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So, my first full suss was/is a Specialized Pitch 2009 I've been riding since 2011 and I'm starting to look at a replacement. It's a heavy build due to the riding I used to do and the cost to replace the wheels etc just aren't worth it anymore given the low return on investment if it came to selling.
Definitely prefer the trail bike type eg a tough 130mm (ish) bike as 150mm on the back just feels excessive for 90% of the UK riding I've ever done and I prefer to dick about going slowly rather than go ploughing through stuff really quickly. Bikes I like the look/sound of thus far are the bird aeris 120, commencal meta tr 4.2, transition scout, orange four, santa cruz 5010 and a few others (likely looking 2nd hand for most except the bird as I'm a student so limited funds). I'm based out of Coventry however can drive to Llandegla and such, my google-fu has been coming up short on finding next years demo days to try some out.
I can sort an aeris demo easily however for the others, is there a database of demo days showing where they'll all be as I can only find a little info on the leisure lakes ones thus far? Also, any other bike options people want to flag up then I'm all ears (except the Whyte 130 as I just see them everywhere and don't like how they look). Cheers
Short of searching each individual brand website, there's also this:
https://www.moredirt.com/events/demo-days
There's the MBR demo day at FOD April 7th-8th and April 28th at Dalby. Then there's QE cyclefest by Hargroves cycles at QECP on May 12th-13th.
www.pedalplanner.co.uk website also had lots of demo days on it in 2017.
Wheelbase do a good demo day in the South Lakes in March each year.
Worth a trip up and stay for a weekend, do a bit of riding.
The Santa Cruz 5010c is the one I would go for out of that initial choice ..I had one for a week and thought it was fantastic ..
In the end though I went for the bike you won't consider in RS format ..there is a good reason for their popularity 😉
It's also the closest to the SC in terms of geometry.
Not sure where you would demo one though as I'm in the far north of the country ..
I'm based out of Coventry
So where are you based if not there?
😉
If you can travel south the QE Cycle fest has lots of brands to try:
Lesuire lakes did one in cannock
There’s a big demo couple of days as part of the Tweedlove stuff in Peebles, but not until a June.