Overlap of bikes abilities. Cotic Jeht and Nukeproof Mega

When you look at it do you want to ride it? If so get it built.

My guess is you will never ride the 26" Tues again once you get the Mega up and running. That's the bike it will replace, moreso than the Jeht

Edit - I should have read more carefully, you got a Mega. Giga would certainly have relegated the Tues, Mega a bit less so. Yeah, there's probably a fair bit of overlap there.

Just out of interest @breninbeener - how do you like the Jeht? The o/h needs a new bike (riding an xc-focussed 2014 canyon) - we live in snowdonia too so will ride similar to you.

I think the Mega will be great for the riding you want it for. It may overlap a bit, but then a giga would overlap with the DH bike. I'd go with the build it up and ride it option myself.

You've 2 long-ish travel full sus bikes, so yep I reckon you've 2 bikes that'll do the same stuff.

I've a stretched Flaremax and there's nothing friends of equal abilities can get down on their 160/170 FS's that I can't get down.

I have a giga and I'm only a year younger than you 🙂 I also have a revel rascal which is a 140/130 trail bike (and my scout but everyone needs a hardtail). Before the Giga, I had a RipMo and that was really an ideal compromise between lots of trail riding here in the UK (Mainly FoD, South Wales, etc) and trips away to steep,  rocky locations.

I bought the Giga for the Basque MTB backcountry tour and I was very glad to have it there (and also later in the year in Molini). RipMo would have been fine of course, and way better than I'll ever be (or ever was!). That wasn't really the point tho, having the big bike (mine is the 29) definitely gave me more confidence to ride stuff that's on my mental limit. I do feel a bit of a fraud sometimes because I'll never do it 'justice' but frankly who cares if you're having fun!

I definitely wanted a separation between that and my 'trail bike'. The rascal is that, very different to ride.  And a lot lighter. I'm happy to have both and - strangely for me - not bothered about changing either*.

Last 2 things tho; firstly I ride the (37lb) Giga as a trail bike way more than I thought i would. It's just a fun bike even if it's not full on. Secondly my mate has a Mega and has done the same trips as me and definitely not felt underbiked.

*edit: if I was, I'd probably buy the new 29 Revel Rail which is 160/160 I think. There is something about riding one bike all the time which makes you 'better'. But honestly I don't really care about that any more, i'd rather have the choice.

@Alex How was Molini?

@honourablegeorge - awesome in every way!

I wrote some typical introspective nonsense here: https://www.pickled-hedgehog.com/going-forward/

And there are some (long) videos on my YT channel with much wittering here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDpRuh_QEzsrJ4crUD8EcDA

(note the ones marked "Trustycam" are from my spare GoPro used by a mate and they are just trails, barely any editing or narration. He does ride faster than me tho :)"

Might take the GIga out tomorrow. First time since Molini. Stlll has italian dust all over it!

@chevychase i will PM you!

without wanting to derail the thread too much.... i have been pondering a 'big' bike for a while to compliment my Norco Optic (140mm front, 125mm rear, fairly aggressive trail bike).

I ride everything on my Optic, mainly as its my only bike, but i dont use it to shy away from anything. This year i did some local Enduro races, the Southern Enduro champs, Ard Rock and the Megavalnche on it.

So my question is, when do you choose the big bike over the smaller one? For instance, i could do all of the mentioned events on a big bike, but then why would i, if my small bike can do it all? My fear would be buying something and then it just sit there collecting dust, as the trail bike can do it all.

Or does that all go out of the window once you taste the flavours of the big bike?!

When i had a LT and a ST the ST was the main bike I used most of the time. The LT was used more for specific trips such as Scotland, the Alps bike parks etc

As I wrote ^^^ I use my Giga way more than I expected to. That's no reflection on the rascal. I just find the Giga is a fun bike to ride. Then I get back on the rascal and it feels like a go kart! I tend to use the Giga for big days out. I'm happy to climb a 1000m+ and ride 50-60km including some road on it. As long as no one is in a hurry on the uphill bits 🙂

For local/night riding I'll take the Rascal most of the time.

When i had a LT and a ST the ST was the main bike I used most of the time. The LT was used more for specific trips such as Scotland, the Alps bike parks etc

was that a conscious choice? in that the LT bike was 'too much' for the local stuff? Or just because you preferred riding the ST?

As I wrote ^^^ I use my Giga way more than I expected to. That’s no reflection on the rascal. I just find the Giga is a fun bike to ride

So its more based on the fun the Giga gives you, rather than so overall efficiency, which potentially would be better on the rascal?

I guess without having a LT bike in my garage, i can only guess what my thought process would be when picking up a bike to go riding on?!

So my question is, when do you choose the big bike over the smaller one? For instance, i could do all of the mentioned events on a big bike, but then why would i, if my small bike can do it all? My fear would be buying something and then it just sit there collecting dust, as the trail bike can do it all.

Or does that all go out of the window once you taste the flavours of the big bike?!

In the reverse.... why would you ever use the smaller one again ? When the bigger ones are so capable now ?

In the reverse…. why would you ever use the smaller one again ? When the bigger ones are so capable now ?

its a good question. I would guess it comes from which ever perspective you look at riding and trails. Do you get more satisfaction from ploughing through the gnar at warp speed or from taking a bike with less travel down the same trail, albeit slower, but picking the optimum line, pushing your body and equipment to its limit, being more precise?

I guess the same way some maniacs ride hardtails down trails that some people wouldnt touch without 170mm of travel under them, there are different motives and challenges to be overcome.

And to flip you question on the head, when ST bikes are so capable these days, why would you want to ride LT?! 😛

I also have long and short travel bikes that are pretty much the same geo wise.
G1 and G13 Geometrons.

I ride the shorter travel one a little more as I ride a lot on my own and it's a little slower so less chance of hurting myself.

The G1 tends to get ridden on a weekend when I'm riding with others.

Both get used on all the trails the TV has to offer.
I don't use short travel as an excuse not to ride something and I don't shy away from long rides on the big bike either.

So my summary is most modern bikes can do most things well but it's nice to have choises.

Alex

@honourablegeorge – awesome in every way!

Nice one. Just got my receipt by email from Luca for next year's visit.

inglespeedstu

I also have long and short travel bikes that are pretty much the same geo wise.
G1 and G13 Geometrons.

I ride the shorter travel one a little more as I ride a lot on my own and it’s a little slower so less chance of hurting myself.

The G1 tends to get ridden on a weekend when I’m riding with others.

Both get used on all the trails

I do the same. With the exact same bikes 😁. TBH, I almost had to check I didn't write the above.

And to flip you question on the head, when ST bikes are so capable these days, why would you want to ride LT?! 😛

TO me, because there's no downside to it. If you do end up somewhere proper techie, it'll cope.

I don't XC race, so my 'speed' on a trail isn't important, i don't Strava either, so again, if the LT bike is slower, it doesn't matter to me.
I do pretend Enduros and DH though, but timed, so i need a LT bike to get me down/over certain things and trails that whilst someone else may happily get down on a ST bike, i need the bigger boy.

I have a Jeht (also with the Kitsuma shock and 36s). Its am amazing machine. I take it to Stiniog etc.and it never feels out of its depth etc. But id certainly not class it as enduro, its more an 'all day in wales / lakes / the Peak" type bike. I imagine the Mega is closer to an enduro machine and the Jeht is more like the Nukeproof Reactor.

You certainly don't need both, but there is a bit of a difference and if you have the cash why not?

You can always make more of a difference between the two by how you spec the builds.

So its more based on the fun the Giga gives you, rather than so overall efficiency, which potentially would be better on the rascal?

@v7fmt - sorry meant to reply was busy riding! The Rascal in fact. I'd echo what @singlespeedstu says. A lot of my riding buddies have big 160-170mm bikes. They also take on harder stuff that I'd do on my own. So I'll defo take the big bike out when it's one of those days. And other than it being a bit lardy, there's not a lot of downside.

On the Rascal, I probably have to ride 'better' as it has a +2 degree head angle on the Giga and needs an approach other than pointing and hoping! It was great to ride it again yesterday tho, really glad I have both.

And to flip you question on the head, when ST bikes are so capable these days, why would you want to ride LT?!

Because there's almost no penalty for carrying around the extra travel. LT bikes bob a little more on climbs and you might be what 10 seconds slower? As you winch it up some stupid climb, but really; who cares? They more than make up for that when you point them DH.

Because there’s almost no penalty for carrying around the extra travel. LT bikes bob a little more on climbs and you might be what 10 seconds slower? As you winch it up some stupid climb, but really; who cares? They more than make up for that when you point them DH.

It’s not just the pedalling up that’s the difference.

I have a ~11kg Spur running 120mm front & rear & a big 170mm Raaw Madonna which is ~16kg & the only place the big bike is faster in my local (FoD) is the really steep, nasty off piste or the very fast rough stuff.

Everywhere else, the Spur is a faster, better & more fun. I think I could even mitigate some of the difference further with a set of wheels & tyres on the small bike.

Don’t get me wrong, I would never be without a big bike, but they are more of a compromise than a (decent) small bike IMO.