New bike advice, please.

Evening all.

Just looking for a bit of advice for a new bike purchase. I recently had my SS and Specialized Epic stolen and (assuming the insurance pays out) I want to purchase a new bike.

The SS was a Sanderson Soloist, a truly lovely bike but one which I didn’t use as much as I expected except for a quick local ride. Whereas my Epic, which dated from ’08, was a fabulous bit of kit. Unfortunately, the insurance cover I have will probably only pay out about 50% of the RRP of a new Epic. I am hoping to combine both insurance payouts into one bike. But what?

My riding is mainly XC/mincecore-type stuff. I always enjoy a visit to Afan but also like riding the (Brecon) Beacons and the trails around Cardiff, but nothing overtly techy or hardcore. With the Epic I felt 100mm travel was ample but sometimes it felt a bit ponderous on steep descents (probably a reflection of lack of skill). So what I should I be looking at…..?

Continue with an Epic? Or an anthem? Or Spark? But the Epic is only available in the 29″ flavour… is that a problem (I’m 5′ 8″ and a bit if that helps)
Go back to a HT? 26″ or 29″??

Anthems are ace. Fact.

New Epics are er…….. Epic.

Errr Canyon Nerve AM. Just got one and its INSANE!!!

🙂

Thanks guys… oh yeah, Canyon, but in XC flavour also on the shortlist, but I’m slightly wary of buying a bike without first even seeing it.

I got a Nerve XC8 in July and it’s a fantastic bike with great spec/VFM, well saying that I’m doing my usual and upgrading bits fairly quickly (wheels, brakes, saddle, bars, grips, shifters, tyres and a reverb so far!).
So far I’ve done Glentress red and black bits, Dalbeattie, Kirroughtree, Carron Valley and Laggan and it manages everything easily.
Light enough on the ups and confidence inspiring going down.

Don’t worry about buying blind check the geometry against your old bikes as a guide for size and contact the U.K service centre if you have any questions.

@starsh78, how are you finding the 29er thing? I appreciate the arguments, but at a touch over 5’8″ would the Epic still work for me?

I’m a touch over 5’8″ & the 29er thing works for me. Not on an Epic, or a Spesh for that matter.