[Closed] Help me pick a full sus bike for £2k

Go ride the bikes on your list, you may hate a bike I might like, but the list looks fine.

as above, you have to try for yourself but as far as missing bikes, the obvious one for me would be the Orange 5s?

Orange 5 is off my list because I am not going to pay £2k for a complete bike that 'only' has Recon forks! If I had the parts to build my own bike i would think about the frame but as for a complete bike - nah!

You've got some quite different bikes on there.

Why the Marin Mount Vision 5.7? That's a more XC bike, why not up the travel for the same price and get a Marin Wolf Ridge 5.9....most places selling off the 2009 for £2K.

Lapierre Froggy if you can find one reduced in your size.

you can upgrade to fox 32 for a ton? (maybe a deal to be done - I dunno) I personally don't ride a five and not sure I'd get one meself but I would definitely be considering it

Lapierre Froggy if you can find one reduced in your size

now that is a strange suggestion compared to the OP's list

now that is a strange suggestion compared to the OP's list

Well I thought I'd give food for thought...Nothing like bombing down the biggest hill you can find! 😆

"Why the Marin Mount Vision 5.7? That's a more XC bike"
2010 ones have a 68.5 degree head angle. No its not silly slack like the wolf ridges, but slacker than many of the others on the list
A Wolf Ridge is also a mile off of 28lbs too

I don't know what the weights are like, but perhaps consider an alu. scott genious. (140/150mm I think)

mm froggy is not in the same boat... Think you could not go wrong with a Zesty the stumpy or the Trek. For weight and all round reviews the Zesty would get my vote, almost got a 514

hardly 120mm to 140mm - and I wouldn't want to pedal it UP the hill in the first place

I'm in a similar boat to you at the moment - I am just interested in:

Stumpy Elite
Fuel EX8
Zesty 314

and am not considering the Orange 5 for the same reason - poor spec compared @ £2k compared to the others in my list.

I think you need to whittle down your list a bit or you'll be spending all winter testing bikes and not buying one - guess that's what you're trying to do here though? Isn't the Trance X1 nearer £3k? With the X2 coming in about £2k??

I had a fuel ex8 2009 and couldn't fault it - everything I threw at it was great fun, from Thetford (my regular) to welsh trail centres.

Just one word of warning Bontrager rims and tyre combinations! A bit of a pain really. See other threads on here but they can be a bit tricky getting the tyres on and off. Its only a minor point but annoying enough to mention.

Having said that I haven't ridden any of the others so can't really comment further.

Good point Stumpy01, X1 is out of budget so guess the X2 it is then

Froggy (?!) you having a laugh? I want a 120-140 bike that i can pedal up as well as down so i think 180mm travel bike is out of the question too.

RE the Zesty and Fuel EX, I have never heard anyone have anything bad to say about either of them - apart from MrBen100's comments above.

try hotlines, they had some ex demo VGC lapierre's for sale at silly low prices, think the 514 zesty was £1300 so you could get a 714 for your budget!!

I want a 120-140 bike that i can pedal up as well as down

Poof 🙄

Poof

Yep!

Ok then I'd go with the Zesty. Or any greatly reduced 2009 Lapierre you can get 🙂

Yeah - friend of mine bought some Bontrager wheels & getting the tyres on/off is a nightmare. I guess it's because they are tubeless ready, so have tubeless rims on them, but come with normal tyres/tubes.

Similar concern with the Zesty 314. They come with Mavic Crossrides and a mate of mine (brother of the above) had loads of trouble with them (he bought them as just a wheelset), includung non-standard spokes meaning getting a new spoke meant ordering a whole pack (of I think, 12) and the shop not being willing to buy them in and just charge him for the spokes they used (which is fair enough).

Cube Fritzz/ stereo?

out of that list my choice would be the zesty i reckon.

I don't ride an FS, but most my riding buddys do. And while I agree the Orange is expensive, they are cheap to run.

All I've (yes me, not him...) done for a buddys 5 in 2 years of ownership is a couple of regreases and assorted chains/cassetes/pads - while others with Metas', Stumpys and previous FS's of my own have required much expense on bearings/pivots/brushes etc.

Also look at Oranges' ST4, although only 4" its quite slack and trailie?

What would you two dissing the Recon say if I told you I rode an ST4 with a Recon, various Fives with Floats/Vanillas and Meta with a Fox Float and the while the Float was better on the Five than the Recon on the ST4, the Recon on the ST4 felt better than the Float on the Meta?

Could you not bring yourself to live with the Recon if it actually rode better due to the frame driving it?

Honestly though, the Recon did feel like a better fork than a Fox float when it was being driven by an ST4 vs a Meta... food for thought regarding spec driven purchasing...

For where you ride the less bearings the better. Those Lapierre's look ace. but there seems to be a lot of moving parts.

TREK Ex is easy the best out of that list.... Not only build quality but customer service... 2nd to none.

Rims and tyres problem is not a problem once you have done it a couple of times and get your style sorted! First couple of times for me was HARD but since I ditched the worlds worst tyre levers (PARK) and got some larger flatter ones it is easy.

I ride a 2010 Ex9 after upgrading from 2009 ex9 and it is Fab!

I could build you a Chumba XCL for around 2K with Fox forks 🙂

bit like this...

[img] [/img]

GaryLake - not sure if your post is aimed at me regarding 'dissing the recon' (I mention above dismissing the 5 because of it's spec).
For me, it's not just the fork but other bits too. The Five S comes with Deore front mech & SLX Rear mech, Deore Shifters, RF Ride cranks etc. whereas the Stumpy Elite for example comes with SLX front mech & XTR rear mech, SLX shifters & I think the crankset is Shimano un-named, but last yrs XT from reading on different sites. It also has the TALAS fork and seeing as I seem to use the U-Turn on my current Reba's quite often, I think I would find it useful.

It's probably not the best way of whittling down a shortlist, but my original list did include the Orange Five & the Mount Vision 5.7 as well. But I wanted to get it down to a few bikes that I could realistically test ride and make a decision on. In the end I compared specs (rightly or wrongly) and the Mount Vision and the Five were crossed off the list.
The Specialized makes it to list because my current one has been great and I would have no qualms getting another one, so long as I am happy with it once I've test ridden one.
Hmmmm, perhaps I should hire a Five from Rutland water (only costs £20 for 3hrs) and get a feel for it too. Mate hired one from there the other week, but it was too big for me and felt like a barge. Noooo, don't make the list longer!!!

^^^^

And there it is.....

I've just picked up a Felt Redemption for good money with a good spec, more travel than you want but the Compulsion can be found for a good price with good kit on it.
Really nice ride so far.

stubbled on this on flea bay
[url= http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2009-Lapierre-Zesty-514-Size-Large-Mountainbike-MTB_W0QQitemZ320446709562QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Bikes_GL?hash=item4a9c1cbf3a#ht_1453wt_1140 ]linnkyy[/url] not long left and not mine.
I wouldn't sell mine unless I couldn't ride again

stumpy: it was aimed at you and one other.

I only mention it as I've ridden a couple of very well specced dogs.

One thing that changed the way I value a bike's worth in particular was spending over 100km testing an ST4.

I thought it was shocking that the £2400 ST4 Pro had a Recon fork on it. After that 100km of riding, the ST4 ended up being one of the most inspirational bikes I've ever ridden, and the only bike ever to make me think very long and hard about sticking the Five on the classifieds. In fact, I'd even go as far to say it improved my riding by showing me how much further I could push when riding.

If I didn't have some concerns around unconfirmed but slightly worrying chainsuck issues and if the back end was as stiff as a Five, I'd have probably done it...

teetosugars - there what is?

I assume he means Si advertising a Chumba...

Yeah - GaryLake I see your point.
One of the reasons that I got it down to 3 bikes, is that unlike the mag testers and other riding gods it is usually my lack of talent etc. that limits what I can and can't do on a bike. And I would have thought that the majority of modern trail bikes will be fine for what I want. I am not sure I will notice the difference that much between the vast array of 'trail bikes' out there for it to be worth my while trying them all.
I'd probably keep my current old faithful if it wasn't for the fact that I always seem to be disappearing over the bars on steep descents due to the geometry/fit.
So, it comes down to picking a reasonable number to try out & you have to find a way to do that.
My current bike has mainly XT bits on it & Avid Juicy 7's along with some nice & light Reba Team air U-Turns, all of which I have acquired by getting them on offer but it would seem like a step backwards to spend £2k on a bike and it to be of a 'lower spec' than my current bike. I plan to build the old bits onto a hardtail and have designated ~£2k for a new bike.

If I test ride my shortlist & find that I don't suit them or whatever, then it would be back to the drawing board.
This is almost as complicated as buying a new car!!

Edit - oh, Chumba advert. I see! 😀 admittedly, it does look quite nice.

[url= http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b4s1p2269&tbv=GIANT_TRANCE_X1_BIKES_Mountain_Bikes_-_Full_Suspension ]2009 Giant Trance X1 at heavily discounted price...[/url]

Fox Forks, Crossmax wheels, XT/XTR, Raceface Deus kit etc etc. That's where my £2k would go on a 120mm trail bike if I was buying off the shelf! They've got all sizes except small, so as long as you're about 5ft8 or above you'll be sorted!

I've got a Giant Reign X with the Maestro suspension system, and even though its 170mm of travel it pedals much better than anything else I've ridden with that amount of travel. The Trance X is basically the same design, but much lighter and only 120mm of travel. They're awesome bikes, they just never look quite as cool as the equivalent Specialized, Trek or Orange... But you arguably get a better bike, and a higher spec for your money.

Or save up a load of money and get a Maverick Durance with DUC forks, and full XTR kit etc... 😉

What Maverick Boy said. They're like magic carpets and very high spec.

What would you two dissing the Recon say if I told you I rode an ST4 with a Recon, various Fives with Floats/Vanillas and Meta with a Fox Float and the while the Float was better on the Five than the Recon on the ST4, the Recon on the ST4 felt better than the Float on the Meta?

I wasn't dissing the Recon, but I'd be confused if you told me that. 😉

The Orange has a lower spec, but you get a more desireable (I'm not saying better) frame - with much better resale value than the big brands.

You pay your money and take your choice.

I'd get that Trance X myself. But I'm a Giant fanboy.

hmm, I do remember borrowing a mates Giant VT with the rocker acctuated shock on that which i think was the precurser to the Meastro System. I remember the VT pedalling really well. Maybe I should be getting one of the Trances out on test soon.

I guess my short list looks a bit shorter now and something like this:

Trek Fuel EX 8
Specialized Stumpjumper Elite
Lapierre Zesty 314
Giant Trance X2

I went through the Same process 18 months ago, Similar range of bikes, Same price range!

After test riding about 8-10 Bikes I bought an Orange 5 & have never looked back! Been all over the Uk & the Alps & the bike can do it all!

Orange 5 S with Fork upgrade! Deffo worth it in the long run! 🙂

ride a 5 and then decide.....ive got a demo bike ill do you a deal on!

Or....

Dont buy off the peg?

I reckon i could build two (possibly second hand but bloody good) trail bikes with 2k.

You really pay a whopping premium to have brand new kit.

So, it comes down to picking a reasonable number to try out & you have to find a way to do that.
My current bike has mainly XT bits on it & Avid Juicy 7's along with some nice & light Reba Team air U-Turns, all of which I have acquired by getting them on offer but it would seem like a step backwards to spend £2k on a bike and it to be of a 'lower spec' than my current bike. I plan to build the old bits onto a hardtail and have designated ~£2k for a new bike.

If I test ride my shortlist & find that I don't suit them or whatever, then it would be back to the drawing board.
This is almost as complicated as buying a new car!!

Took me three years to find the "right" bike. I have a dodgy back and knee so I needed to find one that I felt comfy on and got no reaction to post ride. Tried a lot of bikes at test days and ended up with one that was not on the list...Kona Dawg Primo

For me, it's not just the fork but other bits too. The Five S comes with Deore front mech & SLX Rear mech, Deore Shifters, RF Ride cranks etc. whereas the Stumpy Elite for example comes with SLX front mech & XTR rear mech, SLX shifters & I think the crankset is Shimano un-named, but last yrs XT from reading on different sites. It also has the TALAS fork and seeing as I seem to use the U-Turn on my current Reba's quite often, I think I would find it useful.

For me at the end of the day it is how the bike rides and handles.

I rode a Cove Hustler all blinged up with the latest carbon super duper bits and it was crap imo. I rode a Stumpy with all the xtr and latest forks at a demo day and it was crap. At the latest test day I attended I rode a Yeti 575, hated it. Went with mate to test ride a 5 he was thinking of buying and had a go. Would consider one of them. He got a very good deal at Kudu cycles, Hawes.

Swoosh from your list I would try the Cannondale,Roscoe and Trek.

Trekster - I don't think I am that sensitive to bike requirements. Not sure.
My bike seems to have quite XC geometry, with a weight forward feel and it doesn't feel like it wants to turn particularly well.
Having ridden my friends bikes - Orange Sub5, Whyte E-120, Santa Cruz Heckler, Cannondale Jekyll All Mountain - while they all feel different, they feel more similar to each other than any of them do to my bike.

As I said above in the quote you refer to, if I ride the 3 bikes in my shortlist then find that they don't suit me I will look at other options. I am not THAT bothered by components to choose better components over how the bike fits & rides.
But if I test ride all 3, they all fit OK and they all ride (as far as I can tell) the same then it will come down to stuff like what one has the best spec.

OK, here's a slightly different proposal for your £2k...

[url= http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b4s1p2272&z=2650 ]Buy this Giant Trance X4[/url] which has the same frame and shock as the X1/X2, but cheaper components, for £1k... Stick some of the cheaper bits on the hardtail you want to build, or sell them or whatever... You've then got £1k (or more if you've sold stuff!) to spend on tricking the bike out with some rather nice kit...

Personally think that the X4 looks nicer in it's Black/Silver colourscheme than either the X1 or X2 do...

Or just buy the X4, ride it how it is, realise how good it is, pocket £1k and only replace stuff as it wears out... 😀

But if I test ride all 3, they all fit OK and they all ride (as far as I can tell) the same then it will come down to stuff like what one has the best spec.

Sounds good to me.

I was in the same position re a hardtail recently. My old one decided to strip the bb threads so I persuaded myself I needed a long travel version, had to be steel.There are lots to choose from now.

I narrowed down my choice of full bike builds to P7 & Genesis 30. Frame wise I fancied a Ragley Pig. Had to cancel a couple of P7 demos and was leaving the Genesis to last because it was the one I really fancied.

Arranged a Pig demo down in Hope, met a mate, went for a very windy ride, came back and bought the frame 😆 Used my older bikes for donors until I can afford new bits like forks and brakes. The Kona and Bonty are in the loft till next summer at least.

MaverickBoy - that TranceX4 does look like great value!

This isn't getting any easier....

MaverickBoy - that TranceX4 does look like great value!

I reckon you could sell off the wheels, some of the own brand finishing kit, the Hayes brakes, and the cheapo cranks and any Deore stuff on here or on ebay for about £250 in total...

Then with your spare £1250, well... World's your oyster!

I'd suggest full XT (including brakes), maybe some Hope Hoops wheels, Thomson stem and post, Easton Carbon bars... The lot... You'd have an awesome frame and fork (it's got a Reba on it at £1000 for the bike!!!), and an awesome custom build kit on it, for waaaaaaay less than £2k I reckon... Or just buy last year's Trance X1 for £2025 from Pauls Cycles, which has Fox F120's, Crossmax wheels, Avid Elixir Brakes, XT/XTR drivetrain, Raceface Deus finishing kit...

And FWIW, I reckon the Giant Maestro suspension system pretty much has no equal out there at this end of the scale... Everybody who raves about their Orange 5's (not denying they're good bikes) you'll see reaching for their lockout lever on the shock every time it comes to pedal uphill or on the flat... You'll never bother using the lockout on a Maestro bike, cos they pedal that well without using it!

Everybody who raves about their Orange 5's (not denying they're good bikes) you'll see reaching for their lockout lever on the shock every time it comes to pedal uphill or on the flat... You'll never bother using the lockout on a Maestro bike, cos they pedal that well without using it!

I think you'll find most Five owners can't believe they don't need to use the propedal. I'd have happily saved a few quid and had a basic Float R rather than the RP23 if it had been on offer...

I literally only use mine if I want to climb something purely flat and smooth and feel the need to stand up. I've ridden a Maestro (Anthem X1) and I'd reach for the propedal if climbing pure flat and smooth and wanting to stand...

i would agree with the X4 and a bit of a fiddle with bits 🙂

those wheels are good, but a little bit heavy (not much though) and the freehub cant be replaced cheaply when it goes (took 3 years for mine to go)
ive got a front hub off one of those wheelsets and its still buttery smooth.... 5 years later. (actually buttery smooth, not made up)

i would also put new 140mm revs on a trance x myself
maybe change the Crankset for something nice and HT2.
also an inline thomson seatpost. (OE seatposts are fugly, as are laid back seatposts)

so to sum up.

wheels (hope hoops)
new revelations
XT crankset
Thomson Post.

top bike!

[url= http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/custom-mountain-bikes/cove-mountain-bikes/cove-hustler-custom-bike.html ]Cove Hustler @ Merlin[/url]

How about a nice Cove Hustler - on offer @ Merlin, currently £2,024 built up with Reva 2010 forks & new Deore groupo.

Everybody who raves about their Orange 5's (not denying they're good bikes) you'll see reaching for their lockout lever on the shock every time it comes to pedal uphill or on the flat...

Not everyone ➡

Not everyone

OK sorry, just my observation so far from the dozens of Orange 5 riders I've ridden with...

The Orange 5 does look an extremely capable (if overpriced in my view) bike and everyone that owns them raves about them.

I just think that there's better performing suspension designs out there (of which the Giant Maestro is one), and there's MUCH better value bikes on the market too... Don't get me wrong, if I got given a 5 to ride I'd be chuffed to bits, but I wouldn't buy one with my own money...

akira - Member
I've just picked up a Felt Redemption for good money with a good spec, more travel than you want but the Compulsion can be found for a good price with good kit on it.
Really nice ride so far.

Wow another owner! First i've seen/read in the two years i've had mine 😆

In terms of the OP's list I have only even seen the Giant Trance X1. First thing I can say is bloody hell it's light! For a trail bike it is a beautiful bit of kit! I would advise looking at one.

Having said that, the X4 idea posted above sounds good!

I just think that there's better performing suspension designs out there

Define better performing? Pedalling efficiency, climbing efficiency, traction, isolating you from the bumps more, small bumps, square edge hits, generally getting you to the bottom faster?

Pedalling efficiency, climbing efficiency, traction, isolating you from the bumps more, small bumps, square edge hits, generally getting you to the bottom faster?

yup, maestro has all that covered

Of course 🙂

I just think that there's better performing suspension designs out there (of which the Giant Maestro is one), and there's MUCH better value bikes on the market too... Don't get me wrong, if I got given a 5 to ride I'd be chuffed to bits, but I wouldn't buy one with my own money...

I doubt at the moment if I will be buying another full sus bike.
I am having so much fun on my Pig.
Riding at the weekend with a friend who has a silly light & expensive Santa Cruz and he could barely keep up.
More to do with the rider than the bling 😆

I'd be seriously looking at a Chumba for that money.

I switched from a speccy stumpy 07 to a trance x 2 and it gets better with every ride. All I have done to it is change the usual pedals, saddle, and fitted some ergon gx1 grips. Got it in sept 09 and already put 400+ miles on it. Oh, one other thing I have done to it is lob 3/4 inch off each end of the bars. Now I barely "think" about making a turn and it's happened!

Never looked at a giant before this and since have bought the wife a giant talon.

hang on, this thread's 2 months old...