Comes down to this – I’ve started events at the age of 39(!). My FS is an I Intense tracer, lots of money spent, predictable AM build set to 140 travel, nice bike, 30lb. Too heavy and industrious for eventing right?

Should I (gulp, can I?) commit to selling off the tracer in favor of a more “generic” slightly lighter 120mm bike (‘dale RZ120, Trek EX, Yeti ASR) to cover the events AND my general weekly singletrack + 4-5 Trail centre visits per year?

Or as the Tracer has “trail” rather than “wallow” characteristics/geometry anyway, should I shut up and put up?

Opinions please, to help an indecisive cretin….?

I have the RZ 120 1, havent ridden it properly yet so cant really comment on it, but it looks fabulous in our front room 😀

I do know its good up hills and very fast on tarmac.

D.

are you racing to win or just for the buzz of taking part and pushing yourself?

If it’s the latter then ride what you’ve got, if you think you’ll be pressing the leaders then a 5 lb+ lighter bike will help.

wwaswas the former – taking part/motivation to ride more/fitness/something different than a standard sunday morning.

Formular for amount of bike you should own is N +1
(N = current number of bike you already own)

So, going by that formular, you should get another bike.

You’ll certainly enjoy it more on a lighter, faster bike. However, I’d advise doing a couple of events before deciding if you really want to ditch a perfectly good bike. You might find you hate the rest of the experience anyway.

Anyway – 39 is nothing…..

Maybe just a pair of ‘race day’ lightweight wheels and tyres for the current bike? saving money on rotating weight is the best place to do it, anyway.

I had a similar (if smaller scale) desicion to make on my forks. I have a pair of Pace RC 41s and they are in need of full strip and service. Was looking for a replacement (anything more reliable) due to the need for oil changes every few rides.

Have decided to keep them as when they are good they are great, they look pimp and are light as hell.

Im guessing some of these factors are similar to your issues.

In logical terms, if it does the job and you love it – keep it.

Any 25lb 120mm full suspension bike will cope fine with all the riding you’ve mentioned, and will probably be more fun than a 140mm intense tracer. The cannondale looks good, do it.

I am having exactly the same dilemma with my spesh pitch. Bought for general hammering but the planet fear epic in the lakes felt like hard work at points, especially when I needed to carry.

I might try the light wheels route for the next one, stans flow with 2.3 tyres probably wasn’t the smartest move for a 120k ride

“Industrious Eventing” is this another Niche I should be aware off?

If you ain’t 100% serious about Racing don’t bother to buy a “Race bike” if you are it’s probably worth buying something specifically for it rather than a slightly shorter travel, Slightly lighter “Jack of all trades”…

Basically stick with the Tracer and see how you go, if in a years time you are still racing and feel a pukka race bike is in order than start dropping hint about your ideal 40th present…

I tried racing on a Blur LT (140×140) a couple of times, sure you CAN get round but the fun in doing events comes when you start making progress, find your rythm and get faster…..sooner or later you are going to get very frustrated on a big wallowy bike. And sounds like you do plenty of other stuff so keep the Intense

So, happily you are going to have to buy another bike! Luckily you can race pretty effectivly on something inexpensive so you dont have to go mental.

I just turned 40 too and bought myself one of these to race marathons/XC on…..I too is a tart.

http://www.canyon.com/_uk/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=2066

Go on treat yourself

cookeaa & mcboo; Funny you should say that, I’ve given the Mrs a list of one Ti HT frame to replace my current steel one that would be a nice 40th. In some scenarios though, I’d want full suss – ie I got beaten to crap in the recent v dry Gorrick on the HT.

Perhaps a 100mm FS then – but other conversations like this suggest that familiarity with the bike is V important also….?

Am 6’3 so 100mm FS takes a bit of getting used to on the bigger stuff but on a race course it is the berries.

Makes you go faster and faster and the steering on short travel forks feels very precise when you are coming from riding 140/130 like I was. Just have to be careful not to get in over your skis, end up like me a little bit upside down.

A nice Ti hardtail with a nice light build will make a very decent XC race bike but it will stop being fun when it is very hard and dry as it has been. I raced mine a couple of weeks ago, it was fine, but I’d have been a whole lot quicker (and been a lot less battered) had my Lux FS not been in the shop.

Like I said, give it a year or so on the tracer, during that time you’ll be better able to form an idea as to what sort of race bike you want/need, and have a good few test rides:

ie. 100mm Anthem or similar FS, 80mm forked CF framed XC whippet machine…

You simply can’t hope to know what will suit without a frame of reference.

another race bike doesn’t need to cost the earth, but the bike you choose/assemble needs to fit the application, and don’t judge it all on the headline figures of travel and weight, there’s a bit more to a bike than that, you’ve got

If you want to buy a new bike do so.

I’m 41 and have just done my first race a couple of weeks ago(the trans Germany) and am now working towards the trans Wales in August. Its not just the racing, I am enjoying the whole training and working towards a target, in fact the trans Germany wasn’t particularly enjoyable in itself, but the sense of achievement to finish it, from my starting point at Christmas was great.

Next year its going to be the BC bike race, and I fully expect to do it on a new carbon race weapon, even though I also still expect to be towards the back of the field. I have a few months oogling bike porn before deciding what exactly I will buy, which is all part of the game after all.

I have a tracer with Fox 36 TALAS forks and a set of mavic 819s. I use it for everything including the odd 50km+ marathon. Wind the fork down to the 130mm setting and make sure you’re bolted up on the 140mm rear setting and off you go!

Unless you’re serious about racing, there’s no way I’d be chopping it in for a whippet bike and expect to have the same sort of fun on the more challenging terrain, without the increased risk of breakages and a rougher ride.

I think I would ride and enjoy until you think your fitness and technique is not the biggest thing holding you back, then maybe think about changing (or adding to.. :D)if you’re still serious.

Unless you’re serious about racing, there’s no way I’d be chopping it in for a whippet bike and expect to have the same sort of fun on the more challenging terrain,

Thats the thing, typical UK singletrack and trailcentres arent particularly challenging terrain.

I can’t be bothered to read the thread, but for arguments sake – yes. You bl00dy tart.

Man up and stop wussing out down the hairdresser’s path!

There. Did I solve it for you? 😉

Ok. I’ve done 2 events (2 to go) this year all on the HT but my next will be on the FS as I know the trails are fairly technical.

Think I’ll see what I get for my b’day then. If I get a Ti HT, I may decide to build it race light and keep the Steel one for the winter. either way, three bikes.

😯

I wouldn’t bother having a short-travel FS and a HT myself, but would pick one or the other.

Cheap secondhand Anthem X or Fuel Ex and move the good bits from your HT or upgrade over time?

For the kind of riding you do, I would get the Giant Anthem, a brilliant all rounder and can cope 4 visits to the trail centre, light and fast, you wont need to have more than one bike.

Anthem rocks!

Yeti – “generic” 😯