XC fully

groovastic

Hi!

I must say I'm so in love with climbing that I might sell my Stumpy FSR and buy an XC fully! Most of my buddies climb just to get down the hill as fast as possible, but I simply love climbing. I do not race professionly, I'm OK with recreational races...

I have ridden an HT for years, but fully somehow feels faster on steep rooty climbs I'm crazy about. So now I'm thinking of buying one of the following XC full-sus bikes.

Scott Spark
Specialized Enduro
Cannondale Scalpel
Cube AMS
Trek Top Fuel
Orbea Oiz

Since I can't test most of these, could you suggest the best climber?

Cheers!

ride_whenever

Probably the spark, it really weighs nothing at all.

actsolutions

Ditto the Spark but I've got a mate with a Giant Anthem 1, It's 26lb with flat bars and lockable suspension. It only cost £900 second hand (it had only been used 3 times) so was a great bargain.

I took it for a ride the other day and simply couldn't belive how fast it was uphill compared to my fuel ex8 it's in a differant class.

I would do a little demo riding before u decide.

Bikerbaboon

Im eyeing up a spark as well for this summer. They sound like a great XC bike and they can still take some stick.

Chaz.Harding

Hmmm... If you love climbing so much, get a road bike, and find some bad-ass steep paved roads. I find when I'm out on my XC bike, I have a laugh, mess around and generally don't get a 'workout' as much as when I'm on my roadie.

dabblet

+1 for the Scott Spark - got mine a week ago and it is a pleasure to ride - sadly my lack of fitness isn't a pleasure atm but have to start somewhere

groovastic

OK! You say it's Spark.
Thanks guys!

And if we put Turner Flex (DW-link) in the game?

What do I gain with the DW suspension, and how much do I lose due to weight difference of the Turner frame?

Thanks again!

BlackSpur

Turner is a pretty small brand i.e. there is not that much in the way of reviews around them. What you lose/gain is difficult to say - it depends entirely on your riding style and priorities. What i can say with confidence is that the Spark has a very effective, proven suspension design. The DW link design is also said to be very effective but I have not heard much on its effectiveness on sherter travel bikes.

robbie7

how about an orange 5 a little heavier but i feel mine climbs well. just a thought.

TonyWard

At a guess I'd say the Spark is probably the fastest climbing suspension bike on the market. Based on what I have read as I can't claim to have tested them all!

stevieboy

Spark

doublehands

I spent a lot of time trying different bikes in this class and it was my first time on FS after exclusive hardtail abuse

Yeti ASR alloy came out the best because it still had the connection and accuracy you are used to with a HT but you could gun it down the rough stuff, recklessly

I tried so hard not to go for the ASR-c, but I did. It was not a mistake. It is an exceptional bike and my overall speed - climbing, singletrack and tech descending - has increased massively.

YETI ASR! get one.

cullen_bay

gaint anthem X???? a very fast bike (light aswell) the winner of the sea otter race was on one.....

Bighead

doublehands wrote:

Yeti ASR alloy came out the best because it still had the connection and accuracy you are used to with a HT but you could gun it down the rough stuff, recklessly

I kind of agree with this. I felt the ASR I tried was far more efficent at going upwards than the Spark, although my Scale Ltd is much quicker than both.

I was all set to buy a Spark but I though I should try one out before I bought one. It was an alright bike, but I decided to stick with my hard tail (just a personal preference for the type of riding I do). If you are forced to do some road riding and/or really want rear lockout then I would go for the Sparky. If all your riding is done off road then I look around a bit more, because I know other bikes, such as the Yeti, would be far more capable.

I'm not knocking the Spark, but just saying that different bikes suit different types of riding.

TonyWard

I understand what you mean. I ended up getting a Genius just for the versatility - though a Spark or Scale would probably be quicker around 95% of the riding I do. However, I am already quicker than the guys I ride with regularly and wouldn't win any races unless I fitted an engine so the absolute speed wasn't that important!

RichMTB

I had a go on a Spesh S-works Epic,

It was simply awesome on the climbs, with the Brain Shock it climbs like a hardtail, It was surprisingly stable going down as well, not exactly cheap though.

I've no similar experience of the Scott Spark but from reviews I would say they are the main contenders

ShaggyRS6

Spark All the Way.

Put your money into someone that put's their's in to Frame Development and not glossy pictures in magazines

2008 epic

Go for an Epic, last years model or if you can afford it the 09 ones are even better

Lapierre t 400

scott genius 30
lock up the shock and reduce the travel down and it climbs like a goat

gaz047

+1 for the anthem x. i had an anthem and it was a great climber and generally rapid bike. the new anthem x is just as light and has more travel, believe its just got bike of the year too

2tired2ride

If your looking for something to go up the hills the Orbea Oiz is a wiked bike. It is a softtail so it works on the carbon chainstays flexing and is controlled using a shock. I have rode it and it is a totaly different feel to a full suspension bike, not the same bobing (which is different to most bikes anyway depending on the suspension linkage and type I surspose anyway).

However I do like the look and idea of the spark. Just remember the Orbea is a softtail!

gezzza

Ive had two sparks an 2007 20 when it was first released rode it for a year before some thieving scum stole it, the insurance had a lead time of 2 months to replace the spark and asked if there was any outer bikes i wanted..... i wanted the 2 months as there is no better FS XC available.

They are light my 20 weights around 21LB now fast and strong i quite offten to 1m drops

VWsurfbum

gezzza wrote:

They are light my 20 weights around 21LB now fast and strong i quite offten to 1m drops

Fook thats light! I thought i was doing well with my genius MC20 carbon down to 26lb!

gezzza

VWSurfbum wrote:

gezzza wrote:

They are light my 20 weights around 21LB now fast and strong i quite offten to 1m drops

Fook thats light! I thought i was doing well with my genius MC20 carbon down to 26lb!

21LB isnt light enougth for me :twisted: ive got aboult 1 1/2 - 2LB to go yet then she will be light

Enwezor

I have a Spark 20 2009.
It climbs like lightning. In fact, slight uphills feel like the flat and uphills, I leave people for dead, either locking the rear completely or to 80mm travel.
Tried an Anthem which was very good but preferred the Spark - effortless

spark1479

Spark / 09 Turner Flex

I would recommend trying out an Orange 5 though - just swapped my Turner 5 spot for a Orange 5 SE as its so much fun and very chuckable.

Dazzza

Another vote for the anthem, good all rounder that loves to climb.

Just try as many as you can, that would be your best option.

littlebear

Try a VPP or DW linkage maybe?

Its not all about weight unless your a pro racer! I have been climbing happily for about 3 years now on a 30lb bike and even race on it. Don't buy a bike just for climbing man. Buy a bike that you enjoy riding all day long. If you gonna go up... then you gotta come down :shock:

Chaz.Harding

gezzza wrote:

21LB isnt light enougth for me :twisted: ive got aboult 1 1/2 - 2LB to go yet then she will be light

So you have another £1,500 spare then do ya? I'm a bit jealous!

captain8track

+1 for the anthem here to, affordable racer!

sparks are really good to, but the anthem feels almost stiffer in the alu version.

a wild card but a great climber I would say is the Santa Cruz Superlight, they are not the lightest, not the stiffest, expensive but damn they climb fast as hell. Had one and still regretting selling it, with a lockable shock they work really well on the flat to.