New £1,500 mtb suggestions please

kevinmorice

My Cannondale Carbon Rush was recently stolen. So I have £1,500 of insurance money to spend on a new mtb.

Ideally I would like to go carbon and full-suspension again but that doesn't seem to be an option in my price range without a gamble on ebay, unless anyone knows differently?

I have a load of spares off my previous bike, including spare wheelsets (QR x 26"), dropper seatpost, etc so it would be easier to go for something the same wheel size and skewer spec if the format wars on maxles and wheel diameters aren't going to turn them obsolete.

Suggestions please?

mcnultycop

Carbon and FS.

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s1p435 ... PEL-3-2012

mcnultycop

And another

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-compulsion-3-2013/

kevinmorice

An over-budget lefty (they are definitely not winning the wheel format war) and a 15mm maxle from wiggle?

Having bought 2 bikes from Wiggle and having no end of ridiculous problems from them I wouldn't touch them again for a complete bike. Parts in a box that their mechanics haven't touched I still use them for everything, but I wouldn't have a full bike from them, even at supposedly half-price.

cooldad

I blame Wiggle.

Obviously.

mcnultycop

I'll stop looking then.

kevinmorice

Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. I am just really frustrated about having my bike nicked. Then having spent a month looking for something even close the only thing I could get was a 3-year old ex-demo, aluminium off Wiggle marked as "minimal wear" which has been thrashed to the point that it needs a complete rebuild of the drivetrain, replacement pads and where the maxle was so badly damaged that the front wheel couldnt be removed. (So yes, I do blame Wiggle).

The whole wheel format nonsense is also putting me off buying anything at all until they settle down to a sensible standard. And in the meantime I have a garage full of perfectly good, decent spec parts that won't fit anything that is currently on sale.

mcnultycop

You said it'd be easier if it was the same wheel standard, not that it was a show stopper.

Carbon is the issue; loads of decent ally deals for £1,500.

(My roadie was from Wiggle and it was spot on out of the box, but I won't dwell on that).

rockmonkeysc

How about a Giant Anthem? It won't be carbon and not many full sus bikes have qr forks unless you go for a low spec.
Although it's aluminium it's probably lighter than any carbon full sus bike you are going to get without completely blowing your budget.
The Anthem X1 is £100 over budget
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s1p494 ... M-X-1-2013
Or the Anthem X2 is well under budget.
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s1p494 ... M-X-2-2013

I had the Anthem X3 which was excellent and only 26lb with a large frame and slightly heavy tyres. Both the X1 and X2 will be better and lighter.