What mtb?

Paul Rudin said:

I've just come back from a long weekend throwing myself down stupidly
steep slopes in the Alps and had a lot of fun.

I wisely left my aging hardtail Stumpjumper at home and hired a Scott
Ransom. I was pleased with this bike, but I have little experience
of full suspension bikes, so I'm not sure I'm really able to properly
assess the merits of bikes like that.

I am however now strongly tempted to get myself a new mountain
bike. Due to the lack of ski lifts in the immediate vicinity of
Cambridge I guess I should get something that can be ridden up hills
as well as thrown down near vertical Screaming Walls of Death 🙂

So.. any advice or recommendations?

There are plenty of long travel full sus bikes that pedal fine up hill
and rip going down, but you not going to win any XC races on one. When
I got my last bike I was looking for a bike I could ride all day,
which would make the most of any downhill sections on my ride and
where I'd be only loosing a bit of up hill performance. I ended up
with a Turner Sixpack (now RFX) with a propedal shock and more light
weight components rather than the normal hardcore groupset (X0 rather
than Saint). Fitted with a Marzocchi 66 with 20mm through axle I had a
rock solid bike that could take a pounding going downhill and fitted
with triple crankset so I could get back up the other side. I also
looked at the Santa Cruz Nomad which is also a great bike, I just
prefered the fluid motion of the Turner rear suspension compared to
the Santa Cruz's VPP design. Specialized have the Enduro, which is
supposed to be great, I just never found the specialized a good fit
for my lanky frame.

Things to look for, hydraulic brakes, don't mess about with cable
disks, 8" rotor at the front, a propedal shock or a frame designed
around VPP ( santa cruz, ellsworth, foes). If you want one bike to do
it all 'well' be prepared to sell you car, remortgage your house or
get a second job. Go to http://www.bonthronebikes.com to check some
prices on All Mountain bikes.

Good luck in your search.

Paul Rudin said the following on 06/08/2007 08:34:

Quoted message said:

I am however now strongly tempted to get myself a new mountain
bike. Due to the lack of ski lifts in the immediate vicinity of
Cambridge I guess I should get something that can be ridden up hills
as well as thrown down near vertical Screaming Walls of Death 🙂

I don't know about full-suss bikes specifically, but if I was in your
position I would be reading MTB mags and on-line reviews to come up with
a shortlist, then toddling off to several LBSs to try out some bikes.

Personally, I'll stick with my steel hardtail :-)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Paul Boyd usenet.is.worse@plusnet said:

Paul Rudin said the following on 06/08/2007 08:34:

Quoted message said:

I am however now strongly tempted to get myself a new mountain
bike. Due to the lack of ski lifts in the immediate vicinity of
Cambridge I guess I should get something that can be ridden up hills
as well as thrown down near vertical Screaming Walls of Death 🙂

I don't know about full-suss bikes specifically, but if I was in your
position I would be reading MTB mags and on-line reviews to come up with
a shortlist, then toddling off to several LBSs to try out some bikes.

very much a good idea.

also not being funny will you (OP) use it. if not you'll be paying the
maintences etc costs on it. for no good reason.

Quoted message said:

Personally, I'll stick with my steel hardtail :-)

i still have my totaly rigid steel one that i only stopped useing on the
beacons a few years ago. must be getting on for 14 or so years old. has
plenty of use around town with road tires on now. and the occation taste
of grass and mud when i'm being silly. i do have a newer hardtail that
is lovely to ride though rather unused as the area is lacking in hills
this being kingston area.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

Paul Rudin said:

I've just come back from a long weekend throwing myself down stupidly
steep slopes in the Alps and had a lot of fun.

I wisely left my aging hardtail Stumpjumper at home and hired a Scott
Ransom. I was pleased with this bike, but I have little experience
of full suspension bikes, so I'm not sure I'm really able to properly
assess the merits of bikes like that.

I am however now strongly tempted to get myself a new mountain
bike. Due to the lack of ski lifts in the immediate vicinity of
Cambridge I guess I should get something that can be ridden up hills
as well as thrown down near vertical Screaming Walls of Death 🙂

So.. any advice or recommendations?

Where do you find vertical screaming walls of death in Cambridgeshire?

Seriously, if that is where you do most of your riding a hardtail is
just fine - the only use for full suspension is taking the worst out of
the sun baked hoof-prints on the trails. If you are planning on riding
somewhere more challenging such as the Peaks or Lake District then it
could be worthwhile for the more technical trails although a good
hardtail is still quite usable. Perhaps spend the money instead on a
new hardtail with good suspension forks and hydraulic disk brakes as
good full suspension will cost you money.

Tony

Tony Raven said:

Paul Rudin said:

I've just come back from a long weekend throwing myself down stupidly
steep slopes in the Alps and had a lot of fun.

I wisely left my aging hardtail Stumpjumper at home and hired a Scott
Ransom. I was pleased with this bike, but I have little experience
of full suspension bikes, so I'm not sure I'm really able to properly
assess the merits of bikes like that.

I am however now strongly tempted to get myself a new mountain
bike. Due to the lack of ski lifts in the immediate vicinity of
Cambridge I guess I should get something that can be ridden up hills
as well as thrown down near vertical Screaming Walls of Death 🙂

So.. any advice or recommendations?

Where do you find vertical screaming walls of death in Cambridgeshire?

Drainage dykes :-)

My serious question is the OP's budget. If there is two grand burning a
hole (plus budget for subsequent maintenance of the various springy and
transmission bits) then its a very different proposition to "£500 is rather
a lot for a bike".

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

In article <[email hidden]>, Roger
Merriman <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

i still have my totaly rigid steel one that i only stopped useing on the
beacons a few years ago. must be getting on for 14 or so years old.

I'm off to the Brecon Beacons this weekend with some friends and we may
hire bikes locally - I've never done off road stuff before.
--
congokid
Eating out in London? Read my tips...
http://congokid.com

congokid said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Roger
Merriman <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

i still have my totaly rigid steel one that i only stopped useing on the
beacons a few years ago. must be getting on for 14 or so years old.

I'm off to the Brecon Beacons this weekend with some friends and we may
hire bikes locally - I've never done off road stuff before.

there are number of places that do hire no idea if any good. but lots of
hills to climb and decend. low traffic area so roads are quite good.
though the traffic on the A40 and other trunk roads does clip along.

i was born and bred in the eastern edge so ask away if you wish.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

congokid said the following on 07/08/2007 10:07:

Quoted message said:

I've never done off road stuff before.

You will enjoy it :-)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/