Hi all,

Looking for some advice! I’m getting back into riding after not doing much for the last couple years. Currently borrowing a friends Trek Fuel EX 29er to figure out what the trails around me are like, and therefore what kind of bike I want.

Trails I’ll be riding (in order of frequency)

• Local Essex stuff – either flat XC or jumpy trail spots
• Jumpy spots, such as Chicksands, with decent dirt jumps, drops, and also sprinty dual tracks etc. Generally pretty smooth
• Surrey Hills etc – generally pretty smooth trails, the odd jump.
• North Wales XC and DH trails (parents live there)
• Bike parks (BPW etc)
• Alps (hopefully get out this summer, and don’t want to hire)

I think I want something that is 150mm ish front / 140mm ish rear travel, long and slack enough to be stable on rough stuff but still vaguely nimble, pedals well and can be sprinted/thrown about, and can handle being thrown down some rough stuff and off jumps and drops. Essentially a 160/170mm “enduro” bike, but with a bit less travel

Budget is definitely under £2k, ideally £1.5k, so of course looking second hand, hopefully not more than 2-3 years old. Dropper post and 1x drivetrain.

So yeah, basically want the moon on a stick.

Bikes I’ve looked at:

• Whyte T130 – current fav. Gets very good reviews, maybe a little overweight but hopefully that means more durable. Would be nice if it was a little more travel, I guess I can extend the fork to 140mm
• Kona Process 134 – would love one, short travel but great geometry (I used to have a Process 153), but can’t find any that are less than 4 years old
• Various enduro bikes – Nukeproof Mega, Commencal Meta V4, YT Capra etc – Solid bikes but 170/165mm travel is too much
• Canyon Spectral – don’t really know anything about it
• Propain Two Face – looks good, but don’t see much about it at all?
• Trek Fuel/Remedy – I rode a Slash a while back and loved it, so thinking the shorter travel siblings may be worth a shot
• etc

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Duane.

My trek remedy 29er, natch. Largely like the fuel ex but with a smidge more travel.

Sorry, should have said, want a 650b -er!

In the age old STW tradition I’ll (highly) recommend what I have.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2434kRY]IMG_20180503_171254[/url] by Paul Sims, on Flickr

£1665 with BC discount

140/150mm with a RS deluxe and revelations (2018 ones, so 35mm – can fit the new 2019 debonair spring and rct3 charger damper if you wanted to upgrade)

1x SLX

Brand X dropper

Nukeproof finishing kit

Raaeface 27mm ID rims.

Long? yes. 435/453/470/495 reach. Slack? yes. 66 HA, 74.5 SA.

Loves charging fast down rough stuff but also decent enough for pedally flat stuff. There’s a 29 version with identical kit too. 🙂

Other than that I’d say Canyon Spectral but that’s £2k + postage for the cheapest one.

Bird Aeris : Airdrop edit both meet your travel and geometry requirements. I think the YT Jeffsy 27.5 is too new – the older ones in budget are 29er I imagine.

Process 134 is fun – but geometry is possibly less suited to some of your requirements than the other bikes you mention.

Banshee Spitfire perhaps? Transition Scout – although might be a touch shorter travel than you’d like – it’s meant to be quite playful.

That Vitus looks a good option and it’s new rather than 2nd hand. Plus you can effectively upgrade the forks to Pikes when budget allows by dropping in the rct3 charger damper for around £200.

2019 pikes for another £42 too, with the debonair bigger neg air chamber.

Thanks for replies – will check out the Vitus.

“Process 134 is fun – but geometry is possibly less suited to some of your requirements than the other bikes you mention.”

How so? Shorter/steeper?

Transition Scout? The SBG geometry is spot on (and similar to what Whyte are doing I think) and the frames are made to be abused, though as a result they’re not the lightest around. No idea how much they cost in the UK mind.

Edit: Totally missed your budget and are looking 2nd hand. Best ignore this then as I’m sure they cost more than 2K!

Meta v4 is 150 rear, 160 or 150 front, so don’t dismiss it because you think it’s 170/165.

A new Jeffsy 27 AL is a smidge over 2k :

https://www.yt-industries.com/uk/detail/index/sArticle/1922/sCategory/509

And if you’re currently on a borrowed 29er, can I ask why you don’t get on with them?  Apart from the Dirt Jump bit of you’re riding, they’d seem an interesting proposal (and am a fan myself, as you can probably tell 🙂 )

Bird Aeris 145 with a 150m fork sounds like it would be spot on for you, but not many come up for sale second hand. If you do find one, they have transferable lifetime frame warranty. You can also buy an additional linkage to make the rear travel 160mm for the DH/bike park/Alps.

There’s a lot to consider within budget and if you’re patient for the right bike to come up.

You can get an 2016 Orange 5 second hand within budget which fits the bill nicely.

I paid a little over your top end for a vgc 2017 Alu Bronson with upgraded wheels which I use for exactly the riding you outline.

Commencal meta trail worth a look I reckon.

That Vitus looks lovely!

Bird Aeris frame for £1100.

With some careful purchasing you could build that up with second hand bits for less than £2k in the spec you want.

Or an Airdrop Edit bare frame for £800. Pick up a second hand shock again, easily build that up to budget.

Thanks for all the replies!

I’m not totally against building up a bike, but I don’t really have the time/inclination to do it, unless it really makes sense.

Bird Aeris – looks alright (V2 at least) – not many larges around used, although by the looks of its geometry/reach, I could probably get away with a medium (I’m about 6 ft 1, and happy on a compact bike – I’m currently riding a small Trek!)

Airdrop Edit – the V1 in large looks odd, and unlikely to find a V2 used. Buying a new frame is an option…

“Meta v4 is 150 rear, 160 or 150 front, ” – sorry you’re right, I was referring to the V4.2. Other than travel, is there much difference between the two? Were any improvements made which give reason not to get the V4?

I see there is a Trail V4.2 which looks perfect for me – essentially baby brother to the V4.2 (140/130mm), but cannot see any used/within budget

Orange 5 – really averse to Orange bikes I’m afraid (something about IT managers and trail centres…)

Any thoughts on the Whyte T130 compared to the other bikes discussed here?

Worth mentioning – I would rather be under-biked than over-biked (within reason – don’t hold me to this when I’m rattling down the Alps on a XC hardtail..!). Pedalling a heavy wallowy thing up or down trails is horrid.

Thanks again,

Duane.

On the Kona Process 134 my mate has one and I have a Bird Aeris 145. Although both badges as Enduro they are a million miles apart in how they ride.

The Process feels like it wants to be jumped and manualled off everything – it’s really fun as a result. However if you get it on anything rocky you quickly know about it. It’s ok, just not that stable in comparison to newer longer slacker things.

The Aeris is happy jumping off stuff but I find it hard to manual – I think it’s due to the length and I have short arms! I’m 5’9 and on an ML and have recently popped in the new linkage that takes travel from 145 to 160mm. I think that’s lowered the B.B. and it feels like it’s cornering better as a result – although this could be placebo effect.

When things get fast and rocky it knocks the process into a cocked hat. It’s more stable, gathers speed quicker and just encourages you to take daft lines and get away with it.

I have had a few hours on a V2 Airdrop edit (with a coil shock) but went for the Aeris as it felt more lovely. The edit was a monster at swallowing whole boulders – it was really quick downhill – although I felt the coil rear / Yari fork felt unbalanced – it might have been better with either a Lyrik or an air shock for my preference.

edit – juatbto add my mate rides the Kona 134 up stuff like Snowdon so whilst it’s not a whippet XC bike it must climb ok. My Aeris climbs ok for what it is – better than my last 130mm travel trail bike in fact. Because it’s long it climbs steep stuff really well as the front wheel doesn’t lift at all. I have a shock with both lockout and pedal platform but I pretty much leave it fully open the majority of the time. I’ve gone round Cwmcarn both trails with no dramas. On my brief go on the Edit it was a little bobby with the coil shock on it unless you used the climb switch – then it was fine. I wish I’d been able to have a go on an air shock version to see how that was. I’d rather have a poppy air shock than a super plush coil I think.

It’s very hard to look past the Vituses. Stupidly good deals, and great bikes.

That Vitus does look pretty good. I tried the Bird configuration site and got to £2279 for the minimum spec I’d want – that’s Yari instead of Revs (stiffer but similar damping), Guide re brakes, bash guard, NX 1×11, DT Swiss wheels, Maxxis tyres. But no dropper.

Ze Germans can’t do much for the budget of the Vitus either – the YT / Canyon / Radon equivalents are all over £2k delivered.

Stumperjumper or Trance?

Second-hand 2017 or 2018 Orange Five fits the bill. Best bike I’ve owned in terms of versatility and fun-factor.

Orbea Rallon Alloy seem to lose value quick SH as they just updated and will do all that for good value.

SH Alloy Bronson if you can find a good deal.

Ride exactly those locations and have just swapped from a Norco Range to a Bronson to speed up when not aiming down hill. The Range was awesome but made me a tad lazy soaking up my bad lines 🙂

PS – I don’t work in IT and I never ride trail centres, just Pennines, Lakes, Alps.

I don’t think I’d buy a 2nd hand Orange frame personally – I’ve read too many threads about cracked frames / shock mounts / swing arms.

As mentioned – Bird Aeris 145 in Large (don’t size down just on the geo numbers, they are the size they are for a reason; I’m 6′ on a Large and it doesn’t feel cumbersome) would be spot on, especially as they have a transferable warranty (who else does…?).

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2357342/ – £2200 but worth it.

Edit: Actually, that Vitus is a damn bargain!

Good spec on that Bird, although I think I’d be wanting to pay £2k max for it just because it’s 2nd hand. Bet it’s great with a Lyrik / good wheels / GX eagle / guides etc. Certainly a better spec than mine!

Get a giant trance 2 2017 can be had for £1700 brand new or you can them 2nd hand for about £1200, 150mm front 140mm rear and modern geometry

I’m getting back into riding after not doing much for the last couple years.

really averse to Orange bikes I’m afraid (something about IT managers and trail centres…)

You’ve missed a few years. The IT TC crew are on Santa Cruz and Yeti now. They wouldn’t be seen dead on an aluminium bike these days.

Oranges are now the domain of the gruff northerner who rides a lot and in mud. Big mud clearance, and change the bearings with a hammer for £15. The last few years they’ve thinned out the metal to get the weight down and there seems to be more cracks now. As £2k barely gets you the frame and shock, you wouldn’t have a new one anyway.

Now i shall recommend what I have – original Bird Aeris. High spec 2nd hand maybe £1500?

150mm ish front / 140mm ish rear travel, long and slack enough to be stable on rough stuff but still vaguely nimble, pedals well and can be sprinted/thrown about, and can handle being thrown down some rough stuff and off jumps and drops.

Describes it perfectly. Your list of locations also matches mine fairly well. I have also completed the south downs way in a day (just) though I cant claim to have ridden up all the hills.

Plus it is one of the few second hand bikes that comes with a warranty.

My friend has a Process 153 for sale.

Size Medium.

Hardly riden as she had a crash that stopped her riding for quite a while.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10211937444455695&id=1359541344

Link doesn’t work

Hey Duane

Don’t bother going for something with less travel. Just run the suspension stiffer (or use compression adj) for jump/smooth/XC days.
most burly 165/170mm enduro bikes come in around 31lb now so totally manageable as an all rounder.
Knowing how you ride. I’d be looking for something with a fairly progressive rear end and a Lyrik.

If your budget can stretch half a grand a new Alu Capra/Mega would be top of my list (Unfashionably sized down 4 funz obvz). CRC have some great deals on Sommets too. (basically a cheaper slightly differently configured suspension mega)

S/H I’d be looking for a 2017 Capra. Such a fun bike and since the new one was released it shouldn’t be too difficult to track one down at a decent price. But you know me. Once i like something i tend to stick with it a long time. (long bikes still aren’t for me)

(Scottish) Dad.

x

New link for Kona

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2380861/

Thanks for all the replies – lots of food for thought!

Geex, have sent you a PM.

Cheers,

Duane.