen someone quite happily do the Afan black section on an Anthem, with full height XC seat position too) but you, so spend your money on some training.

Why not come up to Glentress and book with Ridelines or Dirtschool; not only will you learn how to ride the things that scare you but you’ll also get to try new tracks with expert coaching.

http://www.dirtschool.co.uk/

Home Page

I’ve no interest in either but often see then coaching.

Oh, I am very much aware that it is me not the bike thats holding me back.

You miss my point entirely. I will have my hardtail which I will continue to work on my skill, but I am considering whether it would be best complimented with something bouncy in the 26 or 29er market.
I just wondered the opinions of people who have been in similar situations.

I get what you mean. You can have, so you want some more fun kit? Good for you.

I was in the same boat, riding an XC hardtail and finding it limited what I could ride. I therefore chose to spend my money on what I wanted, and built up a 140mm bouncer. Critics will tell you that it’s an ability compensator, but two main points:
1. I am no longer scared on rocky descents, as I no longer think I’m going over the bars into oblivion.
2. Now I have proved to myself that I’m not going over the bars into oblivion, I ride the hardtail more confidently, even down steep rocky descents.

Treat yourself, you obviously want to, and don’t listen to all you read on forums, especially the “it’s not about the bike” brigade. If we did, we’d all be riding rigid steel-framed singlespeed fatbikes brewed in Calderdale.

If you can afford it, then go for it. If you still feel guilty afterwards you can always get a hair shirt.

My choice would be a 26 inch 140/150 such as the Titus FTM or the carbon version.

Treat yourself, you obviously want to, and don’t listen to all you read on forums, especially the “it’s not about the bike” brigade. If we did, we’d all be riding rigid steel-framed singlespeed fatbikes brewed in Calderdale.

This ^^^ I got what suits Me .. you’re only here once so get what you fancy…scratch the itch….