New MTB - Please help me decide

ilias87

Hello All,

And thank you in advance for your help.

I decided to buy a new bike since I can also use the bicycle scheme.

I used to the ride allot younger but haven't ride at all the last 5 years.

I am looking for a bike that can satisfy my off road needs and maybe some XC or DH for a beginner.

Mainly I want to have fun on the weekends and get rid of the office stress.

I am ready to buy the bike below:

Specialized Carve Expert 2013 Mountain Bike
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... 1#features

My second option is:
Whyte 901 2014
http://www.cyclesurgery.com/whyte-901-2 ... sting=true

Please let me know what you believe and if there is any other option.

Many thanks for you help!!

Ilias

brucie45

ilias87 wrote:

Hello All,

And thank you in advance for your help.

I decided to buy a new bike since I can also use the bicycle scheme.

I used to the ride allot younger but haven't ride at all the last 5 years.

I am looking for a bike that can satisfy my off road needs and maybe some XC or DH for a beginner.

Mainly I want to have fun on the weekends and get rid of the office stress.

I am ready to buy the bike below:

Specialized Carve Expert 2013 Mountain Bike
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... 1#features

My second option is:
Whyte 901 2014
http://www.cyclesurgery.com/whyte-901-2 ... sting=true

Please let me know what you believe and if there is any other option.

Many thanks for you help!!

Ilias

The two bikes listed are very different bikes, the Specialized being a 29er with 100mm travel and the Whyte being 26er with 130mm travel. The Specialized is more for XC and light trail use, the Whyte being aimed more aggressive riding, the Whyte's are getting very good reviews atm from what I have heard. The specs are comparible but I would think more about were & the type of riding you will mainly do.

If you are looking for more of a do it all bike then the Whyte fits the bill better IMO. There are better bikes to be had at this price point but maybe the ride to work scheme limits where you can buy.

passout

The Whyte would be a load more fun in my opinion. Great handling bikes. Have a look at Winstanley bikes - the have some great discounts on Whytes - I got a 905 (model up from 901) for a grand, albeit an older 26 inch wheeled version. The one your are looking at is 2014 with 27.5 inch wheels - 1.5 inch of extra won't make a fat lot of difference IMO. Personally I sought out a 26er.

Both bikes highlighted are nice options though but I think the Whyte for an all rounder. I agree with Brucie 45 although he forgot that in 2014 the Whyte 9 series went from 26 to 27.5 inches.

ilias87

Really thank you both for the help!

To be honest i really like the Whyte, it's just that I saw that the wheels and the components are alittle bit better on the Specialized.

Passout the website that you suggested looks amazing and I found the Whyte 905 2013 for 1199 but not sure if they do they ride to work scheme. I will give them a call tomorrow.

I believe that I have no problem to stay with a 26inch since my height is 1.72m so not tall enough:P

If i don't find the Whyte 905 in a decent price since I still stick with the 901 any other models that I should search?

Many thanks to both of you again!

Cqc

Cycle to work is only on sub £1000 bikes, and IMO, the whyte is the better specked and better all rounder bike( especially if you are going to be doing more aggressive riding) it gets great reviews too

ilias87

Yes you are right anything more than 1000 I have to pay upfront. But still is good enough to avoid paying around £400.

Great if everyone's opinion is the same for the Whyte, I will definitely go for it!!!

Many thanks Cqc!

passout

I got this for 999 http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _2012_Bike but on cyclescheme. Because its a sale bike they add 10% - so 1000 on cyclescheme and 99 or 100 on top. FYI you are not necessarily capped at 1000 - depending on the bike shop and employer you can 'top up' some times. Anyway over the next year I'll spend about 700 total on my 905 - saving about a grand off the original rrp and 300 off the sale price. Worth it.

Also I'm 175cm with a 31 inch inside leg and went for the medium which fits me great - although I guess you 'could' also consider the small to be honest although I guess a medoum will be fine.

Been riding mine around the Lakes a lot recentlyand it's great - great descender and only 24lbs so not bad on the climbs either.

Edit: Just noticed that they've only got Ms and Ls in both the 901 and 905 but according to this I think you are an M anyway, might be worth asking on here for sizing advice anyway: http://www.whytebikes.com/2012/download ... _Chart.pdf

ilias87

Passout thank you so much for the info mate.

I will defo go for the 2012 then! The price is just amazing.

I will give them a call first thing tomorrow morning to order the medium since for this price is a no brainer!

Are you planning any upgrades on your 905?

The Rookie

passout wrote:

The one your are looking at is 2014 with 27.5 inch wheels - 1.5 inch of extra won't make a fat lot of difference IMO.

Especially as 650B is only actually an inch bigger than a 26er and not really 27.5 at all!

ilias87 wrote:

Passout the website that you suggested looks amazing and I found the Whyte 905 2013 for 1199 but not sure if they do they ride to work scheme.

They do, but they may not work with the scheme provider your employer is using - which is........

passout

Yeah, I'd probably go for a medium too although you may need to cut down the seatpost a bit to drop the saddle enough on tricky descents - I can't drop mine much beacuse I haven't done this yet, but then again I've never shown much seatpost on any bike that has ever fitted me properly (like this one). 'If' you do feel its a bit too big I'd try a 70mm stem (comes with an 80mm) and/or go for an in-line seatpost rather than the set back one it comes with. Ride it half a dozen times first though, as it may well be perfect as is.

Re upgrades, the spec on the 905 is really pretty good anyway - Whyte's own finishing kit is good by the way. I usually change loads on a bike, but not this time. I changed two things - firstly the grips which were a little too narrow for me - went for some on one foam ones with bit more padding in the centre. The Whyte own brand lock on grips seem good quality though. I also changed the front tyre to a Maxxis advantage - for more grip up front through winter. Kept the Aspen on the rear and to my surprise it had coped well with winter conditions in the Lakes where I ride (which is fast draining and not too muddy relatively speaking). Depends on local conditions really of course - the Aspens won't be much good in deep gloopy mud but I'd guess they be fine on most trail centres all year around. The Aspens are really fast & tough 3 season tyres - I'll put the Aspen back up front in early Spring I think as I like them and it should speed things up a bit. Only other thing was mudguards from Mucky Nutz (recommended - especially up front) and Crud.

Also if Winstanleys don't use your particular scheme, they do offer finance - worth considering if the price is right to start with.

passout

The Rookie wrote:

passout wrote:

The one your are looking at is 2014 with 27.5 inch wheels - 1.5 inch of extra won't make a fat lot of difference IMO.

Especially as 650B is only actually an inch bigger than a 26er and not really 27.5 at all!




Interesting. Why called them 27.5ers instead of 27ers then? Seems misleading.

The Rookie

Because 27.5 is half way between 26 and 29 (trouble is a 29er is actually a 28.5er....) so it looks good for marketing purposes, of course the name has now stuck so we'll keep it, and of course it does reduce the chance of confusion with old 27" road tyres which were a different rim diameter.

The rim bead diameter of a 650B is 25mm larger than that for a 26er.

ilias87

Thank you for all the great advices mate.

I called them early today and they support the bicycle scheme but they will add the 10% as you said.

I'm waiting for them to send me the quote and proceed asap!:)

To be honest in the begin I didn't want to buy a 26inch at all since I was thinking that it wont be future proof but I'm sure it would be fine.

Since as you say it doesn't really need any major upgrades I will try it for awhile and see how it fits me.

I will order the pedals below: Are they ok? Don't want to spend £100 for pedals though LOL

Wellgo Magnesium MG1 Pedals £29
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/well ... -prod44059

Many thanks,
Ilias

passout

Nice one - it's a very good bike with a really great frame at its heart.

Re pedals - look fine but I'm not the best person to ask when it comes to flat pedals as I always use shimano SPDs & have done for years.

ilias87

Hello All,

Quick update, I just paid the deposit for the Whyte 905 2012!

Hopefully I should have it with me early next week!

Thank you all for the great help!!

Cheers!
Ilias