First of all can I say hello! Been lurking for the last week or so and have been impressed by the level of obsessive attention to detail most of you possess which suits me down to the ground 😉

I’m considering investing some hard earned cash into a new bike, and I thought I’d use my first post on the forum to get some advice.

I’ve got upto £3k (or at a push a little bit more) to spend. I mainly ride single track, Xc and the occasional marathon so looking for a good all rounder. Been considering a stumpy but been reading good things about the Yeti Asr 5 carbon. I’m keeping all options open as to whether I go new or second hand, and would be happy to source the parts separately and build it up, as I did with my current Scott Genius 10 carbon

Any opinions on the bikes mentioned above or other recommendations would be welcome..

Cheers!

Pivot Mach Four or a Morewood Zula

Thanks David. I’ve not heard of those. How would they cope with the likes of Afan or Coed y Brenin?

**** knows, never ridden either of the bikes, but they look badass.

Any bike will be able to cope with those two trails you listed above, the ones Ive listed are probably just about ideal.

Definitely not an investment, likely you’ll never see that 3k again. Buy a nearly new secondhand bike for half that and enjoy the fact that you could sell it the next day for the money you spent.

If £3K is a significant amount for you then +1 rickon, and check for old models on sale at places like

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk

~£1000 off an Anthem X3

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b4s1p3494

or a bit more travel the trance X2 for £800 off

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s1p3506

or a £6K HT race weapon for £2.7K

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b4s2p3488

Can say for sure the zula would do all you require? And I used mine at coed and it was a blast. Pivots are good but only riden the 5.7 so more a long travel all round trail bike. Second hand wise Santa Cruz blur xc carbon is an option set up with a 120mm fork its a great bike very capable and ready to hit up most things. New of the self bikes giant anthem, value for money wise cube are hitting the mark and flying out the door at my local shop. To carry on the zula theme Santa Cruz superlight new version taper’d head tube etc one of the best bikes I’ve had very fun and similar to the zula which I would say (zula) is stiffer in the rear end. Hope that helps a bit.

Can say for sure the zula would do all you require? And I used mine at coed and it was a blast. Pivots are good but only riden the 5.7 so more a long travel all round trail bike. Second hand wise Santa Cruz blur xc carbon is an option set up with a 120mm fork its a great bike very capable and ready to hit up most things. New of the self bikes giant anthem, value for money wise cube are hitting the mark and flying out the door at my local shop. To carry on the zula theme Santa Cruz superlight new version taper’d head tube etc one of the best bikes I’ve had very fun and similar to the zula which I would say (zula) is stiffer in the rear end. Hope that helps a bit.

I think you mean ‘spend’…

Best thing is to spend a bit of time (and money) demo-ing some bikes, and based on what you want to ride, a 120mm FS would probably fit the bill.

And if buying a s/h FS, budget for fork/shock/pivot etc service.

I meant invest but not in the traditional sense…money in = fun out. Thanks for the replies so far

When you say the occasional marathon, do you mean for a laugh or to place competitively?

I’ve got a Stumpjumper & love it, but it probably isn’t what you want if you are after something to be competitive on. You’d be better off on something with a bit less travel.

If you want a general trail bike there is loads of choice at your price…
Stumpjumper
Orange Five
Lapierre Zesty
Giant Trance

Plus tons of ‘smaller’, fancier brands like Santa Cruz…

Ex-demo bikes are well worth looking at some here http://www.dalesbikecentre.co.uk/index.php/shop/demo-bikes/

Definitely not an investment, likely you’ll never see that 3k again. Buy a nearly new secondhand bike for half that and enjoy the fact that you could sell it the next day for the money you spent.

Duuude! It’s an investment in his soul and spirit, about being at one with nature man.

Short travel 29er would be where I’d spend my money, Giant Anthem/Trance, Canyon’s new one (not available for a few months though), Scott Spark etc.

Thanks all. Gives me a few things to think about

Another vote for anthem, may not be as cool as orange, sc etc…. But bloody quick and relatively good value.
Have my fastest time on skyline descent on one, (44th on strava a couple of months ago) I used to ride a nomad…

Skyline descent…fantastic section that…although when I did it a month or so ago I was knackered after doing most of w2 with a few extra loops of energy

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/2012-yeti-asr5c-frame-size-large

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/44757/Yeti-ASR-5-Enduro-Full-Suspension-Mountain-Bike-Sale.html

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/44392/Yeti-ASR-C-Full-Suspension-MTB-Frame—2012.html

Nice one Leku

No worries. I have a 5 alloy…

I’d go and try some out before I invested that. Rutland cycles have hire bikes, and I think that wheelbase in staveley do as well. I was all set for a fuel ex9 until I rode an anthem.

Santa Cruz Blur LT would be my weapon of choice!

Really like the look of the yeti but really concerned about reports of rear triangle cracking…

Really like the look of the yeti but really concerned about reports of rear triangle cracking…

What it looks like is of no relevence…, how it rides is what matters.

And tbh if you’re concerned, just walk away.

Personally I wouldn’t get a secondhand carbon FS frame, just too much of a gamble for my liking.

If this is your size it could be a good option, they are just amazing bikes.