New full suspension MTB

https://www.balfesbikes.co.uk/bikes/mountain-bikes/trek-fuel-ex-7-nx-29-full-suspension-mountain-bike-2022-in-red__15750

If you like Trek, there's this.

Good shout, I see bikes from the big brands like Trek, Giant, Specialized etc. and think I should just buy one of them as they're a safe bet but then there are brands I'm less familiar with (Sonder for example) and the kit seems so much better (Shimano XT Vs SRAM NX, Rockshox Yari Vs Gold 35).

My last MTB was a 26" Cannondale so anything is an improvement as technology has moved on massively. I just want to avoid buying a basic bike near the top of my budget and then end up replacing forks, groupset etc. If they're a bit budget or not up to the job (I did this with the Cannondale and should've got a different bike or paid for the higher spec model!)

check which shops your c2w voucher can be used at. most are limited in some way

I'm using Cycle Solutions and they're accepted by Alpkit and a lot of the online retailers that I've seen so far.

Can't believe the savings that can be made via the scheme!

I’d say get the sonder. Good geometry frame and great vfm spec as you have found. There’s an Alpkit shop in betws y coed isn’t there? Have a look in there, they may have a demo bike you can try.

The Boardman’s always look good value in that price range - and review well.

Lots of demo bikes in Alpkit in Betws y Coed.

Evol is great bike I had 27.5 one for a while. Service was great too.

I haven't seen a bad review of the Evol so far to be fair.

I looked at the ex demo EVOL with the Lyric fork in Betws Y Coed but its got the SRAM SX groupset which after doing a bit of research sounds like it's best to avoid at all costs! I asked if they would consider changing the groupset but they're only selling the ex demo bikes as they are. Using the C2W scheme I can actually get a new EVOL XT for less than the ex demo.

If anyone is interested in the ex demo EvoL in Betws Y Coed it's immaculate and hasn't been ridden at all. The Chain, groupset etc are all brand new and no marks on the frame. The other ex demos showed signs of use but nothing at all on the EvoL.

Hold your horses now.

Are you saying that you've only ridden road up til now and you're looking at MTBing? If so, I would perhaps not recommend either of those. They are aimed at people who yes, want to do long rides, but also are looking for some thrills on the descents.

If you just want to cover lots of ground out in the hills, and you're not a thrill seeker, looking for technical challenges, or looking to expand your riding into that area, I'd go for something labelled downcoutry e.g. the Sonder Cortex.

That said, when I want to ride all day in the hills, I take my fully rigid bike which is much better to ride, despite being rougher on the descents.

I bought my Evol GX through Cyclesolutions C2W.

I've ridden it at Ardrock this year and beaten some decade old PBs around Thetford Forest so it's not a complete boat anchor to ride around on milder stuff. Mine has WTB Tough/Hi Grip tyres on so with something lighter duty it would be a fair bit more sprightly I expect.

Worth mentioning that if you buy direct from Cyclesolutions they knock a further 15% off the rrp before the C2W discount. They do however have an 8 week wait or something crazy at the moment. Depends if you want to get a ride in this summer or not...

I did ride MTBs when I was younger (Lived near Cannock chase) but for the last 8/9 years it's just been road bikes.

I want to make the most of the trails near me (Gwydir forest, Penmachno etc.) and I'd love to tick riding down Snowdon off my bucket list!

Fair play riding the rigid all day off road, I feel like I need suspension on the road bike sometimes!

Johnnystorm did you get the additional 15% discount off the EvoL? I assumed the discount was only available for bikes on the cycle solutions website, anything not available on the website and purchased from another retailer (Alpkit in this case) didn't get the extra 15% reduction?

I hope I'm wrong!

Sorry to get your hopes up! No 15% off at Alpkit sadly. I meant if you buy a bike from Cyclesolutions themselves!

Ah no worries! I think Alpkit have a reward scheme if you join their club, 10% back but I'm not sure if that can be used with the cyclescheme.

29+ hardtail is your answer, 2.6 min. tyres soak up the vibes man, I love mine.

Fair play riding the rigid all day off road, I feel like I need suspension on the road bike sometimes!

Don’t feel like you need to justify choosing a full suss. It is the best bike for most jobs, unless you are a riding god.

Bugger getting a hardtail, ive ridden those for about 25 years and the 29er sus is the best thing ive ever sat on.

I think I’d just about edge to the Sonder above the giant but other than xt vs slx there’s not much in it spec wise.

Giant has a slightly better fork.

Sonder has a slightly better shock.

Sonder has a better groupset

I don’t like that the giant has a pressfit bb and says in the notes due to variability in stock it might come with tektro brakes.

Giant frame is probably a bit better quality as giant own their own factory and backup their stuff really well with warranty.

Both have decently active suspension systems - the Sonder is a 4 bar Horst link whilst the giant is a twin link system.

I think both are decent enough bikes - both firmly in the ‘trail bike’ category as all rounders. You can get lighter / faster bikes for all day and cross country rides. You can get longer travel enduro bikes for smashing downhill. Those 2 bikes are both a happy medium somewhere in the middle.

For the money I think a Vitus escarpe is decent but your budget falls between the cheapest one at £2300 and the next one up at £3100.

You could also look at a Bird Aether 9 if you bike to work is accepted there. I had a go at building you one - would be a Yari fork and Deore drivetrain other than an upgrade to the lighter slx cassette due to stock. Better rear shock with more adjustment and better DT Swiss wheels. Also top spec Maxxis tyres with 3c (the giant has cheaper harder compound ones). 4 pot brakes fit in budget as do a longer dropper post.

I’d say the Aether 9 is also trail but with slightly less overall travel but better geometry.

https://www.bird.bike/product/aether-9-shimano-12-speed/#configuration

I have an Evol 29, I was also considering the bird that Joe has linked to above (I was buying frame only) I was swayed towards the Sonder though as they didn’t charge any uplift for using a C2W voucher (my work uses Halfords - who own cyclesolutions- and the up charge was 15%) was a moot point in the end as I found a barely used frame on eBay for £600. I did use my c2w allowance to buy a Sonder Camino gravel bike frame though and they were excellent to deal with, I did get the loyalty points for that frame too.

The Sonder is a really good trail bike, it took me a little getting into it, it’s a fair bit longer than anything I’ve had before and you do need to be on your toes to boss it around if you want the best from it, but the suspension platform os really plush, it’s pretty active as a climber, but flicking the climb switch on the shock does a good job of taming it.

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Fair play riding the rigid all day off road, I feel like I need suspension on the road bike sometimes!

It's got 2.4" tyres at 23psi so it's not too bad as long as you don't try and go too fast, hence my comment about the type of riding you want to do.

Cheers Joebristol, all my road bikes have a pressfit BB and I know they can be a nightmare, I've been lucky so far with no issues but a creaking BB would drive me crazy!

I did look at Bird but I got a bit lost picking components and didn't know if I was picking parts that complemented each other or not (DH fork with a trail shock for example!).

That's good to hear Momo, what forks and shock do you have?

The all seem to have the same shock on their website with an option to upgrade to a cane creek shock but I think I would stick with the Rockshox shock.
The build I was looking at (XT) has the Yari fork but there is an option to upgrade to the Lyric for £249.99 but that puts it over the C2W limit :(.

How are people using c2w vouchers for frame only I've asked Alpkit a few times and they have always said no?

@niel11 If the Bird pick’n’mix style purchase is confusing (and personally I love it, I wish more did it) then give them a ring and ask for a recommendation.
You get through to actual people who build and ride bikes.  They’ve never been anything but helpful with me.

You’ll pay a 10% charge on the bike if you get a Bird on C2W. It’s still worth it of course, just something to be aware of.

@igm cheers, I like that way of shopping as well but I'm just a bit lost when it comes to MTB kit although I'm picking it up slowly. I'll give them a call and discuss what they recommend!

How does the Trek Slash compare to the Sonder and Bird? Am I right in saying it's a full on Enduro bike focused on more extreme terrain? Bit of a pig on tight courses and not great at climbing?

I did have a very quick go on a Slash 8 and it felt huge, the geometry felt very weird, almost like I needed to be facing down a hill for it feel normal if that makes any sense?

Sonder briefly reduced the price of the Evol XT yesterday by £100, I managed to reserve one with the discount and have 30 days to submit the C2W voucher. I'll arrange a test ride and also speak to Bird but the Sonder is great value!

My brother road rides a lot, has the Sander Evol and loves it - seems to climb really well.

Managed to ride the Cortex and Evol today around a short part of the Marin Trail, first of all the Cortex:

I was told the Cortex I would be riding was an ex-magazine shoot bike so it had all the kit. XT groupset, Alpha wheels and Cane Creek Helm fork. The bike felt great, really smooth suspension and really inspired confidence. Overall it climbed well and I didn't feel like I was missing the extra suspension travel that the Evol has. Never seen Cane Creek suspension before but it was so smooth, very impressed with the bike overall.

Evol didn't feel right from the minute I sat on it. It was the Ex-demo I was originally interested in and I was the first person to ride it! Slighty strange build as it has a Lyric fork, cheaper Nova wheelset, SRAM SX groupset and no dropper post but everything worked as it should. Immediately it felt heavier and less manoeuvrable than the Cortex. It had a Good Year front tyre which looked like it came off a Motorcross bike, big knobbly treads which were no good on the dusty Marin trail. I almost fell off at the first turn due to the tyre and it was like a slug compared to the Cortex up hill. Did a few big jumps and that was the first time it felt right to me during the whole ride.

Spent nearly two hours on the Cortex but I took the Evol back after less than an hour. Unfortunately the availability of the Cortex isn't as good as the Evol but I was offered the ex-magazine shoot Cortex that I took out for a test ride for a little less than £2500 which I think is slightly on the high side but I'm happy to be corrected?