Decent first full-sus?

vulva65

Hi guys,

I currently ride a hardtail merida big seven 100, I'm loving it but looking at getting a full sus, I want a 650b and am liking the look the trek remedy and the lapierre x-control, ideally want at least 120mm front travel, don't have loads of money so ideally would want to pay for it over a couple of years, any suggestions or recommendations on what to get and any deals people know about?

Thanks for your help guys!

rockmonkeysc

Forget about the amount of suspension travel and wheel size, geometry makes more difference.
You need to get some test rides on a variety of bikes to see what you like.
If you want to pay slowly then use an interest free credit card. Interest free credit from shops means you will never get the best deals.
How much do you want to spend?

The Rookie

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Forget about the amount of suspension travel and wheel size, geometry makes more difference.

Very much this, especially wheel size.

lawman

Cube make some cracking value and great riding entry level full sus bikes, the Stereo 120 29er and 140 27.5 are both great bikes with awesome kit for the money. the Stereo 120 HPA is £1399 and comes with a full xt drivetrain and decent fork and shock.

lostboysaint

Boardman Team FS 650B is currently at £850 at Halfords and with British Cycling membership you'd save yourself another 10%. Great first full sus bike.

vulva65

Thanks for the suggestions guys, some lovely bikes to look at there. I'm looking at spending less than £1500 if possible, I'm doing a lot of trail and cross country riding so am needing something just as capable as getting up the hills as getting down, would also be interested on people's opinions on bikes having just a single ring with 10 gears as opposed to 3 rings with 21.

Thanks again for your help guys.

Escher303

There's some great deals on Giant Anthem 2014 models online at the moment. I got one in the January sale and it's outstanding. I ride a lot of XC and trail centres and despite it being heavier it keeps getting picked over my carbon 29er as it handles so sweetly and is so much fun to ride. With your budget you could change it to 1 x 10 with a narrow wide chainring and maybe even afford a dropper post. That would be an extremely capable bike for not a great deal of money.

The Rookie

Vulva65 wrote:

would also be interested on people's opinions on bikes having just a single ring with 10 gears as opposed to 3 rings with 21.

21! You shouldn't be looking at anything with just 7 at that back at that price!

I ride 1x9, as does my daughter, the only place we (well she as I didn't go) have struggled is at Nant due to the longer climbs, 1x10 gives you a slightly lower bottom gear and you can also use a range expander to give you a greater ratio spread, in fact 1x10 with a range expander gets pretty close to matching 3x9 (27) less topmost and bottom most gears (bottom most is pretty much unuseable anyway as its so short geared).

Personally for trail riding I wouldn't use anything but 1x now, less weight, less clutter, less to go wrong, although I know some people mount a granny ring and flip it down by hand for long climbs and then back up once at the top, which gives you a bail out option.

rockmonkeysc

I ride with 1x10 and would never go back to a double or triple chainset. Front mechs are crap.

The Rookie

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I ride with 1x10 and would never go back to a double or triple chainset. Front mechs are crap.

Perhaps rather a sweeping statement? I would have a front mech on a bike where it made sense to, such as a continental style 'trecking' mountain bike, but for most UK Trail riding I would agree, and yes you need to apply some though in front mech use so you dont need to change at the front during an technical section.

I have a front mech on my 1997 Fuji as it's built as a period bike and would look wrong without, it also has 28/38/48 rings which I wouldn't have from choice either as it means too many shifts from granny to mid ring versus a 22/32/42.

rockmonkeysc

I meant for me personally. Its not right for everyone.

mark_fogel

lostboysaint wrote:

Boardman Team FS 650B is currently at £850 at Halfords and with British Cycling membership you'd save yourself another 10%. Great first full sus bike.

+1 I just picked one up for £791 including 1 year service plan and I love it!