A colleague is looking for a new bike. Existing one is a late 90s / early 2000s Fisher XC race HT, so he wants the racey, long geometry, quick handling type feel.

Any ideas around the £1k mark?

My first thoughts were a “last years” Scott Scale or similar…

Non-hardtail I’d suggest the Anthem X, but going FS obviously depends on how much he decides to spend.

Canyon are stonking value, as are Boardman. Only downside to Canyon is that they can’t be test ridden unless you find someone with one the same size.

I’ve always liked the racey geometry/quick handling bikes having come from Klein hardtails.

Now as I’m getting older (38) I prefer a bit of comfort too. I’ve tried a few modern FS bikes with more laid back geometry but to be honest I just didnt like them.

The Anthem though is the nearest thing I have come to riding full susser that gets close to the feel of the Klein. However in many ways it is so much better. It climbs way better on technical climbs than a HT, and doesnt loose much on none technical climbs and on decents it will keep up with any other FS bike unless you start doing really rocky steep stuff.

You can get a 2011 Anthem X5 for £899, ok not the best shocks etc but the same frame you get on their top of the range bike.

FD – wholeheartedly agree. (I have an Anthem X) and an older geometry race hardtail

would need to persuade colleague to spend the extra on an FS though

What size frame does your friend need?

I’ve got a 21″ BeOne carbon H/T XC race frame in the classifieds at the moment,