Another help me choose c2w bike post…

I’m a roadie, trying to dip my toe back into mountain biking (having been a 90’s teenager on basic bikes of that era!), having  recently had some fun trips to Forest of Dean and Dalby with my daughter (riding my gravel bike on the Blue routes!), and also bikepacked the Trans Cambrian this year – and again felt a mountain bike would have been a better tool than my gravel bike which I used.  Initially I’m looking for something that I can ride the trail centres with my daughter (hopefully progressing beyond the blues when I’m on my own!), and the occasionall bikepacking trip (once or twice a year weekenders similar to trans Cambrian style). I’d also love to get to the Peak District and ride natural  stuff there, but realistically its going to be once or twice per year.

However, funds are limited, so I’m restricting myself to anywhere that accept Halfords c2w vouchers, and with a budget of £1300-£1500

As I’m very much someone who is more comfortable climbing than descending, and very much a 2 wheels on the ground kind of rider, which makes me think XC geometry is more my thing…..but my inclination is to go for more of a trail geometry, and maybe I start to build more confidence in the areas I’m weaker.

My current top choices are:

– Salsa Timberjack SLX (£1300)

– Trek Roscoe 9 (£1298)

Both similar geometry. The Salsa seems slightly better suited to bikepacking, but seems to be let down by poor fork (Rockshox 35 Silver TK, versus the Fox Rhythm 36 on the Roscoe) and poor brakes (Shimano MT401 vs Shimano M6120 on the Roscoe), and the slightly better spec on the Roscoe leans me in that direction, but wonder if its to burly for bikepacking.  Although they’re quite similar, perhaps the Salsa is more multi-purpose, but I don’t want to feel I need to replace fork/brakes straight away.

I also wonder if I would be better off with something completely different like a Sonder Broken Road (steel – the budget wouldn’t stretch to the titanium). Much better for bikepacking, and completely fine for the types of trails I’m likely to ride at the moment, but might hold me back if I want to progress to rougher / steeper / more technical trails, and won’t give me the confidence of the other 2 choices.

For the Sonder, I would need to decide quickly (before their Black Friday pricing ends, to make it within budget), and unfortunately, I won’t get chance to test ride one before then (not that I have much opportunity to test ride the Trek, and especially the Salsa either).

I guess I don’t really know if I’m going to get really into bikepacking, or really into trail riding, so trying to hedge my bets. Any advice welcome – but currently trying to narrow down choices rather than expand them – so I was really after considerations I might not have thought of, or experiences of people who’ve made similar compromise choices, rather than lots of additional choice recommendations!

I really would recommend the trail geometry, because I don’t think it really disadvantages you anywhere, but it will be definitely make it easier to get into more technical trails.

I’m leaning towards the Trek of those two for the reasons you suggested, but also because (in Oz at least) the Trek comes with the XT derailleur. I’ve had issues with two 12-speed SLX derailleurs and would definitely avoid them.

I think decide on the most likely riding that you want to do / would be capable of right now, then choose the bike best suited to that, maybe slightly preferring a bit of versatility in the frame/fork/componentry mix.

Don’t buy the bike you think you might want after ‘growing into it’

Best case scenario is you love it, your riding evolves, and at that point then I’m sure some money will turn up from somewhere easily enough (sacrifice heating for a month or whatever 🙂 ) when you ***need*** to prioritise a new bike to add

😉

Carbon frame,

SID forks

Only a slight stretch of the budget.

http://www.halfords.com/bikes/mountain-bikes/voodoo-bizango-carbon-pro-mens-mountain-bike—s-m-l-xl-frames-456526.html

I think decide on the most likely riding that you want to do / would be capable of right now, then choose the bike best suited to that, maybe slightly preferring a bit of versatility in the frame/fork/componentry mix.

Don’t buy the bike you think you might want after ‘growing into it’

+1

You can stick some bags on any bike, it just needs a cheap fixed seat post.  And TBH* off-road a backpack is better than frame bags.

*shhhhh don’t tell anyone, the cult members will tell you they’d rather push their 50lb bikes up a slight grassy incline than ride with a sweaty back.

Thanks for the wise thoughts!

I’d kind of been ignoring carbon, but thisisnotaspoon makes some good points.

The Roscoe looks decent for the price you’re quoting tbh. Reviews suggest perhaps the frame is a little overbuilt and stiff.

Sonder Signal NX? Group set is ok – fork is a Pike which is ok. Personally I’d take trail geometry over xc. More of an allrounder then rather then so head down. Although xc headangles are gradually getting a bit slacker.

Signal ST NX Eagle

On One Scandal is extremely cheap at the moment if they take C2W vouchers -£899. Rockshox 35 Gold isn’t the best fork in the world but it also isn’t the worst tbh. Better than the recon that seems to be on a lot of cheaper hardtails.

https://planetx.co.uk/products/on-one-scandal-sram-gx-mountain-bike

New Calibre Bossnut? I’m kinda tempted to get one on C2W, looks like a decent trail 29er for the money.

Trek Procaliber 🙂