Upgrade my 2004 Hawk Hill or buy 2011 Hawk Hill

mjaboss
mjaboss Posts: 12
edited February 2011 in MTB buying advice
I bought my 2004 Hawk Hill from new and mainly used it for Commuting and Family Rides. I have just started to ride Bridal Ways, Footpaths, Woods etc with the lads and realised I need to upgrade a few bits.
I'm thinking, do I upgrade to Disc Brakes, new Rims, Tyres, Gears, or do I just go and buy the 2011 Hawk Hill which already has Disc brakes and SRAM Gears ??

Any thoughts guys cheers.

2004 Spec
Marzocchi 100 comp, Deore rear der, hubs that are disc ready, and TruVative crank.

2011 Spec
SR Sun Tour Raidon LOD 100mm, Avid Juicy 3 Hydraulic Disc with 6" Rotor Fr&Bk, FSA Dynadrive, SRAM X-5

Comments

  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Hawk hill is tested in feb wmb. Not bad, not good 2 1/2 out of 5 'uninspiring'.

    No reason not to upgrade your bike but manufacturer's buying power is better than ours and the Spesh rockhopper, Trek cobia and Scott scale 70 all scored higher
  • thel33ter
    thel33ter Posts: 2,684
    I'd keep the older one, not a great fan of the newer Marin's. Your 04 one also has better spec.

    For the same price as the (slightly crappy) new one, you can get a full SLX groupset, brakes and all, and MT65 tubeless ready wheels, and a Rockshox Reba SL fork, total of £737.91. Comes out higher, but they have an extra 10% off in the basket.

    http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Basket/Sh ... s_1438.htm

    http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop ... 10_880.htm
    And now you know, and knowing is half the battle
    05 Spesh Enduro Expert
    05 Trek 1000 Custom build
    Speedily Singular Thingy
  • mjaboss
    mjaboss Posts: 12
    Thanks Guys.
    I had pretty much desided to Upgrade my old one and you boys have pushed me in the right direction. Definitely going to upgrade my old one.
    Already ordered some small parts to start me off - Charge Spoon and some ODI Troy Lee's. Next in line is the Group set so loooking at the SLX on the Internet right now.
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Sounds like a plan. Let's face it a short-travel SLX hardtail is pretty much perfect for UK trails.

    Charge Spoon and Troy Lees are great choices.
  • mjaboss
    mjaboss Posts: 12
    I'm confued after researching the SLX.
    They talk about Triple and Double Ring - which makes perfect sense but then also they have 9 and 10 speed. Am I right in thinking that if I bought the Triple Ring then either the 9 or 10 Speed I would have 27 or 30 gears respectivley ?

    I live in a fairly flat part of the UK but there are some quite steep hills on my regular rides.
    I'm guessing I should go for the 27 or 30 gears, I can`t see any advantages of going for the duble ring 18 or 20 Gears other than saving on weight ??

    What do you think ?
  • myopic
    myopic Posts: 692
    I think the cost of the 10X wil be qiite a bit higher, and will need a different chain. ALso, the rnage of gears is the same, its just the ratios are a bit closer.

    If anything, the double SLX chainset is a bit heaver than the triple because it includes a bash guard. The granny ring is the same, but the other one is mid way between the middle and big rings on the triple.

    If you do mostly road and not a lot of technical riding, I would go for the triple with 9 speed. If you do a lot of offroad with danger of bashing big ring on a regular basis and don't mind spinning when on the road (though to be honest that won't happen very often!), I would go for the double with x9
    You don't need eyes to see, you need vision
  • mjaboss
    mjaboss Posts: 12
    Thanks myopic.
    Think I've decided on the Triple and 9.
    Now I just to sneak the new parts into the House without the Mrs looking at Price Tag's :D
  • myopic
    myopic Posts: 692
    That's what mial order is for! GVte the bits sent to your work :wink:
    You don't need eyes to see, you need vision
  • mjaboss
    mjaboss Posts: 12
    Trouble is I work with the Mrs !! She is a cross between CSI and Sherlock Holmes! :lol:
  • myopic
    myopic Posts: 692
    :lol:
    You don't need eyes to see, you need vision
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Best to order something ludicrous - like a frame or some triple crown forks - to act as a smokescreen for all the little bits like wheels, tyres, brakes, gears etc.

    Make a big song-and-dance about sending the frame/forks back while the other stuff mysteriously migrates on to your bike. "What? That? Nooooooooo I've had it ages".

    The other thing to do is build up a huge pile of bits that are 'waiting' to be fitted. Nothing too exotic - tubes, chains, cables, grips, brake pads, central heating components, bits of washing machine etc - and add to it. No-one will notice those expensive cranks or brakes in amongst the other stuff.

    May as well start as you mean to go on :wink:
  • mjaboss
    mjaboss Posts: 12
    Like your style .blitz, sounds like you have used that before !!. Lets see how I get on.

    She will get a shock next week cus I've got a MotoX bike being delivered too.
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    mjaboss wrote:
    She will get a shock next week cus I've got a MotoX bike being delivered too.
    I've done it before but you are Premier League :) A new motorcycle is sure to divert the mrs attention from some trivial bicycle parts

Categories