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I'm torn between Long Travel Hardtail and Full Susser

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I'm torn between Long Travel Hardtail and Full Susser
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flag AAddict
Posted: Oct 16, 2013 at 7:04 Quote
Ok so I have applied for £1000 cycle to work voucher and I'm struggling to decide what I actually want. For the last 18m I've had a Cube AIM, and I've rode the wheels off it, broken the forks and basically loved every minute. My gripe with the Cube was it felt too Cross Country. I like something to feel a bit tougher with more travel, yet still like to climb all the hills and fire roads I come across. I ride mainly forest trails, up to red. I also ride to work and back but that's only a mile or so each way.

I don't mind putting a little on top of the £1000 if I can find something I want. So I'm torn between something like a Dartmoor Hornet, On-One Evo2, Stanton Slackline, Cotic BFe, Ragley Blue Pig etc etc etc with a 140-150mm fork and single chainset. My thinking is something like this would be tougher and take more abuse than the low end cube I've had and let me ride more aggressively than currently. Anyone know what kind of cost a build like this will be? I'm ok with cheaper components as long as the frame and fork are good, I'm prepared to compromise on groupset/brakes/wheelset and replace as required later on.


My other option is to go full suspension, but I cannot really see any bikes £1500 or under that 'tickle my fancy' as I would want a decent fork and things like Canyon are out as I have to use my cycle scheme voucher from a bricks and mortar store.

Any help much appreciated as I'm going slightly mad thinking about it all.
flag tangaroo
Posted: Oct 16, 2013 at 7:10 Quote
AAddict wrote:
Ok so I have applied for £1000 cycle to work voucher and I'm struggling to decide what I actually want. For the last 18m I've had a Cube AIM, and I've rode the wheels off it, broken the forks and basically loved every minute. My gripe with the Cube was it felt too Cross Country. I like something to feel a bit tougher with more travel, yet still like to climb all the hills and fire roads I come across. I ride mainly forest trails, up to red. I also ride to work and back but that's only a mile or so each way.

I don't mind putting a little on top of the £1000 if I can find something I want. So I'm torn between something like a Dartmoor Hornet, On-One Evo2, Stanton Slackline, Cotic BFe, Ragley Blue Pig etc etc etc with a 140-150mm fork and single chainset. My thinking is something like this would be tougher and take more abuse than the low end cube I've had and let me ride more aggressively than currently. Anyone know what kind of cost a build like this will be? I'm ok with cheaper components as long as the frame and fork are good, I'm prepared to compromise on groupset/brakes/wheelset and replace as required later on.


My other option is to go full suspension, but I cannot really see any bikes £1500 or under that 'tickle my fancy' as I would want a decent fork and things like Canyon are out as I have to use my cycle scheme voucher from a bricks and mortar store.

Any help much appreciated as I'm going slightly mad thinking about it all.


I rode the piss out of a TransAM. I traded that out for a FS, and while I don't regret it at all, the hardtail was just as capable. I can ride much, much longer on the FS before feeling bruised and battered, and I can take rowdier lines which much less consequence.

Slacklines and BFes tickle my fancy though... Such beautiful frames.
flag AAddict
Posted: Oct 16, 2013 at 7:17 Quote
tangaroo wrote:
AAddict wrote:
Ok so I have applied for £1000 cycle to work voucher and I'm struggling to decide what I actually want. For the last 18m I've had a Cube AIM, and I've rode the wheels off it, broken the forks and basically loved every minute. My gripe with the Cube was it felt too Cross Country. I like something to feel a bit tougher with more travel, yet still like to climb all the hills and fire roads I come across. I ride mainly forest trails, up to red. I also ride to work and back but that's only a mile or so each way.

I don't mind putting a little on top of the £1000 if I can find something I want. So I'm torn between something like a Dartmoor Hornet, On-One Evo2, Stanton Slackline, Cotic BFe, Ragley Blue Pig etc etc etc with a 140-150mm fork and single chainset. My thinking is something like this would be tougher and take more abuse than the low end cube I've had and let me ride more aggressively than currently. Anyone know what kind of cost a build like this will be? I'm ok with cheaper components as long as the frame and fork are good, I'm prepared to compromise on groupset/brakes/wheelset and replace as required later on.


My other option is to go full suspension, but I cannot really see any bikes £1500 or under that 'tickle my fancy' as I would want a decent fork and things like Canyon are out as I have to use my cycle scheme voucher from a bricks and mortar store.

Any help much appreciated as I'm going slightly mad thinking about it all.


I rode the piss out of a TransAM. I traded that out for a FS, and while I don't regret it at all, the hardtail was just as capable. I can ride much, much longer on the FS before feeling bruised and battered, and I can take rowdier lines which much less consequence.

Slacklines and BFes tickle my fancy though... Such beautiful frames.

Yeah, I do worry that full sus brand new will be even more compromise for my budget?
flag tangaroo
Posted: Oct 16, 2013 at 7:22 Quote
AAddict wrote:
tangaroo wrote:
AAddict wrote:
Ok so I have applied for £1000 cycle to work voucher and I'm struggling to decide what I actually want. For the last 18m I've had a Cube AIM, and I've rode the wheels off it, broken the forks and basically loved every minute. My gripe with the Cube was it felt too Cross Country. I like something to feel a bit tougher with more travel, yet still like to climb all the hills and fire roads I come across. I ride mainly forest trails, up to red. I also ride to work and back but that's only a mile or so each way.

I don't mind putting a little on top of the £1000 if I can find something I want. So I'm torn between something like a Dartmoor Hornet, On-One Evo2, Stanton Slackline, Cotic BFe, Ragley Blue Pig etc etc etc with a 140-150mm fork and single chainset. My thinking is something like this would be tougher and take more abuse than the low end cube I've had and let me ride more aggressively than currently. Anyone know what kind of cost a build like this will be? I'm ok with cheaper components as long as the frame and fork are good, I'm prepared to compromise on groupset/brakes/wheelset and replace as required later on.


My other option is to go full suspension, but I cannot really see any bikes £1500 or under that 'tickle my fancy' as I would want a decent fork and things like Canyon are out as I have to use my cycle scheme voucher from a bricks and mortar store.

Any help much appreciated as I'm going slightly mad thinking about it all.


I rode the piss out of a TransAM. I traded that out for a FS, and while I don't regret it at all, the hardtail was just as capable. I can ride much, much longer on the FS before feeling bruised and battered, and I can take rowdier lines which much less consequence.

Slacklines and BFes tickle my fancy though... Such beautiful frames.

Yeah, I do worry that full sus brand new will be even more compromise for my budget?

You will build up a better AM hardtail for the money. No doubt.
flag nidgeslash9
Posted: Oct 16, 2013 at 8:08 Quote
I have a hornet. If your only complaint about the Cube is that it's too XC biased you will love the hornet. I started with the intention of keeping mine below £1000 but failed miserably once i started building. Just don't go too extravagant and you will be fine.
Spending £1000 on a full suss will get you an ok bike whereas for a hardtail you would have a great bike. Also, if you are using it to cycle to work as well you will find a hardtail better on the roads.
flag AAddict
Posted: Oct 16, 2013 at 8:13 Quote
nidgeslash9 wrote:
I have a hornet. If your only complaint about the Cube is that it's too XC biased you will love the hornet. I started with the intention of keeping mine below £1000 but failed miserably once i started building. Just don't go too extravagant and you will be fine.
Spending £1000 on a full suss will get you an ok bike whereas for a hardtail you would have a great bike. Also, if you are using it to cycle to work as well you will find a hardtail better on the roads.

Do you think a shop would build up a hornet with a decent fork for around £1000, I'm not sure I have the time/skill to build up myself.
flag nidgeslash9
Posted: Oct 16, 2013 at 8:19 Quote
AAddict wrote:
nidgeslash9 wrote:
I have a hornet. If your only complaint about the Cube is that it's too XC biased you will love the hornet. I started with the intention of keeping mine below £1000 but failed miserably once i started building. Just don't go too extravagant and you will be fine.
Spending £1000 on a full suss will get you an ok bike whereas for a hardtail you would have a great bike. Also, if you are using it to cycle to work as well you will find a hardtail better on the roads.

Do you think a shop would build up a hornet with a decent fork for around £1000, I'm not sure I have the time/skill to build up myself.

I'm sure most shops in the UK will build one up for you. The frame is really cheap, the biggest expense for me was the forks but i went for a Fox 34, 160mm Talas. I also had Dartmoor wheels and hubs. They have taken some hard hits and stayed true. I think they were a good price and might help you keep the price down.
flag slope
Posted: Oct 16, 2013 at 8:57 Quote
Whoa......what is a £1000 cycle to work voucher !!

Is the government paying you to ride a mtb???
flag AAddict
Posted: Oct 16, 2013 at 9:11 Quote
slope wrote:
Whoa......what is a £1000 cycle to work voucher !!

Is the government paying you to ride a mtb???

You get the bike tax free for just a few £'s per week out of your gross salary.
flag cannondalemale
Posted: Oct 16, 2013 at 10:51 Quote
AAddict wrote:
slope wrote:
Whoa......what is a £1000 cycle to work voucher !!

Is the government paying you to ride a mtb???

You get the bike tax free for just a few £'s per week out of your gross salary.

I was going to do this but decided not to bother
flag jskiff
Posted: Oct 17, 2013 at 5:56 Quote
If you have a few quid more, most shops will let you add to the £1000 I bought a Norco Sight Se and just used the C2W vouchers as a deposit.
flag AAddict
Posted: Oct 17, 2013 at 9:03 Quote
jskiff wrote:
If you have a few quid more, most shops will let you add to the £1000 I bought a Norco Sight Se and just used the C2W vouchers as a deposit.

Yeah, I can maybe add a little but not loads. I think I'm gonna go with a long travel HT, but my mind changes daily Dead Horse
flag konabigshed
FL
Posted: Oct 17, 2013 at 12:52 Quote
I'm thinking a long travel hard tail would be a good thing to have mainly for the winter, and I'm looking at the Diamondback mason 29er. Can't find a price for it though in the uk. Looks like a fun ride.
flag jskiff
Posted: Oct 18, 2013 at 0:46 Quote
konabigshed wrote:
I'm thinking a long travel hard tail would be a good thing to have mainly for the winter, and I'm looking at the Diamondback mason 29er. Can't find a price for it though in the uk. Looks like a fun ride.

Nearly bought a breezer cloud 9, full carbon, rebas the works very nice bike and bunched up, big wheels smaller footprint. Felt like a 26er, worth a nosey dude.
flag AAddict
Posted: Oct 18, 2013 at 10:59 Quote
Well my £1000 voucher is here, and it's burning a hole in my pocket, can't find anything in budget that I want Madder
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