I’ve been thinking of posting this for a while, but have been doing my own looking first.

I have been riding my SX Trail for a while and love the way it has improved my downhill/freeride riding but know I’m wondering if I need or just want more on my Downhill specific days. If I improved with the SX head angle will I improve(may be that should read feel more confident) with a slacker Downhill specific bike.

It needs to be new as I’m going to put £1000 of it on the bike to work scheme.

So far I have looked at the Kona Operator, Norco Atomic and the Scott Gambler 30 via the internet.

What else is about, and I welcome all your thoughts and comments.

Many thanks in Advance, Si

Are you going to race DH?

Saracen Myst would definitely be worth a look

As matt says myst or operator would be my top choice with the nod just going to the myst having had quick rides on both. The saracen is also 38lb as a stock build.

I would like to, I really enjoyed the Cannock Riders guild weekend and I suppose thats where it(the bike and I) will be tested against the clock first.I defo plan on taking part in some downhill lessons before I take on to many bad habits. Cannock and Llangollen have lessons available. I will be riding at Foel Gasnack DH and Llangollen DH mostly. I supose it depends on how I get on and whether I improve or not as to whether I actually race.

you dont need to be racing to buy a dh bike- if thats where janbo was heading ?
plenty of decent tracks in the uk to justify a dh bike

fwiw id go for the kona but ive ridden none of those mentioned

Plenty of decent tracks within 25 miles never mind the rest of N Wales/Pearce tracks.

Mail me.

In Wxm.

The Saracen Myst does indeed look nice. Surprisingly light too.

Kona Operator

09 Glory 0

Doug – Member

09 Glory 0

if you dont mind lugging a tank around!

if you dont mind lugging a tank around!

If you don’t mind riding something that won’t break when you get things wrong.

Mondraker Kaiser? Also saw some nice reduced Devinci Wilsons on Freeborn’s site the other day..

Hang on, it’s a DOWNHILL BIKE, not an uphill bike. even the pros on the world cup circuit are running 40/42lb bikes.. (Sure, there are some around at about 33/32lbs, but they’re going to be stupidly expensive) so the comment about a 2009 glory being a tank isn’t valid. There are still loooooots of them on uplift days.

As for a new bike, how about, as stated, a saracen myst, even a Commenfailcal is available for spot on £2500 http://www.singletrackbikes.co.uk/product/6589/Commencal_Supreme_DH_2011

As for others, look at the lesser known brands (Canyon make a spot on DH bike for just over £2k, but no C2W scheme).

The Mondraker Kaiser looks nice but I really like the look of the Saracen Myst , then again they all look bloody nice don’t they.

What I will have to do now is go and have a look. Oh and continually pester our HR to bring the bike to work scheme back again this year. Earliest they will do it is June tho so that gives me plenty of research time.

Thanks for taking the time respond.

Many thanks again, Si

Cycle Scheme have cracked down heavily on people paying the difference to get a more expensive bike, most shops I know are refusing to let you add even as little as 50 quid to the scheme, there have been a lot of slapped wrists apparently! For example, they object to female specific clothing if it’s a male name on the form and won’t allow bike computers because they’re ‘racing’ equipment!
Plus, I think there’s now a mandatory 25% settlement fee at the end to ‘own’ it.

There isn’t a mandatory fee at the end at all but the guidelines have changed which can make it less beneficial.

I didn’t know that about the cycle scheme, all I can do is try. If they won’t let me add to my total then it’s going to longer to the bike as I’l have to save up the total.

Thanks for the heads up

Agree with the comments about the cycle schemes. Officially in order to get a bike over £1k your employer needs to have a credit licence which will allow that and officially you are not allowed to add cash to the voucher value. And last Aug/Sept there was clarity on the final value fee which can reduce the attractiveness of the scheme in certain situations. There are many more on here who have better knowledge of the ins and outs of the scheme (search for the posts!) than me but that’s a brief summary.

Having said that, my mate is advertising a brand new unridden Myst in a medium over on Pinkbike. I suggested he post there and on SDH rather than here to get more interest. He’s based in Edinburgh/Falkirk but may post. In order to not break any forum rules which may exist (I checked first!) I won’t give any further details/links.

EG

Transition tr450. Jed at bikedirty will do you a good deal.