£900 to spend HT or full sus -- 43 yr old 30-50 mpw

2nd Wind

Hi,
I am just getting back into cycling after 14 yrs due to kids etc, tried 2 yrs ago but took out by taxi on a cycle path, so hoping this time will be OK, I have a LOC for £900 to order a bike from Halfords I have never sed a suspension bike and am currently riding a 17 yr old bike V brakes, Girvin flexi stem, Shimano altus C10 gears, hybrid bike. i am un sure whether to buy a top notch HT e.g. Rockhopper pro disc or go for comfort e.g. Specialized FSR XC Comp full sus. If anyone could give me a direction it would be most appreciated, thanks in advance. 2nd Wind

jon prothero

I went for a full sus at 44 years of age straight from a old rigid. But it does depend what you are going to do with it. I got mine to stop my bones from falling apart while trashing through rocky decents. For more sedate riding, canal, toe path and light x-country I would go for a good Hardtail though.

2nd Wind

Thanks for that Jon, My main usage at the moment are the local pinewoods, but I am hoping by the summer to get my fitness levels up to start using more routes and have been looking at the specialized XC comp, The GT I-Drive XCR5, The Trek fuel ex 5.5 and the Rockhopper disc pro, which all seem to get good revews, my main concern is, are the full sus versions to sapping at our delicate age or does the LO work. also does having the front forks on a HT take most of the punisment out of a rdie or do you still need to stand and use your legs as shocks therefor pushing me to the entry level full sus which I can upgrade over time.

Anonymous

i am a massive advocate of full sus having tried to ride a few hardtails and found them exhausting.

modern full sus is very well designed and the minimal loss of efficiency is far outweighed by the improved traction, comfort and ability to ride for longer.

ps dont listen to the hippy crap that will no doubt follow about how riding a hardtail will make you a better rider blah blah blah

ps. you do have to use your legs as rear suspension and exactly as you said, you will spend more time stood up and therefore more knackered much faster.

2nd Wind

Thats what I was worried about, any suggestions on which bike or are they all much the same. I am leaning toward the Spesh XC Comp, but the trek fuel 5.5 has pro pedal on the rear sus, my budget is 900.

jonny ramrod

its taken me years to decide, but i never ride a hardtail again.... You could look at an 07 model that is being sold off cheap by some shops. Better value than an 08, but only if you aren't bothered about having 'last years' bike..

As for bikes, your above choices, plus i would look at Merida and also the new commencal 'entry level' full sus. It has the frame from last years higher spec model. So a good bike.

FatBurt

I have a Specialized FSR XC and the rear shock can be locked out to give you the Hardtail effect when your on the road.

I would not go back to a hardtail again after going FS. you may get a better spec for you money with a HT but you'll get a far comfier ride with FS.

2nd Wind

Thanks very much for the advice, it was enough to allay any fears and I think I will go for the Specialized FSR XC. I will be ordering it in the morning so hopefully will have it within a fortnight.....Can't wait
Cheers 2nd Wind

zero303

The Spesh FSRxc is a great bike, unfortunately the Comp is a bit lardy...

With your budget, I'd say go with a hardtail, not out of some hippy crap reason (I ride full suss for the record), you're just going to get so much more for the money.

As the resident Orange fanboy, here's my obligatory recommendation for the Orange P7...

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... s-08-30781

z000m

i ride ht because im getting on abit and my thinking is if the terrain requires a fullsus then i probably shouldnt be on it

jon prothero

No front sus does not take out all the sting and it can feel like your being punched in the kidneys if you are pelting down stoney decents..I am not young enough I want as much comfort as I can, but I still stand and absorb while decending most things. It is a much better place from which to take control and move body weight around. Your sure to get bucked off if you sit in some situations!

Anonymous

but you must admit you can spend more time seated on a full sus than you can on a hardtail?

2nd Wind

has anyone tried or know of the GT I-Drive XCR 5 from Halfords its rated on this site as 4.5

jon prothero

I am not sure if I do spend more time in the saddle I think my riding style has remained similar to when I had an all rigid. However sitting or standing is far far more comfortable and I am able to tackle stuff at speeds I would not dream of on a rigid.

garnett

Got to ask - "17 yr old bike V brakes, Girvin flexi stem, Shimano altus C10 gears, hybrid bike" - that wouldn't be a Raleigh Kalahari by any chance? Got mine in a cupboard. Tempted to get it out to use as my London hack.

papasmurf.

get a hard tail, it'll be better spec and lighter and far better for getting your fitness back to start with and get your skills up to strach..then if you think your riding (or body) needs to get a full suss then thats something for next year...and then you'll have two bikes and the best of both.

the FSR XC is a bit heavy and theres a bit of pedal bob and the forks a bit flexy have a look at pauls cycles for maybe a cheap full suser if thats the way you go...maybe the trance. Also the new Commencal combi s is under 1k and is last years meta4 frame, should ride real nice.

2nd Wind

Your spot on it is a Raleigh Kalahari, cracking bike in its dayI started using mine again recently and the gears are spot on, the brakes are grindng though and the top end gears remind me that they aren't big enough for the road but still a good bike I will set it up on my trainer when my new bike arrives. All I can say is the best thing Ive done in a long time is to start riding again, the first 2 months where hard but I was out sunday AM 25-35 mins in to the ride I was in the zone just drew on all my experience to get up hills fantastic, all your stress gets left in the trail.

2nd Wind

Listening to what your saying papasmurf, unfortunately I was tied to halfords cycle2work, and have now ordered the xc comp, I am working on the premise that I am 2.5 stones overweight but going in the right direction since re-started cycling. the Comp is 5lbs heavier than the Rochopper which at 25lbs is well kitted for the price so if I can lose another stone it won't make much difference to me about 5lb on the bike. Halfords would only order full price 08 bikes which reallly limited what I could get. so I was left with a dilema I had a couple of replies of people my age reinforcing my suspcions that my comfort was important to me sowill give the comp a whirl...watch this space

jon prothero

V brakes wow you can't believe how much i desired v brakes when they came out!

streako

Get last years Giant Trance from Pauls Cycles. They usually do killer deals.

zero303

Your body weight doesn't relate to bike weight. The old joke of take a "shit before you ride" is equivalent to say, a new/lighter component doesn't hold true.

Your body mass is supported by your own muscles and our body constantly evolves to support our body weight. The bike however is external to us and not under that same natural support of our muscles. It's not strenuous to move yourself about but it is to move a bike about. You could lose a pound in weight but not notice it, you could probably lose 3 or 4 and still not notice - but by god you'd notice that weight saving on a bike!