[Closed] best bike you have owned.

Genuinely, my current one, a Vitus Sommet Pro. It is better, at just about all aspects of the riding that I do, than any other bike I have ridden.
My riding mate says that it is noticeable how much more relaxed I am on this bike than all my previous bikes.

This evening on Millstone Hill in Aberdeenshire.

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My daughter's Specialized Hotwalk, now handed down and in use by my son.

It's given me, and them, more smiles and more fun than any bike I've had for myself.

Many come and go. It still enjoy my 2003 enduro sx
Not the most capable bike but always makes me smile

Certainly not "best" in terms of all rounder - that would be a Cotic Solaris (had two) but this is far and away my "best" bike and probably the only one I've had any real sort of attachment to.

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My Cotic 29er. I still have it, don't see myself moving it on anytime.

Just got rid but a better version coming in two weeks Ti Stooge with Travers Carbon forks
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4238/35137998091_4585a7ae88.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4238/35137998091_4585a7ae88.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Vx2qDi ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

I have a Mk1 Soul. I've recently given it an upgrade consisting of a 10 yr old 140mm Pike (yes I know it's beyond the scope) short stem, wide flat bars, Hi Lo dropper, and you know what? It's magnificent.
Every aspect is obsolete. Worth nothing at all. 26", 2x9 27.2, steep angles, but I beat my young pal on his transition scout carbon and have just as much fun.

I'm desperate for someone to point out where I'm going wrong.

My Current YT Jeffsy is getting to be. But for me the best bike I have ever owned is my old Banshee Spitfire! By best I mean the most confidence inspiring, enjoyable ride! Loved it!

Love the one you're with....

But my old Kona Explosiv (the biaxial tubing one) from back in the nineties. Bike I rode the best on... 😳
It almost felt a part of me

I had a Klein with pace forks and XTR running gear when I was a kid and racing that Dad had off a fella at his work cheap as he was getting divorced.

It was awesome and loads better than the Kona i'd been riding up until that point. I had it for a couple of years then the fella wanted his bike back so we did him a deal to have it back.

Cannondale rush carbon 2009 i think. Wish they would make a 29er that felt as "right"

My current one.

Chumba HX1, 150mm fork, 26" wheels. Ideal for me. I've tried plenty of other bikes and not been that fussed. Apart from the Orange 4. I might buy one.

My lightly modded (-2 deg headset) Banshee Spitfire:

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Monsters gnarly uplift days in the slack setting but is still a fun and lively singletrack ride in neutral. And pedals and climbs improbably well.

O-O 456. A great fit for my little legs.

APF

Probably my old Turner 5 spot, why ever did I sell it

Trusty Rusty/Triggers Brush. My 1990 framed Fleet HT...

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This is the Mk 7 version. The only original tubes are the RH seat & chainstays. (the beauty of fillet brazing)
I've had it since 1995-6 & will never get rid.

Essel that sounds like it needs a thread to tell its story if that's all that's left of it!

Essel that sounds like it needs a thread to tell its story if that's all that's left of it!

I've tried before but not many seemed interested. 😥

A 2010 Marin Attack Trail, it wasn't a looker but it was the most fun I've ever had on two wheels. I will never forgive myself for selling it.

Forget my first post
THIS
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/37/78910376_79e2435c99.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/37/78910376_79e2435c99.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/7YriJ ]DSC00190[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

My b+ codeine 29, probably the cheapest bike I've built up over the last 20 odd years, but the only one that's felt right and been loads of fun!

My on-one 456
It's a bit of pig iron and badly finished (frame) but it fits like a glove can do XC rides, trail centres, it's had a rack on it with a child seat for both my boys, its my bike of choice for just hopping on for riding with the children and has been ridden/set up as a rigid 69r for winter filth too.

My FS bike is better for full tilt, longer rough rides but it's not quite as raw and engaging.

Forget my first post

Sure, I'd say that was more of a gate anyways.... 😉

Both of my current bikes, a DMR Trailstar LT and a Specialized Pitch FS. Utterly out of date but a great pair

I bet no one will ever say this again, but the frame I liked the most & rode to a literal death was my Azonic Propulsion, I loved it & it took me a lot of wasted money to realise why, it had a really slack seat tube & normal (for the time) head angle, which put my weight further back & made it fun rather than efficient, the Burner that replaced it still sits in the loft after only a few rides & I did try a enduro sx & a Norco but it was always the steep seat angle that stopped me loving them, strangely HT's seem less affected by a steeper seat tube to me, but all my frames are on the playful side.

Cheers.

Forget my first post

Is that the one you swapped price tags on? 😆

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Mk.1 Genesis Longitude, set up singlespeed with Jones Loop bars. It fits me like a glove and really helped me go from total novice to full on bimbler. Plus I think it looks the absolute shit, I mean, just look at that headtube...

If I remember rightly I took the price tags off 🙂

If I remember rightly I took the price tags off

at least we can all laugh about it now, not that it wasn't funny at the time...

Cheers.

Deffo think my bikes have gotten better over time - the current one (Gepmetron) is better than anythign I've had before. My Last FF is comfortable my best hardtail ever too, though smaller sample size.

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Merlin XLM, stolen before it ever got properly hammered so it will always be potentially the best bike I ever owned.

I have honestly never been happier than I currently am with all of my bikes. But I do have a special place in my heart for my summer racing bike, a 2014 Wilier GTR.

It's my current one tbh, hopefully that'll always be my answer, why replace a bike with a less good one? It's a boring Trek Remedy 29, covered in shiny bits. I've had a lot of great bikes but it does stand out. Never thought I'd be a Trek fanboi.

My Ragley Ti ruined me for hardtails though, I've never even tried to replace it.

Ragley mmmbop - not the best looking bike but rode great. Swapped for a transition Bandit which never felt as good

Surely, your best bike will always be your current one, otherwise why ride it?
Ibis Mojo HDR for me. Been going 4 years and have not touched another bike that puts as big a grin on my face!

Depends

My current bike (as per stany, above) is a Mojo HD. Easily the most capable bike I've owned.

But I think I'd pick my Giant Anthem. The original 2007, 89mm travel version. Such a fast and capable bike. Not suited to me now though I still have the frame. Showcases what the big companies can do when they 'nail' it. Cheap too (frame and shock cost me £700)

My fatty trail X0 - its the most fun at least 🙂

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Current Pepto-Crush Chromag Surface, for definite. I've had a few duds, but this one is The Balls. 🙂

My 2011 Orange 5:

[img][url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4411/36204054140_f48f918ee5_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4411/36204054140_f48f918ee5_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/XaeeY1 ]20170706_102122_Richtone(HDR)[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91448594@N04/ ]Da_Milky_Bar_Kid[/url], on Flickr[/img]

It's been on countless adventures with me, from alpine holidays to local pootles. I've completely rebuilt it once complete with a new colour and then upgraded it far too much purely due to not having the guts to retire it! I have a 2015 Fuel EX that is almost as capable as the 5 on everything bar black runs/uplift days and is better at just getting miles covered but the 5 is still my go-to bike every time. I really should get a new bike and let it live it's retirement in peace as it's taken an absolute hammering but every time it comes to that point I just buy it some upgrades. Last lot was some new brakes, new shock and dropper post ready for this summer. Bar a jet pack I'll struggle next time though, bar going Di2 or Eagle everything is top level now!

It will [b][i]never[/i][/b] be sold.

I had the most fun on my old Coiler
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2015 Jekyll Carbon. 1x11 XT, carbon wheels, offset bushes. Hope V4s. Brilliant and way more than I need.

My current Whyte t130. Fast up, fast down, great on the trails. My times are quicker than ever absolutely everywhere. It's brilliant. We've had adventure, racing, epic days out, we've never been anything less than 100% bonded from the second I tested it

Cannondale habit black. As fast as my scalpel but with enough travel for some abuse.
Road. Cervelo s3 - something this fast shouldn't be this comfortable.

My current second generation Ti Switchback is a bloody good bike, it took me a while to click with it after the stolen first generation.

But, I think my all time favourite bike was my 2005 SX Trail that I rode until 2013. It was heavy, the seat angle too slack, too small but it was ace. It was so much fun on descents and it just kept on going and going.

Bronson, better than both my old capra and sb66 on even the techiest descents, and covers ground faster than my 29er spectral.

Fitted a 160 airshaft, luftkappe and changed tyres to Mary and slaughter.

Dream bike.

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[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/nobeerinthefridge/35253534394/ ]20170722_142955[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/59995395@N03/ ][/url] - [url= https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dariogf.flickr2BBcode_lite ]Flickr2BBcode LITE[/url]

Surely, your best bike will always be your current one, otherwise why ride it?

In my case my first bestest bike was stolen and it's replacement, my second bestest, broke. Also they were BMXs and there's no way you get me on a BMX these days 😆

If we're talking only mtb, my current RocketMax the best though i have a real soft spot for my old Commie Supreme.

My Trek Stache 29+.

The step up in enjoyment (and capability) from the previous bikes was the biggest increment I've done (and I've done a fair few).

Prior to that a 1998 Orange P7 painted metallic orange.

My Cotic Soul - its the bike that got me back into cycling after many years sat on the sofa. In some ways in been superceded by a more capable mountain bike , but this is the one that I can stare at for hours.

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Singular Hummingbird, as a rigid singlespeed 69er, like they're supposed to be and although I've got both steel and Ti versions, I think now that I prefer the steel frame.....
Probably the best handling bike that I've ever ridden, to be honest, and the most fun.

my latest bike is the best bike. it should be really as innovation in design moves on i guess but my pivot mach6 is amazing in all areas

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I suppose consensus would say the Flare I had for a bit was the 'best' bike I've ever owned but the BFe 275 (on 26", obvs) I've got now is more fun so is therefore 'better'.

My Schwinn 4 banger from around 2000. Introduced me to full suspension, carbon and hydraulic brakes all for £750.

Took my mountain bike riding from fun to bloody brilliant in a month.

My BTR, it's not perfect, and not an all-rounder but it never fails to make me giggle like a schoolgirl whenever I ride it and normally gets me into a brown trousers moment on every ride as well by encouraging my stupidity...

Maybe not the best at any one thing, but the most fun bike I have owned, and still do, is my Evil Sov.

[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8438/7776048542_8a4c27b8a0_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8438/7776048542_8a4c27b8a0_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/cR9hjs ]P1020898[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/warpcow/ ]Mike Jones[/url], on Flickr

Tough one this, as have had different tools for different jobs so it's more of a top 3.

1. Santa Cruz 5010 V1 declared it perfect 10 mins into a demo ride, still just as good 4 years on, will keep forever
2. Pivot Mach 429SL. XC race with just enough trail capability. Silly fast.
3 06 Demo 8. Mega capable bike combined with me being young and fearless meant I rode stuff that I wouldn't even consider now. 9th anniversary of its theft this week (crankworx whistler) 😥

Oh, and my next one obvs...

Probably my 2003/4 Marin Wildcat trail hardtail. Technically two bikes as the first one got nicked from uni halls after a few months. The bike that got me into mountain biking, not just cycling and ridiculous good fun. I think at the time it had pretty cutting edge geometry for a hardtail. It's been rebuilt and ridden with longer forks, as a single speed and it's been great every time.

Frames in the garage looking pretty tatty but I'm a bit tempted to rebuild it for the gf as a pub bike.

2006 Sunn Radical was my favourite bike I ever owned.

My sb6c comes close though and I'm considering fitting a dual crown fork to it for alpine and uplift work as I reckon it would give some of my DH race bikes from a decade ago a run for their money!

Has to be the current 601. It's a beast on fast, technical & rough stuff but will still climb better than my previous bikes (even with 180/190mm travel)
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Do it all bike: Alpine 160. Bought a V1, sold it, regretted it and built another in 2013. Just put a CCDB coil on it – a new lease of life.

Cove Stiffee for trail centre fun though. Gets you into all sort of trouble, but you still come out the other side!

On the latest/best thing I think that only really applies if you have a one bike for everything approach or you prize outright performance over other elements of ownership.

In my case it's the total versatility and reliability of the 456 that makes it "the best". The FS is a better bike for serious riding but the 456 is more "do anything" and "raw" it's those attributes I warm to about it.

My Alu Cannondale Rush 2006. So sorted and refined. As someone mentioned earlier, if only Cannondale did a 29er or even 650b version.

It just did everything well with no fuss.

If I'm looking back with sentimental eyes then my 1990 Fisher Celerity.

But being more realistic it would be my Surly Pugsley. Not only do I love how it rides (never had a bad ride on it), I love the look of it too. I truly don't know what I'd ever replace it with if something happened to it.

current one - transition suppressor. its not perfect but it gets me up the mountain and down faster, with more fun than previous bikes. There isn't anything on the bike that I would change until it wears out or stops working.

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[i] if only Cannondale did a 29er[/i]

Do you mean a Rush 29er? My mate was looking at them on eBay the other day. So they do (or should I say did!)

DezB - Member
if only Cannondale did a 29er

Do you mean a Rush 29er? My mate was looking at them on eBay the other day. So they do (or should I say did!)

No. We are talking about the older frame design. The single pivot swing arm one.

Probably my 2006 Enduro, it's not as 'good' as my Cove G-Spot or my Tracer 275 that followed it, but for the time it was awesome. Ride it to work, ride it hills and dales, ride it DH it didn't care.

Rode it 2/3 times a week for 5 years.

The one bike for me that was the best bike Ive ever owned and massively regret selling was the Orange 5 29 that I bought off here.

Love my current T130C RS I've bonded with it in a way I haven't done since my old Mojo HD140, I don't think I could pick between them, I still regret selling the Mojo, if it was a Large and not a medium I'd probably still have it.

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T130C RS

Planet X XLS cx bike, I use it more than any other at the moment, mtb wise Giant 2011 trance.

kayla1 - Member

I suppose consensus would say the Flare I had for a bit was the 'best' bike I've ever owned but the BFe 275 (on 26", obvs) I've got now is more fun so is therefore 'better'.

I'm seriously contemplating ditching my Soul (27.5") and my Zesty (26") in favour of a flare, but I just can't quite bring myself to do it yet somehow, I want the comfort of the full sus as local woods are pretty rooty and bumpy, but keep thinking I'll be wanting another hardtail straight away............

'Best' bike I've ever owned in reality was probbaly my old 26" Soul - Hope wheels, remote dropper, dual air reba forks, 1x10. But the bike I realistically did the most miles on and enjoyed was the Genesis Core that I had before with most of those bits on, that's what really got me started.

Couldn't possibly choose one MTB.

But my Scott CR1 SL is just perfect for me as a road bike, can't think of any way to improve it (aside from more blingy parts)...

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Well for me it may have been my Muddyfox Courier.... It was the first affordable (for me) mountain bike in the UK really.

I only got the same feeling that the Muddyfox gave me when I got my Pugsley.... The Pug wins it for me.

Difficult when you've had so many. But maybe this one

[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/199/505671930_52b0d3775f_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/199/505671930_52b0d3775f_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/LFGDy ]DMR Switchback - Sep 05 - Dec 06[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr

First bike I rode away from my home trails. And learned to jump on at Chicksands. Did so many iconic rides on this bike, it sticks in the memory. Only got this photo of it from 2004!

The Mojo3 is the best bike I've ever owned in terms of being brilliant at everything and my SolarisMax is the most fun in woody singletrack, but the Switchback was the gateway drug to a whole new type or riding. So I'm choosing that.

My 2011 Scott Addict R2 - I originally went to test ride a CR1, but when i rode the Addict I knew it was the one for me.
We've been together for 10,000mi so far and have had adventures in Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites and Corsica.

Depends on your definition of 'best'. Best performing would probably be what I'm riding now as bikes have undoubtedly got better and better (although I'm still stuck at peak 26" with a Stanton Slackline). But 'best' bike for it's time and for the amount of fun times I had on it over 13 years of hammer without anything going wrong with the frame would be my 2001 Turner RFX.

MTB: Mk1 Solaris - struggle to see my way to N+1 because of it.
Road: Handbuilt Reynolds 531 frame with full 105 groupset. (built by Brucie's Bikes in Kendal)

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3688/13540250913_fae21a6cee_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3688/13540250913_fae21a6cee_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/mCvjRX ]Liteville 301[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/66452821@N00/ ]ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr
I'm going for my current bike. Easily the most capable bike I've ever owned, but still pedals exceptionally well.
The Yeti ASR5C that I killed is worth a mention, beautiful bike, light, stiff and fast.

Jones, without a doubt, although the speedball is rapidly joining it in the "bikes I'll never sell" category