Dh bike, 3 choices

lugsey2k5

Hello,
Looking to buy my first DH bike with a budget of around 2k

First option is the canyon Torque: https://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbike ... tml?b=3060 £2156
The Norco aurum 1 http://www.evanscycles.com/products/nor ... e-ec031651 £2000
or a Nuke proof scalp pro 2012 : http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=75655 £2000.
•Rear Shock: Cane Creek Double Barrel, 400lb Steel Spring
•Forks: RockShox BoXXer RC2, 200mm Travel, 20mm Maxle Lite Thru Axle
•Handlebars: Nukeproof Warhead 760 Riser Bar, 25mm Rise
•Stem: Nukeproof Warhead BoXXer Direct Mount
•Headset: Nukeproof 49IISS
•Chainset: Truvativ Descendant GXP, 36t, 165mm
•Chainguide: Truvativ X0 ISCG05, 36-40t, Black
•Chain: SRAM PC-1051
•Cassette: SRAM PG-1070, 11-26t, 10-Speed
•Shifter: SRAM X9
•Rear Derailleur: SRAM X0
•Brakes: Avid X0, 200mm Rotors


The Canyon is in stock and would come with a warranty.
The aurum which i like the look of best is 2nd hand but never been ridden, the owner has offered me the receipt but it has his name and address on so no guarantee i could use it in a warranty situation.
The Scalp has been ridden around 6 times with only the odd minor scratch, im waiting to hear back about the receipt but it has the best spec.

I would sell the brakes on the aurum as new and replace with xt or slx.

Seriously stuck as to what to do.

Anyone got any ideas? how much value should i put on having a warranty. All the bikes get excellent reviews.
Thanks
Ian

scottfitz

I would go for the scalp

The Rookie

The Canyon, though read the BR review (recent).

How well do you know the seller of the Aurum? Well enough for him to make a warranty claim should the need arise? If so I'd be tempted by the Aurum, if not then given some of Norco's recent issues then no.

lugsey2k5

Norco s recent issues?
And I dont know him at all but could always ask.

felix.london

YT Tues £1,700

lugsey2k5

Considered the yt but would need new brakes as elxir 3s are terrible, didnt like the paint job or the rear shock.

ilovedirt

Norco hands down.

ilovedirt

The Beginner wrote:

How well do you know the seller of the Aurum? Well enough for him to make a warranty claim should the need arise? If so I'd be tempted by the Aurum, if not then given some of Norco's recent issues then no.

What recent issues?...

lugsey2k5

With the yt the £300 id save i could spend on new brakes. But i just don't like that paint. My zesty is currently in the middle of a warranty claim hence why im a little cautious of not having a warranty,

felix.london

Tues 2.0?..over budget?

lugsey2k5

Yer comes out at nearly £2400 which is easy over my original 1800 budget :-)

felix.london

£1800 to possibly £2150...it's horrible the way that happens isn't it.

Personally I'd go for the Scalp just from rider/trailside comments...people seem to love them

lugsey2k5

Always seems to happen when buying a bike. Same happened with my zesty. Went to buy a 314, the gf didn't like the colour, 10 minutes later I was buying a 514.

Very tempted by the scalp. Mate loves his, just waiting for more pictures from the seller.

Grovsie29

The nukeproof looks awesome and what a name lol.

dhooper7

Nukeproof for me

The Rookie

ilovedirt wrote:

The Beginner wrote:

How well do you know the seller of the Aurum? Well enough for him to make a warranty claim should the need arise? If so I'd be tempted by the Aurum, if not then given some of Norco's recent issues then no.

What recent issues?...

A few reports of frame cracks and paint discolouration, mostly on the sight, but then that is the main seller.

lugsey2k5

Nukeproof seller has said he will contact them on my behalf of need be.

Wankleburr

I Own a canyon Torque frx and i must say, they are great bikes great value for money however it did come with a spring slightly too hard for me. Rides spot on would recommend it.

lugsey2k5

As it currently stands is between the scalp and the aurum

rockmonkeysc

The Norco is a great ride but so is the Scalp. I would say they are fairly even but do have different handling characteristics and suit different riding styles. The Scalp suits me better so I bought a 2012 DH Pro.
I have ridden the Canyon and didn't like it. It just felt like an old DH bike that someone had bolted modern kit on. It's certainly no race bike. The YT is ok but I know four people who bought them last year, one now rides a Session 8, one has a Demo and two have Scalps but none of them kept the YT very long.
The Scalp is an excellent DH race bike. Its easy to ride fast, very tough & handles fantastically well. It isn't the lightest DH frame but it's not too far off the big names. There is a very good reason why it's one of the most popular bikes with DH racers on a slightly tighter budget.
Some people will say that the Cane Creek shock is difficult to set up but to be honest I found mine easier to set up than a Fox DHX or RS Vivvid just because there is a wider range and when you adjust the low speed damping it doesn't seem to effect the high speed like it can with others.
Spares are also more readily available than for most bikes. To get a linkage from Giant for my Reign took 6 weeks, CRC have Nukeproof frame spare available next day though I havent needed any yet.

lugsey2k5

Thanks for that. Very detailed. A friend has the scalp and loves it. He can also help set up the ccdb

adamfo

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I have ridden the Canyon and didn't like it. It just felt like an old DH bike that someone had bolted modern kit on. It's certainly no race bike.

Well it was good enough to win the group test in the May 2013 issue of MBUK !

Use free Novafile

http://www.pdfmagazines.org/magazines/l ... -2013.html

lugsey2k5

The only DH bike iv ever ridden was my mates Rockymountain Flatline. Was very nice to ride.
The guy selling the scalp still hasn't sent any pictures yet which is starting to put me off a little.

lugsey2k5

As for the Canyon, its got a good all round spec but it just doesn't seem special in anyway.

rockmonkeysc

adamfo wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I have ridden the Canyon and didn't like it. It just felt like an old DH bike that someone had bolted modern kit on. It's certainly no race bike.

Well it was good enough to win the group test in the May 2013 issue of MBUK !

Use free Novafile

http://www.pdfmagazines.org/magazines/l ... -2013.html

I wouldn't take too muck notice of MBUK tests of DH bikes. I have seen some of their testers at the local DH trails (near Bath) they really know how to ride the chicken lines :P
What I have noticed is that I have only ever seen one Canyon DH bike at a DH race and only a couple on uplift days. Scalps on the other had seem to out number just about every other bike at races and are often ridden to very respectable results. I know not everyone wants to race but DH is all about going as fast as you can, some of us just like to ride against a clock occasionally.

lugsey2k5

Well looks like its the Norco Aurum 1 for £1900.
The sell of the Scalp has been terrible for communication and i still haven't got any of the pictures i asked for.
I then checked his feedback and his last sale was for the exact same listing a week ago on an auction which ended on £1700, The buyer left positive feedback as if the deal went through. Made me suspicious, iv emailed both parties asking what happened but i think its added to the things that put me off. I also dont want to pay £2000 for a bike that sold for £1700 last week.

I preferred the Aurums looks and the fact it was as new, the main draw on the scalp was the better rear shock but i doubt ill notice the difference.
Thanks for the help.
Ian

ilovedirt

Good choice ^^ The Aurum is an awesome bike, mate of mine has one and loves it.

The Beginner wrote:

ilovedirt wrote:

The Beginner wrote:

How well do you know the seller of the Aurum? Well enough for him to make a warranty claim should the need arise? If so I'd be tempted by the Aurum, if not then given some of Norco's recent issues then no.

What recent issues?...

A few reports of frame cracks and paint discolouration, mostly on the sight, but then that is the main seller.

I've heard of nothing wrong with the Aurum, they're great frames.

rockmonkeysc

ilovedirt wrote:

Good choice ^^ The Aurum is an awesome bike, mate of mine has one and loves it.

The Beginner wrote:

ilovedirt wrote:

The Beginner wrote:

How well do you know the seller of the Aurum? Well enough for him to make a warranty claim should the need arise? If so I'd be tempted by the Aurum, if not then given some of Norco's recent issues then no.

What recent issues?...

A few reports of frame cracks and paint discolouration, mostly on the sight, but then that is the main seller.

I've heard of nothing wrong with the Aurum, they're great frames.

The Aurum is bombproof. The only reason they aren't as popular as they should be is that a lot of people are put off buying through Evans.

lugsey2k5

I went with the Aurum in the end. Seller was very friendly and helpful.
The bike was in mint condition and still had the stickers on the spokes etc
Rode the bike all weekend at Hamsterly Forest Dh and was amazed how much faster a DH bike is down that course!

Thanks for the help.

Ian

rockmonkeysc

Good choice, great bike. Get it on some proper DH tracks and enjoy it :-)