Help choosing a 150-160mm trail bike?

Hi all

So, looking for a new bike. Jumping on the trail/enduro bike bandwagon. Want to be able to do decent length XC rides, dh runs, decent sized drops, gaps etc, jumpy stuff, and be able to handle Alps stuff fine.

So, 150-160mm both ends
1×10
Dropper post
HA no steeper than 67*
Weight around 30lbs
Silly I know, but would really really like Kashima or BOS sus (again, silly I know…)
Be able to get it before Christmas
Budget of ideally no more than £2.5k

I don’t mind new or second hand. I don’t have time to build up my own bike though, so only looking to buy complete, if I have to change a few components that’s ok. Not sure if there’s much point in buying new as long as bike is in good condition – house insurance covers any accidental damage.

Was fairly set on the YT Industries Wicked 160 Ltd, crazy good spec for the price, but out of stock and won’t have 2013 models in until April or so.

Other bikes I have considered;

Trek Remedy – definite possibility, although they’re a bit “normal/ordinary”

Yeti SB-66 – really nice, little more expensive, also not sure how tough they are, and lots of bearings to change..

Saracen Ariel 162 – don’t know much about it, but seems well specced for price

Lapierre Zesty – nice, how tough are they?

Specialized Enduro – another possibility, but heard they’re a bit heavy/sluggish for XC?

Commencal AM – not looked too much into them, any good? How tough? Seems likes theres a million variants too..

Orange 5 – might be great for what I want, but not a fan of Oranges 😛

Radon Slide 150 9.0 – spec is truely amazing for the price, but is too steep, and looks a little spindly.

Anything else I should be looking at?

Any thoughts or recommendations would be great. If anyone’s selling a bike I might be interested, let me know (I’m 181cm)

Ta, Duane.

Oh and, selling both my current bikes 😛
http://www.pinkbike.com/u/minimole/buysell/

Santa Cruz Heckler 0.5 out on the head angle but fixed if you bang a 160mm 36 up front. (this may blow the budget 🙂

Great bikes for the cash.
Santa Cruz Demo Sale[/url] Some butchers in there for the money too

Thanks, I’ve always had the feeling a Heckler is a little on the spindly side 😕

Spicy everytime, put a coil or piggy back air shock if you’re doing enduro..mine got a pushed RP23 and 36’s up front. Don’t think I’ll need anything else for most of my riding. I do have a supreme for proper downhilling, but the spicy will cope with them also just not as fast. 😯

Well on my second now and it’s tough as nails.

Done alps, mega, gravity enduro, UK DH, Mt Stromlo DH, trail all over the UK, europe and Oz, drops big stacks and much more on it. They just keep going. With a 36 up front they are a seriously tough stiff bike new version has Chain Guide tabs and a tapered head tube. It’s generally overlooked but it’s right up there in the AM category. The Rev’s make it look smaller which is a bit of an optical illusion, I’m riding with some now and they are great.

13 carbon Enduro. By far the lightest and loveliest.

You’re looking at zesty’s, commencsls and 5s and you think hecklers are spindly?
No. Just no.

Nukeproof mega pro

As JCL says 2013 enduro carbon would be the top choice. I looked into it but the frame alone is £3800 from my LBS and thats if they can get one.

Otherwise I would say a lapierre spicy, I’ve tried one a few times and seems to cover all bases. Used one In the alps also and was spot on.

or this year whilst in alps the mbuk long term test zesty was at our chalet, a carbon 514 fitted with fox 34 160’s with offset shock bushes to bring bb down and slacken it off. Crossmax ST wheels… Was a lovely bike v.light and again a great all rounder. Rider said it had been superb for a week in morzine doing the passports loop and dh runs.

So much choice…good luck.

The first bike on your list is a super capable and fun machine, th Remedy. I of course have one, fox 36’s up front make it a little different, it’s cheap (you’ll get a good used one for £1200-1400). Just superb.

There’s a few remedy 9s on eBay atm in your price. Ace bikes but you’ll see them everywhere

Transition covert?

The alu Enduro is pretty light anyway, so the new ones with the Fox 34 fork should be a very good weight.

Personally I’d probably get a secondhand Enduro or Spicy for a grand or so and spend some money on a set of crossmax SX and some upgrades depending on the spec.

The YT industries 150 ltd is still in stock. Same spec as the 160 but shorter travel DT Swiss suspension and a bit lighter.

I would recommend the nuke proof mega. built mine up with fox dhx 5.0 air shock and 180 domains, nice set of wide bars, I have used it for riding up snowdon, uplift days and all day rides in the peaks and lakes.

Awesome versatile bike.

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never thought about a Cube but i saw this, and thought YES:

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-cube-bikes-stereo-super-hpc-160-sl-46706
but just saw yr budget so that’s probly out then!

and second the YT or the new Canyon nerve AL+. they’ve updated the geo.s etc of the old nerve AM and it looks bang up to date. great specs for the price too

I have a Zesty and a Covert… both are excellent and both are for sale…. if you give me a budget I will put together a spec and build it for you, attention to detail comes as standard.

WHat do you want to do with it?

Canyon?

Bushwacked-he says: Want to be able to do decent length XC rides, dh runs, decent sized drops, gaps etc, jumpy stuff, and be able to handle Alps stuff fine.

I was thinking Titus El Guapo? Amazing Value from On One with reverb, CCDB Air etc

Currently looking at the same issue, my list of possibles goes something like (in no particular order) –
Intense Slopestyle II (now discontinued)
Alpine 160
Enduro
Spicy
Nicolai Helius AM
Nicolai Ion 16
SB66
Covert
Liteville 601
YT Wicked Ltd
Canyon Strive
Meta AM (demo’d – liked it a lot)
Mondraker Dune (demo’d new Foxy XR with Forward Geometry, nice but sizing very odd for me)
Ibis Mojo HD
Banshee Rune (new version gives option to run 26″ or 650B – if it takes off?)
Cube Stereo (unsure – issues with tyre, rim, fork availability with 650B?)

In that case I’d be tempted with a Scott Voltage being added to that list.

Right, thanks a lot for all the replies. I’ll try address them now;

Sorry, I meant the Spicy not the Zesty.

Wreckler, note the “is it tough enough” comment on some of the options.

Forgot about the Mega, another definite possibility. Pro versions are out of stock, plus they have Monarch shocks which I’m a little dubious about. Could go second hand.

I feel 36s will be a bit overkill for this, 34s would be great (so Fox 34s, Lyrics, or Bos).

YT Ltd 150, yeah seen that, but not a fan of the DT Swiss suspension, plus some of the other spec choices.

Cube – don’t want 650b wheels.

Canyon Strive – thought about it but have heard various comments about frames not being up to scratch and very dubious warranty issues.

New Banshee Rune would be very nice, but won’t be out in time.

Scott Voltage – bit too heavy (more of a free-ride bike which can be made to do XC, rather than a all-rounder).

Any thoughts on the 2012 Saracen Ariel 162? Spec looks pretty ace for the money (but I guess it’s a Saracen.. 😛 ).
http://www.saracen.co.uk/bikes/2012/all-mountain/ariel-162

For some reason I seem to be more focussed on getting a good spec (main thing is wheels, cranks, and suspension) than the frame (within reason of course), figure it’s easier to swap the frame out in the future… not sure if that’s somewhat flawed logic…

Any thoughts on the SB-66? How durable are they?

Ta, Duane.

At £1800 odd for frame only, they’re a bit above your budget. I’ve ridden one and liked it, I noted that the TT was quite long. Again, out of budget but a carbon nomad would be my choice. Knolly chilcotin is a good one too.

Yeah, new well out of my budget, but few around second hand which are OK.

Got a Mega and it’s, well, mega. I wouldn’t want it as my only bike as it’s just too much bike for most of the stuff I ride (got a hardtail as my day to day mtb) though I’d probably say that about most of the bikes on that list.

Reckon you could spend several grand on a lightweight long travel frame and find it’s not burly enough for the serious stuff, and too cumbersome as a day to day trail bike. Definitely worth getting out there and riding some of those bikes.

My Voltage is down at 31 lbs at the moment and rides like a dream.

The 34 is not enough for the Enduro so if you’re set on that fork forget that bike.

Im selling a 2012 Nomad Carbon – large

Link to ad wilber?

I was lucky enough to ger a carbon Enduro at a silly price. Use it for every thing from alldayers in the Peak to holidays in the Alps. Dont have a problem with it climbing and on the downhills its awsome. It also light.

Struggling to understand how you will get ‘non-spindly’ and less than 30lbs in your budget.

Look again at the Heckler.

How about this:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/pivot-mach-57-race-ready-immaculate-condition

Last Herb 160

Do Giant still do the Reign?

+1 nukeproof mega pro

Stumpjumper EVO. Superb bike.

Nukeproof Mega is brilliant on the downs and one tough little nut of a bike. Not to everyone’s liking on the climbs but it still climbs ok once you get used to the seat angle.

A mate has just purchased a YT. Not ridden it yet so no comment. Looks awesome value though.

I know someone with an Alu Yeti 66. Rides pretty hard, 3 cracked swing arms tells its own story.

Considering the new Enduro myself as I get them at 50% discount but I’m also tempted with a Cotic Rocket. Had The Bike Chains demo Rocket recently and loved it.

You don’t fancy a large Santa Cruz Nomad frame? Got one for sale.