Hi

I’m looking for a full sus 27.5 trail bike with 140 – 150mm travel, I mainly ride Llandegla, however will be riding Snowdon, Bike Park Wales, Antur Stiniog etc as well. Budget is 3k, so far I am thinking Orange Five with added Pikes and Fox CTD shock or a Santa Cruz Heckler, which do you prefer and anything else you would suggest? Saracen Ariel?
The second question is what size, I’m 5’9 but my current Ragley is a medium and feels too big, my inside leg is 30″ my reach is exactly the same as my height and I weight 12 stone, I’m 28 (not sure why that would matter but I thought I would throw it in there) so let me know what you think?

Thanks
Will

Test ride both at Llandegla and decide from there !

Will do but it will be my first full sus so appreciate other peoples experience as well!

Llandegla have both in for demo , I’m about the same height would go medium in both see how it goes, I’ve owned both in 26″ form and they both give a great sense of security and confidence , and helped me with my less than perfect skills. I think my Heckelr was a better alrounder, but they have changed quite a bit.

I ride a five but I’d be buying a Kona process if I was looking for a new bike now.

I have heard great things about the Process, however as stupid as it sounds, I have to ‘like’ a bike if I’m spending this money and for some reason I just can’t seem to like it!

If I was spending 3k on a bike I would certainly try a multitude out. Don’t forget the new giant trance.

YT Capra. Do it.

3k + not sure exactly what you want = lots of demo rides

I’ve got a medium bronson and also demoed a medium heckler. I’m 5’8″ with 32″ inside leg (female syndrome as the man calls it). Both fit perfectly. He rides a small five pro 650b and that also fits me perfect due to the smaller reach so reckon you’d need a medium in the orange. All three bikes are awesome.

Small Whyte G150?

Ariel 152 is a great bike. Also have a look at the alloy Devinci Troy, comes with Pikes and Reverb stealth for £2,500. Specialized have just released their StumpJumper FSR Evo’s in 27.5 as well and they do one for £2,500.

trek remedy

I have heard great things about the Process, however as stupid as it sounds, I have to ‘like’ a bike if I’m spending this money and for some reason I just can’t seem to like it!

I didn’t like it until I rode one..

Spec stumpy evo Ali starts at £2500

Love a YT Capra the specs are amazing, but you can’t get finance and there aren’t any available at the moment, no chance of a test either.

Can you not bang a YT on a 0% credit card? Middle spec one looks good for the money and travel is reduced a bit, I have a Five and absolutely love it it’s been a great bike had it 2 years now and ridden everything on it I have been thinking about a Bronson but it would have to seriously impress to trade the Five in. The Five has been trail bike of the year god knows how many times and in Dirt 100 every time but once the Heckler hasn’t think that says it all! Also I am about same height as you and run 17″ with 50mm stem.

Hmm Capra on the credit card, tempting! But not available for 18 weeks!! Stumpy Evo is only available in 29 until next year when it will be sky blue, (don’t fancy that) tested the 29er and was good but wheels are just too big for me. Five RS is quoted at 12.7kg (28.1lb) which seems pretty light I’m guessing the lower spec ones will come in at about 13kg, I can’t seem to find many bikes below that.

Norco sight carbon?

3k + not sure exactly what you want = lots of demo rides

I bought my first full-sus earlier this year and didn’t test ride anything (bar a few minutes on a couple of mates’ bikes). It’s bloody brilliant too. If you can make one come in on budget the Banshee Spitfire is a whole load of slack, long, low, fast awesomeness that pedals freakishly well.

Stumpy 650b is out already. Ours is waiting to be delivered and there was one at a demo the other day but a lot of people have said they don’t like the cokour .

Yeah my LBS has a stumpy evo comp 650b looked really nice…

I would be tempted by the canyon spectral al 9.0 ex…

Banshee spitfire

I actually got to look over a YT Capra today, only one int he country at present, but anyone who wants one is right to, seriously nice bike. Great details on examination, from the cable routing to the bearings, very. nice. bike.

Any pictures? What size did you get and what height are you?

Please, thank you.

Im going to recommend my bike a kona process 153

designed around a tiny stem so long reach is evened out, Im 5’8 and ride a medium and i love it

Has anyone that has seen a 650b Stumpy seen any colour other than sky blue? Can anyone recommend a shop that sells Banshee?

kimbers, was that planned or is someone pulling mid-race overtake?!

Banshee are distributed by Ison so most shops can get them in – ask your LBS, I did and was pleasantly surprised.

Bikeactive sell Banshee

Brand new stumpy?

If they did the new 27.5 stumpy in the same colour as the 29er it would be right up there on the list! Does anyone know the weight of the Nukeproof Mega AM Pro? Also other than the forks and shock is there much difference in the frame compared to the Mega TR?

I’m probably up Llandegla on my Ariel 152 this Sunday if you want to have a look?

+7 demo before you buy, its a must

Cube Stereo 160 Super HPC carbon – £3099 list but you should get it for say £2800/£2900 if you can cash it. Nice and light at 12.9kg and plenty scope for more weight saving (eg 1×10)

As the above have said, you would want to at least swing a leg over what you are going to spend that amount of cash on

+7 demo before you buy, its a must

+8 I got my first full suss about this time last year. I demoed quite a few bikes and was surprised at how different they all felt. Not only was the geometry different but the way the suspension felt was different too.

There was only one bike I didn’t like, the rest all felt good but for me the Transition Bandit was by far the overall winner.

The Capra is the wisest and most value-for-money choice. It should also be worth the long wait.

If it made me (hardcore evil sovereign fan) change my original Evil Uprising plans, then you can imagine…

+7 demo before you buy, its a must

-1 never demoed a bike yet (a quick sprint and a skid on a DMR doesn’t really count). No regrets.

I’d be demoing in your shoes. I got my first full sus about 8 months ago and had all be decided on a Yeti ASR5. Rode one, didn’t like it. In fact I demoed 4 ASR5’s, different places and sizes still didn’t like it.

Banshee Spitfire was ace, as was the transition Bandit, but ended up with my Santa Cruz TR (thanks Jeffus). Not the sort of thing your looking for but suits me down to the ground.

Mate of mine has just got his hands on a Haibike Heet SL 27.5 and seems like a really nice bike. Definitely worth a look.

Full carbon frame, Pikes, Monarch shock, mainly SLX kit, Hans Dampf tyres, Kind dropper post. Think it’s £2.5k

Euro, you’d invest £3k on a bike without having tried it before hand? Your missing out on the possibilities. I would do my geometry homework but it makes a lot of sense to demo various bikes before laying out cash. As the guy above said having tried the bike he thought he wanted he went for another. Cautionary tale there.