Newbie <£3.5K budget

styxd

I don't see why you would get the cheaper model if you could afford the more expensive one?

Neither do I.

But all I'm saying is

I dont see why you would buy one super good expensive bike (as a beginner whos never mountain biked before) when you could invest in two equally as good (or at least they'll probably feel so to a beginner) different bikes.

mrmonkfinger

Orange five am, that costs £3k.

felix.london

styxd wrote:

I dont see why you would buy one super good expensive bike (as a beginner whos never mountain biked before) when you could invest in two equally as good (or at least they'll probably feel so to a beginner) different bikes.

Before I moved to the Alps - I used to go to go there a few times each winter with three snowboards (Powder, piste & park). Bikes are far more bulky than snowboards

If I was still in London - I'd have one AM bike because it would just make it much easier to travel around the country and the continent. Jump on a cheap flight, bike in a box and ride anything you find...happy days

cat_with_no_tail

mrmonkfinger wrote:

Orange five am, that costs £3k.

As said many times already, try before you buy.

And don't forget, some of the online stores do "test periods" where you buy the bike, try it out, and if you don't like it, you can send it back for a full refund.
Wiggle offer a service where you buy the bike, it arrives, you've got 30 days to give it a proper test, and if you don't like it, you just stick it back in the box it came in, email them, and they'll come and pick it up for free and give you a full refund.

Sounds like it's just what you need.

passout

I think 29ers make more sense for hardtails personally - I prefer 26ers & they are better value. From what you are saying I wouldn't go much above 120mm travel. You won't need it & it's usually heavier & less effiecient over distance to have a long travel bike. Giant Anthem X maybe? TBH any of the major brands should be fine.

There is an argument that your first bike should be a hardtail - develop skills etc but I don't think it nakes a fat lot of difference as long as you put the hours in. I went back to a hardtail myself - lighter, more fun & much much better on road. So I think that you should get on One One Lurcher with all the trimmings........

lawman

put it this way, would you put a learner driver in a ferrari? course you bloody wouldn't... high end bikes can often do the opposite to people you would think, they can be very intimidating, and as a noob, why the fuck would you buy a bike with a million different bells and whistles and not have a fucking clue how to use them properly, alot of far more experienced folk sometimes struggle with setup, so for all the expense splashed on a top-end carbon 29er, chances are it'll end being set up by a rider with the maintence and setup skills of a monkey and it'll ride no better than a pogo stick of a BSO... a local guy bought a high end spesh FS bike, fully equipped with brain shock... he clearly had not read the manual or had any idea how it worked as he thought that because some other bikes had propedal adjusters on the shock them selves that his did too... what I later informed him after all he found the knob was doing was making it go really slowly, it was the fucking rebound adjuster... his bike may well having a fucking brain, shame he didn't...

Beginner bikes are called as such because they offer all that a beginner needs to get a feel for the sport and then the bike progresses with the rider. A top end bike could scare a noob to high hell and he'll think "oh this biking lark is proper shit, on to ebay it goes..."

so the moral is, get a decent demo on a relatively low end bike, then if you like it, splash the rest on some skills courses and upgrade the bike when you feel you are ready to make the step up

#endrant

Twelly

lawman wrote:

Beginner bikes are called as such because they offer all that a beginner needs to get a feel for the sport and then the bike progresses with the rider. A top end bike could scare a noob to high hell and he'll think "oh this biking lark is proper shoot, on to ebay it goes..."

But where else would we get all our bargains from!?

felix.london

What, just because the frame's carbon instead of alloy and the components are XT instead of Deore and there's a dropper post and carbon wheels that's gonna scare a beginner off?? - I don't reckon. That lot wouldn't of scared me that's for sure.

felix.london

and lets face it...a £3.5K bike is not a Ferrari is it?? - it's more like a BMW 3 series. It's a nice bike with some nice extra's

A Ferrari would be a bike on the World Cup DH circuit. And I would agree that would be ridiculous for a beginner.

Bad analogy I'm afraid.

lawman

felix.london wrote:

and lets face it...a £3.5K bike is not a Ferrari is it?? - it's more like a BMW 3 series. It's a nice bike with some nice extra's

A Ferrari would be a bike on the World Cup DH circuit. And I would agree that would be ridiculous for a beginner.

Bad analogy I'm afraid.

the BMW 3-series out sells the ford mondeo, hardly a good analagy as I hardly see thousands of 3k bikes around.

So a 19lb 29er world cup xc race bike isn't a ferrari as well?

its not so much the carbon this or xt that, i was more implying suspension gubbins and so on and so forth, its all pretty technical stuff, is he really gonna learn what all the dials on his bike do? Is he gonna notice the difference between a set of carbon or alu bars? is he going to notice to the faster pickup of a better freehub? is he gonna notice better modulated brakes? Given that the OP has never ridden a "proper" mtb before, he may as well be riding a cabbage for all he knows and it could be the best thing ever.

My point is on a decent beginner lever hardtail, you can do most things, something like a ragley piglet or similar can do a bit of everything, so the OP can decide if he needs a more hardcore or thinks he might want something more xc focused. this way he hasn't blown all his money to find he bought the wrong bike.

lawman

from another thread:

Whats a dropper post - I saw the Whyte bike had a button raise/drop the seat post. I presume its that?

my point exactly

Duffryn

A BIG Thanks to those that left positive and helpful comments. I cannot help feeling that some of the responses were a little out of hand though. If you started with nothing and have risked everything you owned for 20 years and got to the position where money is not a constraint then is there really anything wrong in spending a little of that on something you want to do ? I know next to nothing about this sport and tried to obtain independent advice. I am sorry if the budget I set myself offended some people.

Many on this board are clearly great ambassadors to the sport, spend time willingly trying to help others and I am grateful for their advice, others clearly spend their whole lives being jealous of what others have achieved rather than doing something about it.

Rant over and once again thanks for the advice !

mikeysickalrigh

I bought three bikes until I found the right one, losing money on each

oodboo

I'll just repeat my original suggestion, Specialized Camber Expert Carbon 29r:
http://www.biker-boarder.de/shopware/Sp ... ireusocl=1

Seems to me like it meets the requirements you set out on your OP.

lawman

My words may have been strong, I have no problem with people spending what they want on what they want, but from a purely helpful point of view, imho buying a cheaper bike and learning your trade and style rather than blowing it all at once is a more sensible idea.

cooldad

You poor people just don't get it.

Duffryn

cooldad wrote:

You poor people just don't get it.

I rest my case !

Duffryn

lawman wrote:

My words may have been strong, I have no problem with people spending what they want on what they want, but from a purely helpful point of view, imho buying a cheaper bike and learning your trade and style rather than blowing it all at once is a more sensible idea.

Your may have been strong but they have also been largely constructive, appeciated and taken on board

cooldad

Duffryn wrote:

cooldad wrote:

You poor people just don't get it.

I rest my case !

Which one, helpful or jealous? I think you misunderstand me, I was just being honest. (Plus annoying people is my job here.)
Although it may not have been clear, I actually agree with you.
If you've worked and made a wedge, it feels good to be able to buy what you want, not the minimum you may need.
I've made and lost a few wedges in my time, currently in the latter phase, but I certainly don't begrudge you yours.
Might as well enjoy it, you can't take it with you.

70\ʹspenguin

Just buy the carbon Niner!

I totally agree with CD. If you can aford it then get the best you possibly can. A top of the range XC bike that will suit you all day in the saddle and deal with most of the trails you will be riding will be far from a waste IMO. You will have great brakes, great suspension, a great weight and hopefully great looks and styling. If you have something you love the look and feel of then that will make you want to ride more.

The car analogies are a bit silly if you ask me. The cars mentioned are dangerous because they have engines that are too powerful for a beginner. However YOU are your own engine. I dont see how you could buy an XC/AM bike that's dangerous or "too good" for you that you wont be able to ride it.

Spend it while you can, enjoy it while you can!

Take lots of pictures of it and then give me a go on it

supersonic

If you have the money, go for it. Why start on a heavier less equipped bike?

lawman

supersonic wrote:

If you have the money, go for it. Why start on a heavier less equipped bike?

who the fark are you and what have you done with supersonic?!

You'll be recommending fox fork next!

mcnultycop

Having just read all this, I hope the OP enjoys whatever he gets.

styxd

Having just read all this, I hope the OP enjoys whatever he gets

You've read all of this just to say that?!?!?

Majski

Not read it all so probably been mentioned. But for that money i'd buy a £1k ish light hardtail 29er, then a 5 inch trail bike as well. Cover pretty much all trails on that combo from blasting forestry paths to DH trails in the alps.

Unfortunatley my wallets not as bulky! After buying my session 8 a couple of months back I won't be buying new bikes for a while yet!

passout

Duffryn wrote:

A BIG Thanks to those that left positive and helpful comments. I cannot help feeling that some of the responses were a little out of hand though. If you started with nothing and have risked everything you owned for 20 years and got to the position where money is not a constraint then is there really anything wrong in spending a little of that on something you want to do ? I know next to nothing about this sport and tried to obtain independent advice. I am sorry if the budget I set myself offended some people.

Many on this board are clearly great ambassadors to the sport, spend time willingly trying to help others and I am grateful for their advice, others clearly spend their whole lives being jealous of what others have achieved rather than doing something about it.

Rant over and once again thanks for the advice !

Agreed.

felix.london

Majski wrote:

After buying my session 8 a couple of months back I won't be buying new bikes for a while yet!

And what a bike it is hey!? Did you get the 2012?

Got the 2011 in March;


Have changed the pedals since this shot and gonna change the chain ring to a 34t. Apart from that...just an awesome machine all round

Majski

yeah it's flipping mint! Here's mine - changed the pedals, bars, saddle and that's it. Don't think there's owt else i'd change on it.

supersonic

I think you need coaching ;-)

felix.london

hahaha..nice jersey...you're obviously a man of impeccable taste

Here's me;