New Bike

Mr.Boots

Hey
Ive posted her before looking for info and advice on gettin a new bike...been doing alot of looking and its make my mind up time....
Here is what ive been lookin at...

Love this one...always have loved Stinkys
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=20843

Like this one also....
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=20821

This one looks good to but dont know much about them...
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=11999

My dilema is....do i go for a freeride bike as i probably spend 75% of the time on XC or do i buy a hard tail???
DOse it matter?
I love the look and feel of the free ride frame and suspension ect but will i look like a twat turning up at a ameture XC race on a Sunday with a freeride bike???
Dose it realy mater?
What do others people in this situation do?
In an ideal world i would buy both.

the Hard tails i have benn looking at...
This..
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14971

And this...
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23667

As you can see these are all from Chainreaction....they seem raly good value....
If it helps...1000GBP=1330euro

Opinions greatly appreciated.
Cheers.


Oh yea...one more thing.....Recomend me a size....Im 5'8/5'9
Thanx

avalanche

Hi. if i were you i wouldnt really care what other people think although I know what you mean in that you dont want to turn up at a race looking all professional and finish 24th. for me though it depends on the style of cycling you do. full suspension bikes on climbs are counterproductive as the sap up more of your energy. this is why the front suspension pop loc hardtrails are good ( for me ) as you can lock the forks and save some of your energy. the beone looks really good but i would recommend checking out the canyon 6.0 at www.canyon.com -ive just ordered one in. someone else recommended it to me and the spec is similar to the beone but it works out a few hundred cheaper. it seems to be really good value for money as the forks alone cost 400 or so seperately.good luck.

Drapper

Interweb is useless for this sorta stuff and boards too! nothing like a good rub and feel of a bike!

Go to the 3 main shops in Dublin and get a feel for a few bikes!

XC requires :- light HT / Light Sus bike
All mountain:- about 4 - 5 inches of travel
Freeriding:- is not the type of bike you wanna pull up a big climb!

As for look, not important, although I'm a Rocky Mountain addict! take a bike on a test spin! some shop have demo bikes for try before you buy

Go to Cyclesuperstore in Tallagh, Cycle Inn, Cyclelogical (avoid cycleways!! if you want no dicount and poor service!) and see what is best for you and your size as all bike have different geometry!

Old rule of thumb on a frame is inseem of legg minus 14cm

so if your 31/32 inseem - 14 inches = 17.5 - 18 inch Frame (but thats only a rule of thumb as top tube and stem can make a reakl difference!

Based on your description of your riding style I'd go for an all mountain bike like a ETSX Rocky Mountain or A Kona Coiler + Canyon BIKES are deadly!!! enough travel for the downs and light enough for the climbs!

but I'm no expert!;)

Morgan

Mr.Boots wrote: »

My dilema is....do i go for a freeride bike as i probably spend 75% of the time on XC

If that's the main question then the answer is no - a freeride bike would be totally inappropriate. You've listed an extremely wide variety of bikes there - you really need to decide what kind of riding you'll be doing.

None of the full suspension bikes above would be good for XC racing, the Stinky would be particularly bad. You'd have regrets halfway around your first lap.

If you like suspension then go for something with short-medium travel (4-5" max). If you're on a tight budget then a hardtail is definitely the way to go.

kona

hope i dont offend but you dont sound like a big XC head, with those bikes, usually XC guys are weight junkies!!!

a hardtail with 130mm up front would be a great bike.
kona kula or kula deluxe.


as said before a stinky would be a nightmare for XC use, it just doesnt have the geometry, and gear ratios for a comfy ride.
if you are going big for 25% of the time
have you looked at All mountain rigs???
id suggest
kona kikapu
kona coilair(freeride i know but will handle climbs easier than a stinky)
kona dawg/dawg deluxe.

all fine machines and the last 3 will take a fair amount of abuse:D


just saw you had the dawg there:D:D best bike out of the 3 for what you want it for

Mr.Boots

Cheers lads....some good advice.
Ive narrowed it down to either a hardtail or a all mountain bike.
Had a look at Canyon.....they look a bit more expencive than the reduced Cube or BeOne bikes from chainreaction.....Are they better???
Cube, BeOne and Canyon are all brands im not familer with....Any opinions???
Opinions on buying from Chainreaction?????...ive read good reports here.
I noticed alot of the 07 bikes are marked 25/30%ect off....are the prices realy that good or will i get better prices by going to a few shops around Dublin?
My reason for not going to all the usual shops in Dublin is that i dont live there....but if its worht the trip.....
thanx again.

Mr.Boots

Anyone????

Bluefoam

Have heard nothing but good stuff about Canyon.

Alkers

Likewise and I've received nothing but A+ service from CRC so I wouldn't worry about ordering from them once you work out your sizing etc.

Mr.Boots

Cool, thanx guys.

how about these....
BeOne Karma '07
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14967
Cube Ltd race '07
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=20575
Cube Ltd race '08
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23667
Cube Reaction - Oro K18 '08
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23665
Cube Reaction K18 2007
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=20576

Which one would you choose????
I noticed most of the forks have 85mm of travel....is this enough??
Thanx again

Morgan

BeOne Karma '07
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14967
Not this one - kinda funny looking.

Cube Ltd race '07
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=20575
This is nice - nice brakes. Only in 20" - are you a giant?

Cube Ltd race '08
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23667
Not much different to the 07, pretty nice.

Cube Reaction - Oro K18 '08
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23665
Sure, if you can spend a bit more.

Cube Reaction K18 2007
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=20576
No remote lockout on the fork.


All the Cubes are limited to a couple of sizes - are you sure they'll fit?

Mr.Boots

Cheers Morgan,
Was thinking i might go for the Cube Ltd race '08
Hadnt noticed the 20'' size of the '07
Im 5'9 so was gonna go for a 18''.....what you reckon?

Mr.Boots

Im actually stuck between these two...
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23667
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23634

Both are a similar price 1100euro
Just cant decide between the hard tail or the all mountain aaahhhhhhhh:eek::eek:
Dont wanna regret it as i dont intend to buy another for a good while

Morgan

I'd say go for the hardtail - lighter, less maintenance, better parts...

Also, you can drop into CRC to try the bike (if you tell them you're coming). It's probably worthwhile since you're spending over a grand and you're not sure about the size.

About the size - you can get the specific geometry from the Cube website to compare to your current bike. CRC could probably give you some advice on sizing on the phone too.

Mr.Boots

Good stuff, thanx man.
Probably go with the hard tail....ill give an update when it arives and a report:D