AM bike around £1500...?

benchallinor
benchallinor Posts: 38
edited February 2014 in MTB buying advice
Like many others at the moment it seems, I'm looking for an all-mountain bike for around £1,500.

I've kind of narrowed it down to the following:

Canyon Spectral AL 6.0
http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes ... tml?b=3255

Commencal Meta AM 3 (2013)
http://www.commencal-store.co.uk/PBSCPr ... D=12501255

Titus El Guapo
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBTIELGX5/t ... ntain-bike

Any advice on these particular bikes, or others similar would be much appreciated.

Comments

  • AAddict
    AAddict Posts: 77
    If you want all mountain you'll want a decent fork, those longer travel Fox 32's are too skinny and flex a lot. El Guapo is a lot of bike for the money.
  • kammybear
    kammybear Posts: 500
    Flex is only really a problem if he's really fat or muscular?
  • bluechair84
    bluechair84 Posts: 4,352
    Not just fat or muscular, if you like riding rough descents fast, at any personal weight, you'll find the step up to a stiffer fork noticeable as tracking is big deal. But, if you've only ever ridden 32s, you're probably not riding and thinking to yourself 'man, I wish this fork was stiffer'. You ride to accomodate what's beneath you.
    MTB Blog: Fouriers thick/thin and 42t crawler: First Look

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  • benchallinor
    benchallinor Posts: 38
    Cheers for the replies. I'm not fat or muscular! And the Fox 32 might not be a problem as I've never ridden anything stiffer :oops:

    Saying that if I can get a stiffer fork for the same money then why not. Does anyone have experience of the El Guapo? I've never really heard of it until I started looking recently.

    The main downside of the Commencal and Canyon is that I'd be ordering them from overseas...

    Does anyone have any other suggestions for around the same price? I like the Cube Fritzz 160 Pro, but it seems to have a similar/slightly lower spec for more money.
  • AAddict
    AAddict Posts: 77
    benchallinor wrote:
    Cheers for the replies. I'm not fat or muscular! And the Fox 32 might not be a problem as I've never ridden anything stiffer :oops:

    Saying that if I can get a stiffer fork for the same money then why not. Does anyone have experience of the El Guapo? I've never really heard of it until I started looking recently.

    The main downside of the Commencal and Canyon is that I'd be ordering them from overseas...

    Does anyone have any other suggestions for around the same price? I like the Cube Fritzz 160 Pro, but it seems to have a similar/slightly lower spec for more money.

    The El Guapo is pretty well thought of. I have the new Cube Fritzz 160 Pro (got it last week), I love it so far but due to the crappy weather it's not had a proper spanking yet. Great spec and quality for the money.

    fritzz1_zps1edd9465.jpg
  • AAddict
    AAddict Posts: 77
    kammybear wrote:
    Flex is only really a problem if he's really fat or muscular?


    That has nothing to do with a fork not being stiff.
  • benchallinor
    benchallinor Posts: 38
    I do like the look of the Fritzz, but £1800 is just a bit more than I want to spend I think. Can I ask why you went for the Cube over the El Guapo? And have you found that 160mm travel is too much or ok? The Canyon is less than the others at 140mm and I was thinking this would be enough for me.
  • Cqc
    Cqc Posts: 951
    AAddict wrote:
    benchallinor wrote:
    Cheers for the replies. I'm not fat or muscular! And the Fox 32 might not be a problem as I've never ridden anything stiffer :oops:

    Saying that if I can get a stiffer fork for the same money then why not. Does anyone have experience of the El Guapo? I've never really heard of it until I started looking recently.

    The main downside of the Commencal and Canyon is that I'd be ordering them from overseas...

    Does anyone have any other suggestions for around the same price? I like the Cube Fritzz 160 Pro, but it seems to have a similar/slightly lower spec for more money.

    The El Guapo is pretty well thought of. I have the new Cube Fritzz 160 Pro (got it last week), I love it so far but due to the crappy weather it's not had a proper spanking yet. Great spec and quality for the money.

    fritzz1_zps1edd9465.jpg
    I would personally go for the el guano as more important that the stiffness of the fork, the ctd fork on the canyon is terrible whatever the stanchion width, and dude with the cube, get pedals to do justice to the bike, those ones are crap.
  • AAddict
    AAddict Posts: 77
    Cqc wrote:
    AAddict wrote:
    benchallinor wrote:
    Cheers for the replies. I'm not fat or muscular! And the Fox 32 might not be a problem as I've never ridden anything stiffer :oops:

    Saying that if I can get a stiffer fork for the same money then why not. Does anyone have experience of the El Guapo? I've never really heard of it until I started looking recently.

    The main downside of the Commencal and Canyon is that I'd be ordering them from overseas...

    Does anyone have any other suggestions for around the same price? I like the Cube Fritzz 160 Pro, but it seems to have a similar/slightly lower spec for more money.

    The El Guapo is pretty well thought of. I have the new Cube Fritzz 160 Pro (got it last week), I love it so far but due to the crappy weather it's not had a proper spanking yet. Great spec and quality for the money.

    fritzz1_zps1edd9465.jpg
    I would personally go for the el guano as more important that the stiffness of the fork, the ctd fork on the canyon is terrible whatever the stanchion width, and dude with the cube, get pedals to do justice to the bike, those ones are crap.

    They are bike shop freebies, the photo was taken the day I collected the bike and went for a quick blast. It's now wearing black V12's.
  • AAddict
    AAddict Posts: 77
    benchallinor wrote:
    I do like the look of the Fritzz, but £1800 is just a bit more than I want to spend I think. Can I ask why you went for the Cube over the El Guapo? And have you found that 160mm travel is too much or ok? The Canyon is less than the others at 140mm and I was thinking this would be enough for me.

    I wanted to buy from a local bike shop for ease of warranty/service and wanted to test ride. I was using a £1000 cycle to work voucher towards the bike and my local shop absorb the 12% fee and on-one.co.uk don't. Also I love the look (superficial I know :lol: ) and like the Cube brand. 160mm feels good, the RS Pike feels amazingly good. It's not too slack (66.5 deg head angle), so doesn't feel like a free-ride bike but the travel feels bottomless. Can't wait to give it a real workout on some rough stuff.
  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    benchallinor wrote:
    Does anyone have experience of the El Guapo?

    Very briefly (and from the viewpoint of a newbie). Compared to my Team FS it felt long, low, slack and plush as f**k, like it would plow through pretty much anything.

    http://www.great-rock.co.uk/2012/03/feeling-el-guapo/

    For an owner's viewpoint there's at least one on here. Is it Lawman?
  • benchallinor
    benchallinor Posts: 38
    It looks like the El Guapo won't be around for much longer, only 2 mediums left according to the website so it will probably be sold out by the time I'm ready to order. So next on the list is the Giant Reign 2, which is £1200 on Pauls Cycles. This is the cheapest bike I've looked at and I'm wondering if I'll find anything comparable at this price. I quite like the idea of it having a bike that can be upgraded as I go along. Any thoughts on this bike would be appreciated...
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    benchallinor wrote:
    Does anyone have experience of the El Guapo?

    Very briefly (and from the viewpoint of a newbie). Compared to my Team FS it felt long, low, slack and plush as f**k, like it would plow through pretty much anything.

    http://www.great-rock.co.uk/2012/03/feeling-el-guapo/

    For an owner's viewpoint there's at least one on here. Is it Lawman?

    Certainly not me! :lol: I do believe it's angry bird that has one, although another has recently popped up as well.

    Another option is this - http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s1p493 ... IGN-1-2013

    Great value for money or they do a slightly lower specced model for £1200, could sell the fork off it and get a Pike or Fox 34
  • benchallinor
    benchallinor Posts: 38
    That's the best plan I've got at the moment. Go for the Reign 2 and upgrade to Pikes and a new shock next year perhaps, if I feel the need to.
  • Cqc
    Cqc Posts: 951
    lawman wrote:
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    benchallinor wrote:
    Does anyone have experience of the El Guapo?

    Very briefly (and from the viewpoint of a newbie). Compared to my Team FS it felt long, low, slack and plush as f**k, like it would plow through pretty much anything.

    http://www.great-rock.co.uk/2012/03/feeling-el-guapo/

    For an owner's viewpoint there's at least one on here. Is it Lawman?

    Certainly not me! :lol: I do believe it's angry bird that has one, although another has recently popped up as well.

    Another option is this - http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s1p493 ... IGN-1-2013

    Great value for money or they do a slightly lower specced model for £1200, could sell the fork off it and get a Pike or Fox 34
    The reign 2 is a great buy unlike this one with its horrible fox suspension
  • KevChallis
    KevChallis Posts: 646
    I ordered a reign 2 last night, paid extra for weekend delivery, so it will be here tomorrow :D not excited.... MUCH!!
    Kev
    PlanetX Pro Carbon
    Voodoo Bizango
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    Cqc wrote:
    lawman wrote:
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    benchallinor wrote:
    Does anyone have experience of the El Guapo?

    Very briefly (and from the viewpoint of a newbie). Compared to my Team FS it felt long, low, slack and plush as f**k, like it would plow through pretty much anything.

    http://www.great-rock.co.uk/2012/03/feeling-el-guapo/

    For an owner's viewpoint there's at least one on here. Is it Lawman?

    Certainly not me! :lol: I do believe it's angry bird that has one, although another has recently popped up as well.

    Another option is this - http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s1p493 ... IGN-1-2013

    Great value for money or they do a slightly lower specced model for £1200, could sell the fork off it and get a Pike or Fox 34
    The reign 2 is a great buy unlike this one with its horrible fox suspension

    By no means a bad fork, it just lacks a big range of adjustment. It has the FIT sealed cartridge which is great and CTD, while not allowing a huge range of compression adjustment, is not half as bad as people who read a few mags/forums will believe. It's not as good as the old RLC damper, but its still better than a lot of people make it out to be. Certainly not a reason to completely discount a bike, which has better kit on it anyway.
  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    lawman wrote:
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    benchallinor wrote:
    Does anyone have experience of the El Guapo?

    Very briefly (and from the viewpoint of a newbie). Compared to my Team FS it felt long, low, slack and plush as f**k, like it would plow through pretty much anything.

    http://www.great-rock.co.uk/2012/03/feeling-el-guapo/

    For an owner's viewpoint there's at least one on here. Is it Lawman?

    Certainly not me! :lol: I do believe it's angry bird that has one,

    Ah, I believe you could be right.
  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    benchallinor wrote:
    It looks like the El Guapo won't be around for much longer, only 2 mediums left according to the website so it will probably be sold out by the time I'm ready to order.

    I would assume they'll be making more (they've sold out before, I guess they manufacture the frames in batches) - They've only just launched the current version, and there's no replacement for it in the pipeline that they've announced (the Codeine's a 29er).
  • benchallinor
    benchallinor Posts: 38
    That's good news. I just assumed at that price it was the end of this version.
  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    Not unless they've got something that they're keeping under their hat.
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    Not unless they've got something that they're keeping under their hat.

    The Jekyll will likely be 650b next season, Jerome Clementz has been riding a 650b prototype since the end of last season, pretty much straight after the final EWS round from what I've read. Looks the same, different geometry, bigger wheels, same silly pull shock
  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    lawman wrote:
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    Not unless they've got something that they're keeping under their hat.

    The Jekyll will likely be 650b next season, Jerome Clementz has been riding a 650b prototype since the end of last season, pretty much straight after the final EWS round from what I've read. Looks the same, different geometry, bigger wheels, same silly pull shock

    Jekyll? As in Canondale? I'm confused now, i was talking about the El Guapo?
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    Must have got this thread confused with another, it was a long day yesterday :oops: ignore me, nothing to see here!
  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    I did wonder if you'd cross threaded your post :lol:

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