N+1...
angry_bird
Posts: 3,787
OK, so I'm fancying a new bike with some bounce at both ends and can't work out what I want. My problem seems to be that in the ideal world I'd buy 2 bikes 
Come early January I'll have £1100 (maybe £1200 at a push but certainly no more) after the student loan comes in. Just after a few opinions/comments regarding the various options as I see them... or any other options.
1) Get a DH bike from ebay/pinkbike etc. Seen a fair few IH Sundays and various other bikes too around this price. If I get one then I've got no more excuses for being a wimp, can't say "I'd do that if I had a bigger bike" (I'm aware there's plenty of stuff the 456 is more than capable of doing and it's only me and my balls/skill/lack of holding me back) but big bikes are much more confidence inspiring. This option would make the 456 fairly redundant though as it's useless at everything else So probably sell a few parts and build it up with spares as a winter/hack bike.
2) Get on ebay/pinkbike etc. and try to find a 140-160mm full suss. Something a bit not as stupidly slack as the summer season then keep the 456 for messing around on DH stuff. I guess I'll have to MTFU as far as the DH goes, as nice as it would be I probably don't need a full DH bike for the UK and where I'll be riding the next few years...
3) Get a nukeproof mega frame or titus el guapo (new), or similar 2nd hand, then whack all the components from the 456 on there (obviously sort out any compatibility issues). It'll weigh margianlly more than the 456 but won't be as stupidly slack. Then when funds allow sell/swap out any parts. Build the 456 up with spares into a winter/pub/hack kinda bike...
I guess that 2 and 3 are probably most sensible, I'd get a (slightly heavy) all-rounder, but I keep thinking I really want a DH bike, but then it's farily useless for anything but DH. It'll be a couple of years before I get another bike after this so want to weigh up the options carefully before invest. What would you lot do?
Come early January I'll have £1100 (maybe £1200 at a push but certainly no more) after the student loan comes in. Just after a few opinions/comments regarding the various options as I see them... or any other options.1) Get a DH bike from ebay/pinkbike etc. Seen a fair few IH Sundays and various other bikes too around this price. If I get one then I've got no more excuses for being a wimp, can't say "I'd do that if I had a bigger bike" (I'm aware there's plenty of stuff the 456 is more than capable of doing and it's only me and my balls/skill/lack of holding me back) but big bikes are much more confidence inspiring. This option would make the 456 fairly redundant though as it's useless at everything else
So probably sell a few parts and build it up with spares as a winter/hack bike.2) Get on ebay/pinkbike etc. and try to find a 140-160mm full suss. Something a bit not as stupidly slack as the summer season then keep the 456 for messing around on DH stuff. I guess I'll have to MTFU as far as the DH goes, as nice as it would be I probably don't need a full DH bike for the UK and where I'll be riding the next few years...
3) Get a nukeproof mega frame or titus el guapo (new), or similar 2nd hand, then whack all the components from the 456 on there (obviously sort out any compatibility issues). It'll weigh margianlly more than the 456 but won't be as stupidly slack. Then when funds allow sell/swap out any parts. Build the 456 up with spares into a winter/pub/hack kinda bike...
I guess that 2 and 3 are probably most sensible, I'd get a (slightly heavy) all-rounder, but I keep thinking I really want a DH bike, but then it's farily useless for anything but DH. It'll be a couple of years before I get another bike after this so want to weigh up the options carefully before invest. What would you lot do?
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I'd personally go for something like the mega or el guapo, it's more versatile and will still give you the confidence to push abit harder. I looked at full on DH bikes and imo they are very much for DH only and completely useless anywhere else, and tbh for our local DH trails, the geometry is more important than masses of travel. Where abouts would you spend the most time riding? If its style cop, I'd say a mega would be perfect for round there.0
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Stile Cop, Aston Hill, FOD depending on uni etc. Guess an el guapo/mega would be nice in the peaks too. Planning to get to either the Alps or that bike park in Sweeedland this summer too, guessing the AM bikes are pretty much meant for that stuff anyway...0
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some are way more capable than you think, the Mega probably slightly more so than the el quapo because its abit slacker.
Chain reaction is always a good place to look for cheap frames, I know they have Cove G-spots going cheap atm, but may be at the top end or slightly over your budget. Another option is get the el quapo with a CCDB air and then a works angleset to mirror the mega's geometry but you get a top quality shock too.0 -
Have you been on a dh bike yet? You liked the enduro, youd love a dh rig.
For what I do, I don't NEED a dh bike, but I'm so glad I got it.
It is obviously limited for use, so you may be better with a jack of all trades, 160mm jobbie if you can only have the one bike. I assume your keeping the orange for all out xc?
Or sell the orange and get both an am and dh bike...0 -
DodgeT wrote:Have you been on a dh bike yet? You liked the enduro, youd love a dh rig.
For what I do, I don't NEED a dh bike, but I'm so glad I got it.
It is obviously limited for use, so you may be better with a jack of all trades, 160mm jobbie if you can only have the one bike. I assume your keeping the orange for all out xc?
Or sell the orange and get both an am and dh bike...
Aye, had a few runs on an Iron Horse Sunday, was a bit peculiar looking with skinny old boxxers, and a play with a Spesh Status too, it was bloody fun and nice knowing there's so much bike there and that it's not going to get out of it's depth.
Can't see the orange going, not worth much and I really love it for xc stuff, for me it's ideal for Cannock and the stuff immediately local to me.lawman wrote:some are way more capable than you think, the Mega probably slightly more so than the el quapo because its abit slacker.
Chain reaction is always a good place to look for cheap frames, I know they have Cove G-spots going cheap atm, but may be at the top end or slightly over your budget. Another option is get the el quapo with a CCDB air and then a works angleset to mirror the mega's geometry but you get a top quality shock too.
Hmm those G-spots look great, sadly got to be honest and say they'll be beyond budget when I take headsets, hub conversion into account. Really am pushing the balance of bike and food for a term as it is
Mega does seem like a really good shout, guess the el.G is cheaper, probably shouldn't let that influence me too much if they're both within budget though. There's also fleabay/pinkbike for 2nd hand frames though, might be able to get a Spicy within budget I suppose. Think I'm definitely leaning towards the frame and swap components from the 456 route over the buying a complete 2nd hand bike.0
