£1500 Hardtail wanted... Carbon??

rugnugdo

Had my Trek 4500 now for 18 months and now thinking of spending some money on something really nice!

Quite like the idea of getting a hardtail as light as I can, something that rides fast... my Trek 4500 weighed in at 15.4kg yesterday!

Any suggestions? I really like the Cube Reaction, my budget is between £1000-£1500... now way I can spend over

Cheers

supersonic

Take a look at the OnOne Whippet too:

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/PBOOWHIPX9/ ... plete_bike

rugnugdo

I had seen that... looks great but right at the top end of my budget... just wanted to know if anything closer to lower/mid range of my budget!

oodboo

What's the spec of your trek like? Would it be worth buying frame, forks and possibly wheels and transferring the rest from your trek?

rugnugdo

Would rather buy complete new/used bike, not up to dismantle and rebuild... plus would like the re-sale cash on the 4500

benpinnick

Are you willing to roll your own? You could build a nice SLX/XT/Whippet/Reba for around £1250.

EH_Rob

not the lightest but for that money a carbon 456 would get my vote.

rugnugdo

My knowledge of bike mechanics isn't great so probably best I buy complete...

supersonic

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... Suspension

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... Suspension

The last one is very good value, if fits.

rugnugdo

Thats annoying I'm 6'1... Advanced 3 only available in 16" I would of had that...

supersonic

There is this also:

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... Suspension

Not as good value as that Giant, but the same frame I use. Stiff, light, great fork and bloody tough too.

Long_Time_Lurker

How light are those Giants? Does anyone have one on here?

I don't like the fact that Giant refuse to give weights on their website. Always makes me suspicious.
I know that some carbon bikes at the lower end of the scale weigh the same as high-end alu hardtails. So I'm wary that they won't state the weight for that reason. The XTC Composite that I tested this year didn't feel especially light.

supersonic

I'd say 90% don't list weights, but even if that Giant had the alu frame (which is 3.5lbs for a M) it would still be great value. The carbon frame is smoother to ride, and the prototype of this frame ws a claimed 2.2lbs!

rugnugdo

Just out of interest is there much sub £1000 around 10-11kg?

supersonic

Not very many, usually rigid forked affairs (or single speed), or if you a lucky, something with a huge reduction.

rugnugdo

I've always been a bit of a aesthetics man (I'm a graphic designer) and think the Cube bikes look by far the best... do the Reactions represent good value component wise?

supersonic

They are good value... but I get the feeling that they spend too much money and time trying to fit in named parts and spangly graphics which make no difference when out riding! This can be seen on their lower end stuff more, it draws punters in.

Fit, feel and spec are far more important.

xand_xand

''They are good value... but I get the feeling that they spend too much money and time trying to fit in named parts and spangly graphics which make no difference when out riding! This can be seen on their lower end stuff more, it draws punters in''



Damn cheek
My Cube Ltd Race @ £1100 now weighing 11kg (with couple of minor changes) - fabulous spec for the money...10 speed Shimano SLX, Formula RX, Easten, Schwalbes, laser etched graphics!

Oh and 'spangley graphics' - they do make me go faster i assure you

steveplymouth

whats the old saying about buying a bike?.... PRICE - LIGHTNESS - STRENGTH, choose two of them, or something like that.

i also have a trek 4500 and will be buying something 1200-1800 this year. thinking about the whippet x9 or giant xtc comp 29 1.

felix.london

rugnugdo wrote:

Just out of interest is there much sub £1000 around 10-11kg?

There's a Grand Canyon AL for about that price 'quoted' at under 11kg

ryan_w-2

Whyte B19c? I've got 2, a medium and a large. Excellent bike and extremely rapid!

I'm 6ft1 and prefer the large.

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/30012/Why ... n=pid30012