New bike required - £2150 to £2700 X-Country/Mountain

[zed4]

Hi,

I'm looking to buy a new bike (after some loser stole my custom build carbon Scott Genius).

I'm looking to spend around £2150 to £2700 and the requirements are:

Full suspension
Top end groupset (Shimano XT M8000 or SRAM X1)
11 speed
Light
Built for cross country, grass fields, gravel tracks and the odd singletrack hoon

I mostly just use it for cross country on the Isle of Wight and around the New Forest, some harder gravel tracks around the Purbecks. No on road riding, and no serious downhill.

Ideally the bike should be light, as I'm always lifting it over cattle fences and stiles.

What options are there? I started looking at the Cube Stereo 140 HPA SL, but I've read a few bad reviews about the frames and reliability. But I like the components on them.

https://www.wheelies.co.uk/p97755/Cube-Stereo-140-...

I do need to buy it from Wheelies as it's going through insurance.

I started looking at the NS Snabb T2, it's more money and cheaper components, but apparently a really good bike.

https://www.wheelies.co.uk/p99139/NS-Bikes-Snabb-T...

I also looked at the Scott Geiun 740, but they've really basic components for the money.

What should I be looking at?!

[R1gtr]

Local shop has started selling Orbea bikes and they have a demo bike in that people are loving. Spec on this one looks good but I do agree that Cube and possibly Merida offer you the best bang for your buck
https://mobile.wheelies.co.uk/orbea-occam-am-h10-2...

[Bobley]

Both the bikes you'd pointed out are fairly hard hitting trail-AM type beasts. Surely for a big day out XC style you need an XC bike. For decades now (well it feels like that) the Giant Anthem was the go to bike and I did like mine (2012 26er) but I always ride my 2014 Spec Camber 29er nowadays but if I were in your shoes I'd be looking at shorter travel 29ers, which would be either an Anthem 29er or a Spec Epic FSR but they dont sell them, so I'm going to be boring and say you should stick with Scott

https://www.wheelies.co.uk/p96203/Scott-Spark-945-...

[Agent XXX]

Have a looksie.............

https://www.wheelies.co.uk/p95795/Merida-Big-Nine-...

https://www.wheelies.co.uk/p95797/Merida-Big-Nine-...

and somewhat out of budget but WHAT a piece of kit. Had a demo on one of these last year. STUNNING

https://www.wheelies.co.uk/p95799/Merida-Big-Nine-...

[zed4]

Thanks for the replies. I have only ever ridden 26” bikes, so didn’t want to go straight into a 29er. Wanted a 27.5. I do sometimes do technical single tracks and also some really bumpy downhill runs around the Purbecks, so it has to be a bit of a middle ground between cross country and all mountain I guess. I wanted a nimble bike that’s easy to throw around, so I wonder if a 29er might be a bit big.

[Daveyraveygravey]

zed4 said:

Thanks for the replies. I have only ever ridden 26” bikes, so didn’t want to go straight into a 29er. Wanted a 27.5. I do sometimes do technical single tracks and also some really bumpy downhill runs around the Purbecks, so it has to be a bit of a middle ground between cross country and all mountain I guess. I wanted a nimble bike that’s easy to throw around, so I wonder if a 29er might be a bit big.

I only recently tried a 29er, I still have a Boardman Hard Tail from about 5 years ago I use on the South Downs. The 29 er did feel less agile to me, kind of like it took a real deliberate effort to make it change direction, rather than a little flick of the wrists or even a wiggle of the hips. Maybe all the hype about 29ers had me expecting too much of it, but until I took it down a hill I couldn't see the point. I went faster than previously down that hill but scared myself into the bargain!

[Eddie Strohacker]

I love my full sus 27.5 Lapierre Zesty. Not the most flickable machine ever built but a serious mile muncher & very comfortable over distance. 1 x 11, dropper post, all the toys really.

[paultownsend]

I really liked my Camber. But again, this may be a little heavy?

https://mobile.wheelies.co.uk/specialized-camber-c...

If it were me my money would go here. I would be happy enough with Fox damping and SLX drivetrain.

https://mobile.wheelies.co.uk/giant-anthem-2-27-5-...

Edited by paultownsend on Wednesday 31st May 16:30

[Mr Gearchange]

Bobley said:

Both the bikes you'd pointed out are fairly hard hitting trail-AM type beasts. Surely for a big day out XC style you need an XC bike. For decades now (well it feels like that) the Giant Anthem was the go to bike and I did like mine (2012 26er) but I always ride my 2014 Spec Camber 29er nowadays but if I were in your shoes I'd be looking at shorter travel 29ers, which would be either an Anthem 29er or a Spec Epic FSR but they dont sell them, so I'm going to be boring and say you should stick with Scott

https://www.wheelies.co.uk/p96203/Scott-Spark-945-...

Agree with Bobley. The bikes you have on your shortlist are fantastically capable - but you are going to be very overbiked for your intended purpose - they aren't going to come alive until you are really hammering down technical descents and you are going to be compromised doing everything else. That NS bike is really slack angled which means its going to climb like a pig.

For what you describe a short travel 120-130mm 29'er is probably your best option. Don't worry about 29'ers being less fun - the handling traits of these things have come on leaps and bounds and plenty of Enduro World Series riders are on 29'ers nowadays - christ, there are now 29" Downhill rigs on the world cup circuit this year.

[Craikeybaby]

I'm looking for a similar bike, but after trying some bikes out, I've pretty much settled on upping the budget and going for an Orange Four. Maybe also worth looking at a Bird Aeris 120?

[zed4]

Thanks again for the posts so far. Think I've decided on a Scott Spark 930. Think I will go 29er, given it's mostly cross country.

[30v]

Congrats on the new bike - that'll serve you well

I was in the market for a F/S MTB and tried a Whyte T-130s the other week. Amazing bike - really responsive and well kitted out for teh money (about £2550 IIRC). Had my dream bike not come up at a similar price I'd have snapped the Whyte up. Well worth it's accolades.

[Craikeybaby]

On the other hand the Whyte was high up my list of potential bikes but I didn't click with it when I rode it. The M was too big and the S felt cramped.

[zed4]

Decided the Scott 930 was too expensive as I didn’t want to put in quite as much money on top of my insurance claim. I also decided against the 29” wheel in the end. I settled on a Scott Spark 745. Had my first proper ride on it yesterday and I really like it. Very happy with it.

[andySC]

Canyon Lux CF? This might be my next bike.

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/lux/lux-cf-6-9-pr...

[andySC]

Canyon Lux CF? This might be my next bike.

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/lux/lux-cf-6-9-pr...

[andySC]

Canyon Lux CF? This might be my next bike.

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/lux/lux-cf-6-9-pr...