Hi Guys,

I’ve never done MM before but I’m entered this year. I have a choice of two mountain bikes for this event and can’t decide which to take;

1) GIANT XTC (few years old) with 100mm travel Rockshox Reba, SLX 27 speed transmission

2) Cotic BFe with Fox FLOAT 140mm fork and SLX 27 speed transmission

What do you think? are either ideal or should I buy a full susser? Of the four riders in the team it looks like there will be two hardtails and two full suspension – who has the edge? or is it more about rider skills/fitness?

Thx Jus’

are either ideal

Yes.

And you do realise you’re in for some flack for this question, don’t you.

singlespeed and 1.5″ mud tyres.

HTH

I guess I pre-empted the abuse 🙂

MM isn’t technical or rocky, so either of your hardtails will be fine, just take whichever is the most mud friendly. In the dry, its ok, but in the wet it can be torture.
The riding is the least fun part of MM.

XTC.

The BFe would be totally wasted. Take both though, if it’s muddy it’ll be nice to swap between them.

Hi and Thanks for the warning and advice (DezB).

Sounds like a hardtail is probably the right choice whatever the weather 8)

Ah, equally, if you’re looking as it as an excuse to get a full sus… go for it!

As above I’d just make sure you have some mud tyres with you and take the bike with the best mud clearance.

Ah, equally, if you’re looking as it as an excuse to get a full sus… go for it!

I’m really looking for ammunition to throw at the full suspension riders in our team 😛

Fingers crossed for a dry and fast MM in 2012 8)

Hardtail if damp, softtail if bone dry (as it can get a bit tiring if you do a lot of laps).

njee +1

I took my hardtail a few years ago and really wished I’d taken the FS. There were a couple of bits, most noticeably a field the cows had been in, which were particularly rough (the mud had dried solid, probably not a usual occurrence for MM). If you’re racing then hardtail, if you want some comfort at 3 in the morning take the full suss, in fact take both, i nearly did and wished I had.

Oh and take mud tyres.