New bike time, I’m after a new full suss to replace my ageing Dawg. I only have room for one bike (just!) so it will be ridden all year round, predominantly in the Peaks.

My shortlist of bikes for a demo are:

Orange 5 – Current favourite but you don’t get a lot spec wise

Marin Mount Vision 5.8 – Joint second

Lapierre Zesty 314 – Joint second

Trek Fuel EX8

Cannondale Prophet 1

2008 Kona Dawg Supreme – An option but I fancy a change

I would really appreciate peoples experience of the durability of the bikes I’ve shortlisted

Thanks

Simon

Got a Marin Mount Vision 5.8-very pleased with the bike and had it about 6 months now. However in terms of durability frame and bushes are all fine but
1) You need to look after the Fox forks carefully. Take the stanchions off/clean/lube etc Not a big job but I didn’t and the forks were trashed in 3 months
2) Hope ProII rear hubs are not up to much. Been through 2 so far. Others have different experiences
3)Mavic rims are good but the aluminium nipples they come with don’t last and will corrode quickly.
4)XT drive train is fine
5)Comes with 2.1 High Rollers. Fast tyre but not best suited to the Peak as it comes up really skinny

Hope that helps

I’ve never had problems with any of my FS bikes in the peaks/yorkshire, but I’d recommend rockshox forks and a single pivot like the Cannondale prophet/Rush or Orange 5 for the minimum of faff.

If the only requirement you’re wanting feedback on is year round mud plugging and Peak grit punishment the only one that jumps out as being any better suited to coping with that is the Five with it’s single pivot, Uk friendly mud clearance, full length gear outer and cable routing.

There are some pretty different bikes in that list that have their own good and bad points, so you might like some but not others.

If you’re a year round Peak rider (like me) then the lower spec of the Five doesn’t sound like that much of a compromise really when you consider all your stuff gets eaten by the grit within months anyway…