Newbie- advice please!
charlie farley
Posts: 6
Firstly, hello!
Just a bit of background... I used to be massively into cycling until I got my drivers license- then became lazy. Have had a lot of fun with cars for the last few years- and with baby number one just arrived, my caterham Pride & Joy is on the market. However, I still want fun and am really keen to get back into cycling. I have dug out my 12 year old raleigh Tigershark.... Very heavy & knackered- and had a few good fun rides recently. I am 6' tall- 14 1/2 stone
Budget = £1k. I live in rural Shropshire with plenty of decent woodland tracks and a few hills etc. I will probably be spending a fair bit of time on roads. I also really quite enjoy speed (for minimal effort!) I have a couple of good mates locally who are also getting back into cyclingf and have recently acquired decent bikes- 1x Giant Anthem x4, 1x Giant XTC3. Hopefully in time, the 3 of us will venture a bit further afield- we have Cannock Chase, The Shropshire Hills & wales all relatively close.
I have done a fair bit of research and a few test rides and narrowed it down to 2x hardtail bikes: both sourced from really helpful local shops in Shrewsbury:
Option 1 = 2011 Giant XTC1:
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 875/45524/
Original RSP £1695- I have it down at £1k dead- apparently very good spec and feels fast when ridden
Option 2 = Cube LTD Race:
http://www.stif.co.uk/mtb/product/cube- ... -2012/9162
£1039 + £130 of free gear thrown in.
Spec-wise, the Giant is clear winner. I found that both rode really well andI really, really like the visual look of the Cube (I know- very fickle!!!)- It is also different from my 2 cycling buddies and their Giants!
Question is therefore whether the Giant is simply a no-brainer spec for £ at that price?
Any pointers either way much appreciated!
Cheers
Charlie
Just a bit of background... I used to be massively into cycling until I got my drivers license- then became lazy. Have had a lot of fun with cars for the last few years- and with baby number one just arrived, my caterham Pride & Joy is on the market. However, I still want fun and am really keen to get back into cycling. I have dug out my 12 year old raleigh Tigershark.... Very heavy & knackered- and had a few good fun rides recently. I am 6' tall- 14 1/2 stone
Budget = £1k. I live in rural Shropshire with plenty of decent woodland tracks and a few hills etc. I will probably be spending a fair bit of time on roads. I also really quite enjoy speed (for minimal effort!) I have a couple of good mates locally who are also getting back into cyclingf and have recently acquired decent bikes- 1x Giant Anthem x4, 1x Giant XTC3. Hopefully in time, the 3 of us will venture a bit further afield- we have Cannock Chase, The Shropshire Hills & wales all relatively close.
I have done a fair bit of research and a few test rides and narrowed it down to 2x hardtail bikes: both sourced from really helpful local shops in Shrewsbury:
Option 1 = 2011 Giant XTC1:
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 875/45524/
Original RSP £1695- I have it down at £1k dead- apparently very good spec and feels fast when ridden
Option 2 = Cube LTD Race:
http://www.stif.co.uk/mtb/product/cube- ... -2012/9162
£1039 + £130 of free gear thrown in.
Spec-wise, the Giant is clear winner. I found that both rode really well andI really, really like the visual look of the Cube (I know- very fickle!!!)- It is also different from my 2 cycling buddies and their Giants!
Question is therefore whether the Giant is simply a no-brainer spec for £ at that price?
Any pointers either way much appreciated!
Cheers
Charlie
0
Comments
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Anybody?
(sorry it's a bit rambling!)
CF0 -
Spec wise there is very little between them, of the two I'd go with the Cube, bu it's what works for you that counts, a lot of people will tell you you need more than 100mm of Fork for trail centres but my 100mm works just fine round Cannock for me.Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0
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Spec is similar, Giant probably just shades it. If you've riddeen the Giant and like it, and have only looked at the Cube...I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
So now 2 bits of contradictory advice. Glad to help.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
Can you try them out? Or at least sit on them to get a feel for them?
I did when I was looking. In the end I bought a Cube as it fitted me better.
That said, my mate can't stand the geometry on Cubes and the skittish/light front-end.2007 Felt Q720 (the ratbike)
2012 Cube Ltd SL (the hardtail XC 26er)
2014 Lapierre Zesty TR 329 (the full-sus 29er)0 -
Have ridden both- not much in it TBH preference wise... Really enjoyed both- though the Giant felt that little bit quicker
Heart says Cube... Head says Giant because it is such a good deal with XT and everything else...
Head vs Heart...0 -
Heart. You've got to love your bike. Especially when it throws you off and causes pain.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
+1....Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0
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cooldad wrote:Heart. You've got to love your bike. Especially when it throws you off and causes pain.
+20 -
1mancity2 wrote:cooldad wrote:Heart. You've got to love your bike. Especially when it throws you off and causes pain.
+2
ohh feck me +3 im filling up here
been test riding a few bikes and putting a deposit down on a new bike at weekend to replace my 2007 GT, im getting quite emotional about it all.0 -
Making arrangements for Cube- and should collect next weekend.... rather exciting!0
