I’m thinking about N+/-1: selling my current FS and buying something new later in the year/early next year – I officially get old this year, and think I might buy myself a nice present. I know my criteria (130-140mm, 29er, trail bike, modern longer-slacker geometry) and my budget (£2,500 to £3,500-ish) and I’ve a shortlist of 8-10 bikes that I kinda like the look of. I’m working on the basis of there probably not being a bad bike at that level, so a chunk will come down to trying to get test rides and see how stuff feels.

The problem with that is the Direct Sales brands. I’ve got a Canyon and a YT on there, but unless I’m mistaken, you can’t demo their bikes since there’s no dealerships to borrow them from, so unless you know someone who’s taken the risk already, you’re buying blind. How have other people dealt with that? I mean, they might give better value but I’m not sure I’d be keen to fork out that much on something I haven’t even bounced around a car park…

For reference, the list I’ve got is as follows. Anyone spot anything glaring I’ve missed, aside from the Giant Trance which I’ve already tried and wasn’t that fond of?
– YT Izzo
– Canyon Neuron
– Trek Fuel EX
– Cotic FlareMAX
– NS Define 130
– Rocky Mountain Instinct
– Marin Rift Zone
– Orbea Occam
– Bird Aether 9C
– Specialized Stumpjumper/Evo
– Nukeproof Reactor

The last time I test rode a bike before buying it was 2010. And I’ve bought a few since then 🙂

I think that once you’re knowledgeable enough (and given your proviso about “no bad bikes”) you’ll hit on the right thing without riding it around a car park.

Transition Spur? Not sure if it can be had within budget.

I’ve rarely got anything from a test ride.
It’s a new bike, so it’ll feel a little strange anyway, as long as the geometry is vaguely what you want and it’s got no terrible online reviews, you’re likely to be fine.

Thanks Scotroutes & Lunge, it’s probably a fair point. I think to a degree I’d adapt to whatever bike I bought anyway! I bought my last bike blind, but it was half the budget I’m thinking of for this one, a hardtail, and I’d ridden friends bikes of similar geometry before I pushed the button on it. The FS I’m looking to replace is older geometry and much shorter travel, so it’s not quite in my realm of experience. That said, maybe if I can get a demo of one or two of the above to get the ‘feel’, one of the direct brands might jump out for value.

Re: Transition Spur – Over budget and short travel than I’m after, though it does look nice.
Norco Optic cropped up as a thought well but they don’t seem to be available in the UK.

If you’re anywhere near Guildford, YT now have a showroom/service centre where you can book a demo i believe

https://m.facebook.com/theytmillsurreyhills/

In the last ten years I have probably bought 10+ bikes and not test ridden any of them prior to buying. Some I liked and gelled with more than others but none of them were “bad”.

I agree with the whole “you wont get anything form a car park test ride or even a 1 hour loop of some local trails” it takes time to dial in a new bike and wont feel right until 5 – 10 rides into ownership in my experience.

If you’re anywhere near Guildford, YT now have a showroom/service centre where you can book a demo i believe

Good to know, unfortunately I’m a darn sight further north!

Have demo’d both a YT and a Canyon – the Canyon at the MBR demo day, and YT at their own ‘Rolling circus’ demo day.

Bought a YT on the back of the demo. 😀

If you follow my antics on here you’ll know I’m a nightmare at buying bikes blind and then regretting it a few months later. So I’d probably take the advice everyone gave me and try and test ride if you can.

Another one for your list is the Santa Cruz Hightower. You might get an alloy version for your money.

To add a bit more value to test rides if you can ride a couple off your list back to back that helps rule one of them out.

I rode an Airdrop Edit one day, then a Bird Aeris the following day. The Aeris was clearly better for me so I bought one. But after riding the Edit on the first day I thought I’d be buying one of those. Context is everything.

I then bought my Bird Aether frame without a test ride and in a different size to the Aeris to more the build kit across to when I fancies a change 3 years later.

I feel like I’ve got an idea what geometry I like / what suits me – so it then comes down to how the rear suspension works and then build kit.

Of your list I’d be looking to try the following I think:

Aether 9C
Nukeproof Reactor
YT Izzo
Orbea Occam
Rocky Mountain Instinct
Trek Fuel EX

I’d rule the Cotic out as it’s pretty heavy and the Specialized our as I’m not a fan of how their suspension usually feels (plush but a little soggy).

I’m just a bit meh about the Marin, NS and Canyon.

In several decades of riding, I cant say Ive ever test rode a bike (Think I did a around-the-car-park for a Stumpjumper I bought in maybe 2003) and never been on a demo day. Only been an issue with one bike, a Marin Riftzone that I bought and then sold on quickly probably 10 years ago

I’m looking at similar bikes, I’ve tried to arrange a test ride of the Izzo but they have no phone number and I’ve not been getting responses from their email/facebook messages.

I will probably end up with a canyon/yt as without riding I’m judging them on component spec

When it comes to a hardtail and therefore a budget bike I’m less fussy about a demo bike and would do it blind but when it comes to my one big expensive bike its a demo or it’s not even on the list. I must also be able to take it to my local ride spot where I know the trails so well that it’s all about the bike and not what’s around the next corner. Had the last big bike for six years and for the outlay I intend to have the new one for similar so it has to feel right. I know some people who change every year if not every month so if something doesn’t quite gel then it’s ok because it’ll be gone soon but I can’t afford that luxury so it has to be right for me.

Cheers Golfchick, that’s sort of my thinking.

I also just realised than in 20+ years of buying my own bikes, I’ve only ever bought one full suss as a complete, new bike before, without a test ride and I didn’t get on with it too well so swapped it (Fuel EX for a Top Fuel – the EX felt too big and wallowy to me at the time). Other than that I’ve always built up from second hand frames and parts, so it feels like a bigger thing than maybe it should be. I may well be over thinking it, though!

Test rides can be tricky for sure, especially at the moment…

Over lockdown took the plunge on a flareMAX frame and built up with a combination of new and pre-used parts and 4 rides in not at all dissapointed

Trying to think of the last bike I demoed first, probably a Singular about 11 years ago. Although more recently I did have a go on a mates gravel bike just out of interest thinking it would be crap and ended up buying it off him. It’s usually a problem finding anything in my size to try anyway. The main things are you know what size to get and what type of bike you like riding. Mostly it works out, usually there are a few surprises as nothing seems to ride exactly how I’d imagined. The fat bike and road bike were complete disasters! The idea of a fatty was sound but I went and bought a carbon one, stiff as a plank, huge tyres or not.

Some things aren’t immediately obvious from perusing the brand’s website. For instance the Occam may have similar sizing to the others on paper, the reach is actually longer than some, but when seated the steep seat angle will make it feel shorter. Best read some reviews.

I’d normally say always ride before you buy… but in the current situation, suggest that you buy blind from a company that’ll let you return it if you don’t like it.

https://www.cotic.co.uk/news/2020/cotic-love-it-or-your-money-back

The only thing you might want to check out and slides into budget just if you shop around is an Evil either following, calling or offering depending on preference on wheel size etc.

Not sure how you feel about GIANT but haven’t they just put out a Trance X, might that do it too?

James

I’ve never test ridden a bike before buying tbh.

2015 Giant trance – hindsight the reach was a bit short but 5 years ago it’s about where everything was at.

2018 YT Capra – has all the numbers the internet told me I needed on paper, fit perfect. Only sold it due to getting a silly price over lockdown.

2020 Bird AM9 – I originally wanted an AM9 when I got the Capra but they weren’t available soon enough. I was planning to demo this one but lockdown ruined that. As I had already sold the Capra I bit the bullet after a chat and a few emails with Dan at bird. The geo isn’t miles off the capra, slightly longer but with a shorter stem so I knew it wouldn’t be too far off.

Birds customer service is second to none! Get a Bird. Not too many places you send an email and you are chatting to the fella who designed it. My only slight regret is getting the AM9 before the 9c came out but you win some you loose some.

Focus Jam2 – I’ve got this on order, again buying blind.

Thanks all. If Bird Consett re-opens it’s not too bad for me to get to so should hopefully be a goer.
Interesting comment re the Orbea, I’ve never ridden any of their bikes
Giant – I think it’s partially looks and partially something else. I’ve tried two friend’s Trance frames over the years and just wasn’t a fan, never really rode them long enough to put my finger on why, but could also just be their personal setup and not adjusting it to me.
Santa Cruz – I’d looked at the Tallboy, but the ‘Santa Cruz tax’ means for £3k you’re getting a Recon on the front where I could get a Fox 34 or 36 Performance on other things. Shame really, the reviews look good!

I’m in a similar position with the same list of bikes!
I’d also add Whyte S120 to the list

If I only took bikes that had test rides available within a reasonable distance, I’d have a pretty narrow choice.

Over the years I’ve had Trek, Cotic, Canyon, YT, Yeti, Santa Cruz etc, none of them test rode, not a bad bike between them. Current bike (and my only MTB) is a Bronson and I’ve had it 3 1/2 years, no test ride available of that for 6 months when I bought it.

If you’re making a big change in terms of geometry, then many riders will just get confused by test riding as they’ll end up preferring the bike that’s most similar to their old bike. The older you are and the less talented a rider you are, the worse this will be!

However if you ride some bikes and like the ones that are least like your old bike then that bodes well!

Also with full-sus bikes, you really do need to get the suspension set correctly to make an accurate judgement.

Contrary view.

I’m 5’8″, right in the middle of Specialized’s size chart for a medium. Went to collect one I’d put a deposit down on and it was waaay too short. Took a large home.

I’d have been ok to send it back with online purchasing rules but it would have been a pain in the arris admin wise.

Orbea have a decent fleet of test bikes as far as I know. I had a older (2017) Occam for the weekend when it was on my list which gave me chance to have a proper ride or two. I think i would have bought one anyway but it was a lot of £££ and confirmed it was what i wanted. I have test ridden a few and also bought blind. Can’t recall ever buying a crap bike either way but I was a serial swapper for a few years anyway.

I don’t think I’ve test rode a bike since I bought my first “proper” mountain bike in 2003.

I’ve demoed plenty of stuff but always ended up with something different, mainly down to what frame bargains I could find on Ebay.

The only thing I ever bought that disappointed me was a Pace 305 hardtail.

Took a punt on a complete new bike back in Feb, a Whyte S150

I found one at too good a price to turn down and was pretty confident they were decent bikes given how well reviewed they were. It’s hard to buy a stinker these days and I already had a 29er full sus so had a good idea of what I wanted.

If your current full suss is old style geometry or a different wheel size then it might be worth getting a demo on something on your shortlist.

Personally I went from a 26″ Turner 5 Spot to a 29″ On One Codeine but it was worth a punt as the Codeine frame was buttons and I already had a 29er hardtail.