[unclesomebody]

After selling off my beloved bike to put the money towards our Honeymoon, I'm now thinking about buying another bike so I can enjoy a week or two in the alps this summer. What I want is a do it all machine which errs ever so slightly on the side of hooning downhill doing big jumps and drops. The shortlist currently consists of
1. Trek Slash - I'm somewhat hesitant to drop a load of money on this bike because I think a carbon version is just round the corner and that will be lighter and better because, well, carbon is better. FACT. On the other hand, I am pretty sure you can drop in 650b wheels into a standard Slash without borking it up too much which would be interesting.

2. Specialized Enduro Expert (2013 or 2014 version) - I've not ridden one of these but it looks fantastic. I'd probably find one with a CCDB rear shock already installed. These bikes a complete rinse in the UK so I'd probably ship from the states which opens another can of worms regarding warranty etc.

3. Specialized Enduro Evo (2013 or 2014) - Again, not ridden but this is the bike that errs on the side of going down very fast. At 35lbs I think it's a bit heavy when the first two are around 30lbs. This would also be a USA import as they're about 45% cheaper over there.

I'm open, very open, to other suggestions. I've looked at a lot of other bikes but I can't see anything that really jumps out. I'm toying with the idea of a Trek Session 9.9 but I know it's a genuinely stupid choice given what I want so I'm trying not to think about it.

For all of the options above I'll be buying second hand because I don't like the feeling of falling down the start of a depreciation curve as much as I like falling down the side of a mountain. I've been scouring pinkbike etc but any pointers to other places to look would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Adam Lincoln]

Orange five with some fox 36's on it?
I was going to get the slash, but ended up getting a Mondraker Dune r. Great all mountain bike, and am slowly upgrading stuff on it.

[cofe]

Mate of mine rides a Five with Lyrik RC2DH.

Nukeproof Mega?

Considered the direct brands like Canyon or YT? Underground has a Wicked 160...

[unclesomebody]

Thanks for the initial suggestions. I don't want a single pivot design, so the five is out. Emi has a Canyon and rates it, plus Neil has a YT Wicked which he says is great too. I did have a look at the YT Wicked Pro but they're hard to find second hand and new isn't an option. Nukeproof mega does look like great value, just not sure if it's in the same league but if I wake up and get realistic then it's worth considering.

[bigtuboflard]

I'm currently on a Specialized Enduro from 2011 and a Status from 2013 and I think if I had to get a one bike fits all an Enduro Evo would fit perfectly. My bravery tends to evaporate long before the capability of the the a Status though it is really good fun to be on a bike knowing it will help you out when you over commit on shonky line choice. If you can find a good price Evo then you'd do very well. I guess though the real question is how much you'd ride this sort of bike in the UK.

[underground]

The YT Wicked is absolutely brilliant... mine is the Ltd (26" wheels) - and when I bought it was an absolute steal (can't remember what the euro-GBP FX was back then) - the Pro has a proper chainguide and I've added a E13 SRS+ to mine as the Bionicon one is absolute shit - although if you want to stay 2x10 an X9 type 2 rear mech will probably fix that. If I hadn't gone for it, I'd have been going for a Nukeproof Mega. Worth remembering that  the BOS suspension on the pro is probably going to yield good resale value if you prefer to replace with Fox and don't mind the minor hassle.

[unclesomebody]

YT Wicked Pro looks great value and the BOS suspension does hold real allure, but I've read about cracked frames and bikes being away for months at a time. I think I need to do some research of Specialized warranty to see whether or not it's global and if it applies to second owners etc.

This looks like pretty good value: http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1473732/  but I think it's too much bike for the UK. If I still lived in Austria then maybe but I can't see myself going out and doing a full day riding with Emily on this bike. I'm desperately trying to be sensible.

[bobkatebob]

Sounds like you want a bike which is on the freeride side of XC for the UK which will also happily go down DH in the alps.
I think it will be impossible to find 1 bike which will be good (to your standards)  at both, so the big choice is which are you going to get 1st ;-)

[fatdoc]

Very fair point boba

Deal is u want a bike park bike, but don't want 200mm of DH machine.

Sounds like within reason money isn't a deal breaker.

I would say, as someone who peruses pinkbike classified for a hobby, to get the evo or even 2 year old enduro 2nd hand will be darn lucky. I see a slash once every 14 days.. If that. Evos are hardly ever seen.

I don't agree with u on carbon. They break more, they do. ( even the journos such as Dirtmag agree on this)

Are u set on 650b? Personal choice.. But u cut down the 2nd hand option pretty severely by doing so.

Other new options... Way ahead in price and hype but with perfect reviews is the new YT goat...meself this months Dirtmag...

I would very very seriously consider a 2nd hand transition 250... It's exactly the  right for bike park. If I wanted another bike for 2014 chairlift riding it would the top of my list. My current commencal supreme 8 would be very close 2nd. Despite being single pivots the linkages hug the ground, are more compliant and less neutral than Horst link bikes, and push u down the hill noticeably.

I ponder some more

[fatdoc]

OK,

To aid your choice and everyone's advice

Do you want a certain wheels size?
What is your budget?
Are u averse to mail order?
What the realistic use going to be ( will ever have to have to be pedalled up hil?)

[underground]

OK,

To aid your choice and everyone's advice

Do you want a certain wheels size?
What is your budget?
Are u averse to mail order?
What the realistic use going to be ( will ever have to have to be pedalled up hil?)

and what country are you ordering in / delivering to?

[unclesomebody]

OK,

To aid your choice and everyone's advice

Do you want a certain wheels size?
What is your budget?
Are u averse to mail order?
What the realistic use going to be ( will ever have to have to be pedalled up hil?)

I'm not focused on a certain size of wheels. I've always riden 26, apart from a brief XC day on a 29er. I have no idea if 650b will be better/worse/faster/slower etc, I just think it's an interesting route to try and Physics is a tough one to go against.

Budget is flexible, but if I spend much more than £2k I'll probably be in trouble. I could stretch a bit beyond that if I save up a bit more and if the bike is right. The main thing is that I need to be getting a genuine bargain. The last 3 bikes I've had were sold for more than I paid (and the buyers certainly weren't ripped off!).

Realistically, I'll be in the alps for 1 or 2 weeks and the rest of the time I'll be in the UK. Those days in the UK will be split 60% uplift days and 40% days out (where I'm pushing/riding uphill or I'm out with my wife for an xc style day out).

I'll be getting the bike delivered to the UK if that's necessary.

The TR250 was actually on my list and I saw a lovely one for sale a few weeks ago but I think it's too heavy. I think it's too much bike for most things... I mean, it's only a slightly pared down TR450! I know it sounds like I'm getting obsessed by weight, but when I look at something like the Specialized Enduro Expert (2013/2014) I see a bike with 165mm travel and it's 30lbs. I mean, that's just plain madness!

I've emailed a guy in the states via pinkbike about an Enduro Expert but heard nothing back. I suspect most people over there aren't interested in shipping to the UK. There is an Enduro Evo in Los Angeles for $3800 and I've got a cousin nearby who could collect and ship but it's quite a lot of faff. The only upside is that resale value in the UK will likely be at or above what I pay.

I want a bike that won't limit where I can go or what I can hit. I'm fairly handy on a bike but there were definite moments in the alps where I was held back by only having 150mm rear wheel travel.

fatdoc: I'm with you on scouring pinkbike classifieds. I'm well aware that Specialized Enduro's (the new ones) don't ever come up in the UK section which is why I'm looking to the states. There are a number of Slash for sale in the UK but they all have stock finishing kit, which is ok but not ideal. What I really want is someone's labour of love...  Too much to ask?

I'll check out the YT goat....

[Norton Sharley]

I don't agree with u on carbon. They break more, they do. ( even the journos such as Dirtmag agree on this)

Agreed, and unless your interested in saving < 1lb in weight they offer no real world benefit, I should know I have a carbon bike.

Despite being single pivots the linkages hug the ground, are more compliant and less neutral than Horst link bikes, and push u down the hill noticeably.

Hypocrite

[twoshoes]

Depending on what you want to do on your uplift days, I'd look at something aimed at enduro racing. I'd say that would be the best compromise. They're basically a whole lot of fun everywhere.

Spot on for your XC riding, more than capable enough for the DH stuff unless you're racing or hitting MASSIVE stuff (then again, look at Graves) and fine for the Alps (again, unless you're hitting huge things).

I've raced the main race at the Mega, ridden Cham to Zermatt, Morzine, 2 Alpes etc etc and plenty of big XC days and DH tracks all over the UK on a Cannondale Prophet with big forks. And bikes these days are way more capable than my Prophet was.

Something like a Yeti SB66? One of the Santa Cruz options? Remedys are pretty capable too. I'd probably take a Stumpy Evo in preference to an Enduro for what you're describing. If you can get a good deal on one of the new Kona Process bikes, they're meant to be incredible too.

You see a lot of Megas and Lapierres at Enduro races, so they're worth considering. I'd have a Mega over a YT or a Canyon any day of the week.

The Last Herb is allegedly a very good DH-orientated enduro bike, although I've never seen one in the flesh, much less for sale.

[unclesomebody]

This was my previous bike:



I definitely reached the limit of where a bike like this could go in the alps. In fact, I often looked quite out of place as I was dropping in next to (and then overtaking) much bigger bikes. The remedy was set up 150mm rear and 160mm front. I definitely think my next bike needs to be minimum 160mm rear.

The YT Capra looks like the bee's knees. But I will have to buy new and that's too expensive...

Sounds like you want a bike which is on the freeride side of XC for the UK which will also happily go down DH in the alps.
I think it will be impossible to find 1 bike which will be good (to your standards)  at both, so the big choice is which are you going to get 1st ;-)

I'm not going to start going down that route... ha ha. I might just have to borrow one of the bikes at your place! 

[twoshoes]

I definitely reached the limit of where a bike like this could go in the alps. In fact, I often looked quite out of place as I was dropping in next to (and then overtaking) much bigger bikes. The remedy was set up 150mm rear and 160mm front. I definitely think my next bike needs to be minimum 160mm rear.

Fair dos. I'd definitely look at a Slash then, and maybe a couple of shocks - air shock/light tyres for the sweaty days out, coil + dual plys for the fun stuff.

What about a Lapierre Spicy? I know you don't want single pivot, but the Orange Alpine gets a lot of good press. Newer Giant Reigns Xs look sorted too. A few friends rave about the bigger Intense frames, although they're pretty hefty.

[fatdoc]

Having seen a vid of u jumping, and spoken to neil hart about your epic trips I'd say u are trying to find a rare bike indeed.

The 170mm YT goat is going to be over budget, and heaven knows when they will be available.

As for my linkages discussion, another time. But new damper  characteristics with proper separate fast and slow rebound and compression and custom shims with progressive linkages have changed my riding.

I think u need a bike park single crown 170 to 180 travel to noticeably see more stability in the alps. The superb enduro bikes will not give u what u personally seek. There are a few Kona operators about. Cheap. Then lighten / bling it. That would be within budget and do the job, apart from the XC rides. That's the problem, sacrifice the burl or have a mare XC. This advice is specific to you, as I know how capable u are at gravity riding, I'm not dissing the enduro style bike concept at all, but u wil b under under biked on an enduro, spicy orange 160, single crown canyon etc....

The only light option I can see is the YT, and it's the hyped bike of the month,So  no real user experiences.

I'd go burl, with a bit of light bling as budget allows...

[unclesomebody]

Having seen a vid of u jumping, and spoken to neil hart about your epic trips I'd say u are trying to find a rare bike indeed.

The 170mm YT goat is going to be over budget, and heaven knows when they will be available.

As for my linkages discussion, another time. But new damper  characteristics with proper separate fast and slow rebound and compression and custom shims with progressive linkages have changed my riding.

I think u need a bike park single crown 170 to 180 travel to noticeably see more stability in the alps. The superb enduro bikes will not give u what u personally seek. There are a few Kona operators about. Cheap. Then lighten / bling it. That would be within budget and do the job, apart from the XC rides. That's the problem, sacrifice the burl or have a mare XC. This advice is specific to you, as I know how capable u are at gravity riding, I'm not dissing the enduro style bike concept at all, but u wil b under under biked on an enduro, spicy orange 160, single crown canyon etc....

The only light option I can see is the YT, and it's the hyped bike of the month,So  no real user experiences.

I'd go burl, with a bit of light bling as budget allows...

So what you're saying is that I'm just going to have to suffer on those xc days... Thanks for your input. I really do appreciate it. For what it's worth I read through a thread that had a number of Transition TR250's at the 32/33lb mark. One guy was convinced he could go under 30lb but he clearly had no budget constraints!

PS. I don't know what Neil's been saying, but I'll assume it was good... ha ha.

[SA Chris]

But new damper  characteristics with proper separate fast and slow rebound and compression and custom shims with progressive linkages have changed my riding.

Yeah, I was going to say the same thing if I had the slightest clue what you were talking about. I clearly know nothing about MTBs. I thought I did, but clearly not.

[bigtuboflard]

I think u need a bike park single crown 170 to 180 travel to noticeably see more stability in the alps.

Reasonable price on this

 http://www.cyclesurgery.com/pws/UniqueProductKey.ice?ProductID=CSBC1456KW&gclid=CPC6ztur77wCFTCWtAodC0YAtA&gclsrc=aw.ds

Like I said in an earlier post I've got the Boxxer equivalent and can't fault it for uplift riding.

[fatdoc]

Yes lard tub, that's kinda the bike I know uncle needs...

SA, sorry... Basically times change rapidly in gravity bike technology, and I'm delighted that it's more often for the better, previously simple dampers and bike frame design left me more than antagonistic to single pivot bikes. I've seen massive changes in suspension platforms, have have changed my mind from a previous position on the basis of riding such new frames with appropriate linkages and dampers... Basically they ride darn well and make the whole experience way better than before.. What's not to like

[unclesomebody]

The YT Capra Pro weighs 28.5lbs. 

An 170mm travel bike at that weight is just crazy. I can't afford it but I am really intrigued as to how it holds up after people have been riding them hard for a summer.

[unclesomebody]

Found this S-Works Enduro, with exactly the spec I'm after (CCDB, Saint, etc). The only thing is that it's a large. I reckon I'm on the cusp of medium and large (I'm just 5ft11).

http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1521700/

The guy is willing to ship to the UK. If this was a medium I'd have said yes already. Can anyone provide feedback on size? Obviously I'll try to get to a Specialized dealer nearby and try one out but they're hard to find in the UK.

[fatkid2000]

I almost bought one of these last year - I'm the same height as you and would have bought a medium.
Instead I bought a mojo HD160. Having sold a commencal DH and Heckler.

[bobkatebob]

Any use?
http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/covent-garden-store