Which Zesty?

handsome devil

Have decided it`s time for a change. The trusty Stumpy has put in a good shift for the last 4 years but I now feel it`s time to sell her on and get myself a new full susser.

Budget is £3k max and have been really taken with the 2013 Zestys (particularly the 414 & 514). Edging towards the 514 at mo but am in need of a test ride so merely doing the research to narrow down the options. Also liking the Stumpy Expert Evo Carbon but £4k is just too much

Ride XC mainly (Quantocks, Mendips, etc) but have been enjoying Cwmcarn, Afan, Brechfa, Nant Yr Arian and most recently Coed Y Brenin recently.

I am aware that 150mm travel is probably too much for my style of riding but having an extra 30mm will no doubt come in useful as my style of riding progresses...

Anyone else riding a Zesty? Anything else I should be considering?

2013 Zesty 514;

http://www.lapierre-bikes.co.uk/mtb/tra ... 14#onglets

Any feedback will be appreciated

lawman

If you think the zesty is too much bike, one to check out for sure is the Ibis Mojo Special blend.

http://www.moosecycles.com/m3b123s1p142 ... RS_GB/4492

Yes its only slx instead of xt and x-fusion rather than fox, but the frame is worth upgrading over time, and its cheaper than the 514, plus it looks great and rides very well.

handsome devil

Thanks Lawman, very interesting suggestion. Looks great. Not sure about X-Fusion but some of their forks have been well received recently. Seen a few Ibis Mojos at Forest of Dean and they do look good.

Certainly worthy of consideration, price is okay too. SLX is good enough tbh anyway so I`ll look more into this...

lawman

They ride very well, I demo'd a few before buying my HD, one thing to note is if you are heavy then the frame is a little bit flexy, but probably not much more so than your current spesh.

For this kind of money, a whyte 146s is within budget too, but thats more extreme in geometry than both the Ibis and the zesty. For the riding you describe, moving from the 120mm spesh, the Mojo Sl would be a great bike for you.

poppit

Sorry, couldn't resist it http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=3043#tab-reiter2

rockmonkeysc

Zesty is pretty poor value. I would go for either the Giant Trance X0 http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/giant-trance-x0.html
Or a new Stumpjumper carbon, I'm sure if you shop around you will get one for £3k

jairaj

Any particular things you want to change from the old bike? Are you looking for lighter weight, more strength, different suspension characteristic ie more peddling efficient or soft and super plush. etc ... ??

lawman

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Zesty is pretty poor value. I would go for either the Giant Trance X0 http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/giant-trance-x0.html
Or a new Stumpjumper carbon, I'm sure if you shop around you will get one for £3k

I'd say its pretty good value for a full carbon frame and mostly xt/fox kit!

lostboysaint

Transition Bandit. http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-transition-bandit-2-12-46429

Rarer, stiffer, more fun to ride. Just better.

nferrar

I've had a 314 since the middle of 2009 (although heavily upgraded since, although I think I have one of the few original frames left that haven't snapped ), they're great bikes but seem more over-priced as each year passes. If I were looking to buy something similar now I'd find it hard not to go with a Canyon. It's probably also worth you considering a 29er with a bit less travel (120mm-ish) and comparing with a 140/150mm 26er if you're going to be demoing lot of bikes.

rockmonkeysc

lostboysaint wrote:

Transition Bandit. http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-transition-bandit-2-12-46429

Rarer, stiffer, more fun to ride. Just better.

But the Trance is better spec'd, pedals better and is lighter. I used to ride a Trance on the Mendips & Quantocks and found it to be perfect, climbs like a hardtail and descends better than a 120mm bike should.

Broken rugby player

I have the Zesty 514 2011 model and I love it and have ridden all the places you have ridden and also the Alps, the bike can do it all easily and also tamer XC rides.

I also let friends I ride with have a go when then deciding what to buy and a couple then also went for Zestys

If you get one you will not be disappointed

lostboysaint

I rode the Trance. I rode the Yeti 575 and SB66 (I was a Yetifan before switching), I rode Spec Stumpys, LP Zestys and allsorts of other stuff (Scott Spark, Scott Genius etc.etc.) and yet Transition got my money. Read into that what you will.

Stu Coops

I got a Zesty 514 and a Trance X0 and to be honest both awesome bikes but the better riding bike for me is the Trance however the Zesty looks much better just my opinion but you have a huge choice of decent bikes for that money also take a look at the Ghost pretty much same spec for a lot less money, my mate has a 7500 and loves it.

As for the difference in travel my Trance is 125mm will go anywhere the Zesty does but again it's just my opinion.

handsome devil

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. The Ibis looks interesting. Even more so is the Transition - never thought of one before but this has had me thinking that perhaps a Yeti ASR5 is also worthy of consideration (although even in SRAM build price is just over £3.2k)!

As for the others, I`m not overly keen on the Giant. I realise the Maestro system is excellent but I rode a Trance around 4 years ago and it just didn`t do it for me. The Canyon is stonking value and looks the part but one of my riding buddies has one so I feel I need something different (and better)

The Transition does look very good - it`s under budget, has excellent front and rear suspension and while the drivetrain isn`t XT, X7 is perfectly okay and performs well enough (I already have X9 shifters & rear mech on the Stumpy). 130mm of travel is slightly more than I have already and is still generally XC/trail orientated so does fit the bill for my style of riding.

Just need to find a dealer near me and perhaps arrange a demo.

Still liking the Zesty though, the 514 really does "float my boat" the more I look at it,

Decisions, decisions

jairaj

I tried a Bandit (26") earlier in the year and loved it so much that I will be buying one soon. If you're looking to progress your riding skills but don't have ambitions to be a full on freerider then the Bandit is probably the perfect bike. Its super tough and super stiff, I think Bike Radar's review summed it up nicely, "its a 160mm bike with 130mm of travel". I instantly felt very comfortable on it and was doing 5 foot drops that I wouldn't image doing on my normal bike.

Transition have a couple of demo bikes so find your nearest dealer and ask them to get one over for you to try out.

handsome devil

jairaj

Thanks for the feedback. I really am keen to try a Bandit 26 in SRAM build. There is a dealer not too far from me (Kustom Bikes on Exmoor) although they are asking £3250. It really ticks a lot of boxes. My riding is generally XC but I am starting to hit some of the black runs at the various trail centres in Wales.

Another bike I am now leaning towards is the Yeti ASR5. This can also be had in SRAM build for £3295 from Mountain Bike Bitz in Devon. Spec is similar with the right balance of putting more of the money in the suspension platform (Fox Float 32 140mm RLC Kasmima & RP2 CTD).

Both look like good options but I did swing my leg over a Stumpy Evo carbon Expert yesterday and instantly fell in love with that (although this is £4k) so demos are required now I have narrowed the choices down

julesreece17

Ive got the 2013 Zesty 514!!!!

Went round Afan on it this morning. And i love it. I mean, really love it. It has its own room up stairs in my house i love it so much lol

Its deadly silent, you hear nothing but the wheels on the ground. Its like three bikes in one. Locked out, its like a fully rigid bike, on 'trail' setting its stunning, and 'descend' its just so soft, and gluides over everything. Feel like im foating down the trail, without feeling too detached.

BUT.....its my first 'real' bike, so i can only compare this against my £400 GT Avalanche 1.0....but still, im really in love with it. It pretty much has everything i wanted.

But i'll be honest, the 'name whore' in me is telling me to swap the slx shifters & front mech to XT, just so it has the full XT running gear. But that can wait, there is seriously no actual need.

Jules.

omgimcrap

If you're riding Mendips and Quantocks i guess you're not too far from W-S-M?

Pop in to Somerset Bike Centre. They have a beautiful black and red carbon FSR Stumpy test bike @ £3000. It's not been out of the shop yet i dont think.

If you're 100% after an EVO then you have more than enough for the aluminium one. They still weigh in under 30lbs and are only 1lb 2oz heavier than the carbon........roughly give or take £100 per ounce. ;-)

handsome devil

I will test one or two over the coming weeks but am leaning towards a Zesty 414 (new for 2013) and while not carbon, does have decent spec (full XT, Fox front & rear, Mavic, Thomson finishing kit, etc) and comes in under budget (in addition to any further discount I can negotiate)

Nice, slack head angle (66.5) and 140/150mm of travel ticks all the relevant boxes as far as I`m concerned. Would like to stay with Spesh as my Stumpy has been nothing short of bulletproof for the last 31/2 years but just fancy a complete change really.

Am still liking the Yeti ASR5 though... :roll:

handsome devil

Update!

Demo`d a 2013 Zesty 314 this morning and loved it! Excellent suspension platform, rear is sooo plush (used Trail mode for most of the ride and Climb for, well, the climbs

Not sure about the tyres (Scwalbe Nobby Nic up front and Rocket Ron on the rear and feel a slightly longer stem would suit me (maybe 80mm rather than the 70mm fitted as standard) but other than that a great ride!

However, what will the benefits be with a 714 over the 314?

314 as below;

http://www.lapierre-bikes.co.uk/mtb/tra ... 14#onglets

714;

http://www.lapierre-bikes.co.uk/mtb/tra ... 14#onglets

I know there is the 514 inbetween these but this has an open bath fork (rather than FIT) and I feel there is not enough extra spec for the additional £600 over the 314 (somebody will be along to disagree with this no doubt

Obviously weight (around 3-4Ibs), Crosstrail rather than Crossrides, Reverb Stealth, XT shifters v SLX, Boost Valve shock rather than standard, Thomson stem and Easton bars...

Is all this worth an extra £1400??

Opinions welcomed....

paulmcconnell

I would go with the 514, you are missing the main difference between the 314 and 514 & 714, is that they are carbon framed bikes, where the 314 is Ally.
The 514 is essentially a 314 with a carbon frame, yes as you rightly say it has open bathed forks as apposed to the FIT ones on the 314, but I have ridden with both and I couldn't tell the difference.
If you really can't live with open bathed forks, Mojo will upgrade to FIT dampers on your first service for a cost of £199, if you bought the Ally frame, that is not such an easy upgrade.
I have weighed up all the pros and cons as you have, and have put my money down on a 514 fitted with EI suspension.

bennett_346

paulmcconnell wrote:

I would go with the 514, you are missing the main difference between the 314 and 514 & 714, is that they are carbon framed bikes, where the 314 is Ally.
The 514 is essentially a 314 with a carbon frame, yes as you rightly say it has open bathed forks as apposed to the FIT ones on the 314, but I have ridden with both and I couldn't tell the difference.
If you really can't live with open bathed forks, Mojo will upgrade to FIT dampers on your first service for a cost of £199, if you bought the Ally frame, that is not such an easy upgrade.
I have weighed up all the pros and cons as you have, and have put my money down on a 514 fitted with EI suspension.

It's called alloy, not Ally.

paulmcconnell

If we're being pedantic, it's actually called aluminium.
I was just using ally to shorten it, alloy refers to a mixture of metals, which doesn't even have to contain aluminium.
Just saying :oops:

handsome devil

paulmcconnell - I know what you meant

And it`s a valid point regarding upgrading to a FIT damper further down the line. I may go for the 514 after all. It is carbon after all, has more or less the same spec (XT double cranks rather than triple, Fizik Gobi saddle being upgrades(?), looks better (prefer the colour scheme to the 314) and is the very top end of my budget (£3k).

Also I took the demo bike on a 10 miler up on the Quantocks today and this has definitely confirmed that it will be a Zesty I buy

What did you test? And where? What made you go for the 514?

paulmcconnell

I just sold my 2011 514, which I loved, to get the new one.
I haven't even ridden the new one yet, but seems to be a evolution of what I had. ie carbon frame, slacker geometry, wider bars 150 travel and the electronic suspension option just had my name on it!
By the way if you shop around with cash you won't pay the asking price.
My mate had the 2011 spicy, he's also going for the zesty this year, as mine did everything his did but not as hard work.
You won't go wrong with a zesty.
I had a Trek ex9 before the zesty which was a great bike, but not in the same league.

handsome devil

To end this thread (and for anyone who contributed and who is still interested), I ended up going for a 514. carbon lovliness, good mix of decent components and as paulmcconnell pointed out, the Evolution forks can be upgraded to FIT when in for service (although upon checking there isn`t an aftermarket CTD FIT upgrade programme yet - could go RLC if needing more tunability - thanks Simon of LoCo Tuning)!

Must give a special mention to Delta Bikes, Dursley (Jon and Paul). Exceptionally good service, very genuine and couldn`t have been more helpful.

Anyone in the Gloucestershire area should check them out. Much better than Noahs and Leisure Lakes IMO and also stock Orange and Yeti as well as Lapierre!

djones101

Bought a 414 and love it

paulmcconnell

Just got my new Zesty 514 EI
Upgraded from the 2011 Zesty, which was a great bike.
The new suspension is definitely better and the new CTD forks are plusher.
Only downside so far is that the Mavic Crossride wheels are not tubeless.
Deciding whether to upgrade to Crosstrails or use the Stans tubless conversion.
Well impressed with the EI system works superbly.
The bike looks quality in the flesh.

paulmcconnell

A few more pictures for anyone interested.

Mccraque

I ride a 514 albeit from a year or so back. I was worried about being overbiked.

I have to say though, that it is such a versatile piece of kit that it never feels like you're overbiked. Nimble, light, capable and a lot of fun..but with a lot of capability when the trail points down.

You can ride it all day and it feels efficient, hammer it around trails in Wales and it copes well (unlike my old Epic which I rattled to death!) and I've blitzed my HT over a few technical climbs too.