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Me again still looking for "the" bike to suit me.
From what I've read, there's a few on here who struggle to find their ideal bike. I think I'm getting closer to finding what I want from riding a wider range.
Currently got a Hightower and a Scott Spark RC. Found the Hightower a bit much for longer rides (30+ milers in the Lakes/Peak).
Spark is good at the distance stuff and can just about handle rocky descents with more care, but it just bores me...
Hightower is up for sale, but I've been having second thoughts. I enjoy a techy climb as much as the descents and both of these bikes seem to have a slack seat angle (especially on an XL frame). This crops up as an issue on steeper climbs.
Feels like I have to lean over the front to keep it down, then I sacrifice rear grip. So... I've been eyeing up a Flare Max (frame only to build). Is there anyone who has ridden both a Hightower and a Flare Max that can compare the two?
Similar bikes on paper and I've learned that weight isn't a major concern on bikes like this really. To be honest, I should have just stuck to getting a Tallboy and not got tempted by the Hightower, but you live and learn!
Why not demo instead of merry-go-round purchase?
Every single bike in existence is a compromise in some areas.
There. 👍
Personally, I think demos raise more questions that answers (unless it's a week long).
Guess I just need to find the right compromise.
The only bike I've ever demoed was the Hightower and that sold it to me.
Internet armchairing here - but wasn't a criticism of the Flare max being a rather slack STA? Having limited experience (trying mates bikes) of 5010s, Tallboy3 and bronson V3; I think the VPP is one of the nicest tech climbing designs you can get.
+1 every bike is a compromise of some sort.
I like my geometron. It felt one gear easier to climb on than the orange segment it replaced.
The frames were swapped all the components stayed the same, the geometron frame is slightly heavier.
Steeper seat angle? New bike is amazing psychology? Who knows as I've got no data. It definetly felt easier.
Your milage may vary
I think you'd struggle to find a better allrounder than a Tallboy? It's not even a slack bike! Look for something with a bit of a steeper seat angle?
I just got used to wheeling up climbs now and then.
Maybe an Orange 4? The same seat angle but less travel, half a degree steeper head angle and more reach?
It's not overly clear from your dilemma what sort of bike you even want. Is it an XC, trail, AM, Enduro, or what?
One bike will always be a compromise somewhere.
My solution is to get the most compromised bike and then just get on with it and stop fretting about whether a different bike may be better as the answer would always be yes.
I do fret over things, I'm getting better though!
My original plan was to fit a 120mm Fox 34 SC. I think that would fix most of what I don't like (apart from the seat angle). I can put up with the climbing though. I think I just expect too much sometimes.
Nimbleness of an XC bike with the descending capabilities of a sorted trail bike. The Spark is so close though, maybe the 34 will rescue it.
An angle-adjust headset can steepen your seat angle a touch, and are you already running the saddle as far forward as it'll go on the rails?
If no to the latter, go and try that on the bikes and report back.
Can't fit angle sets to both of these frames as they're just bearings that sit in the head tube.
Saddle is as far as it'll go I think.
What I want is a 180mm travel bike that pedals like a 100mm hard tail, has a secret battery and has fat tyres... and only costs £1000 🙂
Or, I should just stop being so fussy and ride what I've got and play about with it. I did my first attempt at Jacob's Ladder on the Spark the other week and had a nice clean run all they way down. Only bottomed the fork out twice so it wasn't too bad.
Get an E-bike, put Fox's Live valve on it?
It'll probably put you back 6 grand even if you go for a Commencal FS Meta Power. Otherwise something that niche is going to set you back a good 8 to 10 grand. Unless you can live with a standard shock remote.
I also enjoy climbs as much as descents and love my FlareMax, It seems amazingly stable and well balanced on the climbs and really inspires confidence on descents. However, other people have claimed that the seat angle is too slack and there are certainly plenty of bikes out there that look steeper on paper.
I’ve been like that and then I got a 5010 mk2 I just do not see the point in upgrading it anytime soon, climbs well, it’s got a good turn of speed it feels well beyond its 130mm travel , I’ve not managed to bottom it out..And most importantly it’s fun
It’ll always be more bike than I need, my aim is to get fitter and more skillfull
i used to have a 150mm full sus that you could just point downhill and go fast, wasn’t much skill required..
would love a ride on a bronson to see how good it is uphill , I once spoke to a lad on a nomad he said it climbed like a beast I didn’t see him again that day, clearly he didn’t climb as his bike intended
Flaremax climbs fairly well but not exceptionally, in my brief experience.
Orange Stage 4 is worth a look for sure. That goes like a rat up a drainpipe.
i used to have a 150mm full sus that you could just point downhill and go fast, wasn’t much skill required..
I assume Danny Hart doesn't have much skill? This gets touted around a lot, I've often heard having a lot of travel is cheating.
It's not, just go bigger and faster.
However, a genuine point would be that smaller bikes make smaller trail features more fun.
I've always been Orange curious and I've never ridden one. Probably the easiest to get a demo on too. Will have a go at one soon and make my mind up about them.
A bit of it is probably me wanting to try new things all the time and maybe I just over exaggerate little niggles with what I've got.
The Stage 4 wasn't the perfect bike for my needs, but def worth a demo. I did a write-up here...
http://unduro.co.uk/mtb/orange-stage-4-demo/
Singletrack also had a review of it recently that I thought was pretty accurate.
@raybanwomble I think Danny hart et al
is a law unto himself
we are merely amateurs and as such bigger suspensions can be seen to over compensate for lack of skill..
Im not saying this applies to everyone but it’s clear to see for many at trail centres up and down the country
im pretty sure I could ride faster downhill on a 170mm than my 130mm (and definitely over a 100mm hardtail) would it make me a better rider, would it be as much fun, I don’t know, we all have to compromise.
The bike industry seems keen to over gear us with ever widening tyres and bigger suspensions.. keep milking that cash cow /consumers
Its not always the answer
im pretty sure I could ride faster downhill on a 170mm than my 130mm (and definitely over a 100mm hardtail) would it make me a better rider, would it be as much fun, I don’t know, we all have to compromise.
I actually think time on a big bike, eg a big **** off downhill bike - makes a lot of riders better than people who get used to riding at hardtail speeds. It readjusts your reactions.
Same with motocross, downhillers who try MX have their reactions and perception of speed changed.
Im not saying this applies to everyone but it’s clear to see for many at trail centres up and down the country
I don't, I see a lot of fairly competent riders of all levels who don't look out of place on 150mm trail bikes. There are bimblers around - 9 times out of 10 they are on hardtails.
The bike industry seems keen to over gear us with ever widening tyres and bigger suspensions.. keep milking that cash cow /consumers
Long travel has been around forever. The wheel debate seems to have settled down and 2,6 tyres don't obsolete your bike.
I run a bike with 180mm of front and rear travel, I only have room for one bike. It's as fun if not more fun on any descents in the UK that I love as my previous shorter travel bikes, it's a tad harder to ride uphill - but given the right tyres not by much.
My attitude is that I want to train year round on the bike that I want to take to stuff I really enjoy, Revs, BPW, Fort Bill, the Alps etc. I get used to one bike and get fitter, this means that sometimes I end up riding the bike out of it's comfort zone - eg on a 40km ride in the South Downs or around Wharncliffe when I'm in Sheffield (lots of people run DH bikes there though) - but then again, the next time I rode it on a longer ride - guess what? I felt stronger.
I also think it's more fun as I can concentrate on my line choice as opposed to modulating my speed due to a lack of grip.
How is a 135mm 29er too much for big rides in the lakes?
I remember a time when at least three people would have recommended a rigid singlespeed by this point in the thread.
I miss nostalgia.
I think the bike you ride should just depend on what you get out of riding and what aspects of riding you enjoy - we shouldn't judge other peoples choices (unless they ride an e-bike 😀 ), they may have perfectly valid reasons for riding what they do. Don't pretend your perfect bike is someone else's perfect bike.
I bounce around on a fully coil sprung 180mm bike with an idler pulley and a high single pivot - it's freaking awesome and perfect for me but it's not for everyone. Same goes for your 68 degree head angle 4 inch XC bikes.
However, when it's not tooled up with dual plies and at 33/34lb it really doesn't feel much different to my old 150mm 2011 Nukeproof Mega - long travel bikes aren't cramped, tall 40lb pieces of crap like the noughties bikes were.
The same goes for shorter travel endure bikes, decent spec ones to me - feel as lively and as climbable as short travel trail bikes from 10-20 years ago!
Yeti SB100 or the new SB130?
I miss nostalgia.
Meh, it ain't what it used to be.
I get you, and I've often asked myself the same question. For me, the Hightower rides like a much bigger bike than the numbers suggest (feels a lot burlier than my last 150mm Stumpy).
It's not all about the amount of travel, or at least it's not the full picture. For some reason I got it into my head that I was looking for the perfect balance of not wanting to be too overbiked!
No idea where it came from and it's most likely a weird personality thing I have. I get obsessed over things that don't really matter. Sometimes I catch myself doing it and have a word, other times I blow thousands on a new bike I don't really need (then sell it after less than 12 months).
I suppose it isn't the biggest crime of the century as the missus is as mad on bikes as me and we have no kids, but it would be nice to just be satisfied. I think i'm going to fit a stiffer 120mm fork to the Spark instead of the 100mm 32 SC that's on there at the moment, just go from there and see 🙂
I'll have a read of your write up too Chaka as I know Orange bikes divide opinion like nothing else!