Haven't ridden much over the last few years due to injury. Recently went back to a physio who seems pretty certain that he can fix my problem via sports massage and stretching. Toying with the idea of a new bike but I'm a bit out of touch with the latest trends and can't be bothered to start reading the mags and their reviews again. Want a full suspension bike for about £2-2.5k for basic trail riding nothing too extreme, might also go back out to the alps, so probably 4-5 inches of travel. Whats good at the moment?
Cheers for any advice
BTW, when I looked at this a while back, I liked the look (but not the price!) of the Ibis Mojo
also the 575 looks nice but probably too much travel?
always liked the look of the Heckler aswell
Lapierre Zesty.
Orange 5.
Cube Stereo.
Yeti 575.
etc
best in your opinion?
One of [url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcsolomons/3418319307/ ]these[/url].
Second the Remedy. I rode a demo one last weekend and for 2 grand, it's as good a bike as I've ridden. It climbs in a perfectly acceptable manner and descends faster than can possibly be sensible.
rj, the bike in my link is a Fuel EX 8.
I like my Orange 5. Followed trends, read magazines, bought other stuff but I've come back to a 5. They really are good bikes.
Solamanda, I stand by my opinion of the Remedy, mainly because when I rode it I hadn't drunk so much wine that I couldn't tell what it was 😳
For the first time since I started riding, I really like a Trek. The latest Fuels look great.
Lapierre Zesty would be high on my shopping list too.
RJ, I was just clarifying the bike I linked isn't a remedy.
Oh oh, I rode a Spicy and a Froggy too. Bit meh to be honest, although I appreciate I am very much in the minority with that opinion. Then again, lots of people like the last Kings of Leon album and they are all completely wrong.
i suggested the list i did as i ended up buying a zesty myself after trying a lot.
they really are quite amazing.
Solamanda, I was just pointing out that I'm a bit pished and gormless.
Fuel EX9
Surely anything? Theres not many bikes to avoid are there? Just pick on how well you want to it up and/or downhill? and narrow down from there
A lot of frame only frames (575, mojo etc.. especially) would be a massive compromise for under £2-2.5k though
rj Kings of Leon's latest album kicks there old stuff into the weeds dude..
Quite the reverse of The Killers who have dissapeared up their own buts.
For what its worth Orange 5 rates 10/10 in MBR (why do they always test the same bikes?)
Everyone who rides a Lappiere loves em.
The new Treks look mint, especially the Remedy.
And i ride a 160/100 Hemlock and think its superb.
I think the most important thing for most people to consider is wether they are a wheels on the ground/steady on the downhills rider or a grab air/drop off kind.
If you have no intention off battering your bike on the downs then don't fall for the marketing hyperbole, why cart stout wheels and a superslack head angle everwhere?
What I did for an small s-works enduro sl, Bought a expert SL for 1500 sold the frame for 550 (medium frames get more) and then got the S-Works frame only without seatpost for 850.
1500-550+850=1800. Thats ith X0 shifters XT chainset...
The bike is stiff light etc etc.
If I had been a bit taller might have got an orange 5 as my height would need a 14" frame.
So many great bikes out there, those Lapierres, new Treks, Prophets, for better value have a look at end of line bikes.
A red one.
Enjoy yourself trying out a pile of 2k bikes.........
Trek Fuel EX 8 (or 9 if you like SRAM gearing). Remedy is a little more gravity oriented. Commencal Super 4 2nd is worth a shout too.... more marathon bike than XC. I'd love to say the Anthem X but they are so hard to get hold of now....
I ride a TranceX normally and had a half-day tryout on an an Orange5 pro. I didn't get on with it though. I found it tiresome and sluggish climbing and traversing, with various shock settings - I'm usually near the front on my TranceX but I was always at the back on the 5! Downhill it felt quite nice although it was more rattly than I expected. Oh and the Conti tyres was tragic at cornering in soft conditions, but I don't hold that against it!
Other than another Giant, probably a pure XC AnthemX, I'd deffo consider a gorgeous Remedy although it might be too much bike for my "normal" trail riding. I've also seem several Canondales about which looked great. I saw a carbon Ibis Mojo recently and that looked very very swish indeed.
BTW there's a fantastic deals on a 2008 XTR-equipped carbon Trance at Paul cycles: [url=http://]Trance Advanced[/url]. £2000 off!