MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
So I've decided that this is the sort of bike I want for my birthday next year (July).
I've made a list of bikes that I want to demo before I buy as I don't want to buy blind on the next one. For reference, I currently ride a 2016 carbon Stumpy in large and it's a tad too small.
Tallboy 3 (demoed it and liked it a lot)
Yeti SB 4.5c
Pivot Mach 429 Trail
Cotic Flare Max
Orange Stage 4
Trek Fuel EX 9.8
Are there any others to add to the list? £4500 is probably going to be my maximum as I want to finance half. Experiences with the above would be nice too 🙂
Maybe not short travel...
http://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/eurobike-2017-rocky-mountains-new-
instinct-pipeline/
Ohh, I do like Rocky Mountain bikes and I wouldn't rule out longer travel depending on a test ride.
Forgot about Intense too, so I'll have a look at their range. Hopefully, I should be able to demo most of these before next summer.
Transition smuggler is one obvious omission
Oh course! Transition, cheers 🙂
I'm waiting on a smuggler carbon, or it will be the new Evil following.
I also saw this recently that made me go a bit wobbly
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of those you have listed I'd go fuel ex, they are superb.
I'm hopefully looking at a Smuggler - all be it a cheaper one than your budget!
Banshee Phantom?
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Orbea Occam TR or Oiz
Kona Hei Hei range
Spesh Camber... ? (love mine)
That Bionicon is looking a bit traditional for them.
Saw this on Pinkbike and thought it looked nice, Patrol's 29-inch-wheel 591
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How short travel? I find 100mm enough to get me round most things.
Cannondale Scalpel
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Starling Murmur can be supplied with a shorter 51mm stroke shock to give 125mm of travel, but there’s still a long waiting list I think.
I've a pivot 429sl (100mm travel, 120mm fork) and it's brilliant. Rides way better than its numbers suggest. Think I prefer dw link to the vpp of Santa Cruzes too
[i]Ohh, I do like Rocky Mountain bikes and I wouldn't rule out longer travel depending on a test ride[/i]
Instinct definitely worth a demo then. Love mine and it's the older model. Would replace it with the new one in a heartbeat 😀
As per the normal recommend what you have way, what about a Whyte T129? Even with the RS spec there would be enough left in the budget to add a set of lighter/higher specc wheels if you felt the need.
Spesh camber +1
Smuggler or Orbea Occam TR would be what I would look at.
My god there's a few to work through there!
Cannondale Scalpel - I've always wanted a Lefty, but I think it might be a little on the XC side for my riding. I'm not exactly some sort of fast shredder etc, but I'll give most things a go 🙂
I want to stay away from Specialized as I don't think it will be different enough from what I have now.
Not a fan of Evil bikes to be honest. Few friends have/had them and I wasn't really keen.
Orbea/Bionicon/Starling are left-field enough to grab my attention too.
Banshee/Kona will be investigated. Looks like I'll be looking at all these till July at this rate lol.
Never been a fan of Whyte bikes to be honest. Maybe a demo will change my mind, but they've never really stood out for me. No rational reason why though.
2018 Giant Anthem?
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I was keeping my eye on the new Anthem, but it looks like they've gone back to being more racey for the 29er.
I'm leaning more to Trek Fuel/SB 4.5c/Tallboy etc. More of a short travel 29er trail bike (I do like to be awkward!).
The Kona/Orbea Occam are looking good too.