You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
So last week my Bird Aeris mk 1 got stolen from the garage , pretty gutted but its time to start thinking about what to replace it with .
Riding wise i race about 4 or 5 enduros in scotland a year but i'm very much a back marker but do enjoy racing and that style of riding , if i get a free day my favourite place to ride is inners . I also had my cotic hardtail nicked so will be replacing that with hopefully the same which i use for local stuff and less technical stuff ( arrochar type rides for those that know the riding round there ).
So when i got the bird 29ers were still only for tall guys ( im 5 9 ) and xc racers and a 140mm 27.5 bike was an all round trail bike , easy . But what these days is a normal trail bike ? the bikes now that i fancy the look off are the bird am9 or the whyte s150 , but i worry that these would be just to much travel and with the bigger wheels be a bit sluggish on easier stuff , I have also never really ridden a 29er but the new ones are drawing my eye . I reckon the answer might be a new longshot flare 27.5 but i really dont want to have to wait as not having a bike makes waiting not really an option .
So what do you reckon , if any of that makes any sense 🙂
budget about 3k ( touch wood , assuming the insurance pays out which im pretty sure they will but until its all sorted , touch wood again)
Try a trek remedy.
Standard answer is surely FlareMax?
Flaremax was phenomenal to ride, probably the ideal bike for general riding with some racing thrown in. I thought it climbed fairly well, went down wel and wasn’t a weighty bulldozer!
Saying that I preferred the rocketmax as it was just so so capable and still peddled alright
Drake cycles havea 3k Orange Segment Factory.
Trail geometry, loads of fun, top spec (12 spd eagle/ultimates/kashima/hope hubs etc), loving mine and short travel .
I was going to say trek fuel or new stumpjumper. Or ratboy a habit?
Flare max is a bike I'd happily race, and ride the rest of the time as well.
Orange stage 5 and 6 are both very snappy pedallers too, meaning they are not a chore on less gnarly or steep trails.
The s150 may be similar in that regard, and perhaps the new canyon strive too.
Yep flare max was what i would of bought right away but ive had a week to look around and its still probably the answer but i loved my bird and the am9 in raw is right up my street looks wise but then so is the flare max . Always liked oranges too , the simplicity appeals but the only thing that puts me off is no bottle cage mounts , its the only thing i didn't like on my aeris .not a massive thing and i didn't think it would bother me but it did turn out to be a bit of a pain .
spesh and trek , i know they are good bikes but they just dont do it for me .
Where are you based for trying bikes out purposes..?
You want a Kona Hei Hei DL Trail like the one in the Classifieds at the moment 😉
Im in Glasgow . I know i shoud test ride and might once ive narrowed it down a bit but im not always sure you can tell everything from 1 ride . Whats got me leaning towards Bird and Cotic is knowing i have owned and liked bikes from them previously and also that they are good companies to deal with .
Trek slash 29er
Bergamont contrail as a random outside brand?
Intense carabine
Slash might be too much but?
I’d put a Whyte T130 on your list, it really ought to be renamed a T140 as its 140mm on the front now.
And maybe a Sonder Evol.
Hardtail - Solaris Max - Generally all round awesome
FS - reckon the AM9 would be hard to beat, great write-ups and impressive build for the cash. I love the Flaremax too but the lead time might be the killer for you.
Trek Remedy 29 was (and probably always will be) the most succesful enduro race bike of all time- pretty much any competent trailbike will do UK enduro just fine.
(not saying you should get one! It took graft to get mine how I wanted. But just in general)
I'm Glasgow too, on a ML AM9. Happy to help if I can. I'd consider a 120 with the 130 linkage and 140 forks for Enduro lite also though
Have seen some crazy deals around for 2018 old design sc Bronson’s that will take close to your budget. 150mm 27.5 - nice for the shorter gent.
Virus escarpe vrx 29. It's a quiver bike. Unreal
Liteville 301,from Mk10 on.
Liteville 301,from Mk10 on
As if a liteville is the right answer to anything other than pick a niche bike and list it.
trek slash
29er, 160/150mm travel. used by the enduro Trek team
Cotic were advertising an ex demo Flare Max on Friday - might still be there is you are quick?
This is copied from the advert:
Sam's 2018 Demo Tour bike. Medium blue FlareMAX with orange Hope parts including Tech X2 brakes, Tech XC wheels. WTB tubeless tyres, XT drivetrain with Sunrace 11-50 cassette. Cotic bars and stem, HELM29 and DB Air IL. It's a Gold build with a lot of hop ups, worth well over £4k new. Yours for just £2199.
Hope it helps!
Hi
I have a 2017 Trek Slash RSP and whilst it’s a fantastic bike and obviously is an Enduro bike I think it may be a little “too much” bike for what the OP says he wants for everyday normal riding.
I rarely ride mine other than the Lakes where there are big steep descents and occasionally trail centres.
It’s not a bike I would choose for riding in the Dales for instance which is my go to venue for riding.
So much so that I am considering using my Evil Following in the Ardrock later this year rather than the Slash.
Cheers
Steve
If the thing you didn't like about your Aeris was the lack of bottle bosses then I'd also say an Aeris 120LT with a 140mm fork - would seem to be the obvious choice!
Agree the Aeris 120LT with a 140mm fork should be on the demo list. From what I’ve heard the AM9 maybe too much bike from what you describe. Awesome on rocky flat out technical stuff but might make normal trails a bit dull. The 120lt seems to be described as both poppy and fast - I quite like the sound of one. But I’ve got a 145lt and that’s not going anywhere!
FlareMax seems a really poor choice for the OP's needs as I read them. It's probably 2.5kgs heavier than it needs to be at that price point. And it's optimised for 29'.
I built a Foxy Carbon as I bought the frame for £1650 new and got a 140mm trail bike that will cope with the odd enduro race while being able to be a brilliant do it all.
They still have it in M, there is a 5% code somewhere and some cashback. https://www.biketart.com/bikes-c1/mountain-bikes-c34/mondraker-foxy-r-carbon-frame-2017-p46160
Trek Remedy 29 was (and probably always will be) the most succesful woman's enduro race bike of all time
Not too sure how helpful trotting out this information time and time again for middle aged singletrackworld enduro event have a go-ers actually is.
IMO The Slash is a better bike and the current nukeproof Mega a more successful bike. Not sure why that would matter here though. Especially reading odd comments such as:
spesh and trek , i know they are good bikes but they just dont do it for me .
I’d take a close look at the S150 for starters and work from there.
Once you’ve worked out if you like 29erers (and there really isn’t any rational reason not to like modern 29ers for the uses you’re describing) it will help, so get that decision out of the way first.
Starling murmur. G/f got one a few months ago, it's incredible. Will likely be what I buy next.
She is 5"7, rides the medium.
Not too sure how helpful trotting out this information time and time again for middle aged singletrackworld enduro event have a go-ers actually is.
Not too sure how helpful trotting out this absurd generalisation time and time again actually is.
Age is irrelevant, someone like Dylan Clayton is middle age by now and is probably less of a have a go-er than you. We have no idea how superior your riding skills are, you may well be shit for all we know. Stop the posturing.
Premier Icon
jaketurboSubscriber
Liteville 301,from Mk10 onAs if a liteville is the right answer to anything other than pick a niche bike and list it.
It’s certainly the right answer for me and if it is for me, why not for someone else? A nice trail bike for techy descending but not ultra long, low or slack. They’re not particularly “niche” either.
geex
Not too sure how helpful trotting out this information time and time again for middle aged singletrackworld enduro event have a go-ers actually is.
Well if you'd read the next line, and the line after, it'd probably make more sense.
Thanks for all the suggestions . The starling murmur had caught my eye , the made in Taiwan one . Its a bit more than i was thinking but could possibly get a cheaper hardtail if the insurance settlement is structured in a way that allows me to do that.
The thing is this is probably going to last me for about 5 years or so , so i want to get excited when i go in the garage and see it , this will probably mean i dismiss certain bikes and brands for no logical reason other than i dont get a warm feeling looking at it .
I think i am still leaning towards flare max or am9 , my thinking being one is less travel but really capable downhill and one is more travel but still fun on easier trails.
For the record I am 38 and 5 foot 9 , i dont really consider myself middle aged or short , although being honest i am not getting younger or taller 🙂
I'm also Glasgow based and sure I seen cotic are having a demo day at comrie soon if you wanted to swing a leg over the flaremax.
Get what you mean about needing to get excited about it as sold my trek for that reason it just didn't do it for me.
Thanks Keith , sounds like a good excuse for a trip to Comrie . Would be a good place to test a bike as there is a bit of everything there .
Have seen some crazy deals around for 2018 old design sc Bronson’s that will take close to your budget. 150mm 27.5
Yes - right now some very good deals for Bronson frames.
Don't buy the Starling without a demo either.
Great bike but it wasn't what sprung to mind from your OP. Bit more on the enduro end of the spectrum.