What hardtail for £1500 max

Taken me 1 month just to decide ht over fs…….cant afford wasting another month now deciding which make and model! Looked at a few makes – but some recommendations would be really appreciated to help make final decision. Along the lines of –

Felt Six Comp 2009
Focus Black Forest Pro 2009
Focus Raven 2009
GT Zaskar Expert 2009
Cannondale F2 2009 Mountain Bike
Scott Scale 35 2009 Mountain Bike
Commencal SuperNormal 2009
rock lobster tig team – ltd edition
merlin malt 4-09

Thanks

RL 853 with full XT & Reba Teams for £1123 (merlin doing 10% off at the mo) would be my choice.

The rl does seem to be the one I keep going back to…………but so is the http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Focus_Raven_2009/5360037556/

Surely at this money you could be into custom build teritory?

My choices:
Stiffee
Chameleon
Marin Rocky Ridge

But you sem more rce orientated therfore:
On-one scandal
Specialised?
Ti versions bought second hand?

I had the same choice 2 months ago and I opted for a Stiffee. Beautiful bike and handles amazingly well. At the price bracket you mentioned you can get a great build too. Mine was a little over that but not by too much 😉

Handjob or maybe a soul or save some cash and get the rock lobster.

Depends on exactly what your after, but if your after something racey then the Raven is excellent.
The frame is light and stiff but more comfortable than other similar frames.

What Ed2001 said. Would have thought you could do a Cotic Soul with a Merlin groupset buy for that money.

i have a scott scale 30 its a cracking bike,bit more than you wanted to spend but currently 10% off at pedalon so maybe you could stretch to it,i had a stumpjumper before it, but i really like the scott.

Or, spend less on an Orange p7 and use the rest of the cash on some cheap flights somewhere you’d never go for a couple of weekends riding.

The thrill of saying “I’ve been there…” never fades….

The thrill of a new bike is more temporary. Your still spending the money on your hobby, but doing something more active than just having a slightly more expensive bike.

Thanks for the your ideas – was thinking custom build but tbh I’m a bit of novice when it comes to components and it all seemed a bit of a minefield……the closest I got to custom build was merlin offering a few options on the website! And they’re not too far away so can easily go and test first….somehting which might be difficult for say Focus?

RRD – I think its just my commuting head coming in to play, looking for a ht that is OK for 20mile round commute when fancy a change from normal commuting bike……or should I seperate the two completely??!! Arrrghhh, decisions decisions!

Stiffee – are they frame only and wil any lbs build it up as I definitely dont have the skills needed.

What is Cotic Soul with a Merlin groupset??. . .sorry, I’m new to all thi!! Be gentle!

JuJuuk68….I’ve got to get the bike for a holiday which is already booked for 5 days end of March joining the very fit father in law and brother in law!! but I do like the idea of not spending up to the max.

Flatback….my commuting bike is a Scott Sportster which I’m impressed with hence that why I wondered about Scott Scale 30…wil look further in to it as they are sold in lbs

Ciotic Soul for £470…..what would be an insult to spend on everything else needed and how much would need to be spent to do such a frame justice?

Thanks

SiB

I should start by saying, get out and demo ride some bikes. I only “discovered” the more slack angles of the Stiffee by accident… But I now love the feel of the bike. I find it very forgiving when I try something that in reality is well above my ability!

Cove Stiffee is a frame only option; you will have to select your own components (which is not difficult but can be a minefield – I had enough knowledge to know how I wanted to build up my Stiffee).

Plenty of good quality bike shops will offer you a custom build option. I actually built the stiffee myself with the exception of Bottom Bracket, wheels and headset. My first foray into building.

Starting point
HT of your choice
XT groupset (although SLX is now viewed as the new bench mark MTB groupset)
Fork of your choice (lighter air ranging to heavier coil: QR or bolt through options). Personally I’d go for a Fox 15mm bolt through Fork.
Wheels (Hope hubs plus Mavic IMO good value for money)

Finally I commute 18 miles return each day on the stiffee. However I do also fancy a hack bike for the commute.

SiB

Talk to Cy at Cotic – he will come up with a few options for you – I have never owned a cotic as they dont do my size but if they were bigger i’d love one.

Merlin Cycles groupset offers – can always get your LBS to fit it all

RRD

Thanks. There’s a Cycle surgery not too far away so I’ll go and see what they have to say about custom builds although I’m a bit reluctant to as they were far from helpful last time I went in, no personal service.

Right, time to read up about forks…..are lighter air forks less robust and sturdy than heavier coil….or are they just more expensive as they’re lighter as seems to always be the case??!

Thanks again

Santa Cruz Chameleon ? Im building one up at the moment however you can get an off the peg one for about £1300

Just been reading this month`s WMB and the Whyte 905 looks interesting.120mm Rebas,nice frame,25lb,very versatile looking bike.

The Trek 8500 is cracking value for money at £1500. I think I’d only consider the Commencal out of your list, but I’d want the completely hopeless Rebas swapped for something designed by somebody who knows what compression damping is meant to do…

I’d probably go Cotic Soul with XT and Fox 120s. It would just about come in at £1,500, if you get a decent deal on all the bits. That Trek though – bit of a bargain in my view.

Cotic Soda built up with a variety of new and secondhand stuff – I built mine up with 2 month old Revs, and secondhand wheels, with everything else new, for £1500, and I love it.

Cotics are great, and theyre a lovely, friendly “company” (doesnt really feel like a company, only the two of them, and i mean that in a positive way)to deal with, from my experience anyway. That Whyte does look nice tho.

………..and now my sunday head is even more full of ‘what bike?’,but it could be worse I suppose. Thanks for for all your help anyway.

Righ, off to look at whyte and trek….just a couple more names to throw in to the hat!!

Another vote for the RL 853, I love mine. XT plus Rebas £1,051 from Merlin

Buy one.