Selling one bike to get two? opinions please.

VWsurfbum

Right, i have a Scott Genius MC20 carbon 08 model, as i'm sure your all aware there bloody expensive and are far better than my ability requires.

So i have been toying with idea of a getting a hardtail, either very light XC frame or a 29er for those long distance days i do?
then for those days where you want to "play" a reasonable full bouncer?

I love the comfort of my full bouncer and its probably lighter than some hardtails but if i do decide to race again next year i really need a hard tail?
then my predicament includes if i do decide to race next year will they allow the 29er??

Confusion reigns in my little brain at the moment!

Opinions please

P-Jay

I know nothing of lightweight hardtails or 29'ers.

But if you're after a FS that's all about the fun and wont break the bank - you've gotta at least consider a second hand Pitch. basic bits on a good, but basic frame, but they add up to more than the sum of their parts.

VWsurfbum

is that a specialized pitch?
I dunno what its like where you guys live but i like to have something a bit different,
i live in good old essex, everyone has a BMW and a specialized!
(not saying either are bad BTW)

VWsurfbum

oh and thanks for the comment, sorry been a long day.

Belv

Does the Genius do everything you want?
Or, to put it another way:
What would you want from a HT + FS bike that you don't have now?

Edit: Apart from 2 bikes!!!

VWsurfbum

Belv, Yes it does most things.
i felt i lose a bit on the races and chucabilty on the techy bits?

The lock out is great and gives me a hardtail in theroey but my idea would be to run a single cog upfront and to make it light as fook?

P-Jay

Yeah a Spesh Pitch. It's the same in in South Wales, every 3rd bike is from the big S. Yeah they're common as muck, but sometimes it's good to follow the herd.

I love my cove, but paying £60 for a dropout is a serious downside to having a uncommon ride.

hmmm fun FS that's not a spesh...

One of the most fun rides I had was on my mates Mongoose Teocali around Afan. It was an '07 I think, really odd thing. Very sit-up-and-beg, incrediby heavy and strong for a pretty short travel bike, but a proper good laugh to smash about on.

Also took a Kona Stinky around The Wall once and even though I slamed pretty hard that day it was great fun. KILLED me on the climbs, but I was so over biked on the way down that I could ride super-reckless. I know the trial really well now, but didn't then, took every bend and obstacal flat out however blind it was. but as I said I got caught out in the end and face planted. pretty hard- still no harm done.

TBH both those bikes are pretty aweful in many ways, they probably don't review well. Terrible climbers, odd specs and such, but sometimes reviewers are so busy writting how compitent bikes are and forget that worse bikes can be more of a challenge and easier tofind the limit of.

JamesBrckmn

Second hand Cube fritzz instead of spesh pitch?

njee20

Looking at the other side of things, I'd look at Gary Fisher for pre-build well priced 29ers. You'll certainly be allowed to race it, in fact 29ers are becoming increasingly prevalent. If you want something more unusual there's all sorts of niche manufacturers turning them out now!

The Pitch has certainly become popular in the last 18 months or so, they're not light and you may find it a bit heavy for most of the riding around Essex I'd have thought, particularly coming from the Genius.

supersonic

VWSurfbum wrote:

Belv, Yes it does most things.
i felt i lose a bit on the races and chucabilty on the techy bits?

The lock out is great and gives me a hardtail in theroey but my idea would be to run a single cog upfront and to make it light as fook?

It will never be as light, handle as sharply or pedal as well as a racy hardtail. As an all rounder, it is great, but if you want something more focussed...

VWsurfbum

P-Jay you make some very interesting comments, i have seen those mongoose's, they look very odd.

i take reviews with a pinch of salt, i worked in the motor trade for most of my working carrer and you know when something is just awefull but gets great reviews, its usually down to the size of the bung or how well the reviewers were treated at the launch party!

The older i get the more indicisive i get?

VWsurfbum

SS i have considered the GT 29er, any experiance with one?

supersonic

The Mongoose Teocali and Canaan generally do get favourable reviews. And believe me, none at BR or WMB or MBUK get paid to give favourable comments!

Not tried a 29er GT, but there is a Zaskar in that flavour.

Belv

The Cube Reaction HT seemed pretty light to me and looking up the specs it is 1.4Kg lighter than your Genius (10.5Kg compared to 11.9Kg).

But if it was me, i'd go on a diet and pay for some skills lessons to make up the difference cos i know i still have a lot to learn!

VWsurfbum

Belv wrote:

The Cube Reaction HT seemed pretty light to me and looking up the specs it is 1.4Kg lighter than your Genius (10.5Kg compared to 11.9Kg).

But if it was me, i'd go on a diet and pay for some skills lessons to make up the difference.

Damm you your not meant to tell people on the forum that i'm an over weight elf!

I will be getting my fighting weight down for the new year, ive already gone down a hole in my work belt since the end of the race series.

Belv

VWSurfbum wrote:

Belv wrote:

The Cube Reaction HT seemed pretty light to me and looking up the specs it is 1.4Kg lighter than your Genius (10.5Kg compared to 11.9Kg).

But if it was me, i'd go on a diet and pay for some skills lessons to make up the difference.

Damm you your not meant to tell people on the forum that i'm an over weight elf!

I will be getting my fighting weight down for the new year, ive already gone down a hole in my work belt since the end of the race series.

LOL - I said "if it was me..." but you've let the cat out of the bag now.

What i was trying to get at was, unless you are seriously going to be in the fight to win races, 1.4Kgs is not likely to be that big a deal. Plus you are losing the advantages of FS too.

supersonic

Scott Scale 30 is a calimed 22lbs (10kg)

http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/bikes- ... gn=froogle

P-Jay

supersonic wrote:

The Mongoose Teocali and Canaan generally do get favourable reviews.

I'm glad, it's a good fun bike, but IMHO not great in the traditional sense.

supersonic

I am always of the opinion it is the rider that makes the bike fun lol - some can take a silly light flexy hardtail and scare themselves witless, others will hate it and vice versa. Same for some big AM bikes - for some it will dull a trail and hard to pedal and so on, others will blast through and have a hoot.

Depends on your mindset.

VWsurfbum

SS its very true, as soon as you start taking things too seriously you lose the fun aspect.
hense i have not hit a golf ball all year!

Belv, i'm never going to be chalanging for the win but i like to be on the right equipment for the job? Maybe your right, this is why i posted in the first place to get peoples opinions.

supersonic

hehe, this is why I like going to the driving range - pull the big stick out and just belt it! Very therapeutic.

VWsurfbum

supersonic wrote:

Scott Scale 30 is a calimed 22lbs (10kg)

http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/bikes- ... gn=froogle

that would be one of my choices, possibly even a cube?

VWsurfbum

supersonic wrote:

hehe, this is why I like going to the driving range - pull the big stick out and just belt it! Very therapeutic.

it used to be, then like most things i do, i get overly competitive and lose the enjoyment.
it used to be fun doing a round with a few beers and a few buddys.

I suppose this is what i'm doing with cycling too?
i should of just kept my saracen and enjoyed getting muddy every now and then?

silveringsurfer

Hmm - your genius would be faster round any of the more technical xc courses than most bikes and more fun than most of the cheaper full sussers which are going to have lesser spec components, more weight and possibly less travel. Unless you are looking to ride more hardcore stuff such as big drops then the genius is perfect. For the money you are looking to spend a cheaper full suss that is also strong enough and has 6"+ suspension will weigh a ton and be pretty horrid or just plain old. With the xc racer you will soon want to spec lighter bits and get into the whole weight weenie bit so you'll end up spending heaps more on it. If it was me I'd spend money on some xc superlight wheels as the genius came specced with trail rims and hubs. It's worth remembering that you can run ultralight stuff as you have the suspension to protect them that short travel racers don't. I'd then upgrade your front shocks to run the dual lockout system from the 09/10 - that should sort you for racing. For trail riding getting some superwide bars and a shorter stem should increase the chuckability and perhaps lower the pressure in the rear can. This will slacken the front a bit more and help give it a plusher feel as my '08 genius is quite 'tight' at the back for it's travel. You have a fab bike that most would dream about don't settle for second best just tweak it for the conditions.

VWsurfbum

silveringsurfer: damm you with your good advice!
i just get itchey feet with cars and bikes, always looking for the next ride!

silveringsurfer

Oh - forgot to remind you that the increase in prices over the last two years makes your genius look like good value :shock: You'll be getting bikes with deore on them for the money you are looking at spending. You have a 6" trail super bike that you can also race competitively on and your complaining - you should be ashamed really :oops:

silveringsurfer

Oh - forgot to remind you that the increase in prices over the last two years makes your genius look like good value :shock: You'll be getting bikes with deore on them for the money you are looking at spending. You have a 6" trail super bike that you can also race competitively on and your complaining - you should be ashamed really :oops: