Hello there- first post so be gentle.
My 2001 Kona Manomano FS got nicked which has turned out to be something of a bonus as the insurance company have decided I can have £1300 worth of bike/accessories at wheelies or a paltry £1K cash to spend where i like.
I've not been out too much of late, but have moved to Bristol and have loads on my doorstep and would love to get back into it. I mostly ride XC, very rarely do anything too hardcore.
I'm happy to have a hardtail instead of a FS, as I think I'll get more bike for my money.
Wheelies seems to have a bit of a limited range, but the best I can see is
[url= http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p39123/Genesis-Core-50-2011.aspx ]Genesis Core 50 2011[/url] (Current favourite)
[url= http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p38808/Specialized-Stumpjumper-HT-Comp-2011.aspx ]specialized stumpjumper comp 2011[/url] Seems to be low spec but highly thought of.
[url= http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p49148/Scott-Scale-50-2012.aspx ]Scott Scale 50 2012[/url]
Or these two 29ers. Never ridden a 29er, and feel the uniformity of all the bike shop workers' advice smacks of fashion to be honest. Entirely willing to be wrong!
[url= http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p48846/Cannondale-Flash-29-Er-Alloy-3-2012.aspx ]Cannondale Flash 29er[/url]
[url= http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p49301/Felt-Nine-Race-29-er-2012.aspx ]Felt Nine Race 2011[/url]
Ot take the £1K and buy something like
[url= http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOOWHIPSLX/on_one-carbon-whippet-slx ]on-one whippet carbon SLX [/url]
[url= http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_777721_langId_-1_categoryId_165499 ] Boardman HT Pro 2011[/url]
I think it is between the Genesis Core, Stumpjumper and on-one whippet.
I'd really appreciate advice as I have been out of mountain biking for ages. This is a good apportunity to get back in with a beautiful bike and one I could never afford to buy if it was being purchased outright. I know I should demo all these but I realistically won't. I'll be happy with whatever I end up with, but I don't want to sell myself short and get something inferior for the money.
Thanks in advance
[url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/which-29er ]Those Charge 29ers that charliethebikemonger posted on here the other day...[/url]
...£1k in my bank would see the Reba eqiupped one heading my way. They look spot on. And your pref for XC fits the bill.
Similar choice in bikes i was looking at. Genesis 50 boardman pro.
Boardmans a light weight xc machine but comfy enough to ride all day.
The core 50 was similar to what i ended up buying great all day mile muncher and play bike. Went for a voodoo wanga in the end 🙂
Why the lower cash amount? When I was offered a lower amount, I stood my ground and kept asking for a like for like replacement or the full cash settlement. I got the full amount after a couple of weeks discussion.
I've had two Boardman Pro Hardtails (the original was a 2008 & I got a 2010 model in April last year).
I've been very happy with mine, but it is well suited to where I live in Kent (some singletrack, but not too technical), it's good for covering the miles at speed. The only issues I've had were down to poor gear setup at the point of purchase (snapped chain on the first ride out).
The only bits I've swapped out have been stem (shorter), handlebars (wider), tyres (not a fan of contis), wheels (fancied some Hope hubs - nothing wrong with the standard wheelset) & saddle (which is best described as very firm).
I'll also throw in my opinion on 29ers - I took an Anthem 29er out on a demo day earlier this year - I was surprised 😯 by how capable it was for a shorter travel FS & I can see the point of 29ers. However I'm not going to rush out & buy one. IMHO they are better suited to certain conditions & taller riders (I'm below average height), while a 26er is a bit more versatile.
bruneep- the lower amount is because wheelies provide a discount to the insurers of 18%, and they say that they are abale to provide a like-for-like replacement on specifications (which to be fair they can). Neither the insurer or the bike shop will budge and give me more than £960 cash.
I think that realistically the bikes available are good enough for me- I will be happy with what i end up riding. I just want it to be as great as possible.