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I am that old that my FS in the past have been a Y11 and an Orange Patriot and not the most positive of experiences - but I would like a full susser.
I mainly ride around the South Downs / Sussex area with a few trips out - but with work commitments and travelling Bike Parks will not be on the list this year.
I have lived in the Alps for a good few years - it will be unlikely to happen in the next two or so, but it could do ...
I currently have a BFe and a Solaris ... but I would like a FS for a little more comfort.
So in my eclectic selection process, I have come up with Whyte T-130 Yari, Canyon Spectral and The YT Capra.
I get the feeling that the latter is way more bike that I will ever be competent enough to ride...
I need an XL ( which limits the choice) as I an 6ft 3ish. I am also super clydesdale - but getting smaller with every week. Suffice to say, when I bought my Orange, It was looking at the Five , and the salesman said "The Patriot may suit you better".
What I hate with my patriot was the pedal action on the shock - and as an 18 inch, the cockpit was way too short for me. I am blessed with long body/short legs
Sensible choice would be a Giant Reign or the like. But I do not want the traditional cross country seat position. I am way past the arse in the air, slammed bars by my knees position. It looks cool - but my neck will be squealing at me after 5 miles ....
Mondraker have nice long top tubes lovely bikes what about a foxy?
6'4" mate rides a Santa cruz nomad. Picked it up second hand. Fits him very well.
Ad you don't mention a price...
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Price - around 2k ish
The Whyte is the sensible choice - but I hate the colour orange ....
And the YT Capra is probably too much bike - but just brilliant value for money !
How about a vitus escarpe, going quite cheap on chain reaction?
I'm not sure that the concept of "too much bike" really matters these days?(unless you are actually XC racing at the pointy end of the race)
I find the biggest change to any bike is the tyres/wheels fitted. Put some light wheels and fast rolling tyres on the capra, stiffen the suspension up a bit and for general "riding with your mates" duties it's fine!
Bird Aeris is a lot of bike for the money and they do some big sizes (and they're all long in reach with short-ish seat tubes for the size).
Cotic Rocket since you seem to like the brand?
I may have the perfect thing for you. Can't find your email, drop me a line?
thegeneralwreckerATyahooDOTcoDOTuk.
Avoid Canyon.....poor warranty
Okay - thanks for the heads up on Canyon.
I know about Bird ... But playing around with the spec I would like it comes out way more expensive than the others here ...
Sorry for the blatant plug, but this really is a great bike... and with only a few days of use
XL Yeti SB4.5
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1911655/
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🙂
The yeti looks great but way out of my price range ...
Sensible choice would be a Giant Reign or the like. But I do not want the traditional cross country seat position. I am way past the arse in the air, slammed bars by my knees position.
Do you mean an Anthem?
The Reign is a 160mm Enduro bike, with a long TT and reach, plus a steep seat angle and slack head angle.
It's not sensible or XC.
Either the Anthem SX or the Trance fit your description of what you're after.
So would an Evil Following, or Santa Cruz 5010, or Transition Scout, or Whyte T-130, or Specialized Stumpjumper, or Trek Remedy, or Scott Genius / Spark.
Yes - sorry, I meant the anthem.
The short top tube on the giant would bother me ....
know about Bird ... But playing around with the spec I would like it comes out way more expensive than the others here ...
I'd think we'd kick the Whyte into touch, be competitive with a Canyon but lose out to a Capra, but then of course you get a bike that with best-in-class customer service and back up for that bit extra. Quick comparison say between the T-130 Yari the same spec Aeris is £2299 vs an Aeris at £2180 and thats with quite a few upgrades on the Aeris over the Whyte... What level Spectral?
EDIT: As I suspected, a close spec too a Spectral AL 7.0 we're within a few qiud. Its a trade off in parts one v the other, but overall the same spec level.
Cotic Rocket since you seem to like the brand?
+1 but yeah budget.
The bird would be in mine too.
I opted for an XL Rose Uncle Jimbo, you can spec it how you like so fox/RS forks etc. They have Euro pricing's ala canyon but have a UK back up in Wiltshire for warranty and demo's etc.
https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/bike/rose-dr-z-2-29-2016/aid:815495
At least worth a look
I have a Whyte T-130S and i 'm same height but i ride a large, its quite a long bike.
Hi Neptune ...
And what do you think of it ...?
Re the sizing - I am tall, big but blessed with only a 32 inch inside leg!
I currently ride two 19 inch cotics - but visually it does look like a gorilla humping a football.
The Whyte XL seems to correspond to 20 inch so it is not like it would be riding a gate ... (my initial xl solaris (20.5 inch) was just too tall ...
Cotic Rocket - not i this price band , and with the debacle of the last Cotic Rocket launch, no thanks...
I will re look at the Bird website at lunchtime. Did they actually have the flexi rear end that the journos said?
The Spectral would be the AL 7 with Yari forks ....
.... All I will say is that the Journo that wrote that... bought an Aeris. 😉Did they actually have the flexi rear end that the journos said?
Hi Ben, I'm also just over 6ft 2ish with a 33 inside leg, very interested in getting an Aeris fairly soon.
What size Aeris would suit me? Thinking of planning a trip down to Swinley Forrest to give a bird a trial.
Thanks
Lot of replies here ignoring the "clydesdale" issue.
I'd recommend a Kona Process in XL - the 111 or 134 would probably be best considering your location.
These are remarkably stiff frames, a bit heavier than most but pedal well and have fantastic geometry.
Ben,
As above - what frame size!
I am guessing the way the seat tube is configured that stand over height won't be a issue ....
I would like a reasonably high head tube ... As I have on going age related neck problems
I don't know the pricing but what about the new nukeproof mega 29er? Or 650b version if that floats your boat.
Lot of replies here ignoring the "clydesdale" issue.
Yep - WTF is that 😳
I am somewhat heavy - 118 kgs so a weight weenie bike isn't going to cut it. I don't want a carbon fibre frame, and I also want suspension that can work with my bulk.
The intention is to be 20 kg lighter by the end of year ( a recent diabetes diagnosis being the kick up the arse) ... I favour air suspension has it can be tuned. Coil suspension has never really work for me ...
Hence the suggestion of more trail /AM style bikes ....
mrmoofo - Member
Yes - sorry, I meant the anthem.
The short top tube on the giant would bother me ....
Toptube lengths arn't the best way to judge the length of the cockpit, reach is a more accurate method.
Would recommend and XL Trance, very impressed with mine. Ride XC, trail centres, steep off piste and uplift days.
The Nukeproof Mega TR 275 is also a nice sturdy mid-travel bike, quite a bit shorter than the Process though.
Camber evo?
I went from 7 year old basic Trek HT to the Ce this year. Transformed fun and ability - but is still great for a 3 1/2 hour XC ride too.
A great all-rounder IMO - but NOT a jack of all trades.
@mrmoofo
As a similarly shaped, stumpy legged knuckle-dragging gorilla... i ride a large Stumpjumper (i'm not as tall as you) and the saddle to stem relationships is very good. It can take my weight (115kgs) with a couple of tokens in the fork and a volume reducer in the shock. Supple feel, and doesn't bottom too much.
Based in Brighton, i'm riding the same kind of trail type as you and this bike is a pretty good trail bike. Capable enough with the really lumpy stuff, but able to feel pretty quick on the top of the downs where the trails are pretty smooth.
Stumpy comp in XL @£1870 right now, reduced from £2500 - leisure wheels.
Not interested in the trailfox then Colin?
Wrecker,
I need to suss it out a little more TBH ... it's not a bike /brand that I know much about. That said , i think I want to go 27.5 rather than 29er.
I have 29er Solaris and I;m not 100% sold on the 29er thing
Lardman - the stumpy could appeal but I was hoping for something more robust that Revs as forks ...
No probs mrmoofo. If you're close to bristol, you're welcome to come check it out. Northwind of this parish has an older one, he seems to like it.
Thanks Wrecker,
I'm based in (or actually just outside) sunny Brighton ...
Yep, when i got my Stumpy, i just sold the Revs and put some Pikes on it. You could probably do that and still come up just around your budget.
The stock wheels are running well, and true, for me still after 8 months. I did do some component swapping, with some existing kit i had, so the bike is not really very 'stock' now. However most of that was about Shimano/Sram preferences. If you can live with the stock drivetrain, the finishing kit is all pretty good stuff.
In the STW tradition of recommending what you own I'll also chime in with a Trance....
The frame is strong enough for my 14st weight, it's reasonable price without going the direct sales route and has a certain amount of versatility to effectively be two bikes in one.
As stock it has 140mm front and rear with the DW link/Meastro platform firming up nicely under pedaling to make an efficient mile muncher....however stick a 160mm fork on the front and the HA slackens out to 66 degrees and you get a bike that loves descending...I couldn't be happier and it's stopped me constantly perusing the mags and websites looking at other AM bikes as I did in the past....instead I simply enjoy riding and I spend time planning rides out rather than what bike to buy next.
At 6'3 (or 6'2) you're between the L and XL sizing. Tomas who rides for us is 6'2 and he runs a L, but then so do I and I am only 5'10. Its all about the personal preference! I would probably err towards XL at 6'3, but remebering that the stem length is standard @ 35mm, you could go 40 or 50 without disrupting the steering much and get the extra length in the bike without the massive wheelbase.
Its also worth noting the next batch of Aeris frames inbound have a revised rear end and BB pivot that will make them [s]more gnar[/s] stiffer.
Cool , Ben,
Thanks for all the advice ...
One thing I forgot to say is that for around 3 months I have been struck by the devils own virus ... hot on the heels of Shingles.
The result was other than not being able to see properly for serval weeks, I got labarynthitis ... which meant I completely lost my sense of balance.
My brain is getting used to the situation and slowly everything is coming back ... I still walk like I am lightly pissed at time...
Talk about denial. I have to get a bike out tomorrow and actually see if I can ride the thing 😕
Let alone go out for a gnar-fest
Its also worth noting the next batch of Aeris frames inbound have a revised rear end and BB pivot that will make them stiffer
Sigh - the weather/trail conditions means I haven't even ridden my Mk1 Aeris yet...
Well, first trip out on the bike after severely losing my sense of balance for the last 3 months ...
Wow ... actually riding a bike is easier walking ( seriously) - I am not sure where I have to concentrate more , or I just needed to test myself a little ...
so FS is back on the list ...
The trance would be a perfect bike, so would a YT wicked. I'd look at a 130-140 frame with 140-150 forks.
Anthem SX here
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/giant-anthem-sx-1-2016-model-large
And Trances here
http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/mtb-fs-sale.php