What Mountain Bike Magazine May

hsiaolc

As you all are aware the May issue contains Trail Bike of the year.

I went out yesterday around the city to find one and took forever to find a WH Smiths and then once inside it still eluded me untill I asked for help.

I was so happy to get my hands on one.

My pain just started. You all probably know that Norco Sight 2 won and it seems like it is just super amazingly balanced bike and fun to ride, which made me wonder about my recent purchase.

I have made an order for Canyon Strive ES 9.0 but there is not much review about this bike either. I am wondering if you guys were in my shoes will you swap the Canyon Strive for the Norco Sight 2 because I am very very tempted to cancel my Canyon and go for the Norco which are tried and tested and won.

supersonic

Both are good bikes - but given you have personally tried or tested neither, I don't think you'll be better off ;-)

Stick with the Canyon, unless you can try the Norco.

hsiaolc

supersonic wrote:

Both are good bikes - but given you have personally tried or tested neither, I don't think you'll be better off ;-)

Stick with the Canyon, unless you can try the Norco.

Thats the thing. I haven't tested. A few member that does have the bike here loves it thats why I went for it.

But the Norco has now been tested by professionals who knows what they are talking about. Don't know if you are involved?

So since they have tested it and recommended it then would it be unwise of me to just ignore their judgement and go for blind faith?

supersonic

All the tests in the world mean nothing if you can't get the bike to fit. You are buying blind either way.

The Strive has done well in European tests, and is no doubt better specced.

hsiaolc

supersonic wrote:

All the tests in the world mean nothing if you can't get the bike to fit. You are buying blind either way.

The Strive has done well in European tests, and is no doubt better specced.

True.

Thank you for the advice!! I can sleep and enjoy my Friday and weekend!! I have been working and researching this for the past two weeks without sleep (4am sleep and wake up 7:30 to go work). Finally I am going to just relax and wait for the bike to arrive.

Yes true the spec are just really amazing. Can't believe I am getting Crank Brother wheels.

supersonic

Overthinking is the worst thing you can do ;-). Enjoy the bike!

Neal_

hsiaolc wrote:

But the Norco has now been tested by professionals who knows what they are talking about.

It's still just someone else's opinion even if they are a "professional" which is why giving it a score out of 10 can be flawed. You will see massively different reviews of the same bike, even from the same publication, so you need to use your own judgement rather than just assuming the most recent 10 out of 10 bike is the only one you should buy.

hsiaolc

Neal_ wrote:

hsiaolc wrote:

But the Norco has now been tested by professionals who knows what they are talking about.

It's still just someone else's opinion even if they are a "professional" which is why giving it a score out of 10 can be flawed. You will see massively different reviews of the same bike, even from the same publication, so you need to use your own judgement rather than just assuming the most recent 10 out of 10 bike is the only one you should buy.

I agree with you guys.

But I would like to point out here that not all opinions are equal.

Lets put it this way. I come here for advice because i trust you guys opinions and I didn't go to a girly make up forum to ask for theirs.

If I gave them two bike to choose from no matter what they choose I will take their opinion seriously but because you guys are into this stuff and the magazine staff are professinals then their opinions weigh like gold.

Just like Giant Glory won the world competition their bike instantly will increase in value like the Spech Demo last the year before last.

And because I see myself as a rubbish rider therefore I weigh your guys and the magazines opinion even more.

chez_m356

hsiaolc wrote:

supersonic wrote:

All the tests in the world mean nothing if you can't get the bike to fit. You are buying blind either way.

The Strive has done well in European tests, and is no doubt better specced.

True.

Thank you for the advice!! I can sleep and enjoy my Friday and weekend!! I have been working and researching this for the past two weeks without sleep (4am sleep and wake up 7:30 to go work). Finally I am going to just relax and wait for the bike to arrive.

Yes true the spec are just really amazing. Can't believe I am getting Crank Brother wheels.

stop worrying, im sure once you get your hands on it, and have had the chance to use it, you'll think its the best bike in the world, and if by some miracle you don't, feel free to send it to me

hsiaolc

I hope I will think it is the best bike in the world.

Stu Coops

Both good bikes but I understand where your coming from and personally I would cancel and get the Norco but thats just my opinion I prefer the Norco and in reality most people buy from recommendation so when these pro's review a bike it's a pretty well rounded test..

equinefunk

Are they comparable bikes? The Strive looks more enduro & has 20mm more travel...I think the Canyon AM & the Norco are more lined up. If the Strive is good for the way you ride go for it. You also have the 30 day trial with the Canyon so if it doesn't meet your expectations you can return it.

hsiaolc

Yes I am going to give it a try. So I am going to sleep now and just wait for delivery.

Not comparable with Norco in terms of travel but I can have either.

scottellis88

i have just ordered a sight 2 se from evans... the 15th of may when it arrives could not come quicker i will be heading straight to my nearest trail centre to test it out

Stu Coops

scottellis88 wrote:

i have just ordered a sight 2 se from evans... the 15th of may when it arrives could not come quicker i will be heading straight to my nearest trail centre to test it out

Bet the wait is killing you

scottellis88

it is and i only ordered it on friday

hsiaolc

Damn I am questioning my own will power and believe in faith.

Thats 2 win for Norco already!!!!

equinefunk

I think you'll enjoy the SIght......I've just come back from a ride on my new Norco Sight, great bike despite gale force winds it was an enjoyable ride the only thing that held it back was my appalling level of fitness. Only took about half an hour to get the suspension right as well. Lovely bike, bit surprised how tall it seemed compared with my Gary Fisher Roscoe, which you might notice coming from a Trek. It seems really light at the front so gets over obstacles easily & you just aim it at jumps. Great fun on the downs, just going to order a reverb to go with it.

scottellis88

thats my next purchase ready for when the sight comes, what size seatpost is in your sight?

equinefunk

It's 30.9mm (I think)....I was trying to work out what length to get. Haven't searched the forums yet.

hsiaolc

equinefunk wrote:

I think you'll enjoy the SIght......I've just come back from a ride on my new Norco Sight, great bike despite gale force winds it was an enjoyable ride the only thing that held it back was my appalling level of fitness. Only took about half an hour to get the suspension right as well. Lovely bike, bit surprised how tall it seemed compared with my Gary Fisher Roscoe, which you might notice coming from a Trek. It seems really light at the front so gets over obstacles easily & you just aim it at jumps. Great fun on the downs, just going to order a reverb to go with it.

I already have a very tall bike. I want one with a lot lower centre of gravity thats why I can hold on to the Canyon faith!!!!

They have mentioned in the magazine that the Norco BB is very high. My kona is very high and when they did the review for the Kona One20 supreme they gave it 4 out of 5 with the only critism that the bb was too high and so it didn't give confidence. Not sure if the review had anything to do with it but since I read it I always felt too high and don't have enough control and confidence so therefore I wanted something a lot lower.

Sure higher BB can clear a lot of things but hopefully I don't mind banging up the pedals a bit trading for extra lower bb for some confidence.

scottellis88

ive been reading about the new fox seat post, although it is more expensive everything sounds better, such as the cable actuated setup instead of hydraulic hose etc also they do a 150mm travel which would be great for me being so tall. i heard a lot of people still had to play about with where it was in the bike as the travel for the reverb was not enough

equinefunk

It's not too tall & it is really a confidence inspiring bike....you can really get over the back wheel. Sometimes on a tall bike I've felt that I'm too on top of it or could go over the handle bars. I didn't get that feeling at all.

How do you balance the amount of travel on a seatpost with the bike? 150mm of travel is a lot...

chez_m356

Stu Coops wrote:

Both good bikes but I understand where your coming from and personally I would cancel and get the Norco but thats just my opinion I prefer the Norco and in reality most people buy from recommendation so when these pro's review a bike it's a pretty well rounded test..

does that mean the norco will sell more units than the stumpjumper ? probably not, it won because its new, performed and impressed them, exactly the same as the canyon did last year, coincidently, the norco and this years canyon have both got a 4.5 star rating, so the XC must be just as good as the norco, so should the op cancel the strive and get an XC instead ? if not, why not, it must be as good, unless the "professionals" don't know what they are doing, if thats the case, then it doesn't say much for there "recommendations", does it ?

equinefunk

does that mean the norco will sell more units than the stumpjumper ? probably not, it won because its new, performed and impressed them, exactly the same as the canyon did last year, coincidently, the norco and this years canyon have both got a 4.5 star rating, so the XC must be just as good as the norco, so should the op cancel the strive and get an XC instead ? if not, why not, it must be as good, unless the "professionals" don't know what they are doing, if thats the case, then it doesn't say much for there "recommendations", does it ? [/quote]

We have a discussion in the office about bikes. Could we as riders tell the difference between a 4* & a 5* bike? Probably not we're not good enough riders. I don't think the Norco got the recommendation because it was new, but because it was good with good kit for the money obviously not as good as value as the Canyons.

I thought WMB said they were both great bikes. I think if they marked it on percentages it may have been one 90% the other 95%. Both bikes would get a 4.5* rating on that basis (I think).

EH_Rob

Telling the difference between a 4* and a 5* bike probably doesn't have much to do with how good you are seeing as its just someone else's opinion.

You are able to quantify the overall quality of certain things versus certain other things e.g. Deore brakes vs XT brakes, but with whole bike it isn't as clear cut, and depends very much on the person using said thing.

equinefunk

EH_Rob wrote:

Telling the difference between a 4* and a 5* bike probably doesn't have much to do with how good you are seeing as its just someone else's opinion.

You are able to quantify the overall quality of certain things versus certain other things e.g. Deore brakes vs XT brakes, but with whole bike it isn't as clear cut, and depends very much on the person using said thing.

The difference between Subjective & Objective & not equalling the sum of it's parts?

chez_m356

equinefunk wrote:

I thought WMB said they were both great bikes. I think if they marked it on percentages it may have been one 90% the other 95%. Both bikes would get a 4.5* rating on that basis (I think).

they are both great, and i'm not saying that the norco didn't deserve to win, but when you get people suggesting they should cancel there order for a particular bike and order the trail bike of the year, that is just silly, as a certain person said

supersonic wrote:

All the tests in the world mean nothing if you can't get the bike to fit. You are buying blind either way.

The Strive has done well in European tests, and is no doubt better specced.

equinefunk

chez_m356 wrote:

equinefunk wrote:

I thought WMB said they were both great bikes. I think if they marked it on percentages it may have been one 90% the other 95%. Both bikes would get a 4.5* rating on that basis (I think).

they are both great, and i'm not saying that the norco didn't deserve to win, but when you get people suggesting they should cancel there order for a particular bike and order the trail bike of the year, that is just silly, as a certain person said

supersonic wrote:

All the tests in the world mean nothing if you can't get the bike to fit. You are buying blind either way.

The Strive has done well in European tests, and is no doubt better specced.

Totally agree it's about getting the right bike for you & your riding. But I think that people (including me) have such a vast amount of choice that it's easy to doubt the choice you've made. Especially when it's a lot of money.

scottellis88

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77289437@N04/7264741530/

here she is
finally arrived and i love it. i have been out every opportunity i have even if its just around the estate to go and fetch some milk now need to look for some bike insurance i will be fuming if i lost this now

equinefunk

Nice. My frame is getting swapped for the Sight LE due to a warranty issue, don't know what it will look like with the white forks.

I would recommend getting rid of the tyres unless you're riding on a manicured surface. I had 6 punctures on 1 ride with mine 4 of them were pinch flats.