I’ve been a member here for about 10 years, but this is the first time I’ve posted, so hello!

Anyway, as the title suggests, I’m in the market for a new MTB. I’ve got a budget of £1500 (absolute max), and for that I’m looking for a trail capable hardtail, but that wouldn’t be completely out of place when putting the miles in on tarmac or light gravel paths.

I’ve looked around a bit, and the new Canyon Grand Canyon 8 seems to fit the bill quite well…good spec, good value, appropriate geometry (previous gens being much more XC focussed, but seems they’ve adjusted some angles on this model). Just wanted to get some feedback from the forum on this choice, or perhaps some other suggestions…Vitus Sentier 29 VR, for example.

Be grateful of some advice.

Thanks

Any modern HT is going to work for you.

Mine is a 3yr old less than the latest long/low/slack and still flies around the place. It’s done trail centres, local rides, up Munro’s, bike packing and trying to keep up with son on DH/Enduro courses. It’s even done a road tour on semi slicks.

The Vitus will be more ‘relaxing’ at speed and is a solid bike, a few of the kids at club had/have them. The Canyon a touch lighter and more nimble, but a touch more nervous at speed.

Imo, focus on the basics like lighter wheels, fork with good damping, good warranty.
Your gears will wear out, they aren’t that important imo.
Saddle might need a change.

I had the Sentier 29, cracking bike that did pretty much everything and was surprisingly light once bars, stsm and saddle were replaced.

What size are you looking at?

At a push I might let my brand new custom Niner Air 9 go… Take a look in the classifieds and let me know if interested.

Specialized Fuse looks alright. Apparently a bit portly but I like the look of them. Haven’t seen one in the flesh yet.

Whyte seem to have the UK trail HT thing sorted with their 900 range.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOWHSLX/on-one-whippet-shimano-slx-mountain-bike

Or

https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/mountain-bikes/on-one-scandal

The scandal is a great bike 👍🏻

Yeah, the On One Scandal looks interesting…perhaps leans a little too much towards trail for my purposes, though? I’m definitely looking for a good all-rounder. Also, no dropper post? Seems to be a fairly standard feature at this price point?

Easy and cheap to add a dropper https://www.wiggle.co.uk/brand-x-ascend-dropper-seatpost-125mm-150mm

A dropper is £70-100 from brandx now, so just factor that into the cost.

Sonder Frontier for an all rounder (with room in your budget to upgrade stuff if you wanted), or a Transmitter for something more ‘trail’.

A dropper is £70-100 from brandx now, so just factor that into the cost.

Ah. Ok, so not so bad then.

I’m probably a little bit spoilt when it comes to spec, because my current bike is the original Boardman HT Pro bought in 2009 with the XO groupset and Reba Race forks, so I think I’m being a bit hyper-critical when looking at these new bikes. I’ve no idea how XO has aged against the current SRAM ranges. SX Eagle seems to be most common at this price point and that looks like their entry level?

There’s really not much wrong with the Boardman, I’m just keen to get onto a 29er and something a bit more suited to trails.

I’d honestly stay away from Sram SX as it’s their budget drivetrain. The Vitus 29 VRS is a cracking bike for the money and comes equipped with great Shimano gearing.
Sentier 29 VRS Bike XT SLX 1×12

Same position a few years ago – I bought a 2nd hand Trek Stache, put longer forks and an angleset on it, got new wheels. Anyway my point is also look 2nd hand and modify something to get what you want 👍👍
Also the Stache is great

Bizango carbon? Though I’d be surprised if they hadn’t sold out.

Sounds like you’re on the right track with the canyon given the riding you describe. As above, you can always add a dropper for trail days.

Latest Classified Ads

130mm fork – tick
premium brand – tick
full NX 12-speed (with upgraded GX chain) – tick
Decent wheels – tick
180mm/160mm rotors – tick
Dropper post with proper lever – tick
Renthal carbon bars (35mm diameter with Raceface stem) – tick
Super-fast rolling tyres set up tubeless – tick
Brand spanking new and never ridden – tick
In budget – very close tick

What’s not to like? (very biased here as it’s mine and i’m selling it).

Nukeproof Scout if you can get hold of one is a great trail bike.

That 29er Sentier above is really good for the money. I’d always pick Sram brakes – but I’d avoid Sram SX or NX groupset. Slx 12 speed is better than both. Rockshox Revs aren’t bad forks and if you ever wanted to you could stick a charger 2 damper in them to make them Pikes effectively.

I just sold my 650b Sentier as I fancied a posher custom steel frame, but it was ace and I hope I’m not making a bad decision!

Thanks guys and gals. Some good suggestions in here. The One One Scandal looks like great value, but I think I’m still leaning towards the Grand Canyon 8…only problem is, it’s not shipping until November! 😩

What about boardman mht 8.9 ? 1000 quid 29er not gnar plus a bit o cash to play with for dropper and ….

I have an orange p7 on eBay at present. Small frame tho.

Bird? I pretty much always buy used though. You can get a great HT used for that budget. My current bike cost a bit more and is great. Last gen Cotic Soul with XX1 Eagle drive train, hope finishing kit, Fox factory dropper and forks, Carbon Guide brakes and SRAM Roam 60 carbon wheels. Honestly felt like I was robbing the guy I bought it off as it’s also like new. If you’re patient your budget can go far.

I bought a scandal frame and built it up with some donor parts and some new stuff, it’s great. Rebas, mavic wheels, and an eclectic groupset.

I don’t think there’s a single thing about that Canyon that’s better than the Vitus Sentier thats £1600 (neither are in stock).

The Canyon has downgraded the cassette to the heavy deore one and there are a few things that actually make it marginally heavier than the Vitus – despite the Vitus having much burlier tyres.

Both have fairly short reach vs seat tube height, but the Vitus will be a bit more stable at speed I’d have thought with the more modern / slacker headangle.

The Grand Canyon is neither here nor there for me – it’s not full trail but it’s not full race xc. The Sentier is more capable on trails and still manages to be lighter.

as the OP clearly doesn’t want to buy my Niner (i tried)… can i suggest the Ritchey Ultra… you would have to buy the frame only (and it is not a cheap price for a steel frame), but with some determined parts buying, you could end up with a real ‘bike for life’ for circa your budget. i was going to buy one instead of the Niner frame, but i just couldn’t get hold of one at the time.

I don’t think there’s a single thing about that Canyon that’s better than the Vitus Sentier thats £1600 (neither are in stock).

Other than the price? There’s not a huge amount in the weight – Vitus 29 VRX 13.34kg < GC 8 13.58kg – but it’s the 29 VRS or 29 VR which fall within budget. Comparing two with similar price points, i.e. 29 VRS (£1399) vs GC 8 (£1349), there appears to be much less in it, wouldn’t you say?

The Grand Canyon is neither here nor there for me – it’s not full trail but it’s not full race xc. The Sentier is more capable on trails and still manages to be lighter

Not gonna argue with this, but that does mean that the GC kind of meets my brief better, I think. And again, the 29 VRX is over budget, so I’d be interested to get your thoughts on how the 29 VRS compares to the GC 8.

as the OP clearly doesn’t want to buy my Niner (i tried)… can i suggest the Ritchey Ultra… you would have to buy the frame only (and it is not a cheap price for a steel frame), but with some determined parts buying, you could end up with a real ‘bike for life’ for circa your budget. i was going to buy one instead of the Niner frame, but i just couldn’t get hold of one at the time.

Sorry buddy, I meant to reply. Bike looks great, but I’d need a medium frame (5’10) and also, this will be part paid for on my employers C2W scheme, so a private purchase wouldn’t be allowed. Nor would a build. Appreciate the suggestion, though.

Not gonna argue with this, but that does mean that the GC kind of meets my brief better, I think. And again, the 29 VRX is over budget, so I’d be interested to get your thoughts on how the 29 VRS compares to the GC 8.

I actually think I prefer the spec of the VRS actually bizarrely. I’d take Guide T brakes over XT (I’ve had a go on too many bikes with shimano brakes that have a variable bite point) and it keeps the full SLX 12 speed other than an XT upgraded rear mech. I’d be just as happy on a Rockshox Revelation as a Fox 34 Rhythm. Whilst the Grip damper is probably marginally better than the moco in the Revelation it has an upgrade path to be made into a Pike with a damper change should you want to at a later date.

So I’d definitely take the Vitus over the Canyon. Both are pretty much direct to market bikes so if you have a warranty issue you’d have to deal with ChainReaction or Wiggle for the Vitus or Canyon in Germany. Either way not a quick process I’d suggest.

I’d get the scandal. But maybe keep the Boardman for lighter duties. Either put slicks on it or even used 700c wheels and gravel tyres

I’d get the scandal. But maybe keep the Boardman for lighter duties. Either put slicks on it or even used 700c wheels and gravel tyres

Would be a great shout, if I had the space!!! It’s one in, one out, I’m afraid!

Bird zero 29 comes in on budget (almost) if you can find the extra few quid definitely worth it,really capable on the downs but a good all day peddler (high stack) become my go to bike.

Bird zero 29 comes in on budget (almost) if you can find the extra few quid definitely worth it,really capable on the downs but a good all day peddler (high stack) become my go to bike.

Looks great. Appears to almost fall within budget, until you try to buy it. Seems like a bunch of components aren’t included in that base price.

So, still looking…

Appears to almost fall within budget, until you try to buy it. Seems like a bunch of components aren’t included in that base price.

That seems the bird model.
It’s the reason I didn’t buy one.

Any thoughts on the Orbea Laufey? Seem like good VFM. Perhaps a little on the heavy side?

Looks great. Appears to almost fall within budget, until you try to buy it. Seems like a bunch of components aren’t included in that base price.

Last time I looked, the Bird base price wasn’t achievable at the time due to lack of availability of the default basic components. In normal times all the components are preselected and it hits the headline price.

I quite like the look of the Orbea and does look good value, as has been said.

cheapest sonder broken road comes in just over your budget, but looks a great frame for years to come

I may be about to press go on the Orbea Laufey H10, unless anyone here would advise against it?!

It’s a strong contender, couldn’t see anything wrong with it. Check out Hardtail Party’s review on YouTube.