3.5k for an AM/Enduro build

Hi Guys and Gals,

so ive been given around 3.5k for a new bike through insurance. just looking for some contributions and ideas on what bike to build/buy and if anybody has any positive or negative inputs for any frames.

the spec i am looking for is
around 6 inch travel,
135×12 or 142×12 rear axle
must have room for a CCDBA shock
tapered steerer

looking for a bike that i can ride all day ups and down, will be more focused on the downs as i already have a transition transam bike built up with 160mm bos on the front for the ups.
looking to do a few weeks in the alps in the summer, uplifts/bike parks/ singletrack. and would like to ride the local DH trails on it (gawton,tavi) as well as welsh trail centres.

will be built up with fox 36 160 forks, dropper post and wide bars

after looking around ive seen a few that caught my eye

-Banshee Rune V2
-Yeti SB-66
-Intense Tracer 2
-Intense UZZI
-2013 Mega AM Pro
-Specialized Enduro
-Commencal meta SX

thanks for looking

Not the nicest looking bike, but you should take a look at a Last Herb – awesome bike from what I’ve heard. Extremely versatile, a little heavy, but amazing when it comes to DH, according to Dirt.
Other suggestioons :

Alpine 160
Labyrinth Agile
Nicolai ion 16
Giant Reign

2013 Mega AM Pro

They cant run piggy back shocks as far as I am aware.

Cotic Rocket for sure

El Guapo? They’ll be pretty cheap, and you can sell the new CCDB Air that arrives with it for a good amount, meaning you’ll be able to get some very nice kit on it.

Last herb frame is 4.2kg with a RS Monarch and axle. It’s pretty heavy.

I’ve done everything you highlighted on your ride list including Super Tavi and Egypt, on my Nicolai Helius AM. No one outside of Nicolai has yet ridden the Ion 16 but the likelihood is that the suspension will be a little more supple initially and be more progressive through the stoke. Should be an awesome bike.

Also Dipper who runs Gravity Sports in Buckie has a near mint, still in warranty, modern geometry medium Helius AM for sale. It’s maybe two years old, £1000 I think with three years warranty left.

ive had a good look at the ion 16 and i love the look of it but nobody has got there hands on it, and is stated as a mini dh, dont know about the up hills.
alpine 160 was another option, but seemed to be further down the list.
as for the nicolai am i cant seem to find many retailers, and the nicolai site confused me =\

Your closest one would be in Bristol which is pretty far I know. The AM is my all time favourite bike. It can do it all.

geetee1972 – what spec are you running on your helius am?

I’d go for the SX for just looking ‘right’ but would also consider the enduro and rune
Intenses are pretty expensive so might compromise the build and the Mega can be a bit uninspiring unless you get the shock set up right.
Yeti is more of a mile munching, efficient trail bike with back-up bounce.

Santa Cruz Nomad 😀

I was looking at Nomad too but the starting price is the max budget 🙂

Very good bike though

How about a Knolly Chilcotin?

Make Dipper an offer for this…

http://forums.mtbr.com/nicolai/paid-spam-nicolai-am-833705.html

How about the new Turner Burner? http://www.silverfish-uk.com/Brand/9858/Category/9868/Frames-Build-Kits

£3700 will get you an XT and Thomson equipped complete build. I know that’s a bit above your budget but it’s an awesome frame and a great build so could be worth the stretch?

Mojo?? Can’t remember the 160 name- HD? Or Go for the special blend and upgrade the fork, shock and brakes with the rest of the budget? Just remembered the special blend is 1 and 1/8th headtube..
Would love an SB 66 but even the alu frame is pretty steep..

Spank my build is unashamedly over the top. I’m not embarrassed but it is almost an exercise in shame faced ‘all the gear no idea’. It does give me a lot of pleasure though (but not in that way 😯 ).

I ended up getting the wheels refunded because I had so many problems with the rear so its now sporting Handbuilt wheels with Enve AM rims.

2nd vote for the Knolly Chilcotin.

mojo HD meets your requirements:-

-6 inch travel
– tapered steerer
– 142 x 12mm rear
– will take a ccdb air

Maybe a a bit on the expensive side though.

El Guapo is a good contender also, especially at only £700 for the frame with a ccdbair. Will enable you to really go to town on the rest of the components with your budget.

or what about a nukeproof mega?

If you are after options then look at the Devinci’s at Freeborn. Mine has been perfect over the last 18 months.

YT Wicked 160 Ltd…?

2nd vote for the Knolly Chilcotin.

I need to have a go on one of those. And a helius AM.

Yeah, YT Wicked 160…
A mate has one. Amazing bike for the money, I’d swap it for my Mega in a heartbeat.

looking for a bike that i can ride all day ups and down, will be more focused on the downs as i already have a transition transam bike built up with 160mm bos on the front for the ups.

looking to do a few weeks in the alps in the summer, uplifts/bike parks/ singletrack. and would like to ride the local DH trails on it (gawton,tavi) as well as welsh trail centres.

Why would you want another 6″ travel bike? Just run a couple of builds for your current bike.

Why would you want another 6″ travel bike? Just run a couple of builds for your current bike.

Possibly because

ive been given around 3.5k for a new bike through insurance

?

thanks for all the input guys some nice frames mentioned there, thanks also geetee for the photo, a very nice set up there. what is the weight of the bike as it is?

as fork the bikes in question, so far the yt insutries ltd build is looking most favourible, amazing spec for the price. but unsure about the frame, no real reviews around art from its cheap. (and the website keeps crashing on me)

Mojo HD 160 is a very nice frame, but almost seems to be the obvious answer to my problem, i would like to see if there are any more frame jsut as good.

i had a look at the knolly chilcotin frame and its had some raves over in the US, but the frame just looks alittle bit odd for me.

has anybody had any experience on a banshee rune/spfitfire

S
B
6
6

thanks crash test, been given 3.5k really does some up most of this. =]

edward- that is a nice build.. whats the weight of that, how des the tracer handle of the rough stuff, black runs DH courses and that

Spank it weighs 30lbs on the nose with this build.

When the Spitfire was first launched it had issues. I considered one and the distributor actually warned me of it. I also talked to someone testing it for a magazine and they said it wasn’t quite there yet. But that was three years ago and things may have changed.

as for now the sb-66 is not an option, i just think it would be such a goos bike for true all mountain/enduro princles,, wouls make and amazing trail bike, but fear that it cant handle the rougher stuff.

geetee- 30lbs is a very nicew weight for a nicolai,

i also spoke to freefloe bikes about banshee bikes, and he anted at me over the phone for a good 10mins about how bad they are and dont touch them, he stated they had a retuen rate of around 65%, which is very high, but im not sure if that was just for the older stuff.

finally being able to get on the yt website, for the pro spec wickid, with the most ideal spec i could think of.. its around 2770 for the full build. which is amazing, considering a full build nomad/sb66 with equal spec is twice that easy.

im still just unsure about the frame

Weight a bit less than my orange 5 which it replaced, but it is an espensive build, xx cassette, XTR cranks etc. It rides amazingly well. It is very fast when the trail points down. Bikeradar said this bike literally tears itself out of your hands, something which I was a bit dubious about at first but I understand what they mean now ive ridden one! It climbs very well, no bob, but it really lets rip on the way back down. I also think it looks the dogs testicals and you dont see many of them about.

mm very nice, i have always liked how they look and bikeradars review on them seems to hit it on the head.

im sorry but ive just seen another bike, its the morning and im very wired on my double espresso .. anyone heard an awful lots on the Canfield ‘the One’ seen a few nice builds but not sure if the whole swapping shock is ust a gimmic, for an average ride in all aspects.

The new revised spitfire is out/coming out with bearings rather than the troublesome bushings the previous models had. And it looks awesome.

How’s your German?

Oh. Just seen that skyline cycles have some great deals on commencals (AM and SX). Check out their Facebook page.

ah so they have resolved the issue in banshee bike,,, INTRADESTING..

also anybody know of the morewood jabula?

Admittedly, I am biased but I’ll throw the MDE Carve 6 into the mix. It’s a rapid bike, that’s for sure. It was faster than my Lapierre Spicy and the Spicy is by no means a slouch.

http://www.sps-distribution.co.uk/product-details/carve-6/32
http://www.mdebikes.com/wordpress/portfolio/carve-6/