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So. My wife would like a mtb. She bought a Space Chicken gravel bike in the papier-mâché head sale and it’s great, but now she’s heading out with her friends on rougher trails and would like a mtb.
I am not the person to ask. The last mtb I bought for her was in about 2005. I got her a 1994 Kona Explosif. Epic. But not quite right. My mtb has 24” wheels because of a promise I made to my daughter. I struggle.
Hence the question here. Facts to help?
We live near the South Downs, and this is where much riding will be done, but a brother lives in the Peak District so it would see use there too. And probably in Europe, because some of her friends head over in the summer.
She doesn’t know if she wants full suspension. I know nothing about suspension.
She’s (super) fit and (super) competitive, about 172cm tall. I imagine she will end up wanting to race, probably not at the tech end, but at the endurance end.
She won’t have an opinion on Shimano vs SRAM (but she thinks the Force gears on the Space Chicken work well).
Budget? Hmm. I think what would be right would be a really nice but not boutique bike - if it’s suspension you think, would 3500 - 4500 get us the right thing? Is that too much? Too little? Open to opinions!
Thank you!!
If she's wanting to race XC, would go with the first option in each of the below groups, if she wants a 'trail bike', then the second option.
South downs bikes would be worth a visit, see what they have, think they do demos to.
Scott Spark
Scott Genius
Trek Top Fuel
Trek Fuel
Specialized Epic Evo
Specialized Stumpjumper
Provided you get something that fits the type of riding she enjoys, in that price bracket you're not going to go wrong
Full-suspension? I'd say so.
120-130mm front and rear 29er trail bike in Carbon would be a good shout.
Something like...
She’s at the taller end of women’s frame sizes like me, but still worth taking a look at woman’s specific models as well, I’d say specifically Juliana (Stif now have a store in Bristol that would be worth a trip). But at that sort of budget you’ll definitely get something decent, though as ever stock is the issue atm.
https://www.julianabicycles.com/en-GB/bikes/joplin
A friend has been looking for something similar and the issue has been what's in stock. They ended up looking at the Saracen Ariel 30 as they are actually in stock. There's even a review on this very site! See Ariel Review.
Yep get that Saracen it looks ace.
Modern bikes are all pretty much awesome.
Get a saddle that she's comfortable on (maybe the one of the space chicken) and just go and test some bikes. Ultimately its what feels right to her not what someone on a forum says.
5 1/2" she has so much (theoretical with Covid) choice... and to some extent what her friends she rides with might be as important.... (if everyone else rides HT or FS)
Budget? Hmm. I think what would be right would be a really nice but not boutique bike – if it’s suspension you think, would 3500 – 4500 get us the right thing? Is that too much? Too little? Open to opinions!
I've no idea of your financial situation ... but I'd suggest not spending so much she can't change her mind.
I'd say since
She bought a Space Chicken gravel bike in the papier-mâché head sale and it’s great, but now she’s heading out with her friends on rougher trails and would like a mtb.
There is a reasonably good chance she'll end up going even further into tech... depends what her friends ride if those are the main people she rides with and she's competitive.
Yes, I’d have a look at what the friends are riding and use that as a guide for ht vs fs and how much suspension to go for. Remember she could always hire something big for an alps trip if she wants to, so i’d aim for something great to ride on local trails as a starting point.
Was going to suggest she ran the BMC ‘bike-finder’ but it’s currently down.
Have a look at their four stroke 🙂
Your wife sounds like my wife, same size too. She's on a Scott Spark RC900 - medium size.
Pick one to suit your budget, she got a Pro in the autumn sales.
Remote lock out for front & rear, which she uses a lot.
Or
Canyon Lux
Orbea Oiz
Specialized Epic
Trek Top Fuel
You should get something nice for that budget.
https://www.damianharriscycles.co.uk/prod/mou_17168_sc/scott-spark-rc-900-team-2021-mountain-bike
I've got an ariel 30 and its very nice, but not a race bike - bit too heavy. That said, if racing is only a maybe, a trail bike will be MUCH easier to generally ride than an xc race bike for a beginner. If she gets into it, consider a race bike or whatever at that point.
There's nothing to stop you racing a trail bike, you just will be slightly slower than if on a race bike. Until you know (after a couple of races) its something you want, I wouldn't say its worth the compromise
Thanks all for the time you've given me. Really much appreciated.
So, apparently the decision comes down to a choice between a Transition Spur and a Juliana Joplin. Both look lovely to me - and given what my wife has ridden in the past I think any diffreneces between them would be hair splittingly small? Ugh!