Full sus buying advice.

Eskimo427
Eskimo427 Posts: 288
edited November 2008 in MTB buying advice
I will be in the market for a full sus MTB in the new year and will be looking to spend in the region of £1500 to £2000. The bike I'm looking at is a Scott Ransom 30. My reason for looking at this is most of my cycling will be XC however I'm thinking of entering a Fort William downhill endurance race next year, having said that my skills aren't that good so the bike shouldn't get too much a pounding. As I live in Scotland I do as much uphill as downhill cycling so lockouts are a must.

If anyone can recommend anything better or give me a good reason why I shouldn't touch the Ransom then please do.

Thanks for looking.

Comments

  • zero303
    zero303 Posts: 1,162
    The Scott will excell at neither I'm afraid and you'll probably regret the purchase.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    If you mostly do xc then buy the spark, or the genius if you want to enjoy the downhills a bit more, rent a bike for the fort william event. It isn't worth compromising your enjoyment of what you do every day for one event a year.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
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    White Inbred
  • jayson
    jayson Posts: 4,606
    I really like the look of the new Trek EX series or if u want abit more capability going downhill the Remedy series, if i had the money it would go down on a new Remedy 7.
    Remedy

    Merida

    Austria 2012
  • xtreem
    xtreem Posts: 2,965
    I think you'll be better with the Scott Genius 50 2009.
    NS Bikes Eccentric Alu custom - 2016
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    I'd consider something with 120mm travel. There are loads - try them out.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • Eskimo427
    Eskimo427 Posts: 288
    Thanks for the reply gents, some interesting alternatives and idea's.

    Part of my reason for looking at the '40 is some of the parts are on my current bike - GT Avalanche Expert 2007 and that is a brilliant bike. In my eyes anyway.

    I am a little surprised no one has anything to say about the '40 good or bad.

    With regard to Fort William I'm hoping to use the bike on this course more than once, I worded that badly.

    Thanks again.
  • Father Faff
    Father Faff Posts: 1,176
    Surely you need a full-on downhill bike for the Ft William event? Hardly XC. I guess the Ransom is All-Mountain? If you want a slightly more perky All Mountain bike then things like the Commencal Meta 5 or Orange 5 or Santa Cruz Heckler may suit you better?
    Commencal Meta 5.5.1
    Scott CR1
  • grantway
    grantway Posts: 1,430
    Woulndt use the Commencal meta 5 But try a Orange 5 AM or there
    new Alpine 160 or the Heclkler
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    you are not going to get a bike that will do you justice at fw, then be good at xc. An all rounder would be simply 'ok' at both. Need to think carefully what you want.
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  • Eskimo427
    Eskimo427 Posts: 288
    supersonic wrote:
    you are not going to get a bike that will do you justice at fw, then be good at xc. An all rounder would be simply 'ok' at both. Need to think carefully what you want.

    Completely agree hence my question here. I chose the Ransom as it looked to be the best bike for all occasions, jack of all trades master of none - so to speak.
  • xtreem
    xtreem Posts: 2,965
    Keep you Avalanche, buy the Ransom 30. For longer XC rides ride the GT,
    but for more fun on the downhills take the Scott.

    The 2008 model has better fork with adjustable travel and lockout, wich the 2009 model hasn't.
    NS Bikes Eccentric Alu custom - 2016
  • Tank-slapper
    Tank-slapper Posts: 968
    ride_whenever wrote:
    If you mostly do xc then buy the spark, or the genius if you want to enjoy the downhills a bit more, rent a bike for the fort william event. It isn't worth compromising your enjoyment of what you do every day for one event a year.

    This is good advice. Choose one or the other, but not both because you don't really want to spend 2 grand on mediocre do you?

    I have a Spark for XC and it is excellent. If you shop around you may still be able to get a 2008 model 30 or even a 20 for your money.
  • tonyeynon
    tonyeynon Posts: 114
    I have an Orange 5 Pro with 36 Talas's - this information is probably of no use to you at all but as Im a proud new owner I just wanted shout about it :D

    Ps

    I love it!!!!!!!! :D:D:D
    There is nothing more unequal, than the equal treatment of unequals!
  • Cps
    Cps Posts: 356
    Buy an all out XC bike - then hire/borrow/steal a bike for the FW event - as you say you are only thinking of entering the event!
  • cee
    cee Posts: 4,553
    Some of the riders at this years endurance race opted for a full on downhill rig, whilst others opted for a more freeride/AM ride. Ben Cathro for instance rode his Patriot, rather than 224.....

    His reasons were shorter wheel base for chucking it about and a bit lighter for the uphill bit at the start (to try and get away from the field.)

    Think about how much DH you are going to do over the next couple of years, and if its not much, then get a bike that will be right 95% of the time, then hire one for the DH.

    Out of interest....I really do not see the point of lockout, unless racing XC with lots of flat smooth miles. Riding trails, even uphill, I have never turned lockout on. But thats just me.
    Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.

    H.G. Wells.
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    Whyte 46?
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • Eskimo427
    Eskimo427 Posts: 288
    passout wrote:
    Whyte 46?

    looks very nice, however £700 too much.

    What I was hoping which hasn't happened is someone would give me a good reason not to get the Scott and there hasn't been a single argument against it. At the moment I have to say it is still my bike of choice as I will be keeping the GT for the endurance stuff.
  • zero303
    zero303 Posts: 1,162
    What do you mean? We've all pretty much said it won't be up to much at fort william and it would then be an inappropriate choice for all your other riding...

    Seriously, buy a 5" trail bike and just hire/borrow a DH rig for FW...

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