Name 'em.
In the grand STW tradition of just naming what you ride, I'm going to say it's a Cotic. I have a Rocket which is probably a bit more than a 'trail' bike, so I reckon you need a Flare.
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Haven't ridden a flare but would love to have a go. Whyte T130 is the one for me at the minute, I have a 2017 T130 C RS and it's the dogs!
Transition scout as I've got one.
Bird Aeris. Amazing bike, awesome service, loads of choice.
Bird Aeris 120 looks pretty good I'd say.
Whyte T130 RS as Ive got one
Fuel Ex 29 got to be worth a look- haven't actually ridden it but it's the offspring of the old Remedy 29 which is absolutely superb and it looks to have built on that in all the right ways.
Rose Granite Chief.
Get the 2015 Whyte T130SX from Winstanleys and have a grand in your pocket for a week in the Alps.
I have a flare max and an Aeris. Both recommended. Both great companies to deal with. Both fantastic wth demos. Spending that much cash, you have to ride them first.
Yup,
Love my T-130S.
Great bit of kit..
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[url= https://www.stif.co.uk/bikebuilder/santa-cruz-bronson-alloy-complete-bike/141 ]Bronson for just under 3k.[/url]
Airdrop edit!
Seems to be much love on the Whyte T130 on t'internet. After riding a 2010 Stumpjumper Ht, and never having owned a bouncy bike, I'm pretty certain it'll be the Whyte.
But I'm torn as until now it was looking like a Stumpjumper comp carbon 6fattie.
Bird Aeris or Whyte T130.
Got to be the Whyte T130 RS at your budget.
Heck of a bike. I came from a '15 Whyte T129 SCR Works to the '16 T130 RS and I couldn't be happier. I've not noticed any real difference in climbing or XC type riding, but on descents and playing, the T130 is leagues ahead. It's so much more nimble! Changes: 800mm Burgtec bars, 140mm airshaft & tubeless.
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Spesh carbon Camber 27.5
yes I do own one 😀
29in wheels are a must-have for a trail bike for me - so my list would include the new Fuel ex 29, the new NS Snabb 29er, the Transition Smuggler and the Orange Segment and forthcoming mid-travel 29er (though I'd want a demo on them to make sure I could live with the long chainstays).
If you favour 650b wheels, there's probably a better choice.
Canyon Spectral, Orange Five and Bird Aeris 145 would all be good for here in NW England
Cotic Flare 😀 The X Fusion shock is great. I leave it with the compression damping doofer turned right up so it pedals great but still has a little bit of comfort for my old bones. It's like an honorary hardtail, it's [i]that[/i] good, but with the added plus of being able to turn the compression down and have 130mm of skill and bravery compensation on tap!
edit- it's a '650B' frame but I'm using 26" wheels with 2.3" tyres and I reckon it'll take a 3" 26" tyre as well. They should advertise it as a 26/26+/650B frame.
I am close to selling my 2015 Anthem SX to part finance a 2017 Cotic Flare, so either of those !
Flare...
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Orange segment 🙂
Santa Cruz 5010 Carbon 27.5 1x11 £2700 from Start Fitness. Bargain and an amazing ride
My old 2011 26" Orange 5. Yours for only £2.5k. Invisiframe included FOC!! Yes really!!
#januarysalespecial
I've not noticed any real difference in climbing or XC type riding, but on descents and playing, the T130 is leagues ahead. It's so much more nimble!
😆
T-130 is a great bike and gets a lot of love for the right reasons. But you'd never catch me on small wheels out of choice! The T-129 just does everything the T-130 does, but faster and more efficiently.
This more than anything highlights what is important to one person may not be so to another. I'd put money on you being faster on your T-129 than on the T-130 everything else being equal...
29in wheels are a must-have for a trail bike for me
We're in a minority for sure Chakaping! Though I'm noticing a little bit of a resurgence in the mid travel 29er trail bike market. Whyte have stuck with the T-129 in the range and it still sells well despite the T-130's popularity, looking at bikes like the new NS Snabb for 2017 shows there's definitely brands out there that are also turning to 29er wheels for the future too.
Recommend what you run - Salsa Pony Rustler carbon. The under appreciated thinking mans Hightower :p
For me I'd be looking at a Banshee spitfire, cotic flare or a santa Cruz 5010c... They all probably stretch the budget a bit though. The Whyte 130 seems to be a great bike and good price but doesn't quite turn me on as much as these three. Happy Christmas all, and happy riding!
transition scout
Kona Process 111,134 or 153 and some leftover for upgrades.
Orange four s (with a dropper and discount)
No nonsense trail ripper - it's made the trails fast and fun again...
Loving the look of the new Enduro 29s, bit hefty for this list maybe.
So many sensible spec choices for 2017 though. A return to threaded bottom brackets, as no one liked pf30. Proper (warranty covered) support for 650+ wheels on the 29er model. Decent, well thought out bits on the Comp, GX gearing, Monarch Plus, Yari on the front. Bit slacker + longer travel, given my 29er climbing technique has always just been ride at things as fast as I can I can't see this being an issue.
Keen to see some proper reviews.
Tbh it's hard to go wrong nowadays I bet.
Commencal am V4.2? Nom nom. If my V4 breaks..that's next.
Bird Aeris 145 out soon,I ride a 140 which is a beast of a bike and the kit its running for the price is pretty hard to beat.
My bikes over your budget so I wont recommend it.