Hi,

I’m looking to upgrade my Blue Pig into more of an aggressive all mountain machine for some big tours I’ve got lined up. I love her how she is but I have some European Big Mountain Rides in the pipeline so I’m wanting something with roughly 130mm of travel, light as possible but something I can really throw around.

I weigh around 65kg and I’m 5″4′ so can get away with a pretty light build. Any suggestions, I’ve looked at the Trek Fuel, Lapierre Zesty, Yeti ASR amongst others.

I’m happy to salvage parts from my current build, currently Deore XT cranks, Mavic XM319 rims build onto DMR hubs, Avid Juicy’s and some RaceFace finishing kit.

Naturally would like to spend as little as possible, don’t mind buying frame only or a full build. Any thoughts, opinions/suggestions would be welcomed.

Thanks,
Adam

Mavic XM319 rims build onto DMR hubs

They’re not going to help you towards a ‘lightweight’ bike.

456Ti – light, fast, comfortable – but with any frame pick your components with care

Carbon Lovliness

You can get a Mojo Special Blend for a bit over £2.4k for the full bike…

For good value look at the Boardman FS, Canyon Nerve AM or one of the reduced Giant Trance Xs from Paul’s Cycles.

The wheels are something again I’m happy to upgrade, they’ve had a great life but are showing signs of wear. I’m happy to shop around on eBay etc but suggestions/reviews of what people have ridden would be great.

What’s your budget and what fork do you have (if any)?

Which “European Big Mountain Rides”? (ie. how rough terrain?)

Trek Fuel EX is an awesome bike but gets a little out of its depth on very rugged terrain, Zesty can cope with most terrain but would trade off a little nimbleness.

Personally for “all mountain” I wouldn’t go under 140mm front and rear, but maybe it depends what you take that term to mean.

First off around Molini in Northern Italy. The terrain is pretty tech and rough, but I am very lightweight so trying to get away with a more nimble lightweight set up.

I did consider going a little longer on the travel but the majority of my UK riding bridleways and trial centers etc don’t warrant it.

Those brakes will not be good enough nor survive (probably). There isn’t a bike shop in molini.

I have an old pair of M4s I was planning to dig out, nope no bike shops for a way around, it’ll be a full spares bag I’m taking…

My Zesty has done two alp weeks just fine. I noticed the rear shock getting really hot this time round though, might be worth investigating something better than a Float R if that kind of thermodynamic batshit troubles you. In your case I reckon it’d take quite nicely to some u-turn Lyriks for holidays and big stuff with a lighter set of 140mm Revelations or similar for day to day normality. It’s an excellent bike.

Santa Cruz Blur TRc £900 off list here

+1 Dickies suggestion.
With XT Groupset, 140-110 Talas at the front and Mavic ST’s mine still comes in around 11.5kg though I cant speak from experience how she would cope in the Alps she manages the trails out here OK, also a better climber than my previous Yeti ASR-5.

pleaderwilliams – Member

For good value look at the Boardman FS, Canyon Nerve AM or one of the reduced Giant Trance Xs from Paul’s Cycles.

All three have been very well received in the press each time their tested. This is also backed-up by owners on forums.

Zesty is a very capable machine and very plush. A forum member has just returned from a 2-week trip to Morzine where they’ve riden their Zesty for the second year running – something none of their previous bikes (mostly Oranges) had managed.

All that said I’d be tempted to try a lighter set of wheels on the Blue Pig first. Hope Pro II Evo with Stans Flow rims are a good start point. With your sveltness you may even get away with Mavic 717’s.

Titus FTM from On One? £700 for carbon frame.

Canyon Nerve AM / CF
Pivot Mach 5.7?

In my mind by definition a 130m FS bike isn’t all mountain and certainly not aggressive.

A Blue Pig is pretty capable. Cotic posted up some great video of a couple of German guys riding some really difficult technical rocky terrain on a BFe, ie a hardtail is fine, it’s not about the bike ! Would seem to me you’d be better off with a longer travel fork on the Blue Pig than a 130m FS. If you want an AM bike then you want something at 140m-160m and aggressive to me means 160 at least.

Would seem to me you’d be better off with a longer travel fork on the Blue Pig than a 130m FS.

This is wrong. That TRc would be far more suited to those trails than your hardtail.

On One C456 with 140mm up front.
With your size and weight you can go for the small frame and build it up nice and light. Definitely rate the Hope EVO2 hubs and flow rims as mentioned by someone else.

Stick some nice Maxxis chunky tyres on and it will fly 🙂

I have a Yeti ASR5 and a C456. If I was lucky enough to go on such a trip I would take both 🙂 as they are completely different beasts, but both GREAT fun.

You can get a C456 frame and forks for 749 or less for undecalled.

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/ZXOOCAR456BUN/on_one_carbon_456_decalled_frame_and_rockshox_fork_bundle

Zesty or Stumpjumper Fsr, normal one is a cracking bike or the evo which is a bit more agressive!

If you’re considering a Zesty, make sure it’s a 2012 one you test ride. The earlier model was deffinately a “long feeling” bike, even in the medium frame sizes. The 2012, imo, has just about nailed the trade off between stability Vs adjustability 🙂

Transition Bandit with a 160mm fork to give it a slacker head angle.

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-transition-bandit-2-12-46429

Don’t go for a Mojo SL, it’s got horrible geometry and they’re flexy as hell. Other bikes in the 130-140mm range would be – Orange Five, Zesty, Blur LT or a Mondraker Dune with the new forward geometry (should make them ride great).

However if I was riding big mountains I’d want more of a 150-160mm gravity enduro bike, so a Nukeproof Mega, Spicy, Nomad, Reign X etc.

If you’re considering a Zesty, make sure it’s a 2012 one you test ride. The earlier model was deffinately a “long feeling” bike, even in the medium frame sizes. The 2012, imo, has just about nailed the trade off between stability Vs adjustabilit

The new one will feel even longer in the cockpit (which they lengthened), they slackened the head angle as well but shortened the chainstay. So it will probably be more boat like but easier to manual.

There’s a Trek Remedy in the classifieds today…

I have ridden a 125/140mm trance in the alps, with elixirs on 180mm rotors. Honestly, if I were to do it regularly? I would want more travel and better brakes. If it’s only trails that are say, UK Black/Red route difficulty you’ll be fine on such a bike. But the alps are a BIG difference from UK black runs, both in length, steepness, and the difficulty and regularity of the obstacles you meet.

Ibis Mojo SLR? (pricey)

I’m in a similar boat, in that I like rocky technical terrain and jumping, but I only weigh 60kg.
Currently riding a Maverick ML7/5 which was one of the original lightweight long travel bikes, but there aren’t many like it.

Perhaps you could lighten the bike by going 1×10 or notubes, or some other not-too-expensive route (they’ve all been on my mind for the last couple of years).

This thread’s awesome, everyone can recommend everything.

First of all, try and narrow it down a bit, full suss vs hardtail would be a good place to start. If you go hardtail, personally I don’t think you’ll beat the Carbon 456 unless you have a stack of money to spend on the frame, it is very good and very cheap. Ragley Ti is better IMO but it isn’t 3-4 times better, and that’s how much more it costs. Top of a shortlist of one. And yes I own one but I just retired it, so no bias- the only things I’d replace it with was a Ragley ti or a full suss, and I did.

Full suss… Everyone can recommend everything. Too many variables. But I’m going to recommend you the best Stumpjumper Evo you can afford. They are frankly stunning, generally at good prices, and they make some very exotic and expensive tackle look absolutely ****.