Forum menu
Nicolai AC,for the last 2 years,excellent bike
Spesh Stumpjumper FSR. Overbiked for most XC stuff but it is a compromise as I also wanted a fun full suss for non race riding. I prefer longer style marathon races to short course XC.
Put spds on and some fast tyres for races.
I'd love a dedicated 100mm race bike but I can't justify it as I'm still never going to get podiums in bigger races.
Sorry for my first post to beon the cliche band wagon but I'm afraid it's an Orange Five for me.
[img] 
[/img]
Slowly getting used to this.
accidental double. whoops.
Scott Spark LTD - light and fast...
[url= http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4110/5058205071_736e1b3a44.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/5058205071/ ]My bike[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
It's made by [s]Lightspeed[/s] [b]Litespeed[/b] - I've heard they're a reputable company, so if it ever does snap I'm sure they'll sort it out...
Got my fingers and toes firmly crossed for you, hoping you don't need to use their "legendary" warranty! 😕
Here's my Maverick. Bit less full on XC than many on here, but it's still an XC bike. Been beefed up a bit of late, it's about 29lb kitted out as in the pic, but was 27lb when first built. They easily go sub 25lb though, and the longish wheelbase and bit of extra travel makes them perfect for long distance XC.
[img] 
[/img]
I went for the Anthem over a Superlight which had been my dream bike for years. In what way do you find it better Stu?
Don't get me wrong loved every min on the superlight... stiff, lively, fun to ride... Recently added a HT to the collection which was carbon and discovered the beauty of it to ride on....incredible... I had been wishing for years that SC would do a carbon superlight
As for the anthem.... all of the above and more... lighter, stiff, faster and just seems to eat the trails up with so little effort!!
Anthem X as well but with 120mm forks.
[img] 
[/img]
Scott Spark LTD - light and fast...
That's an RC, not a limited Shirley...? Splitting hairs, but still.
Niner Air 9 Carbon, fully rigid. Brilliant bike, descends like a demon, ascends like a billy goat, carves singletrack. Enjoy long endurance events as well as short circuit XC racing and epic days out in the saddle.
A 2000 mount vision. Bought the frame to build a full sus commuter bike due to a knee injury.
Discovered it was better than my good bike. So bits swapped over. Its heavy but rides light and I love single pivot simplicity.
Never used to ride my giant nrs in the mud. Replacing all those bearings scared the life out of me.
It is shod with panaracer smoke/darts and I guess I must nearly be a retro biker.
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
A Mojo was Unobtainium until my Marin Attack Trail frame broke and this Ibis frame came along second hand....
On behalf of Orangina,
Turning that lot
[img] 
[/img]
Into this
[img] 
[/img]
Trek Fuel Ex 9.
Top Fuel 9
How it looked when i built it 3 years ago
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
How it looks now
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
Cat approved changes.
Lucked out with this bike, didn't know what i was doing when i bought the frame off ebay (first full suss after not riding for years), and now still love the ride, still tweaking it (recently put in angle headset and offset shock bush, helped calm the steering a bit but still lively). haven't really found anything i prefer..
Another Epic here, although mine is one of the first ones:
[img] 
[/img]
I got it because I wanted an FS that was also good uphill.
I've a fierce hankering for an Epic Evo... Seems just my bag. Anthem X and Fuel are superb but a bit [i]common[/i] 
You asked for some Lapierres. Here's my son's that I [s]steal[/s] borrow occasionally to check it is still all in good mechanical order. Very nice it is too and much under rated alongside its Zesty and Spicy cousins.
[img] 
[/img]
Scott Spark LTD - light and fast...That's an RC, not a limited Shirley...? Splitting hairs, but still.
You're right, I get the two confused, I have a Scale LTD and a Spark RC.....
[img]
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7198/6934859588_8914b725f0_b.jp g" rel="nofollow" >ventana el saltamontes
for much the same reasons as DrRS**** on page 1
Old school Anthem, built for marathons, very light & fast especially up 😀
[img] 
[/img]
2009 anthem x1 (the orange one) because one came up at a decent price.
Very very quick bike. Quick up and only within seconds of my nomad on descents.
I really want a anthem 29er to replace it. Though the full builds seem to be very pricey for low quality kit. Ideally I'll pick up a frame and fork deal in the near future.
Demo-ed quite a few bikes recently, mainly around Surrey Hills (Peaslake etc). XCs and Trail/AM bikes. Among the former the Anthem 29er and the Epic Carbon 29er stood out for easy of climbing (esp the incredible Epic), speed of descent and ease of riding. The Camber 29er also was great fun to ride as a half-way house between the XC and the trad Stumpies of Fuel EC etc.
£1.7k difference between the Anthem and the carbon epic though - which is a shame. Epic flew up better but both similar on downs and singletrack. Not sure I would spend the extra on the Epic even though it felt awesome.
Here's my Maverick. Bit less full on XC than many on here, but it's still an XC bike. Been beefed up a bit of late, it's about 29lb kitted out as in the pic, but was 27lb when first built. They easily go sub 25lb though, and the longish wheelbase and bit of extra travel makes them perfect for long distance XC.
Is that a Durance or a 7.5? I'm still running my old ML-7 and it's still ace in a 'pedals like a hardtail' way. Monolink was bloody good when it first appeared and still is, but because Maverick don't churn out a new model every year, they tend to operate under the radar. Mine now weighs just over 23lb in race ('falling apart in the Peak') spec', can't think of anything of that sort of ilk I'd swap it for either.
And they are beautiful, in the way that Gerard Depardieu is beautiful. Or Jean Reno is beautiful. Or Miss Piggy is beautiful. And don't go saying that Miss Piggy is NOT beautiful...
[img] 
:med[/img]
cube ams 100 race.
Another Canyon Nerve XC:
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
It was by far the best value bike for the money. Still wish I'd got the AM though.
that cube looks like a real nice design .... whats the history of cube as a bike company? i hadnt really heard of them much prior to joining stw.
Nicolai Helius CC. Cos it goes like pooh off a shovel (considering its got me on it)
[img][url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7239/7248713536_18c25bbcd0.jp g" target="_blank">
Pronghorn XC-SW Carbon.
It's mine because
a) it's a bit (a lot) different from the usual fare,
b) it looks awesome (granted, this is a singularly unique opinion)
c) it's damn light for an almost off-the-shelf bike,
d) it climbs like no other bike I've ever ridden,
but mainly because
e) my bike shop-owning friend ordered one in my size and gave me a deal on it.
I'll save myself the ignominy of posting a pic. People get all "stabby" when they see one.
Giant Anthem X1 for me, although I've built it from scratch as a frame came up cheaply near me and I though I'd give my first FS a go.
I've put Revelation 100-130 forks on it, but I run them pretty soft so actually get 90-120mm. The back end is ultra capable and matches the forks well. I run a standard 3*9, hope hoops and thompson finishing kit.
I love it. Rides exactly how I think I bike should. I can attack out the saddle any climbs, it loves single track and I wuss out on the descents before it gets out of it's depth. I really wouldn't change it.
[img] 
[/img]
'09 Yeti AS-R simply because it rode better than all the others I tested.