£2000 for a full suss

nosnevets_semaj
nosnevets_semaj Posts: 38
edited June 2011 in MTB buying advice
I love my hard tail but I'm thinking its time for a full suss! But when I say full suss, I want FULL SUSS!

Budget £2000. I don't want an XC with 120 travel, I need something good for the hard down hills as well as an all rounder. Everything I look at either has no travel or bad components.

There dosen't seem to be much in the 2K bracket either.

I know I am asking alot but I thought 2K was a good amount to spend and get a good full suss.

All sugestions very welcome.

Thanks.

Comments

  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    Why don't you just replace the frame on your hard tail and the essential components that might need changing. IMO there is a massive difference in capability between a 120mm HT and a 120mm FS.

    Personally I find the 140 and over FS bikes very focused and not as well rounded as a trail oriented 120 FS. It wasn't that long ago that 120 FS was classed as AM. You should be able to get a 2-3 year old stumpjumper frame for under £500. However, if you are going FS to switch to more DH riding then the frame transplant might be a false economy as the components from a HT might not stand up to the battering.

    There is no reason I can think of why the front travel needs to match the rear. I run 120 front 150 rear.
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  • paulbox
    paulbox Posts: 1,203
    How about something like the Canyon Strive?

    http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes ... tml?b=2098
    XC: Giant Anthem X
    Fun: Yeti SB66
    Road: Litespeed C1, Cannondale Supersix Evo, Cervelo R5
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  • Pudseyp
    Pudseyp Posts: 3,514
    How can you have a good all rounder or a hard downhiller ??

    Some of the best trail bikes use the 120MM platform which makes them light for long rides that will also handle descents well I had a Marin Mount Vision and a lot of my mates ride the Trek EX8/EX9 all have 120mm travel and we ride the black at Llandegla, Coed y Brennin and also the likes of Glentress and Innerleithen...

    It's not all about boasting to your mates that you have more travel than them as your left coughing up a lung on the climbs it's all about how efficently the bike delivers it's travel...I have had 120mm and 140mm bikes and the differance can be minimal...

    Check out the likes of
    http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/marin-mo ... 50501.html
    http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/trek-fue ... 61191.html
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=55590
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=57271
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=57270
    Also CRC are doing a great offer on the Sunn Kern S1
    Tomac Synper 140 Giant XTC Alliance 1
    If the world was flat, I wouldn't be riding !
  • nosnevets_semaj
    nosnevets_semaj Posts: 38
    Yes Pudseyp, unfortunatley I am a bit ignorant regarding full suss. I just have the idea that the more travel the better the ride. I need to get this out of my head. Thiose Dh bikes just look so amazing to ride, but I do a bit of everything when I ride.

    Love those cubes but thinking the Orange five S also.

    Thanks for that advice.
  • madmax245
    madmax245 Posts: 108
    try the lapierre zesty 314 for £300 more or alternatively go one step down to the 214 for £1799.99
    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/lap ... y-314-2011
    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/lap ... y-214-2011

    Also you could try cannondale RZ one40 X at 2199.99http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/rz-one40-x-2010
    live to ride ,ride to live
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  • Ryan Jones
    Ryan Jones Posts: 775
    As I've come to realise, 120mm travel really is more than enough for general trail centre stuff, however I'd love to try out a saracen ariel for size as that looks like the kind of bike to cope with pretty much anything aside from full on FR/DH
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Marin mount vision is an incredibly capable bike. "only" has 120mm travel, but it feels like more, and rides like a lot more.
  • Pudseyp
    Pudseyp Posts: 3,514
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Marin mount vision is an incredibly capable bike. "only" has 120mm travel, but it feels like more, and rides like a lot more.

    From 2011 they have been upped to 140MM giving a slacker head angle so will climb a tad better...the 2010 is still a cracker though
    Tomac Synper 140 Giant XTC Alliance 1
    If the world was flat, I wouldn't be riding !
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Why does a slacker head angle make it a better climber, when on all other bikes it shifts your weight closer to the rear wheel and makes it more likely to loop out?
  • si_progressivebikes
    si_progressivebikes Posts: 13
    If i were you i would be looking for a frame only bargain (plenty around from the likes of Titus, Santa cruz, Chumba etc) and build your own. £800 for a frame, Full SLX with wheels groupset for £495 from Merlin, Raceface Evolve finishing kit also from Merlin for £95, £60 on a pair of tyres, £50 for a headset. leaves you around £500 for a good fork, somehting like a Rock shox Rev Ti.

    That would be a top bike for 2k.
  • nosnevets_semaj
    nosnevets_semaj Posts: 38
    Yes think it will be a build my own bike.
    My first bike was a Marin B-17. First class bike, but in the end I ended up replacing just about everything on. Got it just right now.
    I don't think there is a perfect bike out there for me. I want to try and get into some jumping and speed up on the down hills alot. The Santa Cruz Bullit Frame looks good.It looks heavy but sure I'll cope. I really do hammer the bike at the weekend (mostly Derbyshire). So it would be good to have something that can take some hammer. I already have some good components on the hardtail so hopefully it won't turn out too expensive.
  • Zard36
    Zard36 Posts: 28
    Go for a Whyte T120, got mine at xmas. And all i can say is wooooow ;-) massive thumbs up, can't fault it. Went to Cannock a couple of weeks back & it just wanted to go. But as always try before you buy, but you won't be unhappy ;-)
  • Pudseyp
    Pudseyp Posts: 3,514
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Why does a slacker head angle make it a better climber, when on all other bikes it shifts your weight closer to the rear wheel and makes it more likely to loop out?

    Apologies...in my own opinion...the model I had 2008 on climbs the front was particulary light tried many stem combo's but to no avail..so I guess with the longer fork and slightly slacker headangle it will feel more planted on climbs due to a slightly longer wheelbase...still a great bike though
    Tomac Synper 140 Giant XTC Alliance 1
    If the world was flat, I wouldn't be riding !
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Pudseyp wrote:
    it will feel more planted on climbs due to a slightly longer wheelbase...still a great bike though
    I think the change in the rest of the bike's geometry is where the better planted climbing comes from. Isn't it longer too, especially the rear end?

    nosnevets_semaj wrote:
    But when I say full suss, I want FULL SUSS!
    ^^Just realised this...
    So are you after a full suss bike with a Girvin Flexstem and a Thudbuster seatpost, and massive snow tyres? :wink::lol:
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    There's still cheap Wolf Ridges out there, they climb decently and descend like dropped bombs... More on the gravity-fuelled side of things but if you're considering a Five, it's a competitor at a far better price. £1300 for a 6.8, which leaves you a lot of change for any upgrades you feel you want. Heavy, but strong like ox.

    But, it does depend on what you mean by the "hard downhills"
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