My problem: The last MTB I bought was a GT Zaskar X, circa 2000.

This means, not unsurprisingly, that I don’t know what I’m talking about, what is hot, and what is not.

It will be my only MTB and will be used for all sorts of general pratting about and wheelies. Need something fairly comfy, that can take abuse as I am a powerful yet talentless rider devoid of grace and skill who likes to land heavy, and more often than not sideways.

I fear change so am not sure I’d enjoy anything too slack and long coming from an 18yr old bike, and I have an irrational fear of forks that aren’t Rock Shox, gears that aren’t Shimano and wheels that are 29″.

Any recommendations?

Budget around £1,000-£1,500 I suppose should be sufficient.

Cheers.

Pinnacle iroko

New Scott Scale 745, Large (2018) rrp £1800 to you £1250 posted (UK), colour: carbon / yellow. Will post some photos in a while.

you could go second hand? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cotic-BFE-Large-650b-Hardtail-Mountain-Bike-Enduro-DH-XC-Downhill-456-Stanton/113230837601

Marin Nail Trail 7

Cheers chaps, will have a proper look after work. Your help is greatly appreciated.

I recently bought a whyte 909 for £1500 Shimano XT, Fox 34, 27.5 so not really ticking many boxes but you really should try the fox forks, I was like you but these fox a much plusher than my past  rockshox. My friends orange crush is a damn good bike as well and you could spec it yourself.

That’s a whole range of bikes there, from XC race bikes to low, low and slack trail bikes.

What’s it for? XC racing? Long rides in the hills? Trail centres? Enduro trails? DH trails? Bike park? Canal path? Towing the kids?

Depending on what it’s for will give you a better idea of what to buy.

Also, why a hardtail? If it’s cost, Canyon, Yt and CRC have full suspension bikes with decent spec for the price of a decent hardtail.

If you do go second hand I’m about yo list or split a Norco Charger 7.0 2016, £500 ono leaving money for a dropper post and cash in the bank. It’s live new including original receipt (£1k).

If your a medium THIS

https://www.wheelbase.co.uk/product/bikes-frames/bikes-by-type/mountain-bikes/kona-honzo-aldr-2018-18konahonzoaldr/

failing That Get yourself to a good bike shop ( you see them for real and get to sit on them) 1000 for the bike and 500 for all the other stuff you might need, Pedals, Helmet, gloves, shorts, jacket, shoes socks and go 0% finance to make it easier, then get out and enjoy yourself.

From what you say it doesn’t sound like you want something XC, or equally something crazy slack for doing silly things on. It sounds like you want s trail bike that you can peddle up and down hills, and be sturdy enough to land jumps (badly) and shake it off.

If we rule out 29ers (although some of them could do this) then it has to be a 27.5” wheel bike really.

As well as Rockshox, there are several other brands of fork that are good – things like a Fox 34 / 36 or a manitou mattoc are also good. There are other more niche (but expensive) forks but I think at your budget you can rule them out.

This still leaves a lot of bikes – do you want to buy in a local bike shop – or are you happy to buy direct online?

I’ll second the FS at that price train of thought.

If your last bike was 18 years ago you’re probably the same age as me, or older – comfort, heavy landings, yep. You need a FS bike 😉 They’re nothing like the late 90’s/early 00’s FS designs, things have moved waaaay on.

As an example, this is currently available for £1498 (with the 10% BC discount) – http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-escarpe-vr-suspension-bike-slx-1×11-2018/rp-prod159743

Highly recommended 🙂

[url=https://flic.kr/p/JPfLp2]IMG_20180623_193543[/url] by Paul Sims, on Flickr

That Vitus Looks Great

+1 take a look at the Nail Trail 7, a 2018 can be had with £300 off at the minute if you look around.

Here’s a 2016 Review

And some bloke chucking one around in the woods:

Bird Zero TR?

It will certainly take the heavy landings and as much abuse as you can subject it to.

Thank you ever so much for your input peeps, it’s given me plenty to think about. Never really considered FS before as it’s added complexity (and weight) and I like a solid back end for wheelies past school kids but ta11pau1 almost certainly makes a very good case.

I’m sure all the suggestions will be in excess of my needs so will probably get drunk and decide on whichever bike best matches what I’m wearing at the time.

Cheers!

Inspired Hex.

If you’re looking for moderate yet modern geometry in a hard wearing frameset it might be worth looking at the Pace rc127+. It’s what I’ll be getting when an xl is available and if you’re looking for any other sizes there are bargains to be had at the moment with big price reductions. I’m not too keen on the whole plus thing as I think it can be a bit sluggish on long hills with really wide tyres on but the maximum tyre width is either 2.6 on a 27.5 wheel or 2.3 on a 29 so that’s going to suit me fine. Built up with decent wheels and an slx drivetrain it should fit your budget too.

I have a new BFe and it’s awesome and also I see a lot of myself in your description of devoid in grace and skill. It’s very stable, confidence inspiring and a lot more sympathetic to my dreadful jumping skills than my previous bike. Also comes in a very pretty blue.

Otherwise I looked at the Vitus hardtails, Bird, Stanton and the newer Orange. Came very very close to ordering a Stanton Slackline

Every time I see that Vitus fs suggestion come up it looks such good value for money and the bike itself looks really nice. It does depend what you want though – that’ll make it easier on you with big jump landings etc – but it will be a chunk heavier than a similar priced hardtail.

These are good (I have one)

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-sentier-vr-hardtail-bike-sram-nx-1×11-2018/rp-prod159770

I’d suggest getting to a demo day or 2 – I was all set on a hardtail after coming back to MTBs after 15 years, however as soon a I rode a couple of FS bikes I knew that was what was best for me.

I will have a hardtail as well as a FS bike at some point too.

Stanton Switchback, just built one up and love it, steel so pretty tough, short chain stays so easy so chuck around and get the front end up, lovely paint job , I’ve stuck 160 pikes on and some bullet proof ex471 rims& hope hubs as it will take a battering out here in the Alps’ A 150 brand   x dropper and it rips down stuff I’d normally tackle on the full susser The  simplicity and low maintenance of a hard tail holds its appeal for me. And it has a Reynolds 631  steel badge …..

You really should consider a Trek Stache 29+. Brilliant bike! i have a 7k Yeti sb4.5 which never gets used since i picked mine up, initially to use for winter but I’m riding it all the time. I’m doing Ard Moors next weekend and the Stache will be my bike of choice to take. Very capable on most UK trails and rolls surprisingly fast even with the plus tyres

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Sorry for that javascript suff on the post above. I don’t now how it came up or how to move it. I tried to edit it out but it just keeps reappearing. I don’t post stuff often, then this crap happens to me.DOH!  again.   just ignore it, sorry.

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P7. Used mine on DH runs, out on road rides with mates general all round trail riding. Now off on a 4 week tour on it. Aggro all rounder.

Inspired Hex.

Lay off the crack bruv.