1k for a hard trail.....what do you buy ?

Claude Burgundy

As the title says.

I want to buy a hard trail to go out with my son, i have a good full suspension already.

Wanderer78

Same advice as always, rent a couple of bikes on trails, you ll have a better idea then. Best of luck

Tenzor07

If you're in the Dublin/Wicklow area then contact Biking.ie who have a number of Hardtail MTB's for rent and sale also.

covey123

If I'm ever picking up another hardtail, definitely going for something thats 29er and 27.5+ compatible

Icyseanfitz

i think id have this, be able for just about anything https://www.bikeexchange.ie/a/hardtail-mountain-bikes/saracen/dublin/dun-laoghaire/mantra-trail-lsl/261681

crosswords

Great time of the year to buy.

Loads of options here

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mountain-bikes/hardtail?pf=800&pt=999

rizzodun

The July edition of mbr has hardtail of the year at different price points.

The Vitus Sentier won its price point, as did the cheaper Nucleus.

El Vino

Eldest son has the Nucleus and it is very good for the money, I normally ride a full susser but rented a Trek Roscoe from Trailriders in Ballyhoura last time I was there, It was 27.5+ but I think it is also 29er compatible. It had a dropper seatpost for less than £1k. I thought it was fantastic.

rizzodun

El Vino wrote: »

Eldest son has the Nucleus and it is very good for the money, I normally ride a full susser but rented a Trek Roscoe from Trailriders in Ballyhoura last time I was there, It was 27.5+ but I think it is also 29er compatible. It had a dropper seatpost for less than £1k. I thought it was fantastic.

I actually think they're not, I chose an Orbea Laufey over the Roscoe. More than 1k spent though

Cee-Jay-Cee

I have a Cube LTD Race 29er. I absolutely love it, such a nice bike to ride either on road or trails. I think the Cube Aim or Reaction is the replacement for the LTD.

El Vino

I actually think they're not, I chose an Orbea Laufey over the Roscoe. More than 1k spent though

Haven't ever had a spin on an Orbea, what didn't you like when you tried the Roscoe? To be honest I have only ridden 3 modern hardtails - Vitus Nucleus, Roscoe and Marin Bobcat Trail 5. The Marin was awful, the Vitus is a bit of a bargain at the price, and the Roscoe rode very well, Strava segment times on last descent at the Ballyhouras faster than my previous times on hired full suspension bikes there.

rizzodun

El Vino wrote: »

Haven't ever had a spin on an Orbea, what didn't you like when you tried the Roscoe? To be honest I have only ridden 3 modern hardtails - Vitus Nucleus, Roscoe and Marin Bobcat Trail 5. The Marin was awful, the Vitus is a bit of a bargain at the price, and the Roscoe rode very well, Strava segment times on last descent at the Ballyhouras faster than my previous times on hired full suspension bikes there.

Just felt a bit steep, back end popped around a bit, because I couldn't get off the front, it could be in my head but I felt the Orbea was more composed even though there's very little difference in the two. A different fork and tyres on the Orbea probably helped with my perception to be fair.


Biggest winner for me was Orbea actually promote the fact it takes two wheel sizes, I'm pretty sure the Roscoe can't, at least when I looked I couldn't find any definitive answer.

Lumen

I have an amazing carbon 26" that I was thinking of off-loading so I can get a full susser.

Not very fashionable now but I've used it a few times around Ballinastoe and the GAP and it's bloody fast until things get steep and technical (i.e. off the main trails).

Needs a proper service though, the rear brake seized the last time out.

This was the original ad when I bought it. Used maybe 8 times since.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin//showthread.php?p=100986838

Large bottle small glass

Lumen wrote: »

I have an amazing carbon 26" that I was thinking of off-loading so I can get a full susser.

Not very fashionable now but I've used it a few times around Ballinastoe and the GAP and it's bloody fast until things get steep and technical (i.e. off the main trails).

Needs a proper service though, the rear brake seized the last time out.

This was the original ad when I bought it. Used maybe 8 times since.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin//showthread.php?p=100986838

Newer aggressive hardtail allow relatively unskilled riders to descend steeper trails safer.

OP hasn't said exactly what he is looking for though

Lumen

Large bottle small glass wrote: »

Newer aggressive hardtail allow relatively unskilled riders to descend steeper trails safer.

Is that a head angle thing?

Large bottle small glass

Lumen wrote: »

Is that a head angle thing?

Yep, and the wider tubeless tyres can help to.

I went about 3 years with very little mtb cycling and found I was immediately more confident and quicker on super steep stuff.

For someone who is nearly always super skeptical of bike industry claims on the "new" thing, I was very pleasantly surprised

Not sure what it would be like comfort wise on a long xc type ride though

Tenzor07

Lumen wrote: »

Is that a head angle thing?

Slacker HA, shorter reach, higher BB, longer chainstays, more flex built into the frame... If I was buying a trail or enduro type hardtail it would be a Cotic...

Lumen

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Slacker HA, shorter reach, higher BB, longer chainstays, more flex built into the frame... If I was buying a trail or enduro type hardtail it would be a Cotic...

Right, but my experience as a crap MTBer is that my old-style aggressive XC hardtail is wonderful on most of the built trails and fire roads of somewhere like Ballinastoe, and only becomes awful on eh "unofficial" trails with steep switchbacks,.

Is it better to have two bikes (i.e. aggressive HT and full susser) or will one compromise one do?

Lemming

Lumen wrote: »

Is it better to have two bikes (i.e. aggressive HT and full susser) or will one compromise one do?

If Lumen has three bikes and buys a forth, what does Lumen have?

The correct answer is "happiness", not "four lights" (with apologies to Star Trek for bastardising that particular reference )

*Ahem* on a less frivolous note, I know more than a few people who have full-sussers and keep hard-tails for messing about on or riding in the worst of the winter conditions to spare linkage parts from excessive wear, so in answer to your question it's entirely up to you what you want to do, whether you have the budget to keep and maintain several bikes not to mention the time & space.

Tenzor07

Lumen wrote: »

Is it better to have two bikes (i.e. aggressive HT and full susser) or will one compromise one do?

The HT would do it all, good set of tough tires 2.4", 140mm/150mm, it can do it all, maybe if you're heading to the Alps a nice enduro/trail full suss would be good...

but... you can never have enough bikes!

Lemming

Tenzor07 wrote: »

The HT would do it all, good set of tough tires 2.4", 140mm/150mm, it can do it all

More than a few modern HT offerings from big name brands and small alike that will give many mid-level full suspension bikes a good run for their money; Cotic, Marin, Airdrop, 18 Bikes, Bird, Orange, Nukeproof, Commencal, all have models off off the top of my head that would fit the bill, to varying degrees so there'll be more to add to that list as sure as sure gets.

but... you can never have enough bikes!

On the other hand there is that....

covey123

Lemming wrote: »

If Lumen has three bikes and buys a forth, what does Lumen have?

One bike too little.... always...

iwillhtfu

The two of these would be a good place to start anyway After that I'd be looking at the facebook groups,marketplace,adverts,donedeal,ebay

You could build up a really nice hardtail if you take you're not in a rush to buy. Sure you could probably buy a bike for €1k but half the fun us building it yourself. I plan on building up a scout myself once I can figure out how to hide another bike

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/nukeproof-scout-275-mountain-bike-frame-2019/rp-prod170320

https://www.bike-components.de/en/RockShox/Revelation-RC-DebonAir-Boost-46-27-5-Suspension-Fork-2018-Closeout-p56885/diffusion-black-120-mm-1-5-tapered-15-x-110-mm-o217010056/

rizzodun

iwillhtfu wrote: »

The two of these would be a good place to start anyway After that I'd be looking at the facebook groups,marketplace,adverts,donedeal,ebay

You could build up a really nice hardtail if you take you're not in a rush to buy. Sure you could probably buy a bike for €1k but half the fun us building it yourself. I plan on building up a scout myself once I can figure out how to hide another bike

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/nukeproof-scout-275-mountain-bike-frame-2019/rp-prod170320

https://www.bike-components.de/en/RockShox/Revelation-RC-DebonAir-Boost-46-27-5-Suspension-Fork-2018-Closeout-p56885/diffusion-black-120-mm-1-5-tapered-15-x-110-mm-o217010056/

That’s almost the budget though and doesn’t include drivetrain, brakes, wheels, tyres or cockpit, oh, and dropper post.

It’s alright saying build one but I doubt that’s really what op is looking for, I do agree building one is probably more satisfying though.

Oh, and if you haven’t learn by now to buy all your bikes the same color then you’ll never get around the other half!

iwillhtfu

rizzodun wrote: »

That’s almost the budget though and doesn’t include drivetrain, brakes, wheels, tyres or cockpit, oh, and dropper post.

It’s alright saying build one but I doubt that’s really what op is looking for, I do agree building one is probably more satisfying though.

Oh, and if you haven’t learn by now to buy all your bikes the same color then you’ll never get around the other half!

It seems as though you have a little learning to do on budgets yourself they mean nothing

Road bikes are all the same colour I learned that one a long time ago but with age you begin to care less