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I’ll start by stating that yes, I know this is very much a first world problem. Also, yes, I am an adult who can make decision for himself 😊, but I’m looking for inspiration from people who are interested in bikes.
For reasons that are not worth going into, I have £3K to go towards a bike (don’t mind going up to ~£4K if necessary). It needs to be spent in September, and it has to be a bike purchase.
I don’t *need* a new bike, but I quite fancy one. Just because. The question though is what do I want, and this is why I am looking for inspiration. It needs to complement (or replace) what I have in the garage at the moment:
Kona King Kahuna 29er carbon Hardtail from 2014. The oldest, and most used bike (used for ~80% of the off-road riding I do). I love it and have no burning desire to replace it.
Very expensive carbon road bike 2016. Bought to be as light as possible. Used throughout winter. No reason to replace it, except it isn’t disc brake compatible, which would be nice.
Carbon fully rigid mtb, 2015. Nice bike, but not used all that much. Was bought to be used in horrible local conditions over winter, but road riding pretty much took over in these conditions. I’ve used it for some sportives where cyclocross bikes are recommended.
Specialized Stumpjumper evo FSR 29er, 2015. Alloy comp model, upgraded with Pikes etc, and a nice ride. I like the bike, but it is overkill for local stuff (feels heavy for local XC type rides, where a lighter bike is more suitable), so mostly gets used for visits to the lakes, trail centres etc.
What would you buy to replace or complement the above?
My first thought has been to get a new model Stumpjumper FSR 29er. It a brand-new design (making mine 2 generations old now), is carbon front and rear, has the SWAT door, and new(er) geometry. All minor things, but they do appeal. The Comp carbon model (£3.5K) would fit the bill, my only concern being that the Fox 34 might feel inferior to the Pikes on my current bike. If I bought this, I would sell the old Stumpy, so I could switch the fork over if I really wanted too. It’s not the most used bike by a long way, but it is the one I’m most inclined to change. What similar bikes are out there that I should consider?
What it would make more ‘sense’ (yeah, I know) to buy (and would get more use) would be a short travel XC bike under 25lbs. Wouldn’t be used for XC racing, just long local rides where I currently use my hardtail. Something like a Specialized Epic comp carbon. What else is out there that fits the bill? This would probably be an addition rather than replace anything. Possible for £3-4K?
Disc brake road bike, or a cyclocross bike are other options.
So, a very diffuse set of parameters, I know. Can anyone offer some inspiration? Thanks in advance.
having tested the carbon comp recently with the fox 34 rythem i thught it would be gash compared to my pikes. It wasnt as good but it wasnt bad either. I wouldnt look to replace it straight away.
Buy a tourer, sort your life out and get touring.
/threadclosed 🙂
Gravel bike
Buy a tourer, sort your life out and get touring.
Not quite what I had in mind, but any examples? Current rigid mtb would probably do a good job of that?
Stealthy post of mine being errrrr stealthy 😉
Very expensive carbon road bike 2016. Bought to be as light as possible. Used throughout winter. No reason to replace it, except it isn’t disc brake compatible, which would be nice.
Spend £500-800 on a winter road bike with mudguards to save your expensive one from getting destroyed when the roads are grim. Don't worry about disc brakes and, as you'll only be using your posh bikes on nice days, you don't need to worry about trashing your expensive rims. On that subject, buy some nice wheels for the posh bike if it doesn't already have some.
Spend £2000-ish on a nice, carbon gravel bike. Model depending on whether you fancy local riding, racing or long-distance touring, but I'm very fond of my Ridley X-Trail and would recommend it for a good mix of them all. Great deals around at the moment and you can pick up last year's model for half price.
This should leave you with a few hundred quid for some targetted component upgrades - a GX / NX eagle groupset isn't an expensive thing and might go well on one of your MTBs that presumably still have a front-mech. Maybe a new set of wheels to give you more options, perhaps even to go with the gravel bike if you want to use it for racing and touring.
Not quite what I had in mind, but any examples? Current rigid mtb would probably do a good job of that?
You're the one looking for excuses for a new bike!
You’re the one looking for excuses for a new bike!
True, true! Don't really know anything about tourers. Never seen one and thought 'I want that', which is why an example might be good. Need some sort of reason for wanting one, even if it is only in my mind!
It could open up a whole new type of cycling to you, whereas you seem to want to spend a whole lot more money on a new bike that won't necessarily do that.
You could probably give it a go on your mtb with slicks and some bags.
How about a 2019 Trance 29 for €3800?
Available from September.
What Cynic-Al said. Sell the rigid carbon and get a gravel/adventure (touring) bike that has rack and mudguard fixings. Doesn't have to be a big boring lump, but will give you something to ride in the winter and save your nice road bike, as well as loading it up and going over to France, Belgium etc for some awesome camping and beer drinking. Something like a Specialized Sequoia or Pinnacle Pyrolite, lots of other options out there.
Or a fat bike.
It could open up a whole new type of cycling to you, whereas you seem to want to spend a whole lot more money on a new bike that won’t necessarily do that.
You could probably give it a go on your mtb with slicks and some bags.
It's an interesting idea, so thanks for that. I'm not convinced it would take me anywhere I couldn't go (or wouldn't do)with my current bikes though (rigid mtb would fit the bill quite nicely). This new bike purchase doesn't necessarily have to 'open up a whole new type of cycling' (and certainly isn't the reason behind it), but I appreciate the suggestion.
What about a short-travel fs 29er? Bikes like the Following, Smuggler and Segment are very capable but still fun on tamer trails.
Or a fatbike. Similar use case to the above but different. And uniquely fun.
Tern GSD and ditch the car
Get a TT bike and start suffering. Your fitness will improve dramatically. Well you did ask for complementary. And that’s about as orthogonal as one could get.
Or a nice cross bike and extra set of wheels for the road. Gravel bikes are just tourers with fatter tyres and no mudguards.
I don't see a point in a new stumpy if you think the one you have is too much bike. I would also sell the rigid carbon as it isn't used. I don't get the nice weather road bike. I use mine all year as I like to ride a nice bike all year round, why ride a shit bike just because the weather is.
I would build a cotic solaris max with two wheelsets one carbon 29 and a 27.5 fatty. Change and swap wheelsets depending on the type of riding.
Carbon smuggler?
sell the Stumpy, Kona & rigid rubbish & replace with Yeti SB100
job done
To clarify, the stumpy feels like too much bike on my local trails (where it only gets used occasionally), but is perfect when I go to the lakes, or a trail centre, so I do want a longer travel trail bike for those occasions.
thanks for the ideas, keep them coming 😃
As above, Evil Following. No point going long travel 29; following will do days away and will also be good for local riding .
Just visit Shand Cycles. They'll help you with this awful burden
Thanks for all the replies. Predictably, some were more useful than others, but thanks all the same :-).
I think I will post a separate thread regarding the mtb options as this has got a bit lost in this (admittedly, VERY unspecific) thread. I'll take a look at the few mtb options that have been mentioned, not sure some of them are in budget. Not sure mtb is the way I will go, but I'm interested in the options out there.
Loving my space chicken. So far been doing longer mixed rides on it and it’s superb. I’m planning some touring next year and it will do this too 🙂
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