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So following on from my ‘I’ve bost my carbon Nomad’ thread I’m looking for a replacement which will be either a MK4 Nomad or a MK3 Bronson (this thread is dedicated to these options only - I know there are other options out there and the STW way is to recommend what you ride but it’s one of those two.)
I sold my V10 earlier this year as it had only been use three times since Canada in 2014, while I love DH I’m not doing enough suitably ‘gnarly’ stuff or ‘going big’ enough to need a full DH bike and to be honest the Nomad has been more than capable and handled 95% of everything I have ridden (the other 5% comprised falling off). It’s being more than capable at BWP, Antur and Black Mountians and in all cases it’s the operator that holds it back. I recently survived Ardrock on it.
As Ms O_H_H is wanting to ride more and in general I might pedalling a bit more than I used to (which quite frankly wouldn’t have been difficult) I’m thinking that the Bronson would probably be for the best however I still firmly believe pedalling up is simply a mean to getting to ride some down hill.
My general regular riding (West Midlands) is Ribbesford for an after work blast and round the Wyre, Cannock, or a quick few laps of Dudmaston, with trips to FOD, Hopton, Bringewood etc to ride DH, and a handful of uplifts a year to BWP, Black Mountains etc.
Ms O_H_H have done a couple of trips up to the lakes and up to Glentress and now we have the van will hopefully be doing more.
So in my head I’m a downhill’er (with poor line choice, the fear and a hang on and hope mentality I.e, I tend to ride through stuff) that is in reality probably more of a trail rider that can’t really climb, or pedal long distances, who might want the extra travel as a skill compensator... maybe.
I think I should probably buy the Bronson but I have a niggling doubt that I might regret not going for the extra travel over climbing ability...
Arg!
EDIT: This ‘new’ bike will be replacing the Nomad and my TRc ‘trail bike’ as one do it all bike.
EDIT 2: I did consider a HT LT but I thought 26” to 29” in one jump might be too much and the Nomad/Bronson have the new linkage.
leftfield? Mk3 Nomad the one I tried was great when you let go of the brakes
Best of both?
From my friend who has a MK4 Nomad and all previous iterations he says the MK4 climbs better and defends better than a MK3. Also I don’t think SC will have any left.
Ah wasn't sure you were going new.
Maybe demo the HT LT though, seems to be a good choice for a lot of people, don't believe the wheel size hype they are just bikes 😉
Llandegla has a lot of demos
I probably should have mentioned I’ve demo’d an XL Bronson at Ardrock and on the short demo loop it felt nice and easy to get on and just ride, and climbed better than my current Nomad, though I didn’t get on with the forks so much but that’s by the by as I’ll be going frame only. It didn’t feel overly big although it was hard to tell as it’s about three foot longer than my current Nomad. I’m right on the size boundary of an XL too, being 184.5cm well 185 in the morning and 184 in the evening apparently...
Arg x 2!
https://www.stif.co.uk/mtb/brands/0/santa-cruz/0/1/8/6/
Stiff have all of them on demo in XL and L 🙂 make a weekend of it
Just looking at a Bronson C and HT C S tonight, my lbs has one of each in my size at sale price. The Bronson has the best spec and best discount due to new model coming out, a price reduction to tempt one to spend........ I have a nearly 3yr old Rocky Mountain Altitude.Will there be much difference????
I have a nearly 3yr old Rocky Mountain <span class="skimlinks-unlinked">Altitude.Will</span> there be much difference????
Ridden both, liked the Bronson
recently survived ardrock on a nomad ;0)
i rode it on a 5010, felt great apart from the braking bumps on s2, not ridden them often so probably lack of talent their..
when people talk pedal efficiency and climbing are the bronsons/nomads really as good as the smaller travel variants..
surely a bronson with 150mm travel will be suitable/overkill for all uk riding..
transition patrol
Out of those two, the new Bronson would be my pick. As a former Nomad (Mk2 & Mk3) owner, I really can't see the point of the Mk4 now. It's a bit of a nothing bike. Especially given what you have suggested you ride. Buy the bike that's suitable for 90% of your riding, not the 10%.
Unless you're getting some sort of damage replacement deal though, I would be looking elsewhere for something personally.
recently survived ardrock
Survived as in my legs and lungs didn't give up, rather than the Nomad 'surviving' 🤣 Again my MK2 was more than capable!
Unless you’re getting some sort of damage replacement deal
This is the current possibility and I'm very much keeping my fingers crossed! Hence only looking at SC's.
I'm still tempted by a Nomad, the guys I ride with used theirs for both the Marathon on the Sat and then the Enduro on the Sunday. I'm very much in the climb to descend mindset.
I doubt you’ll notice any difference in climbing ability between the two frames - but the Bronson will pump and carry speed better on flatter trails, the Nomad will be more work to pump but easier through the unavoidable gnarr.
I’d be amazed if the new Bronson isn’t better downhill than your old Nomad!
surely a bronson with 150mm travel will be suitable/overkill for all uk riding..
Well I can ride most of the DH stuff on my 125mm TRc but I can ride it faster on my 160mm Nomad so yes while yes even the Bronson might be overkill for some stuff the Nomad might be faster down some of the rough stuff.
I’d be amazed if the new Bronson isn’t better downhill than your old Nomad!
To be honest I'm pretty sure it would. Though my mate who has had a MK2, Mk3 and Mk4 Nomad says each iteration has climbed better than the previous one so the MK4 from a MK2 should be a leap in climbing ability!
Given that you are (I assume) running a 160mm fork, and losing only 10mm travel on the back, yet the Bronson is significantly longer, lower and still slacker than the Mk2 Nomad, the geometry will make a far bigger difference than the extra 10mm of travel on the old bike.
I would think the Bronson is basically better, every single way.
