New Full Susss...dilemma, same as others

equinefunk

Looking at new Trail Bikes & talking myself out & in of loads of bikes. Any guidance on what these bikes do would be great:

Canyon Nerve AM 9.0/8.0X - worried about the weight at nearly 30lbs does it get up hills ok, I'm no racer but don't want to slog it. Also I'm overweight so would a couple of pounds on the bike really matter?
Canyon Nerve XC 9.0 - worried that 120mm is not enough travel.
Norco Sight 2 - Cost + upgrades, is it worth it?

I mainly ride 12+ mile trails 2/3 times a weeks on the North York Moors have trips to Tress & Dalby Hamsterley etc. I've just come from a 140mm bike (Gary Fisher Roscoe) but I'm not sure of the choices. I know that Canyon do a 30 day refund but it would cost nearly £50 in shipping if I didn't want the bike.

I love Canadian bikes after having Kona, Cove & Rocky Mountain but want to make sure that at £2500 I don't need to upgrade the wheels & if I put a dropper post then I'm pushing £2700. Which is more than I want to pay.

There is TOO MUCH CHOICE & I'm getting myself wound up trying to make a choice, so any help would be appreciated.

Tom Barton

30lbs.. I guess it is heavish - depends more at that inbetween weight how the bike climbs in regards to geometry and suspension performance (i.e. my spicy climbs well given its weight).

The XC 9.0 will probably have more XC geometry to go with that 120mm travel - the overall feel of the bike compared to your more trail orientated roscoe is that it will be faster and lighter but will give you less confidence on the descents.

The Norco just won the award from WMB and in all fairness seems like a very nice alround trail machine, its got full XT kit - dont think you'd have to upgrade anything to start with?
You could also consider a lapierre zesty at this price (140mm fast trail bike).

Decide what your wants from the bike are (overall fast country destroyer (go for the 120mm and less travel XC oreitnated bikes) or an all round trail rider who likes to do everything and enjoy the descents (140mm) (a very crude rule of thumb).

Give them a test ride if possible - see what fits/feels good. Its alot of money..

equinefunk

Thanks for that, I really fancy the Nerve XC but I'm concerned about the XC geometry. My Rocky Mountain was that way out & I had more confidence coming down hills on my Roscoe. I was considering the Zesty 714 but for a £3k bike I'd expect better than SLX. The Norco looks great but is £500 more, I was more concerned about changing the wheels & putting a dropper on it.

Tom Barton

You should probably try test ride one if theres a significant doubt that its not going to give you enough confidence on the desecents.

I hadn't realised the zesty 514 was that much. However you do get the same carbon frame as its 4 and half grand 914 stable mate and mavic crossride wheels. Its a fantastic frame that you could upgrade over time into a top of the range bike essentially. Having said that the 314 is a great bike too albeit with an alloy frame - it gets pretty much the same kit except a fox fork instead and an XT crankset with an otherwise identical mix of slx/xt on the 514.

But like i said - its alot of money - test ride time :-)

equinefunk

Thanks, I've ordered the AM 9.0, if I don't like it I can return it & lose the shipping costs. I'm test riding a Norco Sight on Friday, so the plan is that if I like that more then return the Canyon & wait for the Norco Sight 2 SE to come with the Fox forks on the 14/5/2012. I'm injured at the moment so bit of a bonus that I'm without a bike....so have a week to choose.

Anonymous

30lbs isn't heavy, certainly not for an AM bike.

Forget about the weight. You can climb a heavy bike just fine or find a light bike a killer or opposite. Geometry makes more of a difference, as does simply the riding position.

Anyway, the AM 9.0 looks like a cracking bike. Nice kit. Sure you'll love it.

equinefunk

Thanks, I feel (I'm sure others will correct me) that the AM looks more like a burly Trail Bike than an All Mountain Bike. I had a bit of knock back today, rang through my order & Canyon said it's a 2 week delivery on any Bike. So I'm test riding a Norco tomorrow, with a view to buying it.

I'm riding my old Hardtail as my other bike was nicked so the 2 weeks is a bit of a ball ache

rockmonkeysc

30lb is not heavy, it may be heavy compared to other manufacturers CLAIMED weights though but they are usually not very accurate or for a small frame. My bike weighs 35lb & I have no problem getting it up hills & I'm not particularly fit.
All mountain is a bit vague & covers everything from 26lb, 140mm travel bikes with 3x10 transmission & air suspension to bikes like mine which have 170mm travel weigh 35lb have 1x10 transmission & coil front & rear.

equinefunk

Well I bought the Norco, Evans knocked £250 off it so I can get a Rockshox Reverb......haven't fully blasted it yet. But I like what I've seen really easy to chuck around manual etc. Nice Bike..

hsiaolc

equinefunk wrote:

Well I bought the Norco, Evans knocked £250 off it so I can get a Rockshox Reverb......haven't fully blasted it yet. But I like what I've seen really easy to chuck around manual etc. Nice Bike..

Hmmm I am going to gamble on the Canyon. I specially wanted Strive for the lower centre of gravity. Even in the review itself it says the Norco's bb height is quite high. I already have a Kona with very high BB and I wanted something lower. Hopefully the strive can provide me that low cleareance but compensated by the Hammershimit.

Enjoy your Norco!!!

equinefunk

I don't think a Canyon's a gamble. They look great bikes, the deal breaker was the 2 weeks delivery. I don't have a bike at the moment. Sod's law I ended up in A&E after cutting my wrist badly being stupid with a knife trying to cut Cable Ties on an old bike...so can't ride this weekend now!

mmafan

I got a Strive 2011 7.0 and its good up and very fun down.
Low bottom bracket does cause me to catch a pedal here and there though.
Hope you enjoying the Norco.

hsiaolc

mmafan wrote:

I got a Strive 2011 7.0 and its good up and very fun down.
Low bottom bracket does cause me to catch a pedal here and there though.
Hope you enjoying the Norco.

So even your pedal catches often do you still recommend the Strive?

Or you prefer something higher?