224 or Glory

Pashley 24Mhz
Pashley 24Mhz Posts: 57
edited April 2012 in MTB buying advice
I'm looking at getting a second hand bike but can't decide because lack of knowing how they ride.
I rode DH for some years 5 years ago, but haven't since.
I've had Kona Stab Supremes, Kona Stinky Supremes and an Sx Trail.

Now I'm looking for a bike to do 2 or 3 bikeparks a year, so I don't want to spend as much on it as I used to do when I rode wheekly

I've got my eye on a 2008 Giant Glory 1 (66RVC, DHX3, RF Evolve DH, Saint derrie...) and an 2009 Orange 224 (Fox 40, Sunline, Hope...).
The Glory hasnt been used much compared to the glory, and I like the design of the 224 more, but I want a bike that rides well.

So, any of you guys had some time on one of these and can give me some advice?

Comments

  • Mojo_666
    Mojo_666 Posts: 860
    I have been looking at both these bikes but I got the impression that a lot of these bikes are 3rd and 4th hand and most were still going for well over a grand...I decided to spend £1800 on a brand new Canyon with no crazy careless owners rather than £1400 on something second, third or fourth hand.

    How much are the ones you have been looking at?
  • Well, the Glory is +-1100, and the 224 about 1230.

    The thing that scares me about the 224 is that the guy who rode it for 3 years is now a sponsored rider, so I guess it's beaten up more then the Glory.

    But what I am curius about is how they ride
  • peter413
    peter413 Posts: 5,120
    Glory any day of the week for me. Even though I haven't ridden one properly I know someone that had a 224 Evo and changed to 2010 Glory and never looked back although he rides something else now.

    I had a 224, an older one mind, and it just doesn't ride as well as a proper linkage bike like the Glory with Maestro suspension or my Rocky with the lC2R suspension or anything else TBH. It can get quite skittery over bumps and blow through it's travel on bigger hits far too easily. Not to mention the fact 224's do crack easier than most DH bikes (mine did, a few times) so would definitely not go for one second hand again especially when you can get a Glory or something cheaper. The 224 does nothing better than my Rocky does, jumps crap in comparison, doesn't swallow small bumps up and big hits are horrible on it, just blows through it's travel so badly. I know I'm comparing to a different bike to the Glory but it really shows the weaknesses of the 224.

    OTOH just because the person is sponsored doesn't mean they are great riders, I know a few that come near last at just about every race they do.

    If I'm honest though I would looking for entirely different bikes. The Glory 1 is a FR version of the Glory IIRC so has a steeper head angle and stuff than the DH version and you already know how I feel about 224's.
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Both very good bikes. Orange frames do tend to crack at the top shock mount though. 224 is much lighter than the Glory, which weighs as much as a cow.
    Glory is bombproof, especially the pre 2010 bikes, sounds like a Glory FR you are looking at which is quite short & has fairly steep geometry. Glory does also pedal extremely well.
    The worst thing I found with the 224 is the noises, they sound like a sack of spanners even when there is nothing wrong, it's just the big frame tube amplify noises. Go to a race or uplift day & you can hear an Orange coming from a mile away.
    At this price range I would go for a Iron Horse Sunday. Lighter than a Glory & a proper fast DH race bike.