Zaskar sizes

boac

Hi

Yet another "I want to get back into mountain biking, what should I get" question I'm afraid.

Having recently escaped London I have been looking for a new bike to get out into the countryside with. I imagine it will be mostly XC stuff but hopefully I can find a bit of trail fun near me too.

I haven't had much luck with finding a bike shop near me where I could try anything out so have been looking online and there seem to be a few good deals around at this time of year. I have ordered a GT Zaskar Sport from wiggle (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-zaskar-sport-2011/)but they had run out of the XL frame, so I had to go for the L and am now having second thoughts. I'm 6'5" and worried that the Large won't be right for me and I was just sucked in by the big discount. I could go for an XL Comp at £600 but it is more than I wanted to spend. http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-zaskar-comp-2011/

I know the only real answer is to try the bike for size but as that isn't really an option can anyone advise? Is a Large frame likely to be ok for a lanky git like me? Is the Comp worth the extra £120? I was also considering this
http://www.mcconveycycles.com/store/product/12343/specialized-hardrock-pro-2011-21-inch/ but I think the spec is not as good. Any other bikes I should be looking at?

Thanks.

gmacz

I am in the same boat.
Nobody will price match wiggle with xl in stock.
Comp and elite are the only xl in stock.
I will not go for a large at 6ft 2" as I like a bigger bike.
At 6ft 5" I would think large would work but xl would be better.
Giant xtc are looking good as well.
All the 40% discount bikes are going out of stock, better get in there quick.
I think comp is worth the extra.

cooldad

Find a local dealer, sit on one then order online.

boac

cooldad, as I said, I know. But I haven't had much luck in finding one local that has the bikes to try.

gmacz, thanks. I did see your thread and yeah, it seems we have a similar problem. I don't have any recent MTB experience to know what size feels good for me (last proper off-roading was well before I finished growing!) but if you're going for the XL and you're 3" shorter than me that makes me think maybe I should too. Sure the L might be ok, but when I'm spending hundreds of £ I'd like to get the right one!


Out of interest, have you found a Giant XTC going for similar money?

Right now I'm leaning towards ordering the Comp before it too goes OOS, and cancelling/returning/flogging the Sport already on order.

grenw

Pauls Cycles will do you an XTC3 for £700 (30% off) in either Large or XL http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s2p3483 or a 2009 XTC4 in Large for £430

boac

Thanks GrenW, I had seen those, but £600 is probably my upper limit (was aiming for £500), and the XTC 4 would still only be Large.

Does there tend to be much changed on the bikes each year? As in, will there be much difference between the 2009 and current models? Or is it just a new paint scheme and people tend to want the latest, shiniest?

gmacz

I have the Zaskar comp xl being delivered in the next couple of days.
£10 off at wiggle and £11 at quidco.
I just prefer the big bikes and feel that the large is on the edge of being a good fit for me.
With the xl, I am in the middle of its range and there is plenty of room.
Hate a small bike with a big long seat post, it just looks wrong to me.
I cycle for fun and dont do any racing etc.
Fit is more important than weight.

supersonic

The answer is to try of course - and Zaskars do come up quite large.

I am 6ft, 33 inside leg and long arms. I ride the medium Zaskar, and it is a long reach, and still 4 icnhes of seatpost to go. The XL size truly is enormous!

gmacz

That is what I was trying to say, I just prefer the big bikes.
Better fit for me and I am a lot more comfortable.
I could easily fit M or L if I had to.
Well maybe not M.

boac

So I went out to try and find something XL to sit on. Found a shop which let me try a Large GT Avalanche, and then the only XL bike they had in the shop which was a Scott Aspect 29er (Sport, I think), newly arrived, which the guy kindly built in front of me so I could sit on it.

The Scott definitely felt more natural and comfortable, but how much of that was to do with the larger frame and how much the wheels I'm not sure! Anyway, I have now cancelled the order for the Large Zaskar Sport and will probably end up forking out a bit more for the XL Comp. Just having a look around at entry level 29ers first though. I know it's quite a subjective thing, I had previuosly dismissed them mainly because it seemed like for the same money you get a slightly better spec on a 26 than a 29. Obviously the 29er will be a bit heavier too, and weight does matter to me.

Are there any 29ers worth having for around the £500-£600 mark? Any thoughts on this? http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s155p3295

I realise I keep asking open ended questions, so thanks for your patience!

gmacz

Get the zaskar comp, you know you want it.
If the Large did not feel right, the xl will be perfect.
The extra for the comp will be worth it.
Have seen some 29ers in halfords, not too sure what they are used for.
Mountain bike would surely cover anything a 29er would do.
Will google them and see what they are all about.

boac

Get the zaskar comp, you know you want it.

heheh, yeah, you're right. Just pressed the button on the Comp, so bored of looking at the screen trying to decide, just want to be out riding something! Probably wont be here for the weekend now, but I'm excited anyway.

Thanks for your help.

supersonic

Re sizes: comparing a listed size from one brand/model to another brings up poblems, as the actual measurements are not the same. Even two bikes listed as 18 can have markedly different top tube lengths, and can cause a lot of problems.

The XL Scott you tried has a top tube of 625mm, though the large Zaskar is only 6mm shorter at 619mm. The large Avalanche is 595mm. The Avalanches feel nothing like Zaskars to ride really!

boac

That's what I thought, although the guy in the shop seemed to suggest that they were all basically similar and you could make the comparison. However, I guess he didn't know that I was really after a bike that they didn't have, and just wanted to try it out before ordering online, and was giving me general sales advice. I didn't want to let on seeing as he was being genuinely helpful and building a bike for me to try.

Anyway, the Zaskar will be different from the Avalanche and the Aspect. The top tube on the XL Zaskar is 633mm, so even bigger than the Scott! But from the admittedly very rough idea I got in the shop, I'm happy with my choice. I'll ride it for a year and if I don't get on with it I'll look again, and at least I'll have a better idea of what I want then!

Thanks again for your help.

gmacz

I ordered at 4pm yesterday and got an email this morning at 8am saying bike is ready for pick up and should be delivered within 2 working days.
Normally takes 4 to 6 days for the bike to be ready for sending.
Good to see you have picked the same bike and you will love the bike.
Riding a nice looking bike with decent components helps you to get motivated to get out and ride.
Also because it is a bit more expensive, you tend to look after it better.
Still strange that it is the xl bikes that are sold out.
You have a £1000 bike for under £600.

Dr Avinuon

supersonic wrote:

The answer is to try of course - and Zaskars do come up quite large.

I am 6ft, 33 inside leg and long arms. I ride the medium Zaskar, and it is a long reach, and still 4 icnhes of seatpost to go. The XL size truly is enormous!

Seeing this and at 5’ 8’’ with short 29’’ legs I thought I could get a small Zaskar as there is a good deal on one. I know there is only one way to find out but as I am riding a massive 18 year old ridged bike at the moment anything new feels just so different. So is it a good idea?

Hope its ok to hijack this thread as you have decided now.

supersonic

I think Wiggle offer a free bike return if it doesn't fit anyway, so nothing to lose!

boac

They do have a really generously long trial period during which you can return (think they will collect FOC), but it's a bit different on heavily discounted bikes such as these Zaskars so check their T&C's.

Dr Avinuon

Ok will butter up the Mrs A tonight and give them a call on Monday and then see.