Right now I have a little jump bike and an Intense 6.6 and a clockwork in pieces.
I don't ride the jump bike or clockwork as much as i would like & the Intense needs some serious TLC - New forks, bearings and and angle set to get the geometry sorted, and a load of cash in making it lighter
I normally ride trial centers and light DH type stuff with a week in the Alps every year
So out to the masses - Do I sell the lot and buy something like the Stumpjumper FSR EVO / Trek Slash / Orange 5 AM or revamp the Intense? Thoughts / opinions appreciated...
File under: first world problems
Yes.
Probably - I ride trail centres, rocky stuff in the Lakes and Alps light DH on my Pitch (though now with 36 Vans and a coil shock) - just beef it up with dual ply tyres for the DH stuff. Works for me.
No. Avoid.
Yes. That's what I did (well, one mtb, one commuter).
Edit: in fact, you appear to have already done it? (you dont use the jump bike and the clockwork is in pieces)
456 and a holiday
Harsh but fair, Mike, Thing is situations change and I was wondering if bikes have improved enough over the last couple of years for me to justifiably swap to one bike?
Ive got one bike - bit overkill for XC stuff, great on trail ctrs, great in the Alps.
Having one bike has the advantage of meaning there is only one to service / fix. So you tend to get it sorted as soon as a problem starts.
You also have an excuse for the bits you dont like riding - one bike will always be a slight compromise for one type of trail.
For me Im slow up hill, but it will climb anything. Its ok on the flat and fast downhill, will jump stuff. Suits me fine.
FFS I misread this I was about to sympathise you had to reduce the fleet by one 😯
However to one -Shudders.
After a nanoseconds of soul searching NO
That said the bikes you mention are decent compromises for what you need so it would work
Giant Trance would be a great "do it all" bike!