£1600 full suspension

RagnarL

JBA wrote:

That Anthem is a great bike. 130mm front and 110mm rear suspension will be fine on most trails. In the USA the 130mm Anthems are classed by Giant as XC-Trail bikes.
Maestro rear suspension is superb. Very little pedal bob, stiff on the uphills and fluid on the downhills. Combine that with 34mm forks and a decent shock and you have a very good suspension set up.

I have done Llandegla blue and red and BPW blues and reds on an older 100mm travel Anthem without any problems.

The Anthem is also a very comfortable bike for long days in the saddle.

Thank you for that aswell, good to know what people have rode on what and sounds exactly what I do and want to do more off. This is the one I am currently looking at and it's well within my (initial) budget.

https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/493/produ ... x#infospec

RagnarL

robertpb wrote:

A Calibre Triple B at £1400 with the discount card would be a good choice.

Thanks

I know they are all great in specs but what's the frame build quality like compared to other brands? What I mean is it worth spending a little more on another bike if its got a better frame but sacrificing some components?

larkim

With respect, would you (or I!) notice any difference in frame quality? By and large frames are made by relatively few factories and then rebadged anyway. I suppose the best you can go off is whether a frame specifically has a bad reputation, and I think the answer to that is no.

RagnarL

larkim wrote:

With respect, would you (or I!) notice any difference in frame quality? By and large frames are made by relatively few factories and then rebadged anyway. I suppose the best you can go off is whether a frame specifically has a bad reputation, and I think the answer to that is no.

I wouldn't have a clue... But a few people mentioned, especially when I was looking previously for my HT, how some brands have better frames than others.so just wandering if someone had a better idea. I'm pretty sure that all frames are decent otherwise people would buy them but I am just fine tuning my decision now

RagnarL

Thanks for all the help and advice people, narrowed it down to 3

The trance 3 based on the advice with the maestro suspension system and what I have already sat on, this I can get for 1700 with a special discount

https://www.certini.co.uk/58211/product ... range.aspx

The BBB

http://calibrebicycles.com/bike/triple-b/

Or still looking at the anthem

https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/493/produ ... green.aspx

I don't feel I can Stretch my budget to the bird ones unfortunately maybe one day. More likely be the bbb or trance as can't see me getting another one for a while so if I've got the more suspension travel least I can venture out further later in life and both are local shops.

RagnarL

Just one final one to add to this mix...

It's the next one up from what I showed before appricate it's the older model,

Specs seem all great so just wanted to ask your opinion on this one

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mountain-b ... /2067.html

jamski

Personally, if it were me, I'd go for the Bbb or the anthem. The Canyon seems a bit XC for me, and the Trance seems expensive for the spec.

Don't think that more travel equals better. I ride everything I want, including Bike Park Wales on a 120/130mm, and it could cope with more than I'll ever be able to do. 99% of the time I'm on local XC rides or trail centres. So the bike is perfect for those, but can handle Wales and other bike parks. Think what you ride most and buy a bike for that, not the 1% you do one weekend a year.

RagnarL

Sorry one more question though

I was reading through some of the other reviews and stumbled across this one, have heard of them before and seems to be around the right price range,

https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes ... on-review/

https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/son ... -nx1-recon

The geometry seems pretty smack on to what I need...

Your thoughts please?

Gonna make a decision on the next few days

RagnarL

Now I've just been told I can get an extra 10% of in go outdoors using some forces discount...

So can get the BBB for £1259.....

Which also means I can get the calibre sentry for 1800 but pretty sure that's more of a bike that I need

:shock:
Decisions I have to make...

???

jamski

I love the Sonder, but you'd need to add a dropper post too.

RagnarL

jamski wrote:

I love the Sonder, but you'd need to add a dropper post too.

Thanks again for your response

Is the one I linked to decent enough for the money if I then add a dropper?

It says +250 for the dropper which take sit up to 1850 but it's for a pretty decent dropper as far as I'm aware saves upgrading it later, like I said it looks good and the geometry seems to be pretty much bang on to what I am riding at the moment...

jamski

RagnarL wrote:

jamski wrote:

I love the Sonder, but you'd need to add a dropper post too.

Thanks again for your response

Is the one I linked to decent enough for the money if I then add a dropper?

It says +250 for the dropper which take sit up to 1850 but it's for a pretty decent dropper as far as I'm aware saves upgrading it later, like I said it looks good and the geometry seems to be pretty much bang on to what I am riding at the moment...

Personally, yes. In my opinion it's a frame worth upgrading over time. I'd get a brand X dropper from chain reaction though. They're £100 and great value. Easy peasy to fit.

RagnarL

jamski wrote:

RagnarL wrote:

jamski wrote:

I love the Sonder, but you'd need to add a dropper post too.

Thanks again for your response

Is the one I linked to decent enough for the money if I then add a dropper?

It says +250 for the dropper which take sit up to 1850 but it's for a pretty decent dropper as far as I'm aware saves upgrading it later, like I said it looks good and the geometry seems to be pretty much bang on to what I am riding at the moment...

Personally, yes. In my opinion it's a frame worth upgrading over time. I'd get a brand X dropper from chain reaction though. They're £100 and great value. Easy peasy to fit.

Many thanks jamski, I was hoping someone would say that as I've heard now the more budget dropper options and pretty decent.

Well I've got decision to make now. Think I'm there. Cheers people for the help and knowledge upgrade.

Promise I won't start anymore new bike threads

jamski

RagnarL wrote:

jamski wrote:

RagnarL wrote:

jamski wrote:

I love the Sonder, but you'd need to add a dropper post too.

Thanks again for your response

Is the one I linked to decent enough for the money if I then add a dropper?

It says +250 for the dropper which take sit up to 1850 but it's for a pretty decent dropper as far as I'm aware saves upgrading it later, like I said it looks good and the geometry seems to be pretty much bang on to what I am riding at the moment...

Personally, yes. In my opinion it's a frame worth upgrading over time. I'd get a brand X dropper from chain reaction though. They're £100 and great value. Easy peasy to fit.

Many thanks jamski, I was hoping someone would say that as I've heard now the more budget dropper options and pretty decent.

Well I've got decision to make now. Think I'm there. Cheers people for the help and knowledge upgrade.

Promise I won't start anymore new bike threads

The Brand X post is a fairly generic post that lots of companies rebadge and charge more for! I have a Race Face one which came with my bike that's more than double the price of the Brand X, but is essentially the same post! So, is it the Sonder? And if so, go for the 'rocket' colour, has to the the fastest colour!

JBA

jamski wrote:

So, is it the Sonder? And if so, go for the 'rocket' colour, has to the the fastest colour!

Ignore him, for he knows not what he says. Jaffa is obviously the fastest Sonder colour as it is closest to red, the fastest colour known to man.

p.s. I second the advice about a Brand-X dropper. I have had one on my HT for about 16 months and it has been faultless. I strip and clean then regrease the key way and seals every 3 months or so and it is still as good as new.

jamski

JBA wrote:

jamski wrote:

So, is it the Sonder? And if so, go for the 'rocket' colour, has to the the fastest colour!

Ignore him, for he knows not what he says. Jaffa is obviously the fastest Sonder colour as it is closest to red, the fastest colour known to man.

p.s. I second the advice about a Brand-X dropper. I have had one on my HT for about 16 months and it has been faultless. I strip and clean then regrease the key way and seals every 3 months or so and it is still as good as new.

I have an orange bike, Candy Orange to be exact. But it's called 'Rocket" for crying out loud, it's quicker than an eBike on 'roids.

RagnarL

Yep will be the sonder. Have just spoke to them and they will do a more budget friendly dropper for a lot less, the x-fusion manic. So least it comes all suited and booted.

jamski

RagnarL wrote:

Yep will be the sonder. Have just spoke to them and they will do a more budget friendly dropper for a lot less, the x-fusion manic. So least it comes all suited and booted.

Sounds great. Good service with the dropper too. Make sure you post some pics up when you get it. Sonder is a great little brand, nice to see someone doing something a bit different to the norm, you'll love it!

RagnarL

jamski wrote:

RagnarL wrote:

Yep will be the sonder. Have just spoke to them and they will do a more budget friendly dropper for a lot less, the x-fusion manic. So least it comes all suited and booted.

Sounds great. Good service with the dropper too. Make sure you post some pics up when you get it. Sonder is a great little brand, nice to see someone doing something a bit different to the norm, you'll love it!

Will do. All ordered. Cheers guys for all the help.

kinioo

oxoman wrote:

Yes your correct the Anthem is more xc biased, mine gets used on pretty much all red trails throughout the UK with no issues. If you want a bit more travel then go for the trance. The bird and the whyte are also good bikes, I'm just biased towards the better suspension set up of the giants.

I also have Anthem 2 - older version 26" and must say I took it everywhere - great bike!

If I was going to upgrade would go same route (one of the anthems @ Pauls)

Although, these birds look good!!

Chris

RagnarL

jamski wrote:

RagnarL wrote:

Yep will be the sonder. Have just spoke to them and they will do a more budget friendly dropper for a lot less, the x-fusion manic. So least it comes all suited and booted.

Sounds great. Good service with the dropper too. Make sure you post some pics up when you get it. Sonder is a great little brand, nice to see someone doing something a bit different to the norm, you'll love it!

Finally arrived today. Cheers guys for all the advice..

Picture as requested..

https://www.flickr.com/photos/182323529 ... ed-public/

JBA

Nice. 8)

Get some more photos and spec’ listing in the ‘Your Mountain Bikes’ forum.

jamski

Very nice indeed! Now to get it dirty, so you can clean it.

RagnarL

jamski wrote:

Very nice indeed! Now to get it dirty, so you can clean it.

Yeah will do soon, heading up to gawton next week to proper give it a run around wife not happy with its new home in the kitchen though...