[fatkid2000]

Read the thread above. I went through this scenario a month or so ago, looking for an all mountain bike. I'm no expert - fatdoc knows what he's on about. I looked at the orange 5 and almost bought one - but thought they were too expensive. In the end I'm getting a santa cruz heckler with the all mountain package - its about £300 cheaper than the orange and I preferred the way it rode. I couldn't find a trek remedy to try, and alot of people seemed to advice avoiding Spesh due to their rubbish forks - although apparently the old enduro is a good bike which is available second hand. I'm sure some of the bike geeks can advice further.

[fatdoc]

Can I be next in the buying advice queue? Time to treat myself to a new bike.

Rode Dolly's VT (I think that's what it was) recently which is the only full suss bike I've ridden but it was great fun so I'm after full suspension. Want to be able to ride around the Peak, going downhill as fast as I can and scaring myself jumping off things. Don't see myself going for day-long rides as I've never done this sort of thing on my current old hardtail. So more all mountain than cross country. Absolute upper limit for budget is £1800, though I'd much rather spend less.

So many bikes seem to get great reviews, not sure where to start.
Specialized Pitch? Too heavy?
Orange Five? Over-priced?
Trek Remedy 7?
Second-hand?

Too much information available, too many options, so please filter it all for me.

hello matey, if were you i'd buy the VT off Dolly, he never goes off road on it, it's 28lbs and has 5.7" travel  I had one for 5 yrs... damn fine machine.

if that's a no no  and it's new one you want then for 1800 you will get a good mass produced frame, damn good gear on it and are sure to have a blast!

Pitch you say? GOOD choice. the weak point is indeed the spesh shock, better than last year... for the cash you have few other to choose really...

it will need a bit of determination to get up a hill, but it's OK.

I did the horror of the full edale circuit, going up the hill to then descend jacobs laddder was horrific yesterday.. why? i had spome old heavy coil forks on (airs bust.. again).. weighed the bike at the end... 35.3lbs.... nightmare. the pitch is lighter than that.

lbs really do matter... 2.5 lbs extra on my XC bike and it is much harder to climb on.. much!!


if you want MHO, go second hand unless you really must have new... if you do then for the price i'd go Pitch, marin 140mm range or a remedy... i'd ride a few! one will *fit*.




dont forget peeps, ALL bikes go up 15 to 25% for 2009... buy now!

[jfw]

just reading about scotland coast to coast whilst eating cadbury snack shortbread thing for elevenses
 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/jul/13/cyclingholidays.scotland

 looks good!

(not saying get guided just looks a good challenge!)

[Norton Sharley]

FD / FBSF - are you getting the Spec Pitch mixed up with the new Enduro?  The Pitch's are a heavier, therefore cheaper, framed version of the Enduro although for the price they are going to be a bit of a bargain as with all Spec bikes.  Given that Mark bust Dolly's bike in one ride maybe he should go for a heavier framed bike?  Buying Dolly's VT is not a bad idea, I think the second hand sales pitch would go along the lines of "one careful (lady) owner ...".

Maybe one of the original Enduros with a white frame and orange stripe down the middle would be most appropriate?   

[cofe]

what do cats reckon of the Orange 5 then......(apart from it being potentially overpriced)?

[Dolly]

if were you i'd buy the VT off Dolly, he never goes off road on it

Cheeky fuk.
I did the Merida MTB marathon in Builth Wells last weekend.
Got my bike all muddy

[fatboySlimfast]

Buying Dolly's VT is not a bad idea

if only to stop Dolly riding it with slicks......on the road

[Dolly]

if only to stop Dolly riding it with slicks......on the road

I've only got slicks on my hardtail

[Norton Sharley]

what do cats reckon of the Orange 5 then......(apart from it being potentially overpriced)?

Depends on your type of riding.  Do you;

a)  when climbing pick technical lines, sit on the front of the saddle and keep the power on
b)  when climbing sit up, keep your cadance high and peddle over anything in your path
c)  when descending pick technical lines and ride around objects
d)  when descending ride light and fast and straight

IMHO a & c are more hardtail, older style long top tube, steeper head angle and more akin to hardtail riding
b & c are more new style short top tube, heavier, long travel (for xc) bikes

Orange 5 = a & d, which is probably why a lot of people don't like them - they ride like a hardtail uphill and, if you are brave enough to get sufficient speed up, like a missile downhill.

And they look gorgeous ....






pm me if you want to try out a small framed 5, as above but with different forks (Fox Vanilla), rims (DT5.1), hubs (Hope Pro II), tyres (Maxxis High Roller 2.35), pedals (Crank Bros Candy Ti), several incarnations of rear mechs, Odi lock on grips, a bell and a headlight!

[Norton Sharley]

if only to stop Dolly riding it with slicks......on the road

I've only got slicks on my hardtail

... and scalp 

[cofe]

what do cats reckon of the Orange 5 then......(apart from it being potentially overpriced)?

Depends on your type of riding.  Do you;

a)  when climbing pick technical lines, sit on the front of the saddle and keep the power on
b)  when climbing sit up, keep your cadance high and peddle over anything in your path
c)  when descending pick technical lines and ride around objects
d)  when descending ride light and fast and straight

IMHO a & c are more hardtail, older style long top tube, steeper head angle and more akin to hardtail riding
b & c are more new style short top tube, heavier, long travel (for xc) bikes

Orange 5 = a & d, which is probably why a lot of people don't like them - they ride like a hardtail uphill and, if you are brave enough to get sufficient speed up, like a missile downhill.

And they look gorgeous ....




pm me if you want to try out a small framed 5

ta. i've gotten quite used to riding a long travel xc bike this summer but i have to give it back at some point. i might be able to get a deal through orange hence the interest. i guess i pick my lines uphill (up to the point when i'm fucked) but i like to ride pretty sharp-ish downhill, balls permitting. hmmm. they look well tough which has a certain appeal if you ride in the peak a lot i guess.

[Norton Sharley]

See http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/offers/closeouts.php for Orange deals, but it is always worth giving them a ring. 

I can't fault my 5 given the amount of abuse it's had

What long travel xc bike have you at the moment then?

[fatboySlimfast]

pish and tish, get something to go down hill FAST on

[cofe]

See http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/offers/closeouts.php for Orange deals, but it is always worth giving them a ring.  

I can't fault my 5 given the amount of abuse it's had

What long travel xc bike have you at the moment then?

i met the fella from orange at the weekend. he said he'd sort me out. it's unfortunately a long fall after riding one of these for the last few months:



in fact, i think that's actually the bike i'm riding. 

[cofe]

pish and tish, get something to go down hill FAST on

careful, you could really hurt yourself on one of those.

[Norton Sharley]

in fact, i think that's actually the bike i'm riding. 

Very nice it looks too and I'm sure it rides as well as it looks from reading reviews, but:

1 - it's carbon, that makes it a road bike in my mind, or at least rather unsuitable for the Peak, Lakes, Wales (as per FBSF photo - top of Snowdon?) such that I wouldn't spend my own cash on one

2 - it has a side stand 


FBSF - Perhaps we need to consider the relative weight of ourselves compared to our bikes?  If we did so we would probably have a similar rider to bike weight ratio, whatever that means? 

[Norton Sharley]

On a quick calculation of me, FBSF & FD, I reckon our Jerry should be riding a 48 lb bike to make things even between us    Can you even begin to imagine how slow that would be 

I like this concept of rider to bike weight ratio, perhaps we should ask the roadies about it, they'll know whether it's valid.  Fatdoc ?

[cofe]

1 - it's carbon,

yeah, that's the only thing that's preventing me from buying one. while riding through a biblical electrical storm in north yorkshire a couple of weeks ago me and tlr were trying to work out what exactly would happen should i get struck by lightning while riding it... we concluded my fried body would end up sat in a black puddle on the floor still holding the bars and clipped to the pedals.

i think a Five looks much more durable, certainly if my own money is getting involved.

...i thought trackstands were cool these days...?

[fatdoc]

if were you i'd buy the VT off Dolly, he never goes off road on it

Cheeky fuk.
I did the Merida MTB marathon in Builth Wells last weekend.
Got my bike all muddy

riding around that field for 24hrs MUST have been such fun 

if ever get out of work tonight and get at least a few hrs kip i'll be inviting you to come out XC tomorrow then dolly...

18:30.

either local of a quick one up to Hope cross, down the beast then back to hope via the top of win hill - longest down XC there is in the peak.... only prob being i've only got 30 mins of light, as Yoss has my usual ones..

[milksnake]

2 - it has a side stand 

are you sure? it looks like a stick to me.
I'm fed up with mountain bikes, the fucking thing keeps breaking. It's costing me a fortune. I've decided there is only 1 way to roll; no suspension, no gears, no breaks and 20" wheels. costs half as much and requires no matainance.   

[Dolly]

riding around that field for 24hrs MUST have been such fun

It was a Marathon not an enduro. Great route over the Brecon Beacons, plenty of singletrack.
http://www.mtb-marathon.co.uk/home/news1.php#200813

[mark]

Thanks for all the replies.

Have no objection to going secondhand. But that means trying to pick a bike from the past which isn't being reviewed in the current comics. So, can the gurus suggest 3 or 4 bikes so I can start monitoring ebay and the other secondhand sites?

I do have a suspicion that I'll be impressed by almost any bike. I've been riding a heavy, tatty hardtail for a decade. Anything is going to be a great improvement.

[SA Chris]

dont forget peeps, ALL bikes go up 15 to 25% for 2009... buy now!

Does this mean '08 bikes will start being sold at bargain prices? Or need to wait a month or two?

[fatdoc]

the opposite. No need for sales to shift stock

[fatkid2000]

the opposite. No need for sales to shift stock

Agree some shops are putting up component prices already - i.e increasing the price on 08 spec kit such as groupsets etc