Help trading up to full sus. Just buy frame or whole bike.

MissBint37

I have a Giant Arete 1, pretty much the same spec as I bought it.
I want to make the leap from a HT to a full sus, thinking probably an Orange Five....diva if it fits me, pro if I have to go for the boys one...
http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/2009bikes/ ... del_id=102

However, I'm not sure whether to just buy the frame and get them to put as many compatible bits from my bike onto that and just buy the extra bits I'd need. I know new forks would be required though.

I don't know much about bikes, I just ride them, I will be honest....... my ex was a cycle tech so I just used to go with whatever he said so I'm not sure if the parts on the orange five are generally better or worse than what was on my arete.
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/EN-GB/bik ... 458/32817/


Or should I just buy the whole lot and try and sell my Arete as it is. I don't have a clue how much she is worth on the second hand market though.

Any help/advice would be much appreciated!

ride_whenever

tbh you'd be better off buying the five as is if you can, for two reasons:

1) You'll have two bikes, which is always a good thing if you've got space

a) It'll cost you a fair chunk to move bits over considering your forks aren't big enough for a five and you'll probably want new wheels...

llamafarmer

You'd need a new set of forks as your Giant has 100mm and the 5 is 140mm, so that's a big expense on top of a frame. Then there's issues like have you got the right front mech? Do you need new cables? Do you need a longer rear brake hose?

If you can still get your ex to do the rebuilding for you it might be ok, but it's probably not much cheaper (if at all) than buying a complete bike and a lot more hassle.

MissBint37

haha yeh my ex just decided one day to not talk to me any more and cut me out of my life so not much chance of that sadly.

I can't really afford to keep both bikes, I just don't have the space I have to keep my bike stood on end in an already full shed as it is (yeh I have cleared it out)

The arete is on good nick, a couple of tiny minor scratches on the paintwork but other than that no damage. Any ideas how much I could ask for it if I sold it?

I know about the forks and have someone that would buy my Reba forks off me for £200
I know the wheels are rubbish on the Arete, I was lookiing at an upgrade to 317s but if I'm getting me a new toy no point!

supersonic

You can get something like a Cannodale Prophet 2 for 1200:

http://www.noahsark.co.uk/cannondale-pr ... -2508.html

That is a lot bike for the money - a full bike for the cost of the Orange 5 frame, and no real difference in performance.

But do you need a bike like that? How about the Boardmans?

MissBint37

I just rode my firends five and fell in love with it, seemed to suit my riding style and the full lockout on the rear shock was something that appealed as I would still have to do some riding on the road to work (not ideal I know but I have no room to keep 2 bikes and I don't commute far only 2/3 miles)..... hence why I was going to get one.
perhaps I should try and test a few more.

supersonic

Yeah, I would.

Have a trip down to JE James, they have quite a lot of stock. Also Lex's Cycles as Penistone is a decent shop around here.

The Spiderman

I have ridden the Orange 5 ,its great bike,but I have also ridden the Trek Fuel EX8 and I can`t see how the Orange justifies its premium price,over the EX8
EX8 is £1700 ish maybe less if you shop around and can still find any 08s.
I aso currently ride a Giant hardtail,the Arete is bascally the women`s version of the XTC iI have.

I`ve been procrastinating about changing to full suss for a while now,and I would like to get a Giant Anthem X.Been looking at frame only and full bike options,and I have come to the conclusion that the full bike offers better value,then I will canabilise it for the frame and sell off the bits I do`nt need.

MissBint37

Looks like mens bike here I come though becaue there's no way a 14" frame will fit me I'm too tall grrr

Yeh I could swap the lesser bits over that are compatible, trouble is I haven't got a clue what they are. I need to swat up on bike parts now I don't have my resident expert with me boooooo

nicklouse

parts that will swap over are minimal and i would not be arsed for the effort/cost.

MissBint37

Right I'm off to JE James after work today so.....

Any other suggestions for a comparable model to the Orange Five?
Something a girl can handle

supersonic

Commencal Meta, Specialized Pitch.

Again I would look at some shorter travel models too. Some nice light bikes out their for the price of the Orange.

MissBint37

Well I went in there and talked to them about what I wanted etc,...

The guy was raving about the Trek Remedy 9 or the Orange Alpine 160, he got me on a five too but told me I would be better with a bike with 160 travel. Now I'm clueless now I have lost my advisor :S

They said they had a Alpine I could test next week. But no way of testing the Trek. The lack of gears on the Alpine worries me too as I won't be able to pedal much going downhill, not that I go THAT fast anyway but....I dont want to be held back.

supersonic

160mm of travel? Did you tell him you were riding off cliffs?!

Anonymous

so what exact riding are you planning to do?

MissBint37

I told him where I rode, that I was happy on the likes of the red route at dalby and round Ladybower etc, that I did more XC than anything else. He was adament I needed 160mm :S I might try a different shop and see what they say, its just getting to one, I never have a spare second. I pass JE James all the time though.

supersonic

Very dissapointed with JE James there!

Anyway, check your PM ;-)

blister pus

Not being funny but you don't need to try another shop for advice, the guy is talking bollocks, you don't need 160mm. I use Ladybower and surrounding areas for loops and blasts and the most you need round there is good 120mm travel. By the sounds of it the most you're ever likely to need is 140mm tops.

Anonymous

Most anyone really needs is a decent 120mm bike. Marin mount vision is more bike than most UK bikers need.

MissBint37

supersonic wrote:

Very dissapointed with JE James there!

Anyway, check your PM ;-)

Cheers mate, I replied to you

Andy B

120-140mm of travel is easily enough for 90% of riders in the UK for general trail riding

Whilst the 5 is a little more expensive than some of it's competitors (Commencal, Cannondale...), it is also cheaper than some of it's competitors (Santa Cruz, Yeti...)

If you like the ride of the 5 & feel that you can justify it's price tag, then buy it.

I'm on my 2nd 5 it is an excellent bit of kit, handbuilt in Halifax frame that is bombproof & will take more than you can ever throw at it, single pivot simplicity, it never feels out of it's depth, it's superb on singletrack, flies downhill & climbs well, it just begs you to go faster!

nicklouse

Andy dont forget to hide the keys

Andy B

lol

I am the new Grantway muhahahaha

realnumber 1

Andy_B wrote:

lol

I am the new Grantway muhahahaha

Lol, and even bigger lol at the shop telling the OP they need 160mm.

nicklouse

Not really you were banging on about oranges long before he appeared. But at least you can listen to reason.

supersonic

I just hope he doesn't meta-morphasise as someone else ;-)

MissBint37

One of my mates is going to talk me through some stuff today.
Bloody shops always just sell sell sell, doesn't matter what I actually need!