£2500(ish) on Mega, Foxy, Rallon x30 or YT Capra or Wicked

Kev43

Hi Guys I'm after a bit of advice as I'm after Enduro type of bike that will mainly be used at trail centres like Llandegla but also the odd visit to down hill centres like Antur Stiniog, basically I want a bike that does everything, climbs well and descends well.

I think I've go the short list down to the following:

Nukeproof Mega Am
Mondraker Foxy, poss upgrade forks to Pikes
Orbea Rallon X30
YT Capra or Wicked, not sure if I could afford the BOS suspension.

I was thinking about getting a 2nd hand bike but I don't think I know enough to avoid being sold a dud.

Any advice would be gratefully received

Many thanks

Kev

rockmonkeysc

I would recommend the Mega AM. Brilliant bike and great value.
If you go for the YT I would avoid the BOS suspension, service and parts back up in the UK is not good.

Kev43

Cheers for the recommendation RM. I've read some really good reviews of the Mega AM but the YT and Orbea are both higher "specced" bikes and again have all had really good reviews. In fact they've ll had good reviews I think that's why I'm struggling to pick one.

Thanks for the "heads up" about the BOS.

I've read some conflicting reports about the YT customer service and another selling point is that I can get a Mega from my local Trail Centre and try out for size etc. But then that Rallon with Fox Tallas is a gorgeous bike...

chrisw333

Isn't a Mega AM a bit much for Llandegla if that's your main riding?

I would have thought even a Mega TR would be toppish?

Kev43

Hi Chris

I'm not sure, I've been mountain biking for about 8 years but have never really got into the tech side of things with bikes so I'm still a bit of a newbie really. What I liked about the bikes listed was that most of the reviews said that they all climb really well.

That's why I made this post as I'm genuinely open to all view points.

Do you think I'll find it a bit of a slog going round places like Llandegla, Coed-y-Brenin etc?
Would the Mega TR be okay for places like Antur Stiniog?

cheers

Kev

Kev43

EDIT

That should have read "Do you think I'll find it a bit of a slog going round places likes Llandegla, Coed-y-Brenin ona 160m travel bike>

cheers

welshkev

I've ridden them on a 160mm travel nomad....did I need that much travel...no.

I'm looking at the YT wicked myself and also the canyon spectral.

but I'd probably choose a mega tr over the am

but that's just my choice

chrisw333

A lot of people say a hardtail is best for places like Llandegla & Cannock. Personally I prefer riding them on my Giant Trance (125mm travel 26" wheel) than a hardtail, but have ridden both (and C-D-B) on a hardtail with no problem.

I would have thought a 160mm Enduro bike would be a slog around Llandegla certainly. I've not ridden Antur, but suspect the extra travel would come into it's own there, but again lots of people ride it on short travel bikes and I'd guess a TR would be more than enough.

Personally, I'd get a bike suited to what you're going to ride most and if that's Llandegla and Coed-yBrenin I would have thought 140mm travel would be more than enough. If sold on a Nukeproof, I would think a TR would probably be more suitable. Will be interesting to hear what others who have ridden Antur think.

May be an idea to move the post to Buying Advice if you can?

welshkev

chrisw333 wrote:

Will be interesting to hear what others who have ridden Antur think.

the blues at antur you'd be ok on a 140mm travel bike - a friend of mine actually rode all the trails on his heckler, but he is a superb rider - last time I was there I saw 3 zestys being carried down the mountain as they were "fecked" as I was told

the reds and the black are rocky as fook and I wouldn't really like to do them on anything less than a 160mm travel bike - it was a mission to ride the black on my DH bike!

these are DH trails, so even though it's a "blue" trail, don't expect smooth easy trails.

again, this is just my opinion.

Thewaylander

Never understood why people thing things are a slog ona 160 bike. mine flies along no harder than the a 140mm bike i have access too...

Do you need it maybe not, but it does give options when heading off to different places.

PS im a Mondraker fan after riding a fair few bikes. including various VPP santa cruz bikes, giants, specialized and so on.

chrisw333

It's all down to opinions. I doubt a 160 travel bike climbs as well as an Anthem or a Trance. Someone was asking about a bike for Cannock the other day and most people were saying get a hardtail. I'd say Llandegla is easier than Cannock!

Thewaylander

yup but he also says he wants to visit centres like stiniog, where a longer travel bike gives him more options as i said.

I fount having a 160mm bike gave me a big boost in confidence to go have a go with a far more relaxed attitude.

rockmonkeysc

The Mega TR will be fine on all the trails you mentioned. It won't be easy going on Black Powder at Antur, you will get down but just a bit slower through the rock gardens.
The TR is definitely easier going on climbs, I ride with a mate who has similar fitness to me but when he is on his Mega AM he can't keep up on climbs. I have to work harder than him on rocky descents though.

welshkev

I suppose it does come down to fitness aswell, but I went from a hardtail to my nomad and I still think it climbs superbly well and I'm not really noticing me struggle up anything that I would have easily done on the hardtail, even with 2.35 minion and high rollers on there

Thewaylander

Tyres, wheels and finishing components used make more of a difference than comparing a 130mm bike to a 160mm bike in reality.

a 160 bike with light wheels will climb better than a 130 bike with lumps of lead... give them a very similar finish kit and bet you the difference in climbing speed would be fairly minimal in the real world.

Barrelmaker

I did a full day at Antur a couple of week ago taking in a mix of red, blue and black on my 140 mm spitfire, it was fine on everything, more travel would have been nice but by no means was the bike out of its depth. I've also done Revo on it and it coped fine.

Kev43

Cheers guys

I really appreciate you all taking the time out to give me some sage advice.

As I'm fairly fit (not a triathlete by any means) going by what a few of you guys are saying I should be okay climbing with 160 ml travel although I know I won't need that for Llandagla etal. I'm now seriously thinking about the Mega TR rather than the AM.

I'm going to try to demo the TR & AM but I really like the look of the Orbea with Tallas.

I've had a Chameleon hard tail for 4 years which I hammer down the blacks at places like llandegla but has put me off the proper down hill runs, so anything else is going to be a big improvement. Although saying that my Chameleon has been a great dirt jumping bike come xc so I'll e sad to see it go.

So I'm now thinking Mega TR or AM or Orbea X30.

Sort of back where I started but I think I'm defo going for 160 or 150 travel at the front.

Again, any advice on these would be gratefully received on the Orbea or Nukeproof.

Thanks again

Kev

welshkev

did you say the oreba has talas? fox forks are poo, I'd go for the nukeproof as it has either pikes or revs

Thewaylander

welshkev wrote:

did you say the oreba has talas? fox forks are poo, I'd go for the nukeproof as it has either pikes or revs

A decent shop will swap forks on a bike though, alot of people are doing that at the moment.

Kev43

welshkev wrote:

did you say the oreba has talas? fox forks are poo, I'd go for the nukeproof as it has either pikes or revs

Really, I always though that Fox Tallas were meant to be really good forks. Do most people rate the Pikes over Tallas?

Thewaylander

talas has never been the best though its close onto the float now, both are a mile behind the pike in 2014

welshkev

Kev43 wrote:

welshkev wrote:

did you say the oreba has talas? fox forks are poo, I'd go for the nukeproof as it has either pikes or revs

Really, I always though that Fox Tallas were meant to be really good forks. Do most people rate the Pikes over Tallas?

I've only had 1 set of fox forks and they performed 'ok' but I had really bad station wear and had to bin them. the pikes I've tried have been a million times better than any fox I've tried.

plus the equivalent fox to a pike is £200 more!!

Kev43

Thanks again guys for the warning. I'm going to demo a Orbea Rallon in a couple of weeks as the more I've read and seen of it the more I like it. I can really only afford the basic x30 model but instead of picking the upgrade option of Tallas forks I'll stick with the Fox 34 Float CTD and if these aren't any better sell them on Pink Bike and buy a pair of Pikes?

Then again I could just get a Nukeproof already with Pikes/Revelation. Is there much of a difference between the Pikes & Revelation other than 10m travel?

Cheers

Kev

welshkev

There probably is, but I don't know what

When I had a quick blast on a mates mega tr it was superb. The revs felt great.

Myster101

I've got the 2014 Mega AM which is normally used around Whinlatter (and also on natural trails around the Lake District). No problems with climbing and if you've been on the Red North you'll know it's quite a climb (so is the South loop for that matter). Point it downhill and it's an animal The pikes are great, so smooth over everything and easy to set up. If you think you need 160mm each end then go for it. Spec might not be the highest with SRAM X7/X5 but the frame, forks and shock more than make up for this (excuse for upgrading anyway ). If its too much travel then you won't go wrong with the TR.

But as always try them out and see which you like the best.

As for forks I've had 140mm Revelations (although my Revs were a slightly older model) and now the Pikes. Both great forks but the Pikes, for me, just clinch it. They just seem to work :?

Kev43

welshkev wrote:

There probably is, but I don't know what

When I had a quick blast on a mates mega tr it was superb. The revs felt great.

Nice one mate, I'm defo going going to try the TR and AM and I'm taking a Rallon out at Dalby Forest in a couple of weeks as well.

Kev43

Myster101 wrote:

I've got the 2014 Mega AM which is normally used around Whinlatter (and also on natural trails around the Lake District). No problems with climbing and if you've been on the Red North you'll know it's quite a climb (so is the South loop for that matter). Point it downhill and it's an animal The pikes are great, so smooth over everything and easy to set up. If you think you need 160mm each end then go for it. Spec might not be the highest with SRAM X7/X5 but the frame, forks and shock more than make up for this (excuse for upgrading anyway ). If its too much travel then you won't go wrong with the TR.

But as always try them out and see which you like the best.

As for forks I've had 140mm Revelations (although my Revs were a slightly older model) and now the Pikes. Both great forks but the Pikes, for me, just clinch it. They just seem to work :?

Cheers mate, that's good to know that you don't have problems climbing around Whinlatter. I was there last summer and really enjoyed it, even the climbs!! My local trail is Llandegla so knowing what Whinlatter is like I reckon I'll be sound with the climbs there.

As you say I need to have a go on both, can't wait!!

Myster101

Any update on this? Have you had a demo on any?

waughie

Just in case you haven't bought anything yet, as a blatant plug I have a 2014 Foxy for sale in the classifieds that would give you the change for a fork upgrade. Its essentially brand new too!

Kev43

Myster101 wrote:

Any update on this? Have you had a demo on any?

Sorry I've not responded sooner but I've not been on the forum for ages.

The old money situation was in peril at one stage but now it's looking pretty much sorted so I've have finally got my arse into gear. I took a Nukeproof TR round Llandegla today and it was amazing. Llandegla is my local trail and I know it inside and out but today was like riding a new trail. However it was the first time I'd ridden a full suspension bike on a trail and the first time I'd ridden a 27.5 bike so I've nothing to compare it with really other my poor old SC Chameleon hard tail; and there really is no comparison . The Mega was a million times smoother, faster and just as throw-about-able as my SC. Even going up hill it flew up all the technical climbs better than my old hard tail.

I'm planning a trip up to Whinlatter next week to take out one of their Foxy R's so that will be a better comparison but it will have to be some bike to better the Mega TR.

Kev43

waughie wrote:

Just in case you haven't bought anything yet, as a blatant plug I have a 2014 Foxy for sale in the classifieds that would give you the change for a fork upgrade. Its essentially brand new too!

Sorry to hear about your knee problems (I checked out your other posts) you must be gutted.

Have you still got the Foxy and if so where are you based?

As I mentioned above I loved the Nukeproof but I'm hoping to take out a Foxy R round Whinlatter next week so may well be in the market for your bike.