The Enjoyment Regulating Authority who oversees my daily activities has given agreement to the purchase of a new bike. I believe this to be a self-serving tactic stop me from harping on about it, rather than an acknowledgement and reward of my good behaviour over the past nine years, but still, the green light has been lit so it's all systems go.
Fiscal arrangements were brought up for discussion and frankly, I was aiming low. However, my bike-loving brother-in-law happened to be visiting at that point and, unprompted by me, advised that three grand was a reasonable budget. Gawd bless ya, Dan. This impartial declaration has been taken on board by the ERA, so - in theory at least - that's what I've got to play with.
Trouble is, I don't think I want to spend that amount of money. Besides, three grand won't buy me my dream bike (not that I know what that is, just that it'd be hugely expensive), and comparing spec-for-spec, an off the shelf £3k bike won't feel like an upgrade of the bike it would be replacing. (2005 Scott Genius MC10, onto which I have been quietly fitting XTR over the past few years. However, pretty much everything is now due for replacement in one form or another).
I'd like to stick with a carbon frame. But, replacing the frame would eat most of the budget. Additionally, I think I'd struggle to find a new, current model 26" carbon FS frame, so I'd be going down the road of needing new forks and wheels, which I couldn't afford if I bought a new frame in different wheel size.
So, here's what I'm thinking. I could keep the Scott frame and lavish it with new parts, particularly ones that better suit the type of riding I do these days. Light, rather flimsy wheels were of some benefit when I could get out for all-day rides. Thanks to the arrival of children, I'm lucky now if I can wangle a two hour ride, so trading a weight penalty for some degree of steering predictability wouldn't be too much of a problem.
I reckon I can transform the bike for around £1500, budgeting for a fairly trick build. This figure would keep the wife happy and will also appease my conscience, as we can spend the savings (so to speak) on trivial stuff around the house, like fixing the leaky ceiling above our baby daughter's cot.
This course of action does, however, commit me to 26" wheels for the future (not that I'm especially bothered about changing). It also requires investing around £300 in the frame itself, getting the bearings / bushings replaced and shock serviced. The second-hand value of the frame probably isn't £300. Plus, I'm tied to using the same shock, as it's proprietary to the frame. There can't be many left in Scott's warehouse, so if in future the shock breaks beyond repair and there's no available replacement, that's the frame gone too. Short of a drastic change in circumstances, this spending opportunity won't be coming around again for a very long time, so I need to make the right choice.
Jesus, I've spent so long typing this that I've forgotten what the point is, and also burned my tea. Blame the wife, she's away for the weekend so I've had no-one to talk to since the kids have gone to bed. Oh aye, that was the point. Is this a shit idea?
This is truly one of the best posts for aeons. I have just read it to Domestic Mission Control, and she laughed too (as well as thanking me for not calling her ERA). Little does she know, reading it is my way of laying the groundwork for a similar discussion at the Saxon house.
She's having an affair.
Someone had to tell you, I suppose.
Yup.Shit idea.
There's an Sb66 I saw on e-bay that was damn fine value though.
No matter how much glitter you throw at the Scott....it's still a turd (no matter how much you love it).
Oh and what Flash said (I just assumed it was so tote obvs i need not mention it)
YT Wicked or some sort of Canyon. Easily spend less than a couple of grand, flog off the SRAM drivetrain and get some XT.
And do it after fixing the leaky ceiling - that should appease the no-tail(s).
And she's hiding an affair.
Does the new bike have to replace the old bike, or are we talking n+1 here?
It sounds like n+1 could be the way to go from what you're saying about wheels, steering etc. Go buy something big, £3k should get you something fine, concentrate on angles, forks and rear shock and not so much on weight and drivetrain spec (which basically amounts to weight anyway).
I'm not reading all of that.
lol, great post.
Have you ridden a modern mountain bike? I would imgaine they are very different to a ten-year-old Scott. Granted I haven't ridden a Genius but I'm sure modern geometry and suspension will blow that thing out of the water - XTR upgrades or not. Never mind the other things that have evolved in the last 10 years. Suffice it to say, I think you should buy one of these: http://www.canyon.com/en/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=3558
Take a look at the yt Capra.
3.2k will get you bos suspension both ends, crossmax wheels, carbon frame and sram 1x11.
Lower spec/price ones are available.
whatever you do to the scott for 3 k you could get a brilliant bike thatd,make you realise how much things have advanced
even a modern ally bike with LB carbon wheels, is what I did and its ace
concentrate on angles, forks and rear shock and not so much on weight and drivetrain spec (which basically amounts to weight anyway).
good advice
concentrate on angles, forks and rear shock and not so much on weight and drivetrain spec (which basically amounts to weight anyway).
Good advice indeed.
Don't forget to consider warranty support (Hopefully not needed), set up and fitting and a nice test ride in to the bargain. £3k is a lot of money for many, and I'm sure that many would never dare to admit they'd bought a lemon if they just bought something dripping with "teh specz" rather than knowing they actually liked the bike.
N+1 is what you need to do here. At the end of the day the Scott is a decade old! You need a new bike.
whatever you do to the scott for 3 k you could get a brilliant bike thatd,make you realise how much things have advanced
I agree with this.
Buy the bloody Canyon and bury the Scott (and the cheating wife).
Better asking forgiveness than permission.
I got the "well it's your money" speech when I logged the expenditure with the bank of fun yesterday. Preempted with flowers, chocolates and wine though!
Oh yeah, ditch the Scott and buy a 4.5k dream bike!!
For ****s sake i'll sell you the liberace for 3k. happy now?
Yep I'd go Canyon Spectral but the EX AL 7.0 and save 700 quid and there's nothing on it that would let you down.
topend nerve29
What size?
About time we had a thumbs up system on posts I think stw.
You ordered anything yet?
An affair would be the ideal situation, as that would free up loads more capital and I could spend, spend, spend. Then kill, kill, kill. It seems unlikely though, as all the other men she's encountered have been clever enough to realise she's basically a ballbag.
YT Capra is a lovely bike, my boss has one, but it's much more bounce than I need. I'm getting slower rather than faster, and tackle descents with the grace of a new-born foal on rollerskates. On ice.
I recently rode an alu FS 29er - quite an expensive one - and whilst it was a nice enough bike, it weighed about the same as both my bikes combined. I couldn't be arsed lugging that about, just thinking about having to lift it over a gate would be a deterrent to going for a ride.
Pete - I know you and The Liberace are almost genetically linked. No amount of money (paid to me, by you) could make me separate you from your brother from another smelting plant.
Another vote for N+1 here.
Don't worry about XTR. That can be added later, remember it's always easier to ask for forgiveness than permission 😉
N+1 is a good suggestion, but the Scott rides like a bag of nails at the moment, and with a new bike in the shed I'd be very unlikely to ever elect to ride the shit bike in preference to the shiny one.
It'd be like Les Dennis going from Amanda Holden to... hang on, this analogy doesn't work, does it?
I've never formed an inseparable bond with the Scott, so I'd not be too bothered about seeing it go, assuming it went to someone who'd paid me a reasonable amount of money for it.
Being brutally honest you should not expect too much £ for your 10yr old Scott despite it being specced out with XTR etc, if i were you i'd strip the Scott, buy a cheap (but good) hard tail frame from the classifieds (mk2 cotic soul?) and build that up with the donor parts from the Scott as a play bike for shitty weather and use the allocated allowable funds to buy yourself a decent 2014 discounted FS bike.
For around £2.5k to £3k you should be able to get a very decent FS bike with a high component spec if you were happy to settle for last years model.
[i]I got the "well it's your money" speech when I logged the expenditure with the bank of fun yesterday. Preempted with flowers, chocolates and wine though! [/i]
F*** me, you lot have a 5h1t life!
Divorce is probably a worthwhile investment and then find yourselves a decent missus.
You ordered anything yet?
£3000 would buy you an amazing Bird Aeris. It could probably buy you an amazing Bird Aeris & Bird Zero getting you a pair of bikes that will remind you just what a museum piece your Scott is. 😉
With a £3000 I'd be after £2000 bike, and £1000 of s****y clobber to go with it.
....she's basically a ballbag
I hope to God she doesn't know your username
In your position I'd go for one of these, in fact I did!
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s1p5185/CANNONDALE-TRIGGER-CARBON-2-FOX-DYAD-REAR-SHOCK-2013
Best bike I've ever ridden. And a bargain! Tell her it cost full rrp then spend the rest on clothing and gear!
she does now
As suggested ... Bin the Scott and get a new shiny toy.. Reckon youll easily get a new bike as light or lighter than your Scott for under £3000 !!
🙂
That Cannondale is a lovely bike and a bargain to boot.
If you're happy with less travel then you couldn't go far wrong with that surely?
It probably weighs as much as a newly hatched butterfly too.
BMC Speedfox fs02 - I'll give you the £150. It's lush it is. Or norco sight carbon. (Guess who's been on evans website) you're a bit too unduro for that though, you bimbleminceist.
Reading this thread as been close to epiphanic.... I am OFFICIALLY out of touch with virtually everything biking.
I'll never have £3k to spend on a bike, however I might be able to scrape £1200 and go for that 2nd hand Soul I've been thinking about for ages....got to be better than my '05 RM Slayer full-suss??
Donations to the 'Help LT buy his dream ride' through PayPal only........
🙂