Looking for a bike and have narrowed it down to either an Orange 5, Yeti 575 or a Santa Cruz Blur LT. With a budget of max £2k.

Anyone got an opinion (silly question really!)

Yeti

I had a Yeti 575 and now have a Blur LT. The Yeti was a nice “all-day” bike but I much prefer the Blur LT as an “everyday” bike.

Never ridden an Orange, so can’t help you out there.

Ridden a Blur and the Orange(for one year).Blur every time for me.

Have you read any magazine reviews? SC Blur LT vs. Yeti 575 was in issue 44? (I think I saw it on the cover whilst trying to find something in a back issue the other day)
Orange 5 was in quite recently, maybe 58?

Yeti. I’m biased 🙂

I’ve had a 2009 five AM/mojo sl/pace 405 etc etc

Now have a LTc – best all-round bike I’ve owned. Air shock and spd’s for normal rides, coil shock and flats for proper mountains

I’d say try both then you can decide 😆

Did you consider the Lapierre Zesty? I test rode the Blur LT but choose the Zesty 514 because it just made me smile more, super quick uphill too. There’s some good deals out there on the 314’s. I hear you can’t go wrong the Orange 5’s though.

richoutthere – I might be in the same boat as you if I don’t go for the self-build route. Seen plenty of Ofives for <2k but no Blurs or Yetis. Am I looking in the wrong places? 🙂

I have a 575 & I rented a Blur LT in the US for a couple of weeks last year

TBH – I struggled with the Blur & never really felt I got ‘involved’ with it
It was impossible to put my finger on on it & I was constantly chasing the set up hoping to get it feeling how I wanted it but never did.
Maybe I was trying to make it feel like my Yeti, I dunno but I came away pretty disappointed with it.
To be fair the forks & running gear weren’t anywhere near the quality that I have on my own bike

How about the Chumba VF2? 🙂

Not sure if you have seen the banner ad above, but i am offering the VF2 frame with RP23, Fox Float RLC Qr15 fork and Hope headset for £1599.

I CANNOT BELIEVE you are not considering a Heckler.

Orange 5’s win every test, say no more

Fair point. Magazine reviewers know more about what would work for you than you EVER WILL.

Good point about the heckler, very good price for a classic frame!

I’ve ridden an orange 5 pro with a few extra bits and pieces and could of ridden it all day, but can’t get away from the ugly rear swing arm. The friend I was out with has a Heckler and we swapped over for a climb and decent, there’s not a lot between them really although i did prefer the 5 for some reason. I guess I’m trying to find out what ppl think of the VPP on the blur lt? As i’ve not found a blur demo bike just yet.
Both would be second had buys, as they both are too much for my pocket new.
A yeti with talas, hope m2’s and xt/xtr for 2K is the top of my budget but ticks all the boxes for me right now, just struggling to justify the price tag.
Looked at Lapierre bikes but they just don’t tickle the parts the yeti reaches for me, so not been tempted to take one out. (I know ppl rave about them!)

I agree with cynical, Heckler is a flippin’ bargain.

Oh got to be sub 30lb too!

Is that 2k budget for the frame only, or a complete bike? I’d have loved a Blur myself, but that frameset costs a lot of money before you start attaching bits to it. What about the new Nickel – similar sort of territory, but with a design more in line with the Orange 5?

for the whole bike

Yeti – Biased opinion of course

sam by kevantlin, on Flickr

sam-2 by kevantlin, on Flickr

Verrrrrrrrrrrrry tasty Yeti Guy! 8) How do you get your bike to stand up like that….or is it some clever photoshopping?

All yeti bikes stand up on their own, another reason to get one eh? 😉

I’ve just gone for a Blur LTC (well i’m waiting on it to arrive). The nike i test rode felt amazing, so stiff! the only way to decide is to test ride them.

£2k for the whole bike? New? Surely the Five is the only choice out of those three on that budget?

I’d prefer one to a 575 as well.

But as the other guy said, possible better value and just as good a bike by buying a discounted Zesty.

I’ve not tried the YETI but my mates Blur LT2 felt fantastic being thrashed down some seriously rocky descents in the Peaks.

I’ve just gone and got an Intense Tracer VP as I loved the feel of the VPP
2 as shared by the tracer and blur.

As there’s a Tracer 2 coming out soon there are some bargains about on the original..

rode a 2007 blur today, and it just didn’t give that smile!! got it on the five, so only the yeti to try now (tomorrow pm).
£2K is for the whole bike, and I’m not bothered about it being new, just got to be well maintained and feel amazing to ride.
Can get a 2010 five pro (new), 2009 yeti or blur (second hand) for 2k ish (each) from what I’ve seen.
The jury is out right now but the yeti 575 is top on looks, and the five the on ride smile factor.

The yeti 575 is just like the one above but with an xtr triple chainset

It may be too late but if you fancy a demo on my Chumba VF2 demo bike you are more than welcome to try it in the Peak district for the day?

Chumba VF2 & CCDB by srbwilson, on Flickr

is it for sale then? depending where in the peak you may not be that far away.

That frame is for sale but with rp23. I could build a full bike with hope wheels full slx groupset and fox vanilla and thomson stem and post fork for £1750. All the kit is like new.

If you want I can let you use my vf2 for a few hours to see what you think? I am based in chesterfield not far from done great riding.

I’m actually quite gutted, I was in Chesterfield today, where i rode a second hand blur and could of easily dropped by on my way to Rotherham.
Would that build kit be sub 30 lb?
email in profile, I’m quite interested now having read your web page.

Have you actually ridden the blur LT2 though, with VPP2??

It’s totally different to the original blur so don’t base your decision on test riding an old 2007 one!

No haven’t ridden an LT2, don’t think my fund will stretch to one of those new and haven’t’ seen a second hand one. Point taken though.
Any views on a Mavric?

If you’re after a Large this Intense Tracer is worth a look (virtually identical geometry and VPP2 suspension to Blur LT2)

Used only a dozen times

I tested the 575 and the blur, and definitely know which one I would go for. Would recommend you go get a test ride and see which one you like.

I could build a full bike with hope wheels full slx groupset and fox vanilla and thomson stem and post fork for £1750. All the kit is like new.

That sounds a cracking deal!

Bikescene / Biketreks / Leisure Lakes and Stif all have close out deals on the very last batch of ano black LT2 frames before they stopped doing the anodised finish. A LOT cheaper than you might think!

I made this choice about 4 years ago. Demo’d them both at MM and the Yeti was a better climber and felt like it had more travel. It fitted me better too.
Bought a Yeti, still have it, still love it (well, once I get those new bearings installed! 2nd set of bearings in 4 years, if that figures in your choice).
I agree sub-30lb is a big factor, so rules out the Orange 5 for me.
Heckler swingarm rubs on my calves, which I couldn’t live with.

Another biased Yeti vote