Help Help Help - Evens Ride2Work Voucher to Spend

npound
npound Posts: 7
edited July 2012 in MTB buying advice
Afternoon All

Newbie here and seeking advice from you chaps, please. I've just been emailed my £1000 certificate and I was all set to spend it on a Trek 6500 2012 [black & white, 19.5" model] with Evans and they sold the last one this morning. I'm pretty disappointed as I'd spent a week or so figuring out which bike I was after, and the Trek ticked the boxes.

I'm extremely desperate for a bike and my patience won't allow me to wait the 21 days for a new one, so I'm off to the Birmingham store tomorrow to see what they've got in stock.

On the phone they've advised me to consider the Pinnacle Iroko Two 2012 at £1,200. I've been through the models the've got on their website and there's so many different options, I'm extremely confused.

I want a hardtail MTB. I currently have a 2001 Specialized Rockhopper A1 Comp and it's done me very proud. I mainly cycle on the roads around my village, between 10-15 miles each time I go out and then get up to Cannock 3 or 4 times a year for a bit of off road fun.

So, if you chaps could point me in the right direction of up to £1,200 that'd be great. I'm trying to figure out the specs between the from forks / brakes / gears etc and trying to get an understanding of how the products compare to each other [ie I've just been told that the Shimano brakes on the Pinnacle Iroko Two are the same equivalent as the Exilr 5's].

Forgive the rambling, questions and help greatly appreciated.
All the best, Nick

Comments

  • waby1234
    waby1234 Posts: 571
    Have you a link to the Pinnacle? Are you limited to Evans?
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  • npound
    npound Posts: 7
    Yes: http://www.www2.evanscycles.com/product ... e-ec035900

    And yes, limited to Evans Cycles.

    Cheers.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Nice bike - are they letting you have it for £1000?
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  • npound
    npound Posts: 7
    No, said it has a £100 worth of accessories with it and I was after spending money on new SPD M324's and a Fox Flux lid - so all in all it works out to be about £20 more than the Trek & accessories would have cost me.
  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    I'd get the trek x-calibre if they'll let you have it for the sale price:
    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tre ... e-ec029927
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  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,439
    I had a look at the Iroko the other day, it's a lovely bike. I thought perhaps a bit overpriced considering it's a pinnacle but still better than you'd get with another big brand. If you can afford the pinnacle I'd expect youd be pretty happy with it. Not ridden it mind.

    I'd rather have the Pinnacle than the Trek tbh.
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  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    prawny wrote:
    I had a look at the Iroko the other day, it's a lovely bike. I thought perhaps a bit overpriced considering it's a pinnacle but still better than you'd get with another big brand. If you can afford the pinnacle I'd expect youd be pretty happy with it. Not ridden it mind.

    I'd rather have the Pinnacle than the Trek tbh.

    +1 - Pinnacle is a nice looking bike, well specced and will make your trips to Cannock pretty fun. I would dare say you might try and get there a bit more often if you had that bike :D
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • npound
    npound Posts: 7
    Thank you chaps, all good intel. My wife is trying to convince me that it's not too bad - but it's orange! I'm not sure I've got the b*lls to cycle about on an orange bike!

    I know the colour shouldn't matter, but my gut says that it's not my first choice...

    Cheers, Nick
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Don't worry about pretty, worry about spec and price. The best bike is the one that rides best within your budget.
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  • npound
    npound Posts: 7
    Ok - therefore CoolDad, between this and this, what do you buy?

    http://www.www2.evanscycles.com/product ... 0#features

    or the black and orange Trek: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tre ... 3#features

    Cheers
  • chrisw333
    chrisw333 Posts: 695
    Not ridden either but spec wise I'd go for the Pinnacle. It has the 120mm Reba (with 15mm axle) where the Trek has 100mm (and poss std quick release axle?).

    The longer travel fork will make it a bit more capable over the rough stuff. Both are very top end bikes for the riding you do - you need to get off the roads!
  • Briggo
    Briggo Posts: 3,537
    chrisw333 wrote:
    Not ridden either but spec wise I'd go for the Pinnacle. It has the 120mm Reba (with 15mm axle) where the Trek has 100mm (and poss std quick release axle?).

    The longer travel fork will make it a bit more capable over the rough stuff. Both are very top end bikes for the riding you do - you need to get off the roads!

    Considering its mainly used for road riding more travel is low on the priorities I'd be looking at the lighter option which generally is less travel, plus more travel doesnt always mean more capable.

    This also looks like a good spec'd bike and different, but its 2x10 where as the Pinnacle is 3x10 so perhaps you might favour the 30 speed for the road riding more so, depends on what you do - http://www.evanscycles.com/products/nor ... 1#features

    On another note for what you want, perhaps the Iroko One is suitable enough for you at £949 with £100 accessories. - http://ftp.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec035899
  • npound
    npound Posts: 7
    Thanks again to all. Spanner in the works, I've found this one: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bmc ... e-ec031117

    I think I'm going to go for this. Same spec, slightly inferior shifters, but brakes on a par?

    Thanks guys.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Some seriously nice bikes and a difficult choice in that range. I doubt you could go far wrong with any of them.
    I still like the Pinnacle and they ride nicely, and after saying don't buy on looks, that BMC just looks wrong somehow. But apart from that I have never even seen one in real life.
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  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    I still think a 29r would suit your needs well.
    I love horses, best of all the animals. I love horses, they're my friends.

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