First full susser buying advice?

GMARS70970

I am looking to buy my 1st full suspension bike and looking for buying advice. I will be riding the 7stanes routes up here in scotland. I currently ride a Scott Expert Racing hard tail. Had the bike 6years with no problems. Found a web site with what seems like some good deals:

Giant Trance 3 £699.95
Mongoose Teocali Comp £549.95
Trek Fuel 80 £649.95
Giant NRS 2 £499.95

Any advice appreciated. My budget is upto £1000

Scubar

If you can stretch your budget upto £1099 i would seriously go onto evanscycles and look at the Trek Fuel EX 8 or Trek Topfuel 8. The 2006 models the rear rocker wasnt very good from what ive heard. I have the EX 8 and its absolutely fantastic, Has extremely high reviews and is definately one of the top £1500 bikes you can get.

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=70706

This would also be on my shortlist.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=10838

GMARS70970

Thanks for that, was looking at the Trek Fuel EX8 at Tiso Outdoor Experience in Glasgow yesterday. Looks a nice bike. Thats the sort of bike i'm after. Might see what i can hire from my local bike shop (walkers cycling) to get a feel of different bikes before i buy.


Cheers

GMARS70970

Think i've narrowed it down to a choice of 3 bikes,

Scott Reflex FX-25

Trek Fuel EX 8

Trek Top Fuel 8

All bikes are on sale at £1099.99

Does anyone have any experience of these bikes or any advice on what one to buy?

Cheers

supersonic

You need to try them out first.

Scubar

Well i can vouch for the Fuel EX 8, plus its got alot better spec and its lighter than the Scott. Top Fuels nice too but i prefer the extra travel of the Fuel EX. Take them all for a test ride and see which you prefer the feel of, its really the only way to tell.

Brettex8

I have the EX8 06 model and I've found it to be great, I've read the 07 model is even better so if you can get one at a decent price i'd 100% recommend it

GMARS70970

I've set up a trial on both the Scott Reflex FX-25 and the Trek Top Fuel 8 for next week at Evans cycles in Glasgow. So looking forward to giving them a try. Im a bit wary of spending £1100 with very limited knowledge of what im looking for. Just need to go with my gut feeling on the bikes.

L60N

Why spend so much first time round? :shock:

TheNomad

L60N wrote:

Why spend so much first time round? :shock:

Probably so they only buy one bike that lasts a while rather than buy a new one every year or replace parts frequently because they bought a cheaper one.

Buy cheap, buy twice is a motto that I have had for a long time and served me well.

John Stevenson

L60N wrote:

Why spend so much first time round? Shocked

You very rarely hear of people regretting buying a relatively expensive bike, and it's not like GMARS70970 is a total newbie.

I'd second the recommendations for more travel though. I think if you're buying an all-rounder, five inches is the sweet spot unless the bike is going to be used for cross-country racing. Good five-inch bikes will still climb, but you get all that lovely travel for the descents and to rescue you when you stuff up.

tubsolard

I just bought my first full suspension, found a good deal on eBay and saved allot of money on a Specialized Big Hit 3.

Haven't had a proper chance to ride it, but really looking forward to taking it out this week.

Had new wheels and forks fitted on my hardtail over the last fortnight, so fingers crossed that this is the last of my spending for the imediate future!!!

GMARS70970

Had my test ride on the Scott Reflex FX-25 and the Trek Top Fuel 8 yesterday. Unfortunately none off the bikes felt comfortable for me.
As Scubar had said the Scott was heavier and not so well specced.

I've now organised to take a CUBE full susser to Glentress for the day.

Does anyone own 1 of these or have any knowledge off them?
My brain is now at melting point trawling bike shops and listening to sales staff on why their bike is best!!

Cheers