[fatkid2000]

I was only interested what people may have thought about them as I'd only heard about their road bikes. Did a bit of reading on it while getting bored at work this afternoon. They've been in MTB business for 15 years, but only over here for a year or so. The reviews in singletrack are good as are the reviews on bike radar. Maybe it'll have to be that Orange, I've emailed them as suggested about prices etc or maybe I'll have to join the doc on a Marin. I like that Pace, but I think I may need full suspension. All far to complex this MTB lark, maybe I'll just send fatdoc to the shops...on 2nd thoughts may be NOT!!
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/zesty-08-31095

[fatboySlimfast]

Right uncle heres my 2penneth
you want a bike to have some fun on, fun being jumps,hooning about,tabletops and generally getting air, could do some slack dirt jumps and possible some park if your feeling particularly burly but at the same time can get you about but with a bit of puff to get you up hills....just!
First off ignore the stab,stinky,coiler and the A line...dont get me wrong I had a stinky for a while and good it was but hindsights a great thing. (all too heavy, basic, slack in different proportions!)
My thoughts
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Specialized-Enduro-S-Works-Medium-2006_W0QQitemZ270247182582QQihZ017QQcategoryZ33503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
old enduro's, 05-07. Loads about cos loads of people bought them for xc then realised they were to slack head angles and heavy for showing off on hills, brill bike always well specced(ignore the seat post on that the bloke sounds like a fool) have seen one in the hands of a very good rider come down the hardest track at wharncliffe faster than most. forerunner to the sx trail!
http://www.southerndownhill.com/forum/index.php/topic,159851.0.html
The sx trail, slacker head angle than the enduro, a great do it all bike, 2007/8 models have problems with the original stock wheels, there shit basically. It was atoss up between this and my turner when looking for a smaller travel bike,,,fatdoc had an sx so i went for the turner!
http://www.gravity-slaves.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5663.0
dont know if you can see that link but a guy who i have had dealings with is selling a yeti asx frame and a santa cruz bullit frame for 300squids, bit of a pain but you could do a build up for 800 i rekon.
Thats my 2p but there again what do i know

[unclesomebody]

Thanks for the advice guys. The inevitable is occurring and I'm finding ways to add in another £100 or £200 and finding my way towards £1000 which I really don't want to do!

I think I'm going to try and score a decent Specialized SX. I read about the problem with the wheels and that is a concern for me as I used to break wheels all too easily back in the day (among other things). I want to find one that has been ridden hard but well looked after and has had all the weak links upgraded. All this for less than market value.

Building a bike myself would be a fun undertaking and that would really take me back! However, I don't think it's cost effective. That santa cruz looks very nice, but at £300 for frame, £300 for forks, then £250 for wheels I'm already at my limit. Brakes are going to be another couple of hundred so I think I'd just be best off finding a good deal on an SX. The enduro option is looking interesting. If it's going to be more cost effective then I'll look into it. I also don't know why all the enduro's on ebay are size large! I want a small I reckon...

The reason I was looking at something like a stinky was because I thought you could get more for your money, but I guess that's because they're simply not as in demand as an SX. So the search continues....

[unclesomebody]

What do you lot think of this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140243554570&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123

ta.

[Bubba]

Might be a good one - seems like it might have had a fairly easy life though can we really believe "This bike has never been crashed"

I run the same shock on my Big Hit and it's been great so far with no maintenance required. Not sure what vintage the forks are (Fatdoc will know) but the rest of it looks clean and decent.

If you're looking at Bullitts then also check Big Hit's for a bargain.

This one is almost the same as mine though with a Manatou instead of the Vanilla shock.

[Percy B]

Gold and silver at the Worlds for GB.

[slackline]

Gold and silver at the Worlds for GB.

  Most have been the dapper once piece body suit that helped streamline him down that

[Bubba]

That's some blistering riding - quality....though Sam Hill would have wiped the floor had he not blown it just before the finish 

[Norton Sharley]

Rear Maxle never made it into production with pace according to the boys at 18 - not enough demand
They recommended some DT RWS skewers - better clamping apparently?
I want a medium I'm afraid Tim - cheers for the info though.

I wouldn't worry about rear maxle too much, the back end just follows you down the hill anyway.  Try and get a through axle (maxle) for the front though.  Either Pace or Orange should be able to build the bike to spec so maybe a Pike would be better than a Fox.  Another alternative is to run wider rims but with a standard skewer on the front.  This certainly gives more steering precision and way less tyre roll but does bump up rotating weight.

Another point is to consider fork springs rather than air - they hold the front end up better due to having a proper linear spring rate and effectively mean you have a slacker head angle for the same load, if you see what I mean.  And they last longer and require less servicing.

In conclusion, buy a bike, come out riding tomorrow night 

[Norton Sharley]

You know you want one 

[SA Chris]

Fatkid, just buy a bike! You have been swithering for at least two months now. At this rate you will have no summer left to enjoy it (I am out the running for a new one for now, having just bought a new board.

[fatkid2000]

I'm going shopping at the weekend for this bike - well hopefully. Lord knows what I'm going to buy - I'm just going to go to a shop and hope to walk out with a bike. I've narrowed it down, just one thing. Spech now do the Enduro with a carbon frame - which seems to make the thing light, but isn't carbon a touch delicate for MTBs. I've heard that alot of people have dented / trashed the frame on those expensive new Whytes.

[fatdoc]

FFS

I'm off this weekend, get over to mine, with some ID and a couple of pay slips... we're off the get some serious bike on serious credit.

[unclesomebody]

I've just come accross this ex demo Norco;

http://store.atb-sales.co.uk/acatalog/Norco.html

What do you think? Is this comparable to an SX which is probably my top choice at the moment. The Norco is really pushing the envelope on what I can afford though. Actually, that should be, it's pushing the limit of what I can't afford!

[fatdoc]

heavy, and wallows more than an SX.

[Norton Sharley]

I'm going shopping at the weekend for this bike - well hopefully. Lord knows what I'm going to buy - I'm just going to go to a shop and hope to walk out with a bike. I've narrowed it down, just one thing. Spech now do the Enduro with a carbon frame - which seems to make the thing light, but isn't carbon a touch delicate for MTBs. I've heard that alot of people have dented / trashed the frame on those expensive new Whytes.

imho, carbon does not have any place on a load bearing part of a mtb. not unless you want to do an Ayrton Senna 

[fatdoc]

 

you must be mad to consider carbon a suitable material for a MTB

[fatkid2000]

you must be mad to consider carbon a suitable material for a MTB

Well that's what I thought - its just that most of the enduro range seems to have carbon based frames / main triangles. Plus all the Spesh enduro's now come with their own brand forks
Has anybody used this place / know anything about it? They've got the Trek Remedy in stock and thought I may go for a test tomorrow.
Emailed Stan's to see if they have any.
http://www.lexs.co.uk/acatalog/index.html

[tlr]

Two of Kim's bikes have come from Lex's. They are OK in a "grumpy, but at least it's not JE James" kind of way.

Actually they are fine, but the bloke who owns its probably shouldn't have a gone into a job where he meets the public. At least he acknowledges your presence in the shop and actually know a bit about what he sells though.

[Duma]

sorry, wrong thread.

[Bubba]

Mmmmmm me want:

[fatdoc]

 


awesome, simply awesome....
 

[unclesomebody]

I've just come accross an Iron Horse Yakuza on southerndownhill. It's cheap enough, and the guy selling it is very local to me. Is this a good buy? I am sort of hankering after an SX since it seems like a best in class bike but I'm going to end up paying 800-900 I reckon but this Iron Horse is only £550. Am I comparing an MR2 with a Ferrari?


http://www.southerndownhill.com/forum/index.php/topic,161946.0.html

[fatdoc]

oldd front hub... very old forks.. if no service history proven then walk away.... those forks weigh a TON...

frame is younger than the components, a common sellers technique. nothing wrong with the frame per se.. (single pivot, 6 inches), they do have a rep for lateral flex and have never sold well in the UK.


avoid tube less...

in summery... avoid this one.


just like cars, play the waiting game to get the bargain...

[Norton Sharley]

you must be mad to consider carbon a suitable material for a MTB

Well that's what I thought - its just that most of the enduro range seems to have carbon based frames / main triangles. Plus all the Spesh enduro's now come with their own brand forks
Has anybody used this place / know anything about it? They've got the Trek Remedy in stock and thought I may go for a test tomorrow.
Emailed Stan's to see if they have any.
http://www.lexs.co.uk/acatalog/index.html

Enduros have carbon bits to keep the weight down not because it should be used on an mtb.  Carbon would be fine if not for a) rocks, and b) falling off, both of which happen in abundance in the Peak 

Spec's own forks and rear sus cans have had a bit of a suspect start to their lives; -expect to take them back to the shop unless they have already been 'fixed' and certainly don't buy any second hand that are out of warranty, imho.

On the subject of shops have just arrived  back from our friends at James' who don't have XT shadow rear mechs in stock either short or long cage and despite being a Crank Bros dealer don't have any service kits.  Normal service then.

ttfn, off to chainreaction.....