Budget £1300; What ...
 

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[Closed] Budget £1300; What is the best trail-bike?

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What do you reckon ❓


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 7:05 pm
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I just spent that exact amount on a 2nd hand Stumpy Evo expert, so that better be the correct answer 😆


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 7:13 pm
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A hardtail or full-sus?


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 7:15 pm
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FS

Has to be new as well be on finance.


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 7:18 pm
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Forget the spec, by and large, you really won't notice brand a has alivio front mech and a truvative crank when brand b has a deore crank and mech.

The big thing is to find the bike that fits you best and handles with your style of riding best. Try several. Forget about parts/equipment, a decent bike shop will probably swap/upgrade if having a certainsort of fork is really important to you. But no use setting your heart on say a Boardman, when if you sit on it, the head angle is too nervy for you to feel confidident, or a Cannondale is too "racy" in top tube length for you to feel comfy on.

Its about the frame, really. Best bike I owned was an old OrangeP7. Got stolen and the G Series replacement is night and day different, just in terms of how it feels around the top tube and head tube angle viz the seat post angle. I feel sat "on" my G series, where as I felt sat "in" my P7, the seat felt much further back. The new bike feels more "upright" which doesnt suit my style so much.

The right bike will make itself clear to you when you spin the pedals. Its how I fail to understandwhy anyone buys an on one or Canyon? How can you like a bike you never tried?


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 7:57 pm
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IMO for 1300 I'd be looking at a hardtail - something like a Saracen Zen X.

If you could push your budget to 1800 then a YT full susser would be nice.


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 8:14 pm
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I would never pay 1300 notes for a h/tail


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 8:22 pm
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Touche, I'd never pay 1300 for a full sus. All the one's I've tried are Pogo sticks. I'd rather have a hardtail with proper damping in the forks, lighter wheels and better brakes.


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 8:24 pm
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Touche, I'd never pay 1300 for a full sus.

correct! unless you buy sh.


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 8:26 pm
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How much travel? Giant Anthem is the best non-gnarr bike I've ever ridden, just not for big jumps/mega rocky smashing nonsense.

Focus on frame, good forks and light wheels. The rest is just twiddly bits. I'd look at the anthems on pauls cycles if you're tempted.


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 8:32 pm
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Take a look at Pauls Cycles. Various Giant Anthems or Trances and 6 months 0%.


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 8:32 pm
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I'd go for a hardtail for the better components you'll get for the money.

What sort of riding do you want to do and where, how tall are you?


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 8:33 pm
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Argh beaten by seconds! 🙂


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 8:33 pm
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Oh I dunno the 29er Anthems most places were knocking out for £1300 last year weren't bad.Some bits could be replaced as they wear to get the weight down easily enough.....


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 8:36 pm
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+1 for the Giant Anthems on Paul's Cycles.
Bloody bargainous at £800, leaving you cash for a decent wheel upgrade.


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 8:37 pm
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Giant Trance or Spesh Camber...?


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 9:31 pm
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The best frame you can and a life of upgrades?
At that price you would get a sweet HT with proper bits.

Compromise get a great HT then find a FS frame to put the bits on.


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 9:36 pm
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Jujuuk68 - Member
The right bike will make itself clear to you when you spin the pedals. Its how I fail to understandwhy anyone buys an on one or Canyon? How can you like a bike you never tried?


Quite easily actually. I ordered my Canyon, rode it about a bit, liked it, kept it. If I hadn't I'd have sent it back under the 30 day return agreement and had my money back. It's not rocket science.


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 10:22 pm
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On One - it was £150 for the frame, gamble really but not the worst given the used prices is still decent.


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 10:37 pm
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Second hand five or enduro


 
Posted : 21/03/2013 11:26 pm
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I think you might need to buy a complete bike if this on finance. I bought a Trance X frame from the USA. Spec is non exciting (lots of Deore). Fork is RS Sektor coil. Wheels are Crossride.

Came in at less than your budget, but then I have compromised with basic Mavic Crossride wheels and cheaper fork. The bike rides fine though and am really pleased with it. Another option is basic Trance X bike and then upgrade the fork. They always seem to be on offer at around £1k.


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 9:06 am
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Canyon nerve al 6 at £1129 or the al 7 at £1379
You won't get a better specced bike for the money, even bikes at £2000 don't have as good spec


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 9:39 am
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As far as I know (it's for a mate btw), he is set on an FS simply because we ride them.

Anthems are top of the list so far (it would be in my top 3 if it was my money) as he will be using it for everything including commuting about 10 miles to work and back.

He's asked me about the Rocky Mountain Element series (specifically 30). Any views on this?

Cheers


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 9:53 am
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No finance on Canyons


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 10:20 am
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Trailbike? £1300? On Finance?

I would not be buying a Fullsusser for 1300 notes.

I'd be buying one of these: [url= http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=taro ]http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=taro[/url]


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 11:30 am
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[url= http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s1p3494/GIANT-ANTHEM-X3-2011 ]Anthem with finance...[/url]

[url= http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s154p4274/CANNONDALE-SCALPEL-29%5CER-4-2012 ]Scalpel.[/url]


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 11:54 am
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pitchpro2011 - Member
Second hand five

A Five you say... I didn't think they could be had for that, not on finance anyway 😉


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 12:08 pm
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Seriously get the 650b Zen X on finance.


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 3:29 pm
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Jesus, listen to the guy. He wants a FS! 🙂


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 4:28 pm
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jasonm945 - Member
Anthem with finance...

He'll like that Anthem a lot and seems to tick all the boxes including finance options, i'm gonna serve that to him and see what he says.

I'll show him the 650b too bwaarp just for you. 😉

Cheers


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 4:45 pm
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650b Zen x. +1


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 6:46 pm
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Lads, where've you seen the Zen for £1300?


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 7:07 pm
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Nowhere, the old model used to be cheaper but 300 more isn't exactly a huge push and he'll get supposedly one of the best all round hardtails on the market. The older one got rave reviews and the new 650b one got a rave review on a Swedish website, shame they've jacked them up in price compared to the previous year though.

Tell him to save a couple of months more and put a larger deposit down.

If not go with the Anthem but I'd actually prefer the Zen for going downhill, better geometry (much slacker) etc. Plus hardtails are fun as ****! Then because 650b may (emphasis on MAY) be futureproof.... when he's a better rider he can get a nice bouncey 650b frame in 3 years time and swap lots of his components over (eg wheels).


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 7:19 pm
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I would say the Trance is a better all rounder than the Anthem. Depends on what sort of riding he wants to do mind.


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 7:43 pm
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[url= http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=tanuki ]this should do... [/url]
then find a local dealer that does finance


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 8:29 pm
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That Kona sends my eyes nice messages... 8)

He's off to check out the Anthem tmro...


 
Posted : 22/03/2013 11:47 pm
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