I’d like to buy an XC full suspension bike, but Im not quite sure whats out there. I dont want some long travel, trailcentre mincing machine that I can take to the alps once per year.

I want a light weight short travel race doer, main usage will be mincing round the North Face trail and associated areas.

All I can think of at the moment is a Giant Anthem or a Cube Sting. What else is there I should be looking at.

trek top fuel

Specialized Epic / Epic Evo, possibly the short travel Ghost AMR thingy. There are others I’m sure…

All I can think of at the moment is a Giant Anthem

Perfect 😀

Here it is!

Website Link

Anthem X all the way.

I sadly bid goodbye to mine today but the new owner seemed chuffed to bits. If I could have afforded to keep it as well as the Helius I would have.

It’s a really capable bike and can do so much more than just go fast up hills (which it does do superbly).

I think I’m going to genuinely regret selling mine 🙁

Cannondale Rush or Scalpel

Specialized Camber or any if the others mentioned, including an EX8 or 9

I fancy a 120mm full susser also and like the sound of the Camber but I’m not sure about the looks of the thing. Some great deals on 2011 Spesh at freeborn

£1k!!

surprisingly similar

anthem x without a doubt.

Santa Superlight still worth a look after all these years……

Morewood Zula

Properly nice bike.

That morewood looks great – not feelin the White and red spesh paint job

anthem

Ta, its looking like the anthem at the moment. Maybe some sort of 2nd hand build. Has the frame changed in anyway over the years? Which is the best year to get? Do they have any issues with them?

I have an Anthem X2 at the moment and like it. Reasonable spec for the money if you can pick up a 2010 end of year deal. I’ve had a Spesh Epic in the past and liked that too.

The Anthem frame has gradually evolved over the years. I think 2009 is quite similar to 2010. I looked at the 2011 model, but didn’t think I’d benefit from the different bottom bracket and tapered steerer tube, so went for the cheaper and better looking (IMHO) 2010 X2.

Issues wise, I haven’t heard any bad stories. Mud clearance isn’t great (not much room between tyres and seatstay bridge), and the suspension links seem to attract muck.

Before I got mine I looked at the Scott Spark, Spesh Epic, Trek Top Fuel and glanced at the Lapierre X-Control and Cannondale Scalpel.

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Clearance+Section/MTB+Clearance+Section/Clearance+Commencal+Super+4+Frame+2010_C-META4.htm

£400 Commencal Super 4 frame.

Titus X – lovely and light. Looks pretty too.

That commencal is half tempting, my size too. Are they any good though? I thought most commencals tended to crack? I konw my mates dh frame did

Yeti ASR (carbon?)
Pronghorn PR6 (carbon?)
Titus Racer X

Scalpel for tighter budgets or Whyte E120 if a bit more bounce is required.

anthem has won bike of the year a couple of times….

Got a 2010 frame which I built up, absolutely love the thing 🙂 Can’t go wrong at all if you decide to get one!

That commencal is half tempting, my size too. Are they any good though? I thought most commencals tended to crack? I konw my mates dh frame did

I have a Meta 4 which is I guess pretty similar to this? I think the cracking frames were the Meta5’s in general, and I think mainly one year production on that. mine certainly is fine after a lot of use.

The ride is the best I have found after trying loads of different frames, a real fun bike to ride. The only downside to me is it’s a little porky, maybe this one is lighter than mine though. If I didn’t have a Meta I’d be looking towards an Anthem X but they’re nearly 3 times the price of the one linked.

Pronghorn PR6 (carbon?)

I’m glad I didn’t mention it, but now it’s out in the open, SO MUCH THIS!

trek top fuel!

My friend has a Super 4. He’s one of those people who somehow manages to break loads more bike bits than anyone else, despite not seeming to ride much and not jumping or anything – anyway, he hasn’t broken the frame yet.

It’s a bit heavier than he’d like for XC racing, but he likes how it handles and he’s managed OK when he’s come out with us in Lakes.

As my missus tells me, I’m a Specialized lover 🙂 I have an Epic expert+Stumpy FSR (frame bought separately) in my garage. Out of the 2 I much prefer the Stumpy for all round riding, its also no different in weight (if anything its lighter@ 27 1/2lb). Buy a 2nd hand frame and build it up yourself.

I’ve had a few friends Commencal’s bend out of alignment. As far as I’m aware the problems were sorted for 2010. For additional reassurance, they were all treated brilliantly by Commencal, new (2010) frames all round.

I think the Super 4 is a little slacker than you’d expect of an XC race bike, it’s the sort of thing I’d consider if I wanted a fun bike that was a bit more comfortable than a hardtail, but not a skill-compensator. It’s a bit of a racebike for someone that doesn’t race competitively and wants to be able to have a bit of fun on rides with.

I haven’t ridden one, or any of the others mentioned, but I like the concept of 4″ non-race bikes like this.

http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/mountain_full_suspension/top_fuel/topfuel99ssl/

jeeeesus!

By god that’s one fugly bike!

merida 96.

Anthem (X). It’s a rocket with wheels. I wish I had one. See Pauls Cycles

I think the Super 4 is a little slacker than you’d expect of an XC race bike, it’s the sort of thing I’d consider if I wanted a fun bike that was a bit more comfortable than a hardtail, but not a skill-compensator. It’s a bit of a racebike for someone that doesn’t race competitively and wants to be able to have a bit of fun on rides with.

That’d be my exact assessment of the Super/Meta 4, great riding bikes, just a little heavy.

Someone i know has and MSC Koncept, it looks awesome and seems to pedal well. Probably one of the lightest aluminium FS frames around too, I think he said his is sub 10kg without stupid parts.

Im half tempted by the commencal because the price seems so good. Its either that or a Trance (which will probably cost more for a 2nd hand frame)

Which is better? Trance is lighter I guess, Commencal a bit better for dh stuff (like parkamoor)?

What do they pedal/ride like?

I would certainly go along with the previous comments about Super 4s.
However mine did crack-on the seat tube but the importers [madison I think] sorted it in double quick time and the 2010 frame I got under warranty seemed beefier. So if those are 2010 frames, it would be a contender.

I’m glad I didn’t mention it, but now it’s out in the open, SO MUCH THIS!

Got a test ride in the next couple of weeks 😀 Cancelled last week due to too much snow in umm, Snowdonia.
On a Yeti ASR-Carbon at the moment so it’s going to need to be very good to pursuade me to change.

Anthem X without doubt. makes me feel 16 again! enough said

I have had an Anthem X1 for almost two years now and think it is an awesome bike. Great at climbing and handles most things I chuck at it (Cairngorms, Innerleithen, Glentress etc etc). I changed the wheels to Olympics and have made a few other changes but even as stock it is an excellent bike.