Ki know it’s been asked before but not for a while do what’s recommended at the moment?

Going to be used for trail centre, occasional natural and even commuting duties. Odd weekend in the lakes too.

I’m not the most radical of riders, bit slow and don’t live in a hilly area so thinking something xc biased but definitely full sus as I have back problems. Also want 29er to increase my speed.

Budget around £2.5k. currently love the Canyon Neuron. Also the Strive but may be too much for me?

I’ve got a Nerve (what the Neuron used to be called).

It’ll happily do all you want it to.

Scott Spark is a great bike and does everything you want. I’ve got the 960, but with your budget you should be able to get the 940.

I bought mine for long distance xc rides but been using it a lot in the woods on the singletrack too and it’s a blast.

trek fuel before they up the travel

The Fuel is a decent shout, though questionable VFM at RRP.

The Orange Stage 4 might be perfect, but even more questionable VFM unless you get a deal (of which there are a few about).
eg. This one

Marin Rift Zone looks a cracking little bike but I haven’t ridden it to see how well it pedals – which can be the make-or-break thing on same short-travel 29ers IMO.

Whyte S120 would be towards the top of my list, slightly over-budget but a great base to build on. Canyon is a bit conservative geo-wise but will be light, efficient and good value, which may be all you want. The Whyte is a cracking bike though, just a bit heavy!

I’ve had my head turned by the Arc8 shortish travel fs. Essential, I think?

I’d say don’t get too hung up on travel- my commencal is 140f 130r and it’s a very comfy place to spend long rides, it’s just the weight and tyres really that slow it down. Iirc one of the American ultra racers built up a yeti longish travel 29er with XC parts for multiple days over rough terrain and it seemed to work for him.

Scott Spark is a great bike and does everything you want. I’ve got the 960, but with your budget you should be able to get the 940.

I bought mine for long distance xc rides but been using it a lot in the woods on the singletrack too and it’s a blast.

This. A very, very capable bike.

yeti SB100?

I recently bought a Rocky Mountain Element from Paul’s Cycles for less than your budget, but I’ve just looked and they only have the C70 in stock now at £3200. It’s a massively capable bike despite what the geometry numbers say.

I also looked at the Scott Spark (Westbrook Cycles and Start Fitness) but was put off a little by the twinlok and double chainring setup.

Start Fitness have a Cube Stereo 120 HPC for £2,299.00 with Fox factory suspension on and also have an Orange Segment and a Stage 4 by the look of it.

The new Trek Top Fuel 8

Was just in the verge of ordering the fuel ex 8.0 but MTB monster says it’s out of stock (despite it saying in stock in the website). Disappointing. Had my heart set on that – now wondering if I would be ok on a Trek Slash which I viewed today in Evans. Bloody stunning but is 160mm too much for me? Hmm, is more travel going to be a pain for me?

What happened to that nice bike you bought a few weeks ago?

My boring opinion is not to go too short in the travel, especially if you are hoping to enjoy the Lakes. You can ride it on 100mm travel but it will be more funnerer on 130 or 140. And probably better for your back.

New Orbea Occam would go like stink on your home trails too. Get a lockout if you’re riding a lot of fire road.

From your OP, the Slash would be too much bike. It’s quite nippy and playful by long-travel 29er standards though, I thought when demo-ing one.

Stretch the budget for one of these?
https://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/giant-trance-29er-1-full-suspension-mountain-bike-2019-p339274/s610061?gclid=CjwKCAjw36DpBRAYEiwAmVVDMFIf5QkGNuXErQi_Uggow9I6w3txSst3rOkYDWPLRetYXNd3qTKmyRoCXf0QAvD_BwE

Carbon wheels on that one, which makes the £3k price seem reasonable.

That factory segment at drakes cycles for 2.5k

Kashima, x01, avid ultimate, hope and raceface bits.

Love mine.

Stupidly versatile bike.

Was just in the verge of ordering the fuel ex 8.0 but MTB monster says it’s out of stock

If you need an 18.5 I know where there’s an ex display 2019 one in cardinal red

+1 for RM Element if you are after XC with trail capability. Great bike.

Transition Smuggler for trail capability with XC traits (but not light). My current steed, and I love it.

Both can be had with your budget if you shop around.

OR

Look at Pyga bikes. Old 110 model or the Stage models. The latter may be a bit too pricey.

I’m currently lush img after an intense sniper, I was set on a spark but doesn’t seem many large 2019s in the sale so I may wait for the 2020 models as it likely won’t get used much this season

Cheers rocketdog but i’m borderline L/XL.

Looking at all the options in detail this morning. Hoping for an ex demo flaremax to pop up on the Cotic site (which I’m surprised no one has recommended – too heavy maybe?)

Scott Spark is worth a look. I have the RC900 Team (spent a bit on upgrades over the year). It’s quite light for an XL (11.3kg) and it’s such a fast and fun bike.

I don’t use a dropper on mine as my other bike does that thing, but at places like Llandegla it’s very fast and fun!

Oh and if this is the person I’m thinking of, I love my new glasses 🙂

Marin Rift Zone looks a cracking little bike but I haven’t ridden it to see how well it pedals – which can be the make-or-break thing

Is it just me or do other people find it interesting/surprising/bizarre that people are recommending bicycles without actually having ridden them?

Seems absolutely nuts…

Apparently the way it pedals can be the make or break thing…

You don’t say!

Stealth advert warning;) I know someone that is about to list their large Specialized Camber Carbon Expert Evo 29 for sale…cough. It’d be way under you budget, and it’s in superb condition, so you wouldn’t have to spend money fixing bearings etc. I’ve been keeping the Camber as a lighter alternative to my Cotic RocketMAX, but it hardly ever gets used as my old creaky body has adapted to my Cotic, and it complains a bit when switching between bikes.

Camber Evos are great bikes for trail centres.  The only modification I’ve made to mine has been to extend the fork from 120mm to 130mm to slacken it and raise the bottom bracket a touch. Oh, and I upgraded the wheels to some nice Mavic Crossmax XLs.  It absolutely flies uphill compared to the Cotic (it’s at least 4lbs lighter!) and it’s got a lovely lively feel on trail centre reds and natural trail rides.  The only time I’ve felt it gets a bit overfaced is on sustained rocky descents in the Peak District.  As I live close to the Peak, I do a lot of riding on the rough Dark Peak descents – hence the Cotic.

Drop me a PM if you’re interested.

Hi John, glad you’re happy mate! Will have a look at the Scotts, always liked them.

Just pm’d you Bowglie, cheers

Is it just me or do other people find it interesting/surprising/bizarre that people are recommending bicycles without actually having ridden them?

Are you new to the internet?

The only suprising thing here is I was making the OP aware of a bike (not recommending) while also making it clear that I’ve not ridden it.

But you carry on being mindboggled if you’re enjoying yourself.

I have the 2018 Canyon Neuron AL 7.0 29er, in a medium.

Its a really good bike actually, the fox suspension setup is one of the smoothest I’ve ever experienced and the frame despite looking slightly industrial (especially the rear triangle) has a cool adonised black finish. This was the first bike l had with a dropper post and am totally sold on them now.

It does weigh just under 30lbs, but a tubeless conversion and tyre swap should take a pound from that straight away.

The 2019 model has been revised slightly with more relaxed geometry, i have owned many brands such as Trek, Specialized and Giant and would say that Canyon are right up there now.

Don’t be afraid of dealing with an online seller either, my experience with Canyon has been first class.

Kona Hei Hei?
Theres a DL carbon one in Medium on the Triton website….

Click

Seems to be well reviewed.

Under 30lbs seems light o me after looking at the weights of the bikes i’ve been reading about today. Those Trek Fuel EX are around 33/34 lbs in an xl.

The neuron cf8 would be my choice for 2.5k, I quite like the look of them but I fancy something with longer travel and a bit more burlier forks.

At the other end, the strive is a bit too much bike. Canyon are missing a mid travel, 150mm 29er – a Spectral 29 for instance.

Newer Stumpy ST?

Reading this with interest as I’ve got something like this in mind. My Aeris 145LT is great but I fancy some a bit lighter (Pikes rather than Lyriks, single rather twin pot brakes etc) and different (29er, 120mm – 130mm) for long days out and because why not.

I like the idea of a Flare Max but unless I spend a fortune it’ll weigh more than the Bird.

What else is out there?

The idea of a lighter 29er trail bike is a tricky one. . Yes, pikes and single pots will save some weight but 29 wheels and tyres will put it back on.

A light second wheelset with light tyres might be the way to go

I like the idea of a Flare Max but unless I spend a fortune it’ll weigh more than the Bird.

What else is out there?

Orange Stage 4 or 5 are surprisingly light and pedal very well. Depends how you feel about Oranges though, obvs.

Bit behind the Cotic geo-wise as well.

Cube with XT?

https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/813/products/cube-stereo-120-29er-full-suspension-mountain-bike-2018-blackblue.aspx

https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/1322/products/cube-stereo-120-race-29er-fs-mountain-bike-2018-bluegreen.aspx

Or this ‘dale gives a lot for the money:

https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/643/products/cannondale-habit-carbon-3-full-suspension-mountain-bike-2018-blue.aspx

A Stage 4 does appeal but they’re blooming expensive compared to other alu bikes and appear to be welded by Stevie Wonder.

Bike shop at Glentress (Alpine Bikes?) had an ex-hire SC Tallboy C size large in yellow for £2.5k on Saturday. Nice spec and looked in great condition.

Love my own Tallboy CC and sounds like it’d suit your needs.

Having ridden the 29er anthem, and been very impressed with it, I would line up a trance 29er for a demo if I was after a short travel trail bike. A bit more rear and 130mm on the front. Trance 29 2 should be £2k-ish or thereabouts by now.

Sonder Evol 29er will be hitting the shops soon

Thnaks for all the reccomendations so far, I have looked at them all and there are some really good options there. I am leaning towards something with a touch more travel than the Scott at 120ish mm. I feel I may run out of talent on some of the red routes so i think id maybe rather have a bit too much than not enough. 130 to 140 seems good so I am liking the look of this Commencal at 130 rear 140 front…

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/commencal-meta-trail-29-ride-bike-2019/rp-prod175868?gs=1&sku=sku668073&pgrid=60711842818&ptaid=pla-671434801106&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=PLA+All+Products&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid|sujtOew1K_dc|pcrid|309840119990|pkw||pmt||prd|668073UK&gclid=CjwKCAjw67XpBRBqEiwA5RCocSBPzvyb5HWPR8Yh3hhADDT9ooLrvQetpztoaZTfu6msq8MhztneyRoCpVcQAvD_BwE