Back after 4 years or so for advice on new bike

fowler002

As the title says I’m back after 4 years or so for advice on a new bike, back then I was looking at the Bossnut/Triple B and was also considering building my own but in the end neither happened.
Last couple of/few weeks been looking around, been looking at the Vitus Nucleus & Sentier(not sure if I should go base or step up to the next level in the range) also considering the Mythique but splashed out on a new gaming pc so not sure I can justify £1k+(wasn’t considering a new bike or could’ve saved money by not going so heavy on the rgb).
Any other bikes in the price range of the ones mentioned above? Have looked at the Voodo Bizingo but the Sentier has better specs on the parts for similar price(even the base is better and currently cheaper).

reaperactual

Seems like you've not quite made up your mind if you want a hardtail or full sus yet?

My friend has two Nucleus mtb's, no complaints (for £500) except they've got a quick release frame, the Clarks brakes weren't very good and both the Suntour forks have developed a tiny amount of bushing play after only a few months of easy usage.

For hardtails I'd choose the Sentier over the Nucleus with thru axles, decent brakes and a better fork.

Ragley hardtails are worth a look to compare price and spec, great bike from what I've heard.

Obviously a full sus will be okay but basic and likely not be well specced in comparison to a hardtail for this kind of budget.

Plenty more bikes out there to look at too so well worth more research, then maybe make up a shortlist of what you like the look of most.

fowler002

reaperactual said:

Seems like you've not quite made up your mind if you want a hardtail or full sus yet?

My friend has two Nucleus mtb's, no complaints (for £500) except they've got a quick release frame, the Clarks brakes weren't very good and both the Suntour forks have developed a tiny amount of bushing play after only a few months of easy usage.

For hardtails I'd choose the Sentier over the Nucleus with thru axles, decent brakes and a better fork.

Ragley hardtails are worth a look to compare price and spec, great bike from what I've heard.

Obviously a full sus will be okay but basic and likely not be well specced in comparison to a hardtail for this kind of budget.

Plenty more bikes out there to look at too so well worth more research, then maybe make up a shortlist of what you like the look of most.

Thanks for the reply, as I said I’m tempted by the full suspension but not sure I justify it and realistically the <£800(the Sentier VR is £750 then add the delivery) is my budget(could raise it for the right bike.
Shame I wasn’t thinking getting a bike in March as there was 15% off and I’m kicking myself for not getting the Bossnut/Triple B but oh well.

reaperactual

No worries. Undoubtedly you can have loads on fun on a well specced and sorted hardtail.

I'd say you're on the right track generally by looking at big bike retailers own brands to get max value for money for a new bike.

Mate bought a second hand 2017 Sentier years ago and it easily coped with anything he threw at it.

If you're not in a rush to get something there's been loads of sales popping up on C.R.C. recently. Maybe take a look in the usual places for something with top spec but second hand? Plenty of real bargains out there, likely to get you're hands something which would have little use, maybe even in as new condition.

fowler002

Really tempting as it’s almost half price but even more than the Mythique VRS I was looking at

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/p/nukeproof-reactor-290-comp-alloy-bike-deore

In terms of the hard tail Scout 275 Comp Alloy looks interesting, the 290 version is like £400 more for some reason.

Going to try to pop into my local bike shop tomorrow to see if they still sell bikes or only sell the accessories and do repairs/service bikes.

reaperactual

Without looking in detail at the spec Nukeproof is sort of the next tier up from the Vitus range. At a glance there's a flip chip to change geometry slightly on the Reactor as one example of 'that bit extra'.

The Reactor is a bargain for a decent full sus.

Really close to buying a Scout myself a while back but ended up going for something different.

Again not looked that deep into the details but if the spec is exactly the same for the Comp 27.5 and 29er versions it's because the 29er is by far the best seller/most popular wheel size.

Wheel size is a factor in making a decision or at least narrowing down your search. Having said that it seems like you're preference is for a 29er anyway.

Even if they don't have bikes for sale worth having a good chat at your local bike shop, likely they'll be able to help, give you some recommendations and sound advice.

fowler002

Stopped by and yep he’s not currently selling bikes said he might start up again end of the year, will pop by again at some point after I get the bike to ask about the local trails to use the new bike on.

The bikes I’m currently considering, anything else I should look at

HT:

Nukeproof Scout 275 Comp Alloy £1000

Ragley Marley 2.0/1.0 £730/£990

Ragley Mmmbob 2.0/1.0 £990/£1070

Trek Marlin 8 £849(for one colour, rest £1230)

Vitus Nucleus VRS £600

Vitus Sentier VR/S £750/£1000

Not sure if the Ragley Blue Pig/Race are worth the step up at £1210/£1350

FS:

Nukeproof Reactor 290 Comp Alloy £1650

Vitus Mythique VRS £1200(27)/£1370(29)

reaperactual

Probably pretty close a short list I'd have. I guess keep looking though, you never know something else might catch your eye.

I'd suggest you drop the quick release frame Nucleus because it is entry level (with the usual cost cutting crappy cheap hubs) and mediocre components.

I also reckon you might quickly end up wanting something more capable than the Nucleus for more rowdy trails in the short term as your not a novice rider and more getting back into it after a break.

No harm in going right into the nitty gritty and looking in detail at your bike choices and individual component specs reviews, etc.

fowler002

The more I think about it the more it’s becoming a choice between the Scout 275(would like the 290 but £400 odd extra is off putting) and the Mythique VRS(trying to decide if the £200 extra for the 29er is worth it, also the small is not in stock and I’m 5ft 7 with a 29-30inch inside leg so between small and medium).
Like the Reactor but at almost £1700 it’s way too much.

reaperactual

Vitus and Nukeproof have a good range of bikes in both 27.5 and 29" versions. A good few manufacturers have 27.5" wheels on the smaller frame sizes and spec 29" on the larger frames.

There's also a few mullet options (29 front, 27.5 rear), supposedly 'best of both worlds'.

Personally I'm a big fan of 27.5 and don't plan on going to a 29er anytime soon. I've had a go on a few but not rode 29ers hard or maybe long enough to notice the pros and cons of the bigger wheel size.

£400 extra for the Scout 290 does seem a big premium for just being a 29er.🤔

I'd suggest really weighing up the pros and cons when it comes to what wheel size you wanna go for. Considering your physical size you might find a 27.5 more suitable and easier to get to grips with.

29 is popular for sure but plenty of riders still love their 27.5" mtb's too.

fowler002

Ohh just noticed the Mythique 27 VRX has been reduced to £1300, the 29er is still £1900. REALLY tempted to pull the trigger, do I go small or medium is the question.
I know with the front wheel you just change the fork that supports the bigger wheel but does the frame support the bigger wheels at the rear? The chainstay size(whatever it’s called is 435mm(the 29er version is 455mm), saw a YouTube video where the guy upgraded wheels on the Polygon Siskue D5 to 29ers and the measurement for that back there is 432mm. Not sure if I ever will go that route but just curious as to the possible upgrades in the future.

reaperactual

Looked it up here:

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/p/vitus-mythique-27-vrx-mountain-bike?gclsrc=aw.ds&utm_medium=base&utm_term=

Great price for a full sus with decent spec and components.

I fall right between medium and large, (5'10", 32 inside leg) had a medium hardtail then got a similar full sus in large, both fitted fine and both feel comfortable.

Generally it's a good thing to be between sizes and you could choose either.

Ideally it would be nice to try out (or at least sit on) both small and medium sizes or it would be relatively simple to compare reach measurements with a current bike but I guess that's not an option for you.

C.R.C. have a good Q and A section and honest user reviews so take a look in there. If not you could inquire via e-mail directly with staff who'll help or through the Q and A for the best size options from someone who had a similar dilemma who actually owns one.

reaperactual

Re: changing wheel size down the line.

I don't know Dude. Always someone who tries this stuff out but a 27.5 is designed around a 27.5" wheel and vice versa, it's likely doeable but don't see the point if I'm being honest.

Maybe worth just changing the front end to try out a mullet conversion in future, Idk.🤷‍♂️

fowler002

reaperactual said:

Re: changing wheel size down the line.

I don't know Dude. Always someone who tries this stuff out but a 27.5 is designed around a 27.5" wheel and vice versa, it's likely doeable but don't see the point if I'm being honest.

Maybe worth just changing the front end to try out a mullet conversion in future, Idk.🤷‍♂️

Thanks for your replies, I’ve sent a dm to both crc & wiggle on Twitter let’s see if either replies. What do bike do you use?

reaperactual

No worries Pal.😎👍Hopefully you'll get a clear idea of the best size for you.

Had a 'semi aggressive' 2019 Orange Clockwork Evo hardtail (£1,200ish on sale) loved it! Stock pic from Internet:



After upgrading to how I wanted it I bought an Orange Five Evo frame last year then swapped everything over onto my first full sus, love it too:

fowler002

reaperactual said:

No worries Pal.😎👍Hopefully you'll get a clear idea of the best size for you.

Had a 'semi aggressive' 2019 Orange Clockwork Evo hardtail (£1,200ish on sale) loved it! Stock pic from Internet:



After upgrading to how I wanted it I bought an Orange Five Evo frame last year then swapped everything over onto my first full sus, love it too:

Did Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman deliver them? 🤣🤣🤣

Got a reply from wiggle, said they recommend the medium but didn’t answer the bit about if the current price was a limited offer(I need to know so I can make my mind up quickly).

reaperactual

😀 Yeah Tom helped out building it while Nicky made the brews.👍

My Mates 2021 Nucleus stayed at £500 then had a dropper post and pedal bundle offer until stock was gone.

His second 2022 Nucleus, (grey) the same. I noticed they still have the midnight blue and are currently selling them for £400.

I suppose you're walking the tightrope of when to pull the trigger, wait a bit for another possible price drop and risk it selling out.😬

fowler002

reaperactual said:

😀 Yeah Tom helped out building it while Nicky made the brews.👍

My Mates 2021 Nucleus stayed at £500 then had a dropper post and pedal bundle offer until stock was gone.

His second 2022 Nucleus, (grey) the same. I noticed they still have the midnight blue and are currently selling them for £400.

I suppose you're walking the tightrope of when to pull the trigger, wait a bit for another possible price drop and risk it selling out.😬

I was looking at the blue Nucleus before adding the VRS to the shortlist, is it an older model?
Apart for the bike what else do I need?

Helmet(got rid of my old one)

Shock pump

Air pump

Valve & sealant for tubeless tires(what’s recommended?)

Anything else?

Not sure if the Mythique 27 VRX will be reduced any further at the moment, probably for Black Friday/Xmas/New Years. That’s if they don’t put it back up to like £1600 before the sale then bring it back down to like £1300.

Btw thanks again for your help, I’ll make my mind up and get the bike ordered asap.

reaperactual

No worries, happy to help.👍

Yeah, the Nucleus 2022 model, don't think there's a 2023 model out yet.

Peaked helmets are practical for trail riding, preferably with MIPS for extra safety. Giro springs to mind on a budget, they do a good range and are relatively inexpensive.

I'd say gloves are a must for comfort, grip and protection. I like to wear glasses while riding to stop them watering when going quick and to keep mud, bugs, etc. out of my eyes.

Padded undershorts for comfort and bike specific baggy mtb shorts.

Maybe a proper sweat wicking Jersey and mtb shoes but no rush for those.

A basic trailside repair kit with multi tool including a chain breaker and spare missing link. Travel pump or CO2 cartridge, tyre repair kit to take care of the basic issues you might encounter.

Good to own a shock pump, important to get your spring rate/air pressure/sag spot on initially then you can tweak set up to suit you.

Can't think of anything else off the top of my head.

Can't tell you about tubeless valve or sealant recommendations, I'm still running tubes for now, yes I know, shocker, I must be the only one left.😲

fowler002

Well I finally decided to bite the bullet and placed the order for the Mythique 27 VRX and POC Kortal Race helmet(went for the blue, would’ve liked the green to go with the green bike but not a in my size) from Wiggles as I already had an account on there and the helmet was £5 cheaper(other things I’ve looked at have been the same price on there and CRC).
Got a couple of things I still need, will probably grab those from the local bike shop if there isn’t a large price difference.

reaperactual

Congrats Mate!🥳👏

Fwiw I think you've chosen wisely and got a lot of bike for the money.

Good helmet too, POC is a well regarded brand.

Wiggle and CRC is basically the same company now, (merger or sister company, something like that) so prices are usually always the same.

You've got enough to get out and ride, the rest of it can wait for now.

Bike delivery time's are pretty good, 4-5 days usually, so new bike day coming soon, yay!🤟😎

fowler002

Well the bike came earlier today, was meant to come on the 23rd(Friday) but apparently some delays at the Parcel Force depots in certain areas including mine. Was looking(probably shouldn’t have been to stop buyer remorse) a few days back and turns out the 29er version has been reduced to £1300 as well, too late for me unless I want to faff about and wait a week or two.
Looking the bike looks like it’s Race Face chainring , Sunrace cassette and Shimano brake, not sure about which is better in terms of brakes(Shimano MT501 or SRAM DB8) but guess it’s a miss on the chainring and cassette.
I thought I’d have to do the front wheel as well but looks like it’s just the handlebar & pedals, neighbour going to help me later.




Edit: got it put together and had a quick ride, smacked against a wooden fence on the right side wasn’t wearing gloves tho not much damage done. Damaged the left grip a bit as rested the bike against a brick wall.

reaperactual

I Don't think you'll regret going 27.5, imo it's likely better suited to you for being able to chuck around the trails.

Nothing wrong with Race Face cranks, had them on my 2019 hardtail. The Race Face X-type bb was sh#t and only lasted a year for me. I did have to destroy my crankset by cutting it off with an angle grinder to replace the bb but put that down to a rare one off situation.

Sunrace cassettes are great, had three (11speed) so far and wouldn't hesitate to choose them again and again.

Got a Microshift 11-46 recently because it was £20 on C.R.C. sale, that's great too.

Basic Shimano brakes I've never had an issue with ever. I only upgraded to alternative Shimano 4 pots for more stopping power.

Can't say if the Sram are better not not because I personally don't like and wouldn't choose Sram brakes anyway.🤷‍♂️

reaperactual

Wow, it's good looking, really like it and still a lot of bike for the cash, thanks for showing pics.

Grips are consumables and they do wear and get damaged easily on tight narrow trails.

Grips are usually one contact point item that gets changed out for an alternative preference to get more grip and/or comfort if cheap stock ones are lacking in those areas. See it as lucky it wasn't your little pinky getting squashed instead.😃