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Evening all, hope everyone has been enjoying their bank holiday weekend.
Recently sold my Voodoo Zobop, long story cut short, I thought it was too big for me (17.5" frame) and after a weekend loan of a Specialized Camber small frame, I was right, felt much more at home even though I wasn't taken by the bike. For reference I'm 5'7 and a half (yes the half matters when your this short!).
I know at this end of the market (£1000ish budget) I would get more Hardtail for my money, but I really do not like them, ridden a few including last winter on a Spesh Carve and I do not like them, wrongly or rightly so.
So I've started a search for a Small framed, F/S bike, second hand seems to me to be too dear as there aren't many S framed bikes and a lot of them look tired. So I've decided to go new.
Type of ridding I do:
My work has just changed location meaning I can cycle over the South Downs to get there with a little bit of ridding on a tarmac cycle path (approx. 2 miles), total journey around 11 miles each way.
Stanmer Park is my local ride which is very tight and techy singletrack, relatively flat and I do some Cross country rides over the downs. I do 1 to 2 trips a year to Wales to do Cwmcarn/Afan/Bikepark wales, I generally have a go at the rougher stuff here so needs to be up to the job/enjoyable enough.
I've narrowed it down to 4 bikes after a bit of reading/searches
2013 GIANT ANTHEM X 29ER 4. http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s154p4844/GIANT-ANTHEM-X-29ER-4-2013
2013 GIANT TRANCE X 29ER 2.
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s154p4838/GIANT-TRANCE-X-29ER-2-2013
2014 NORCO FAZE 9.3
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/norco/faze-93-29er-2014-mountain-bike-ec053929
wild card / similar to my Voodoo Zobop
2014 GHOST ASX 4900
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ghost-asx-4900-suspension-bike-2014/rp-prod111437
I accept that they are all not going to be the lightest and the spec is a bit poor but hopefully reliable. I want a frame that is worth upgrading but the bike needs to last until early winter in standard form ideally (expect tyres/ consumables)
I know the simple answer is go and try them but seeing as I'll be ordering online for the best deal (as unfortunately this does all come down to price) I don't like wasting peoples time in the shop. I'm going to go into my local evan's cycles and have a look at the Norco though.
Just looking for some feedback / any bikes I've missed / if anyone has any experience of the above bikes
Finally apologies for the long post I appreciate it if you read it all! Thanks in advance.