Just looking for some help on my first full sus:

Ive been riding about 6 months on my XC hardtail (https://superiorbikes.eu/be/2020/mtb-hardtail/xp-939/matte-black-dark-silver) I love it and I have the bug. I’m out riding most nights on some small trails around my house, in the last 2 weekends I’ve been to Llandegla and Roman Lakes (Goyt) and next week I’m riding the Marin trail. No jumps yet but I’m building confidence, some drops and my cornering and ability to ride over the rough stuff is improving.

I want a full sus! The hardtail is great and I’ll definitely be keeping it for flatter/longer rides but I’m progressing and I want a more aggressive/capable bike to improve on and hit some of the gnarlier stuff I see in my future. While its obviously nice to have a lighter bike I dont want to buy something that is close in style/ride to the hardtail, I also don’t want carbon, I have a habit of smashing things up.

At the moment the shortlist is:

Privateer 141 (always like the look of the 161 but obviously too much bike for me, this looks great and is currently my fave, I know its heavy and aggresive etc, but I’m looking for a bike to grow into skills wise that will last.)

Orbea Occam H20 (seriously nice bike but may be hard to get hold of one before december next year apparently!)

Cotic Flaremax (another lovely bike and the Cotic workshop is 50 miles from my house which is a real selling point for me)

Trek Fuel EX 8 (looks a nice bike with a great spec, but I kinda wanted something a bit ‘different’ y’no)

Happy to hear suggestions and what people think, I know its silly but aesthetics are important to me, I want to look at my bike and love it.

I had thought it would be good to have the bike by next spring, so no rush, but first half of next year would be nice!

Lightly used… i don’t see the point of going new when there’s so many people who buy bikes, use them 3 times and then sell.

Certainly got my eye on the 2nd hand market, the prices have been ridiculously inflated for a while but seem to be coming back down to earth

Sonder Evol, Bird Aeris AM9?

Will your day-to-day riding suit the 141’s attributes?

If so, crack on, but I’d also consider the new Sonder Evol in the same vein.

^ yeah – Bird, especially in raw.
Having said that Sonder are also near you – maybe get a demo of the new evol from Hathersage.

New Sonder evol should be worth a look

Sonder rolls out an updated Evol with new frame and 29in wheels

Stuff like the AM9 and Privateer are quite big / long / low / slack bikes. You probably need to think about (and get some demos on) what you’re realistically going to ride.

I rode a Bird Aeris 145LT which is long, low and slack and had 170f/160r travel for 3 years and really enjoyed it etc – but swapped in Feb to a Bird Aether 7 which is 140f/130r and a little less long and with shorter chainstays. I’m enjoying it more as it’s easier to manual / jump and I’m faster in the corners on it.

It’ll pound down BPW / Antur / BMCC etc all day but it’s more playful on easier flow trails like you’ll find at places like Llandegla.

So definitely consider stuff in that 120-140mm category for a good all rounder. I wouldn’t get caught up on wheelsize too much – although more money and development is going into 29ers at the moment driven by industry.

Your current bike is fairly XC orientated with a 69 degree headangle / fairly long chainstays / not too long a reach. Jumping onto something really hardcore will probably feel like quite hard work.

£3k is a healthy budget – what you might find is the value direct (German brands) will probably be just getting into carbon territory at that price – but the more British oriented brands will be alloy.

Maybe have a look at the below as a starter for 10:

BIRD Aether 7 / 9C

Cotic Flare / Flaremax (although you pay a premium for the steel frame)

Sonder Cortex / Evol 29

Trek Fuel EX

Giant Trance

Cube Stereo 140

Whyte T130

Transition Scout Alloy (outgoing model)

Hadn’t even thought about Bird tbh, if you spec it out as well as the Privateer its definitely more expensive but looks a lovely bike.

Dont like the look of the Sonder really, not sure why but there we go, just doesnt get me excited

Comments about longer, slacker bikes noted. Is this just the way the industry is going though? If buy something more conservative now will I be wishing I’d gone for it in a couple of years?

Longer, slacker bikes are great as long as they still pedal well – and assuming you’re not riding a lot of tame trails.

I’m planning to be riding in the Peak/North Wales quite a lot as its easily accessible from Manchester. At the moment I would say my riding is red trails with some black trail chunk but no black trail jumps haha, hope I’m making sense.

Question is to buy the bike for what you are riding now or what you hope to be riding in the future I guess.

I’ll always have the hardtail for more local/XC type rides.

Bird AM9 with light (ish) tyres and wheels and an air shock. It’s a very versatile bike depending on the build, it climbs really well due to the suspension anti squat levels. One can place it somewhere between the Privateer 141 and the 161.

I’ve had a V1 AM9 on light wheels, Exo tyres, air shock, 150mm fork, it was a fantastic trail/am bike. Then I replaced it with a V3 with coil shock, 170mm fork, hd wheels and tyres with inserts, Code brakes, it’s a beast going downhill

You can build it as an allrounder and start progressing with your riding without having to pedal around a hog. Then if you see the need, you can burly up the bike quite easily

You can build it as an allrounder and start progressing with your riding without having to pedal around a hog. Then if you see the need, you can burly up the bike quite easily

Sounds ideal tbh

I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another Marin Rift Zone. Simple and effective.
Also like the Giant trance 29. And the Kona Process 134. Ridden with a few Whyte T130 owners who seem to like them.

For 3k you could pick up a carbon trance advanced with carbon composite wheels, fox 36s, dhx2 rear shock and sram gx eagle 12 speed.

I may be slightly biased but for value for money Giant can’t be beaten, not as cool as some of the other brands but great frame warranty also

I paid £3200 for a brand new 2019 as the 2020 bikes were being released, which replaced, wait for it… a 2017 Trance 1 , which I still have as a backup bike.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/trance-advanced-1-2019

Only problem being I want alloy, also that bike is 4k?

get a bike for 95% off your intended riding, a good quality 130/140mm full suspension can be ridden everywhere.

My opinion is we’ve very close to peak Long / Low / Slack for most people’s riding. If you’re racing enduro or genuinely mostly uplift difficult reds and blacks etc then it makes sense. If you don’t then I think some of the bikes are a step too far.

Something trail with geo just a step back from the most extreme enduro geometry feels a good place to be. I personally like short chainstays which is why I went with the most recent bike I’ve got- but thee are other options with longer ones for more stability.

It depends if you prefer speed and stability or prefer your bike a bit more agile and playful. Only you can know that.

Test rides can help give an idea but really they need to be on the type of trails you like and for a meaningful amount of time.

It depends if you prefer speed and stability or prefer your bike a bit more agile and playful. Only you can know that.

See, I’m 35 and just got into the sport so its kinda difficult to say. I have felt serveal times recently, particularly on the rocky downhills in the peak that I’m about to rattle my knees out of their sockets.

This bike has also come out from under me a couple of times on flat turns, not an experience I would be keen to repeat with any more speed behind me. Im getting better at judging how much I can lean it though.

I dont think I’m ever going to be hitting 20ft jumps, I tolerate climbing and enjoy descending but I do enjoy having to make line choices.

I’d go middle of the road trail full suss in that case. With the really long stuff you have to make a conscious effort to weight the front to keep them rubber side down in my experience. They really reward an aggressive riding style.

Dialling back a bit has been brilliant for me – I’ve had more fun and actually I’ve got quicker in a few places – I think because I’m more confident on it.

Considering lock down I’ve ridden it a little on the road to join bridleways but then I’ve done an uplift day at Black Mountain Cycle Centreparcs, a cycle / push up day at Bike Park Wales (the day after Black Mountain), steeper stuff off piste at the Forest of Dean, laps of Cwmcarn with some downhill trail bits thrown in etc. It’ll be a world more capable than what you’ve currently got – that’s fairly XC geometry with light / low volume tyres / short travel fork / fairly steep head angle etc.

You could actually add the Trek Remedy to your list too thinking about it – but more travel but sensible geometry and I know a few people who have them and think they’re good.

If you don’t know what you like then test rides are even more important in my mind. If you can try a few bikes back to back, or consecutive days that’ll really help form what you are after.

Just a thought – llandegla seems to have some hire bikes – Nukeproof detailed on their website. Nukeproof Reactor 275 or 290 might be worth a look at to add to the above list.

If you’re in that area then Cannock Chase seem to hire out Trek Remedy 7’s too.

I’d go middle of the road trail full suss in that case. With the really long stuff you have to make a conscious effort to weight the front to keep them rubber side down in my experience. They really reward an aggressive riding style.

You are making sense, thanks for spelling a few things out for me.

I think I’m going to get in touch with leisure lakes and see what they can let me demo. I do like the Orbea Occam in particular which seems more middle of the road. Its a real shame I dont like that Sonder but beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess.

Leisure lakes do cover a lot of brands I. Fairness – they normally do a demo day but it was cancelled due to Covid. I’ve seen them doing demos at Flyup 417 in Cheltenham before.

Orbea do get good reviews on here – I’d forgotten about that brand. So many options out there!

I was just showing a pic of the bike and the spec,

I didn’t buy direct from Giant, think it was Rutland cycles for 3.2k as mentioned

Any reason why no carbon?

So many options out there!

It’s becoming one of those good problems

Any reason why no carbon?

Not overly bothered about weight and dont want to have to worry about smashing/scratching it.

Thanks for the heads up though, I’ll defo have a look

Only problem being I want alloy, also that bike is 4k?

Whyte S150? Comes in well under £3k for the alloy version, if you can find one.

The new one also comes with a Pike rather than a Rev

I love mine. The WTB wheels that come as standard are a bit lardy, but for your budget you could buy a second lighter set of wheels and save the heavier ones for uplift days.

Its got enough travel to handle anything I’m likely to throw at it, but pedals really well so less technical stuff isn’t a chore.

I’d happily recommend it to anyone looking for a mid travel full-sus

Propain?

For anyone interested I got over my fear of carbon and ordered a YT Izzo

Nice one, YT do make some lovely looking frames

Good work! Than and the Spur are two of the best looking bikes around imho.
Reviews are great too.

@psycrompton

Did you go for a comp within budget or a pro just over budget?

Looking at it the geometry on the medium looks pretty good – I’d probably go for it in Black Magic colour as that looks slick.

If comp, for £2599 with a Fox 34
rhythm, full carbon frame, sub 29lb weight with full NX groupset and fitting in G2 brakes and DT Swiss wheels that’s amazing value for money.

That’s going to rip round trails – you should have a lot of fun!

Think I’m on the verge of buying the Izzo (probably the Comp) as well after going through a load of options here.

I’m in a similar position to you, need to sort some test rides but my favourite is the orbea occam h20 (saw an orange the other day and it’s stunning). Also waiting on the updated nukeproof reactor to be released, I originally discounted it as it was specced with sram sx stuff which is easily the worst set of gears I’ve ever used however the new stuff is all going to be shimano.

Due to delays until mid next year, I’ve got a cycle scheme voucher to put down on a bike and in the interim I’ve picked up a well specced orange P7 hardtail to ride for the next 6-8 months and it’s a cracking bike. A really nice changed from my full suss, also ideal for getting some winter miles in.

I went for the comp, figured I could ride it for a couple of years and work out what upgrades I might want, you’re right the VFM is difficult to ignore, saved myself £400 which isnt to be sniffed at, particularly as i want to get an asgard bike lock up for the back yard.

When I thought about it I did want something that would be fun to ride locally as well as when I go to bike parks etc, I think I’ll have more fun with this bike more of the time. It may mean my XC hardtail ends up getting sold but we will see, I may even swap the drivetrains as i have slx/xt on the hardtail, never had SRAM but we’ll see how it goes.

Also from reading reviews I might get a new set of tires as the Manchester weather probably isnt going to suit forekasters.

Expected availability date is 25/11 but im taking this with a pinch of salt, if I get it before xmas that will be a plus.

Thanks for all the input particularly @joebristol as it really helped me hone down what I actually want rather than what looks cool (although the Izzo looks pretty darn cool!). I’ve got it in black BTW, its basically batman’s MTB, the bat bike if you will.

Usual recommend what you’ve got. I took delivery of a Banshee Prime V2 yesterday, slightly blinged with some Blue Flow carbon wheels and various drivetrain upgrades. Took it on the local loop to see how it goes, annoyingly my Garmin has me off by about 20m on all the offroad downhill bits so nothing registered on Strava but I’ve managed to get a PR on all but two of the on-road segments so I’m fairly certain I smashed the bits through the woods too. It’s pretty damned good, it looks very nice, and you can get the odd V2 that’s left in the shops for less than £2k now.

I think one of these may be in order too…….

https://www.kapz.com/stealthy-batman-headset-cap

@psycrompton

Sounds great tbh – NX 12 speed is ok – only weak point really is the rear mech and I guess it’s a bit heavy. I wouldn’t swap it out for Shimano 11 speed if that’s what you’ve got. If the NX mech dies then I’d swap it for a GX Eagle one or some people have kept a Sram cassette and used it with Shimano 12 speed mech and shifter which mostly works ok apparently (I’d imagine your brakes and shifter will be ‘match makered’ together though which is nice and slick) That said I have Shimano XT 12 speed on my Bird and I’m not amazed by it.

I’ve not used Sram 12 speed though – only GX 11 speed which is what’s going on my hardtail when the frame arrives as I already have it sat in a box.

This…. value and goes well up and down
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-escarpe-27-vrs-bike-slx-1×12-2020