which carbon hardtail - mass confusion :-(

scotto

I just bought a cannondale taurine 3, arrived from evans with scratches on and they offered a voucher as compo, so is going back for a refund.

Just called a different shop in London who was steering me away from this bike, saying the ultra fatty shiocks are naff and the dt swiss wheels are 'delicate', needing to be trued every 2 months, which has put me off getting another.

I went for the dale purely on reviews, stupid maybe but I am short of time.

New shop suggests a carbon Gary fisher or a Trek.

I ride xc but not harcore, I do a lot of distance stuff on the flat as well, none of my terrian is particularly challenging stuff.

Any suggestions or experience of carbon hardtails to help me please?

I want a light oner because I am 15.5 stone and am upgrading from a 2005 gt avalanche.

Help appreciated.

scotto

anyone please? ---help !

gazvenn

have to say i've very little experience myself but i'm amazed super hasn't jumped in promoting the carbon zaskar yet

The Spiderman

I guess there aren`t too many folk who have the luxury of making this rather nice choice.
I wonder if the other shop is bad mouthing the Canondale because they do`nt stock them?
I`d be looking at the carbon Zaskar too. 8)

miket-62

I don't know if you have the choice of manufacturers but SCOTT make some gret H/T carbon bikes!

Ingle Pingle

Shops will usually recommend the brands they stock - just good business i guess.

Personally I would look at one of these,
Carbon Hardtail
Its got better forks than both the Cannondale and Zaskar.

MarcBC

I have a Scott Scale 20 which I love. I it has also just come 3rd in best hardtail bikes over £ 1,000 in What Bike magazine. The winner being a Cannondale at over £ 4,000! I cannot remember what #2 is.

.blitz

scotto wrote:

I just bought a cannondale taurine 3, arrived from evans with scratches on and they offered a voucher as compo, so is going back for a refund.

Just called a different shop in London who was steering me away from this bike, saying the ultra fatty shiocks are naff and the dt swiss wheels are 'delicate', needing to be trued every 2 months, which has put me off getting another.

I could be just urban myth but Leftys seem to have a reputation for 'migrating' bearings.

scotto

thanks for replies, don't feel so lonely now !

Like the look of the Whyte and going to check out the zaskar as well.

The dealer can get the cannondale, but said was better off getting the Trek.

Like the Scale 20 a lot but just a bit too expensive for me at this years price and did prefer the look of the 08 version, which I now wish I had bought at the time.

Problem is at this price range there seems to be very few models in stock at the shops.

gcwebbyuk

Stumpjumper HT Carbon Marathon?
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkMode ... 049&eid=99

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec016450

Captain Turok

No 1st hand experience of it, but..
Beone Blue, from Wiggle, 19lb / 8.6kg (as shown in MBUK Jan). Carbon XC frame with XTR & SID WC.

£1999.99...

smoothchicken

Have an '08 Scale 20 and can't recommend it enough if you can get over the white seat and forks! Apart from my local XC in the Chilterns, it's been round the Lakes, the Pennines, North Downs no problem!

Are there any deals on '08 run out models out there?

Beware of the carbon hardtail, cos after a while you you start thinking how can I make it lighter.....then you will be bankrupt!

gcwebbyuk

smoothchiken - i have caught that bug already with my M5 stumpy, with a plan to replace the frame with the carbon s-works one in due course :O