Introduction From Newbie

99thmonkey
99thmonkey Posts: 667
edited January 2010 in MTB general
Hi,
New to the forum & returning to full time biking, used to BMX to MTB to Road Bike to Tri Bike but always cardio fit and returning to MTB the wrong side of 40.
I like to buy quality as opposed to buying cheap and buying twice so looking to purchase a Specialized Carbon Comp HT or FSR or Epic all around the £2500-£3k mark having sold my QR Tri bike last year I miss the bike but not the intense training just want to ride for 'shits and giggle' and to get my pulse up.

So advise welcome, and Hello All

Comments

  • Uncle Peter
    Uncle Peter Posts: 324
    I'll say hello.

    Personally I think Specialized bikes are like clitorises, I'm sure you can work the rest of that out.

    I hope you get what you want from mountain biking. Good luck and welcome.
  • yoohoo999
    yoohoo999 Posts: 940
    Uncle Peter wrote:
    Personally I think Specialized bikes are like clitorises.

    you're actually trying to tell me you've never seen a Specialized bike?

    :roll:
  • 99thmonkey
    99thmonkey Posts: 667
    Uncle Peter wrote:
    I'll say hello.

    Personally I think Specialized bikes are like clitorises, I'm sure you can work the rest of that out.quote]

    Is that because every man likes them and will play with them all day long!!

    Any other suggestions welcome or opinions and advise
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
    Welcome to the forum

    You have quite a lot of budget there to work with, this opens up a lot of doors and also a lot od debate as everyone has their own idea of what they want, and with so many manufacturers providing quality machines, its a very confusing position to be in.

    Firstly, what sort of riding will you be doing?

    The bikes you have picked are XC machines at a low weight. Good bikes but there are hundreds out there to choose from....

    Do you just want a fast, full suspension for 'general' XC/trail use (nothing to heavy/extreme, this will narrow down your search and it will be easy for us to provide you with some alternatives/suggestions.....

    :D
  • VWsurfbum
    VWsurfbum Posts: 7,881
    Uncle Peter wrote:
    Personally I think Specialized bikes are like clitorises
    +1

    Hi and welcome,
    if your looking for a fast carbon hardtail or fast XC full suspension bikes check out the scott range. (i'm a bit of a fanboy :oops: )
    Kazza the Tranny
    Now for sale Fatty
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    VWSurfbum wrote:
    Uncle Peter wrote:
    Personally I think Specialized bikes are like clitorises
    +1

    Pink? Pointless? Only women have them?

    I don't get that comparison!
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • VWsurfbum
    VWsurfbum Posts: 7,881
    bails87 wrote:
    VWSurfbum wrote:
    Uncle Peter wrote:
    Personally I think Specialized bikes are like clitorises
    +1

    Pink? Pointless? Only women have them?

    I don't get that comparison!
    bit like XR3's in the 80's every Cnut had them.
    Kazza the Tranny
    Now for sale Fatty
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    VWSurfbum wrote:
    bails87 wrote:
    VWSurfbum wrote:
    Uncle Peter wrote:
    Personally I think Specialized bikes are like clitorises
    +1

    Pink? Pointless? Only women have them?

    I don't get that comparison!
    bit like XR3's in the 80's every Cnut had them.

    Ahhhhhhh :lol:

    Just like under every ponytail, there's an arsehole!
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
    Also, are you specifically looking at a full susser, or a hardtail (again another massive debate with two feuding groups battling for the salvation of Earth)

    :lol:
  • 99thmonkey
    99thmonkey Posts: 667
    Im not doing anything too extreme, just xc trials, no big drops. I use the woods in Surrey Heath around Deepcut and Lightwater.

    I am drawn towards the hardtail but feel that at 40+ I might benefit from full suss option!!
  • AndyOgy
    AndyOgy Posts: 579
    bails87 wrote:
    VWSurfbum wrote:
    bails87 wrote:
    VWSurfbum wrote:
    Uncle Peter wrote:
    Personally I think Specialized bikes are like clitorises
    +1

    Pink? Pointless? Only women have them?

    I don't get that comparison!
    bit like XR3's in the 80's every Cnut had them.

    Ahhhhhhh :lol:

    Just like under every ponytail, there's an arsehole!

    I really do feel compelled to jump to the defence of Specialized here. Ok, so they do seem to be pretty common out on the trails. But they do provide one of the most comprehensive ranges of any mountain bike (or even road bike) manufacturers. And they have been one of the best sellers for over 20 years now. Unlike the XR3i, which was something of a flash in the pan.

    I did briefly own an XR3i. But it was rubbish and fell to pieces, so I sold it and never bought another one. Specialized however, is a brand that I keep coming back to. This might be different if I practiced more extreme disciplines. But for XC or All-Rounders, they are up there with the best of them.
  • Cps
    Cps Posts: 356
    99thmonkey wrote:

    I am drawn towards the hardtail but feel that at 40+ I might benefit from full suss option!!



    I'm 40+ also - currently ride Rigid Single Speed :roll:
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
    Also consider Lapierre, great bikes and a lot of fans....

    Spesh are good bikes, sure as above you see a lot but they are really good.

    You would ideally benefit from a full-susser as an all-rounder. I have both but if I was to only have one bike, I would probably go for a full susser.

    I whole heartedly recommend the GT Force carbon. Great bikes for trail use, 6 inches of rear travel, so not a XC race weapon but a great allrounder... here:
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=47381
  • 99thmonkey
    99thmonkey Posts: 667
    The GT looks excellent could anyone offer any insight as to how it compares to the Epic or Stumjumper?
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
    99thmonkey wrote:
    The GT looks excellent could anyone offer any insight as to how it compares to the Epic or Stumjumper?

    It's a very personal thing, hard to compare any bike without testing and seeing if you like the feel, I would always recommend trying for size or demoing one (or any) bikes that you can.

    GT are making some great bikes at the moment (I have one) although people tend to go with the more trendier labels, however with GTs 2010 line up, they should re-establish their place in the the market leaders 'top 10!! :D

    It's one hell of a bike the Force, I had the non-carbon version and it was superb for XC/trail duties with no pedal-bob due to the tweaked i-drive system!!

    Gets my vote! (plus it looks sexy as hell on a superficial note)
  • Uncle Peter
    Uncle Peter Posts: 324
    yoohoo999 wrote:
    Uncle Peter wrote:
    Personally I think Specialized bikes are like clitorises.

    you're actually trying to tell me you've never seen a Specialized bike?

    :roll:

    Just found another one.

    OP, do you have the opportunity to go to a demo day, or maybe a bike store with a good selection of full sus bikes?

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