I’m looking for a new trail bike, will be mostly for local riding around Surrey Hills etc but also don’t want it to be too far out of its depth on trips to Antor/Revolution and the odd Alps trip. I’m also keen that it’s pretty sharp on the pedals especially when putting the crank down along less gravity orientated trails.

I’m thinking something with around 140/150 rear travel and similar or slightly longer fork would be about right, Bird Aeris, YT Jeffsey and Vitus Escarpe all look like good options but is there anywhere else I should be looking? Budget around £2500

Thoughts and opinions welcome

Aeris is a good choice. If you are after a medium for half your budget I may be able to help you out…..

I’ll recommend what I have and say a Jeffsy.  Not out of depth in the Alps, pedals well (I tend to just leave the shock in Open and it goes up hills well enough, but I tend to sit and spin rather than stand and stomp on the pedals; I also leave the flip chip on the slacker, slightly lower setting).

It’s lots of fun, genuinely makes me grin.

The Aeris meets most of your requirements. It climbs technical stuff well and isn’t too bad on the pedals. I’d say the only place it drags is on fireroads – but then it is quite slack / fairly heavy (depending on spec – mine has Yari’s / a heavy dropper / e1900 wheels / GX 1×11).

If you went Pikes / fancier gears / lighter dropper / lighter wheels then I imagine you could be around 30lbs which isn’t bad.

Note there’s now a long travel linkage so if you get both of the linkages you can swap between 145 and 160mm travel. So 145 most of the time – then 160 for bigger terrain.

There are quite a lot of other bikes in the category to consider though – Canyon / Radom both have good value options and there’s also the Airdrop Edit. Santa Cruz Bronson  is meant to be good too – although you pay a lot more for a poorer spec.

Airdrop Edit.

Thanks for the replies, I had a good look at the Bronson but came to the conclusion it was a going to be too spendy unfortunately.

Canyon, Radon & Airdrop are a good shout I’ll have a look. Aeris and Jeffsey certainly seem well worth considering. Anyone got any experience of the Vitus Escarpe?

I have the 29er jeffsy. Love it!

Bird is lovely, just bought an Aeris. But take a look at start fitness, they have ibis and transition at stupid cheap prices. 10% off with START10 code as well. I was amazed at how cheap they were the other day.

Bronson….

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/santa-cruz-bronson-al-r1-bike/rp-prod166014

I’ve just got myself an Orbea Occam AM. Two models straddle your budget. I went for the £2300 one when tredz has £300 off a couple of weeks ago.
Only been out on it once but it’s looking good so far.
Press fit BB was the only thing that I didn’t like but I’ve taken the gamble and can always get an adaptor fitted in the future if its a pain in the bum.

Another shout for the airdrop edit. A friend demod one yesterday. I had a couple of runs on it, we were in Grenoside woods in Sheffield. It was pretty special. My friend put his order in pretty much as soon as we were done riding.

Whyte S150 S gets good reviews. It’s a little bit more at £2850 but I am sure you could find somewhere with an offer on it?

I have just seen that you’re down south, so maybe the Bird Aeris would be appropriate. I’ve got a Zero AM and it’s lovely. From what I’ve read, the Aeris is also a rather special bike. It’s also nicer buying a bike from nice people, such as Ed (so my friend said) of Airdrop, and Ben & Dan of Bird.

Specialized do the alu stumpjumper for £2500. The 27.5 version is 150mm front and rear and the 29er is 150 front and 135 rear. Plus you’ll be able to find one locally which means if you get any issues you only have to wheel it back to the shop. Which in my experience is invaluable. Saying that, my next purchase will most likely be from an online retailer so completely ignore everything I’ve just said 😀

I tried a few and ended up with a Trek Fuel EX8 (29er) – its a lot of fun!

You could do a lot worse than checking out the new giant reign

Mate bought one the other week and I can honestly say that its very good.

Slight overkill based on your requirements, but a nice deal for somebody with Lyrik, GX 11sp and carbon wheelset, only £99 over budget…

https://winstanleysbikes.co.uk/bikes/mountain-bikes/giant-reign-1-27-5-2017-bike

I’ve got a bit distracted speccing up a Bird Aeris 145 for you! 😉

You can get a nice one of those for around £2500 with a 150mm dropper, Pike, 11 speed (12 speed GX out of stock). You know you’ll get excellent customer service and warranty support from them. Ioannis’s is a size bigger than you’d want but you should give it a go and see how it pedals, should be much less squishy than your Covert.

You could get the LT linkage at a later date if you end up doing a week in the Alps – 15mm more rear travel, 5mm lower BB, 0.5 degree slacker, so good for uplifts.

Carbon Orbea Occam AM in the Orbea sale outlet at under £2500. See here

https://www.orbea.com/gb-en/bicycles/outlet/occam-am-m30

On the subject of long-travel bikes which pedal very well, I’d mention the Spesh Enduro 29 and the Canyon Strive (which also has travel adjust).

If an E29 might be of interest then drop me a line, thinking of flogging mine with Ohlins STX shock, Pike etc. for under £1.5k

My mate has an escarpe and rates it highly.  He’s had about 6 mths with no issues.  I’ve got one of these Devinci Troy

and it’s a great bike.

Transition scout or patrol could also be worth a look – and maybe a Banshee Spitfire.

Thanks all, that gives me a lot to think about. Might give a 29er serious consideration this time around

I’ve just built up a Smuggler (bargain frame from Merlin, bargain Fox 34s from Germany) for exactly what you’ve described and well under budget. I’ve always found longer travel bikes a bit dull in the Surrey hills. YMMV.

Orange five. Tested an Aeris and really wanted to like it but found it a dull ride. The five is a blast.

+1 for that carbon Orbea Occam AM. I demoed it last year with the Aeris and Whyte T130. I wanted something exactly like your OP, capable but still able to climb and ride well in flatter terrain like my local woods.

I was expecting to get the Aeris but the Occam was the better bike for this type of riding IMO. The Whyte and Aeris were great decenders but the Orbea was the livelier bike for me and the type of ride I wanted. Might be the weight/carbon frame playing a factor here. The carbon Orbea is around 28lb all in and snappy is exactly how I’d describe it. It gets up to speed really quickly and carries it well. Just a great all round trail bike. Had mine for over a year now and no problems whatsoever (including, touch wood, the PF BB).

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Stereo-140-C-62-Sl-27-5-Mountain-Bike-2017-Trail-Full-Suspension-MTB_97741.htm

If you’re thinking 29er then the Bird AM9 is getting even better comments then the Aeris 145…..

+1 for a Devinci Troy – Freeborn got good deals on 2017 carbon bikes at the moment.

Airdrop Edit.

I’ve been riding mine since September. Came from an Orange Alpine. Love it.

OP thanks for posting this – this is exactly the market i’m in so will watch this thread with interest.  I did test the Aeris  145 at Swinley last year but the ride was cut short by me smashing myself up going OTB, so wasn’t able to form an opinion of the bike and the memory of that day has tainted it (unfairly) for me.  Will be interested in what decision you make as I’m in the market this year to replace my ageing Camber…thanks

This is my new project:

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/cube-stereo-150-hpa-sl-27.5-frame-blue-n-flashred-692676?currency=3&delivery_country=190

Got the last 20″ size Cube Stereo 150 HPA 27.5+ frame from this sale.

Will put 2.6 inch rubber onto the rims – and that’s a bit the “test field” for me for this bike. Ready late spring or so…? The only thing I don’t like with this frame: the press fit BB.

Difficult to find the “wonder bike” I think. 29 inch I use only for certain, very fast trails. HT is sometimes so much fun. I love my hardtails. Great for winter and mud. Not a big issue for me: fancy 1x drive trains and “weight”. Slack is fun, my older “non-slack” bikes with new rims and new tires are also “so much fun”…

Difficult, difficult question!

What is interesting right now I think: the quality of tires “above 2.4 inch”. Think it’s time to give a bike with 2.6 inch tires a try! Might be bad in certain conditions – but a real blast in others??? Don’t know yet.

Travel: love 130/130 and 140/140 trail bikes. Hardtails with 130 … 160 mm forks are great.

But wasn’t too convinced of Enduro full suspension bikes for “trail riding”. But these bikes improved as well – and suddenly you see them on the trails as well… Forks are getting better? And even low cost forks are getting better?

2.5 k : this is already a budget with lots and lots of options. A real headache to decide…(but fun as well!)

Giant Trance 2 is excellent and last years model can be had for peanuts.

@vicksplace:

Like this proposal! No idea why bikers sell these for silly money. So easy and low cost to upgrade such a bike…

But appears that some sell their bikes as soon as the cassette is worn out…?

Good for us!