Hi, I’m new here so go easy!

I’ve been umming and arring for months about custom build or off the peg for a new MTB & finally at crunch point, but can’t decide between 2 options.

Option 1 is an off the peg bike, with a fork upgrade (pikes or BOS Deville). basic Santa Cruz build kit, but latest & greatest geometry for 2016

Option 2 is last years frame and geometry, but a lighter frame, in a better colour. The frame is being offered for ~40% off retail. Spending similar / less on this bike than option 1 above gets me: same forks, Hope wheels & hubs, a reverb dropper & full XT groupset. Plus a load of blingy shiney stuff to make it look cool 🙂

What I can’t decide is if it’s better to go for the new bike & supposedly better geo. or the older bike with better weight & kit spec? Has the old bike suddenly become worse overnight?

The bikes concerned are Santa Cruz bronsons. 2016 carbon in dull black, or 2014 in tennis ball yellow, with the CC (lighter) frame on the 2014 frame…..both brand new & fully warranted.

Head or heart? Head say newer bike, heart says self build & custom spec.

Would really appreciate some input from a few people with better bike knowledge than myself!

Or you could get a CC XTR for $8699 if you happen to be in the States….. mind you it will be pink.

The XT build is only $5119 in black.

Or you could get a CC XTR for $8699 if you happen to be in the States….. mind you it will be pink.

The XT build is only $5119 in black.

Sorry, I should say, I’m UK based, looking a the ‘basic’ R AM build on a carbon frame, but with a fork upgrade. Guess it will come in around £3500…

I reckon you’ll regret it if you don’t get the new frame.

I’d love one but I wouldn’t touch the old one with a bargepole.

Old one seemed pretty well liked, what makes you say you wouldn’t touch the old one with a bargepole?

Get the new frame, geometry is more important than spec. The new one looks great.

What was ‘wrong’ with the geo in 2014?

IMO, I’d go for the 2014 frame with loadsa blingy kit. Seems like steal to me. Aren’t the newer ones longer and slacker, or sommat? Great if you are a shaggy ape. Not so great if you are a truly awesums shredder… 😀

I sat on a new Bronson yesterday and it felt perfect. I know you can’t tell by just sitting, but I’m in love! I ride a mk 2 nomad in Lrg and the exta 25mm on the top tube felt much better. If was also extremely light, but it was a 5k build with carbon cranks etc. I was also looking at a discounted older Bronson, but it’s a new one for me now. I’m spending the day cleaning the Nomad and my Slackline ready for sale!!

Can you afford to get the next build up? the cs 2016 comes with pikes and some other slightly nicer bits for £3999, that’s the one I am waiting to be delivered. How much are the pikes separately?

I could go to the next build spec, but that is just budget creep in the extreme. I started off looking for something around £2.5k….!

Pikes can be got for around £550, and I reckon I could sell the sektors for around £200? I have also been offered £300 in vouchers against the bike which I could use toward a reverb & invisiframe. Putting me around £3400 all in for bike, pikes, reverb & invisiframe.

What about going for the ‘older’ Nomad? Very similar geometry to the new Bronson, just 10mm more travel. It’s a lot nicer to ride than the Bronson of that year IMO. I am biased though.

one advantage of self build is you get to get all the bits you like and none you dont want that you upgrade later. Upgrading is just paying for the same thing twice, hence a build is in the long run cheaper.

I have 2014 Bronson, love the bike. Great alrounder. In your above case I’d go for the 2014 model and xt kit without having to sell the basic forks etc. Pikes, XT brakes, reverb are IMHO no brainers

I’ve got a 2014 (26″ brought sept 13) Alu Nomad which was a 6K build I’m selling next week to fund the new Bronson if interested. Very high spec and want £2.5k for. Not sure where you’re based, but Pedal and Spoke in Surrey have both Bronsons for demo.