Help deciding new mountain bike purchase.

Porkanbeans
Porkanbeans Posts: 19
edited August 2009 in MTB buying advice
Hello all, I'd be very gratefull to hear the opinions of those in the know about mountain bikes on what bike I should go for. I'll start by saying I'm a fitness freak who absolutely loves the idea of climbing, so I'm looking for something lightweight, also I want something I can ride all day in comfort (I quite like the idea of doing solo 12-24 hour endurance events!) and it definatelly has to be full sus as I recently did the north face trail at grizzdale on a HT and hated it!!! I also would like something that's relatively durable to be able to do said trails.

I've looked at and test ridden (albeit on tarmac in the local car park!!!) the dale rush 4, trek fuel ex 8, specialised stump elite, dale rize 4 and marin mount vision 5.8! I havent had a bike for over 10 years hence my need for advice on the most suitable bike. Your help would be very appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • baba123
    baba123 Posts: 235
    why not go for the cannondale rush carbon 3 it has great spec for the price (under £2000)
    mongoose amasa elite 08
    giant anthem x4 10
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    The Rush is a marathon bike and in its final year so you may be able to leverage a deal on one. The Rize will take you anywhere but it's no lightweight. Maybe a 3 or a 2 (or a 1) would fit the bill (if you can find one) but it's more of a heavy-duty trail bike than anything else. The Fuel is more XC-orientated than the Rize and would be a great FS bike for someone used to a HT.

    For the kind of riding you describe, the Rush would be ideal but I think the Trek would be more versatile.
  • Porkanbeans
    Porkanbeans Posts: 19
    The only problem with those suggestions are that those two bikes were my least favourite when I test rode them! I know you can't get much feedback as to how they're going to ride on the trail in a car park, but they just felt uninspiring, whereas the rize 4 and mount vision really did put a smile on my face!
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Porkanbeans wrote:
    the rize 4 and mount vision really did put a smile on my face!
    I bought a Rize 5 last year and I can't stop riding it. If you are a redline-relax-redline-relax kind of rider, the Rize is not the bike for you. It encourages you to stay seated and constantly pedal while the bike soaks up the terrain, and ridden like this it eats up mile after mile of trail. It's not a bike for ragging around on, out-of-the-saddle aggro or big hitting but it is an excellent heavy-duty trail bike for doing some serious mileage on.
  • Porkanbeans
    Porkanbeans Posts: 19
    .blitz wrote:
    Porkanbeans wrote:
    the rize 4 and mount vision really did put a smile on my face!
    I bought a Rize 5 last year and I can't stop riding it. If you are a redline-relax-redline-relax kind of rider, the Rize is not the bike for you. It encourages you to stay seated and constantly pedal while the bike soaks up the terrain, and ridden like this it eats up mile after mile of trail. It's not a bike for ragging around on, out-of-the-saddle aggro or big hitting but it is an excellent heavy-duty trail bike for doing some serious mileage on.

    Would you suggest the mount vision may be a better option for me then? It seems to be on paper at least more of a XC bike.
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Porkanbeans wrote:
    Would you suggest the mount vision may be a better option for me then? It seems to be on paper at least more of a XC bike.
    Can't comment on the Marin as I've never ridden one, but back-to-back the Fuel (I rode an EX7) felt more XC than the Rize.

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