2009 Canyon Torque??

MDobs

Was having a look at the Canyon outlet just on the off chance their was something interesting there, is this any good?

http://www.canyon.com/_en/outlet/articl ... o=A1024189

As it's a few years old I don't know now good many of those components are (only just back into mountain biking last year), breaks and the saint stuff should be solid, not sure what that shock is like or the forks, also the cranks/bb are questionable.

Is it be worth £1600 or is there too much there that needs replacing and a more up to date bike would be better?

rockmonkeysc

Spec listed is very different to the bike shown in the picture. Doesn't give geometry either.
still not bad value but more freeride than downhill.

bluechair84

I have this frame and it's very good as a sort of long travel AM bike. The wheel base is a bit too long for freeride I'd say, and travel too short for DH. The rear travel is 170mm and mated to 170mm Lyrics, I've built a very nice sort of enduro bike around the frame. It pedals well and handles in a neutral manner, I've enjoyed it out on XC routes in the Peaks before but mine's 34lbs.
As for kit, never heard of a Kage rear shock. Totems are heavy. Brakes are some of the very best trail brakes around. Saint kit is bomb proof. Wheels and finishing kit is all near high end stuff, reliable brands, bomb proof but heavy. It would make a good DH bike so long as you aren't flying through any rock gardens where more travel would benefit but I wouldn't want to try and grunt that build up any sort of incline! Otherwise, looks like very good value for money, if it's the right build for you, in which case there's nothing that I think anyone would call out of date.

rockmonkeysc

Kage is rockshox budget coil shock. Totems are heavy but solid, a great freeride fork.

MDobs

Thanks for all the replies. I was looking at it as a potential DH bike as i'm getting tempted by a bit of DH recently.

This is the current years bottom end model, which is the same price, http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes ... tml?b=2577

how does that compare?
185-203mm rear travel, XT/SLX shifting - not as good as saint, breaks aren't as good, the same (similar?) truvativ cranks/bb.
What about the shock, fork and wheels?

If i'm looking for an entry to DH (DHlite?) (rockmonkey- this is why I was looking at the reign x recently) is there anything else I should consider at a similar price?

rockmonkeysc

If you want to do nothing but DH then get a DH bike, it's much easier & faster.
Bit more money but have a look at the Nukeproof Scalp DH comp. Better geometry & components.

bluechair84

You're looking at buying a DH bike because you're tempted to try it? It's impossible for you to know exactly what kind of DH bike you are going to need without knowing what kinds of tracks you'll be riding and whether you'll enjoy it. Are you visiting DH tracks on your current bike and finding yourself needing something with more potential? How big are you going and how big do you want to go?
A bike in the region of 170mm like the Torque or Reign X will make a good stop-gap between a bike which can handle both mild DH (and more in the right hands) and some actual trails - mild DH can still include 20foot+ doubles, gaps, stepdowns... it's rock gardens or natural terrain where more travel really helps.
I think there's lots of people that disagree with me on this, but a full DH bike is entierly unncessary to a majority of people talking about trying DH and more fun can be had for your money on something that can be used over more terrain more of the time... you really need the skills and balls to pull off needing 200mm of travel. The opposing argument as Rockmonkey says, if you're only going to buy a bike to do DH, then buy a DH bike. My bias is that bikes can do a lot more than their riders and a 170mm bike will allow you to do both the DH that a beginner is capable of whilst leaving you with alternative playgrounds if it transpires that 'sending it' isn't all it turned out to be.
I don't think the newer Torque is the ideal bike, but it would be my choice of the bikes mentioned so far.

rockmonkeysc

I bought the Reign X to do DH and trail riding. I found it hard going for the trail riding, fun for freeride. For DH riding I found I couldn't keep up with mates on DH bikes so I was riding harder to try and keep up. It was fine on the big jumps and drops but its on the rough stuff where it's really difficult to hold a line and keep the speed up.
Making the change to a proper DH bike I was surprised how much faster I could ride for less effort which allows me to hit bigger and faster lines which I wouldn't ride on the Reign X.
The Reign is certainly strong enough but an extra 30mm travel and 3 degrees off the head angle makes a vast difference.
For flowing freeride trails I would rather have the shorter travel bike though.

bluechair84

Maybe one day I'll make a simlar move to you as I've gone up to the Torque whilst getting into DH... and this time next year I'll feel under-biked and have a different point of view But there's too little DH in Lincolnshire for me to warrant a full DH bike.

rockmonkeysc

Are there any hills in Lincolnshire?

bluechair84

There is one! it's about 60feet elevation... and we've a very good members DH park on it! There's shore... and jumps... and gaps... and wall rides and races and a 10ft starting ramp... there just isn't much hill...

rockmonkeysc

So the start ramp is nearly as big as the hill :-)

bluechair84

we make the best out of bad geography. Though, a new start ramp is going in in the next year which will be even bigger so, we might be adding a quarter of the height