Was given a bike today is it better than my Giant?

Nate187

First post guys and new to this mtb lark so please go easy.
I have a Giant revel 4 (v brakes, sr suntour m2025 forks) which ive owned for 5 years. Not a great bike i know but i'm on a low budget and its done me well going up and down the promenade with the kids with mild off road use.
Today i was given a broken GT avalanche 3.0 roughly 10 years old but little use and kept indoors. I was given it by a family member and told if i can fix it i can have it, all thats wrong is a broken deraileur bracket which ive ordered. It has sr suntour XCM forks and disc brakes.
So which is better? The GT has a better spec but ive read Giant has brilliant frames? The Giant frame is large as i'm 6ft1 but the GT frame is medium so might be too small? Should i transfer the GT forks and discs onto the Giant to have the best of both?
I'm looking at doing some trails soon at Llandegla so would like something better setup for offroad.
Thanks in advance.

larkim

Not sure a frame designed for light use and a 63mm fork is going to make a happy partner with a 100mm fork, and I'm sure others will comment with geometry issues.

Bike fit is the most important thing. You'd be able to get around at Llandegla on the Giant (I've seen plenty of people there on far less competent machinery, myself included on my first visit!), and probably be more comfortable on that compared to the GT, but if you have the chance to get both bikes up there to try side by side then half an hour around the skills area or the lower part of the trails should tell you whether size is a big deal - though 6ft1 on a medium frame does sound like a recipe for an uncomfortable ride at best.

Nate187

Thanks for the advice. Hopefully the part to fix the GT will arrive by the weekend so i can fix it up and go for a ride on it and see how comfortable it is. If its no good for me i'll think about selling them both and getting something like a second hand voodoo hoodoo which i like the look of.

billycool

As above - Not sure you want to be swapping stuff over and a medium frame for you might bre a `bit` cramped. My HT is M and I'm 5`10" and on the cusp of wanting something bigger.

I'd see what else you can get - I know it's easy to say, but you really need something you'll be comfortable on and able to enjoy your riding.

Nate187

BillyCool wrote:

As above - Not sure you want to be swapping stuff over and a medium frame for you might bre a `bit` cramped. My HT is M and I'm 5`10" and on the cusp of wanting something bigger.

I'd see what else you can get - I know it's easy to say, but you really need something you'll be comfortable on and able to enjoy your riding.

I get that. My Mrs will go mad me buying another bike if i sell both bikes i should get £150-£180 so would only need another £150 for a second hand Voodoo. Which is better the Hoodoo or Bizango? from say 2016

The Rookie

Both pretty similar (except for wheel size) specced, of the two the Bizango seems to be liked better and gets better reviews for its trail friendly geometry, the Hoodoo isn't as up to date.

Nate187

The Rookie wrote:

Both pretty similar (except for wheel size) specced, of the two the Bizango seems to be liked better and gets better reviews for its trail friendly geometry, the Hoodoo isn't as up to date.

Ok thanks mate, 29" wheels seems the fashion at the moment :roll: