Please help choosing a sub $3500 AM rig: YT / Canyon / Kona / Intense, have I missed something?

PB Forum :: All Mountain, Enduro & Cross-Country
Please help choosing a sub $3500 AM rig: YT / Canyon / Kona / Intense, have I missed something?
  • Next Page
Author Message
flag ngrits
Posted: Feb 15, 2016 at 11:41 Quote
Claptout wrote:
I think it was November when YT discounted the remainder of their 2015 bikes, with the pro having 600 euros off, presumably to make way for the 2016 range so don't get your hopes up bout getting any discount til the same time this year. I don't have anymore info on the Mega 275 for you unfortunately I've only seen it on chain reaction website. But, just to make your decision harder, have you seen or heard of Whyte(Bikes) G160 RS It looks gorgeous. PIKE 160 forks, Rockshox Monarch Debonair Rt3 ,WTB Asym i29mm rims, X1 shifters &chainset, SRAM Guide R 4 pots, Reverb Stealth, 13.5 kg, £2700. I can't find a review on it but the model it replaces G150 and the 130 (130 travel) models have first rate reviews. Have FUN!

Thanks, that G160 sure looks like a killer setup, but I don't think I would be able to purchase it in the US -(
flag opetruzel
O+
Posted: Feb 15, 2016 at 19:28 Quote
Just gonna leave this here to really mess you up (excel spreadsheet):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yyc0jum9vh42wjp/27.5%20Full%20Squish%20-%20v3.xlsx?dl=0

I've only listed 60+ options, and counting...
Smile
flag mog1404
Posted: Feb 16, 2016 at 13:36 Quote
The Rallon is awesome! I bit the bullet this spring and picked one up and I couldn't be happier. It's a go anywhere do anything bike. If ngrits you find yourself in Westchester county near Blue Mountain Reservation I have a medium if you want to give one a try.[/Quote]

Bugger was about to pull the trigger on a strive and you post this how do you rate the rallon on the climbs will do uplift days in bike park Wales but mostly local rides which means lots of up to enjoy the down thanks
flag Turboduck01
Posted: Feb 16, 2016 at 14:03 Quote
Not the OP but, again, same boat.

Still debating HT vs FS, but now leaning FS.

My reasons:
1. Weight is roughly the same
2. If I am limited on my physical fitness, I may appreciate the FS more. Especially getting older.
3. I can afford it
4. Not limited by bike.
5. I only ride up to go down, not a fast climber anyways.

http://www.commencalusa.com/meta-am-v4-purple-2016-c2x17825784
The commencal or the YT Capra are the two bikes im thinking about.
flag lifeofloon
O+
Posted: Feb 16, 2016 at 16:19 Quote
mog1404 wrote:
The Rallon is awesome! I bit the bullet this spring and picked one up and I couldn't be happier. It's a go anywhere do anything bike. If ngrits you find yourself in Westchester county near Blue Mountain Reservation I have a medium if you want to give one a try.

Bugger was about to pull the trigger on a strive and you post this how do you rate the rallon on the climbs will do uplift days in bike park Wales but mostly local rides which means lots of up to enjoy the down thanks[/Quote]

It climbs very well, even when you don't switch the shock to climb mode. I don't do a lot of lift access and pride myself on climbing my local trails that most people only ride down, technical with lots of steep sections. It's not as fast as my hardtail on some sections but it rides right up and over just about anything I put in front of it. That's in the low angle geometry setting make it steeper and it gets even easier. I crank my rebound up pretty fast and the rear wheel stays stuck to the ground making those rocky climbs smooth with the rear when fully engaged the entire time.
I've taken it to lift access parks a couple times and it handles the downs just as well. I'm running the X-team build and keep the BOS suspension set at the recommended racing psi for my weight. At 200lbs kitted up I've bottomed out the shock a few times (it handles them well, not sharp and jarring). I'm going to add some volume spacers to the shock soon which I'm pretty confident will resolve those few times it does bottom out.
It really is my go anywhere do anything bike. I've gone and banged out 20+ mile AM/XC rides, taken it to the lift access parks, and long rugged backcountry rides and never regretted it. I find it quite nimble both in technical situations and corners, handles airtime well and almost feels like it wants to accelerate when it lands instead of bogging down. I think if Orbea was bigger into the international MTB scene there would be more press about this bike. The only thing I didn't like was factory specced Maxxis, Ardent on the rear.
flag ngrits
Posted: Feb 16, 2016 at 18:41 Quote
After all of this wonderful feedback, I was able to rule out a few original contestants, only to rule in a few new and very amazing bikes I had somehow overlooked. Really really liked the Orbea Rallon, how does Fox's DPS/FIT4 equipped suspension compare to Monarch/Pike combo of YT/Commencal? Are Mach1 Klixx 23c wheels comparable in durability/weight to DT Swiss Spline or E13 TRS+?

At this point I am looking at YT Capra, Commencal AM Orbea Rallon and perhaps Giant Reign (yellow/blue frame was kind of burning my retinas when I viewed the bike, also Deore brakes, idk).

Capra and Rallon tie to kill the rest in the looks department for me.

Also, since I was inspired to consider buying a used bike which would afford similar spec and a carbon frame on for same or less $$$, I am now looking at some SC Bronsons, which I always had a crush on, but never the budget.

What I am debating on now is what is a smarter choice:

a 2014 Bronson (I happen to really like that yellow blue lettering on a matte frame in carbon) with some 2014/2015 components including Fox Float shock/fork without DPS/FIT4, XT brakes with either stock wheels or Mavic Crossmax

vs

the latest Pike with this charger damper everyone is raving about, Guide R(S) brakes and RS monarch plus shock?

I have used Guide RS for the past year and a half or so and I am very happy with them, running on Centerline rotors things are really amazing. Before Guides were introduced, I would never even consider non-Shimano brakes for my next bike (had a terrible experience with Elixirs) but 4 piston Guides rock and I Imagine there is a reason they are now equipped on so many bikes that are at the mid to top of the price points...

Feedback to help finish narrowing down is very welcome and appreciated! Either way I am excited for the upcoming riding season, cant wait to quit my part time job once I raise the funds for this project to then be able to ride the hell out of whatever it is I end up picking ;-D
flag captaingrumpy
O+
Posted: Feb 17, 2016 at 16:42 Quote
I think it is FOOLISH to try and purchase a bike that is future proof. You are speculating against innovation. Who's to say that electric shifting or electric suspension will render everything today 'obsolete'. Or that boost goes the way of the do-do.

The best you can hope for is to have a kick ass bike that you'll love for years to come, and can buy parts to service it as they wear out.

Even better you get something that's already depreciated and the ownership cost will be very low. Spend $2-2.5k on a good used bike today and even after thrashing it you'll recoup 75% of your cost if you decide you need something better in a few years. Current perfection is what costs the big bucks. Depreciation curve is a hockey stick, steep at the start, then an inflection to a long slow decline. You find something older and proven and your cost is low and the resale will still be terrific. For your ownership pleasure think about cost/ease/availability of bearings, standard shocks and fork, popular headset sizes and hub spacings. There are bikes that are disasters in that regard (brain shock.)

My money would be on a 26" bike. They smell like dead rats, no one wants them, makes people vomit into their mouth, but the good ones are still fantastic and the wheel/tire prices are terrific.

After a few years of full suspension bliss you're riding along, get to talking with strangers and try out the new Miracle 9000 ($), and decide you love it much more than what you have, for all the right reasons you can lay down the plastic and upgrade with conviction!

Talking of shocks: right now all those new latest hype miracle dampers are to you just internet talk. The actual benefits are small to all but a small minority. Spend some time to see how much you end up fiddling with your shocks, see if you end up caring. Most people don't.

I'd be bold if I were you and ask to try out lots of different bikes. Demo bikes are great, rentals, loaners, stuff left leaning outside of 7/11... Make new friends and grow a vocabulary for what you want on the trails you want to ride.

I don't think you can go wrong with something from santa cruz, yeti, rocky mountain, kona, pivot. Even some specialized are probably ok too. Lots of insanely great bikes to choose from on the used market with proven records.
flag ngrits
Posted: Feb 17, 2016 at 19:39 Quote
captaingrumpy wrote:
I think it is FOOLISH to try and purchase a bike that is future proof. You are speculating against innovation. Who's to say that electric shifting or electric suspension will render everything today 'obsolete'. Or that boost goes the way of the do-do.

The best you can hope for is to have a kick ass bike that you'll love for years to come, and can buy parts to service it as they wear out.

Even better you get something that's already depreciated and the ownership cost will be very low. Spend $2-2.5k on a good used bike today and even after thrashing it you'll recoup 75% of your cost if you decide you need something better in a few years. Current perfection is what costs the big bucks. Depreciation curve is a hockey stick, steep at the start, then an inflection to a long slow decline. You find something older and proven and your cost is low and the resale will still be terrific. For your ownership pleasure think about cost/ease/availability of bearings, standard shocks and fork, popular headset sizes and hub spacings. There are bikes that are disasters in that regard (brain shock.)

My money would be on a 26" bike. They smell like dead rats, no one wants them, makes people vomit into their mouth, but the good ones are still fantastic and the wheel/tire prices are terrific.

After a few years of full suspension bliss you're riding along, get to talking with strangers and try out the new Miracle 9000 ($), and decide you love it much more than what you have, for all the right reasons you can lay down the plastic and upgrade with conviction!

Talking of shocks: right now all those new latest hype miracle dampers are to you just internet talk. The actual benefits are small to all but a small minority. Spend some time to see how much you end up fiddling with your shocks, see if you end up caring. Most people don't.

I'd be bold if I were you and ask to try out lots of different bikes. Demo bikes are great, rentals, loaners, stuff left leaning outside of 7/11... Make new friends and grow a vocabulary for what you want on the trails you want to ride.

I don't think you can go wrong with something from santa cruz, yeti, rocky mountain, kona, pivot. Even some specialized are probably ok too. Lots of insanely great bikes to choose from on the used market with proven records.

CPT Grumpy, thank you so much for this post. I feel that I needed exactly this sort of input to zero in on correct priorities in my bike shopping.

Everything you said rings true, it is very easy (for me anyways) to get carried away with specs comparison.

My problem and a skill limiting factor is that I am currently leading a life that is too busy with things I have to do rather things I'd like to to. So much so that I don't have an opportunity to test ride bikes at the moment or meet people whose rigs are leaning by a 7/11 -). Frankly, I am a rookie in the sport, have the strength but not the skills for technical riding. Plan is to get a bike with great components to ensure good overhead for skill development and take some time and riding clinics to make better use of it. This won't be possible for at least another 3-4 months though, so I'm trying to make an informed purchase and spend the remaining time tweaking/upgrading/fitting as i wait for more free time. Your point about riding something affordable without worrying about denting ENVE wheels etc. and investing big money later when I can take full advantage of it is well taken.

If I got a fairly relevant AM bike now, I should be able to pay once and not worry about any major upgrades at all, as I don't think I will have the time to race or even casually ride more than a few times a week, perhaps a monthly trip to a bike park depending on work.

If I did look for such bike used, in your opinion, is shopping for it on PB's BuySell a good idea, with only seeing what is on the pictures until after it is delivered, or would you recommend local listings/pickup with pre-inspection instead?

PS: I realize also that I will be crashing a lot as I learn, so is getting a CF frame on a first FS bike a sketchy idea? Am I better off with an AL frame so that my heart wont be skipping beats if it slides on the rocks and roots under me?
flag captaingrumpy
O+
Posted: Feb 18, 2016 at 7:32 Quote
@ngrits: jeese you are well spoken.

I don't think carbon bikes are inherently fragile but some models in the past have proven fragile due to design and construction. Read the forums to see the complaint rate. I'd trust Santa Cruz and pivot to make a durable carbon frame that will last and last, other brands it would depend on the model. Honestly if you're crashing id be more worried about yourself. Put fork stantions into rock will still ruin your day...

Buying used at a distance, this is huge source of stress. Find a good shop near the seller. Look for folks that know the bike and can think on their feet. Folks that rebuild shocks, have a bushing press, etc. Arrange for them to ship the bike and to act as an informal escrow, check out the bike and note any damage to you. If bike is fine send money to seller and pay the shop for time and shipping. Honest seller should be delighted by this because shipping is difficult and dangerous and best left to pros, oh and because bike is as described. You need to trust the transaction because there are no returns or warranty.

One thing though, you spend more time climbing than descending, and all your pain. Especially if you aren't 'in shape' id make damn sure you get a bike that climbs well. Bikes that climb badly suck the fun from life.

Sounds like you want a Bronson so get one. Also you should consider a pivot.

Good Luck and enjoy the process!
flag alee90
Posted: Feb 18, 2016 at 21:25 Quote
I strongly suggest looking into the Giant Trance. It has a stout frame and decent components for the price. I ride my Trance 2 pretty hard and it has held up very well. It will mainly come down to your riding style and what you feel most comfortable on. Test ride as much as you can to help make the best decision on the bike that is right for you.
  • Next Page

 


Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv65 0.013452
Mobile Version of Website