# Which boingy bike would you choose...?



## Motozulu (25 Mar 2014)

Hello again all, not posted on here for a while but I need some advice and this was always a good place for that.
Have come into a little money recently, enough to be able to buy my dream bike, a full susser., . 
Trouble is, I have no idea of which to go for. I have narrowed it down to 3 bikes (I am test riding the Chief at Ashton Court with Fin, the Rose bikes rep, on Tuesday) but can you good folk tell me which bike is the best deal? which has got the better boingy bits?. 

Here's the bikes and thanks in advance!

The bikes...

https://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=3250#tab-reiter2

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/product/detail/aid:652593/load:96929

http://www.radon-bikes.de/xist4c/web/Slide-150-10-0_id_25926_.htm


----------



## ScotiaLass (25 Mar 2014)

I know sod all about anything this technical, but just on sheer looks, I love the Rose bike 
Whatever you get I hope you enjoy it!


----------



## Motozulu (25 Mar 2014)

Funny aint it? one of my mates described the Chief as 'Fugly'


----------



## GrumpyGregry (25 Mar 2014)

The Canyon. Just because I own a Canyon.


----------



## Jody (25 Mar 2014)

The Canyon looks amazing. I am not up with specs but based purely on looks the Canyon wins all day long.


----------



## cyberknight (25 Mar 2014)

CX


----------



## welsh dragon (25 Mar 2014)

I loved the rose and the radon. But of course I don't know anything either.


----------



## I like Skol (25 Mar 2014)

I'm not going to add anything constructive to this thread I'm afraid as I am not convinced that more than maybe 20% of full suss riders actually require full suss.

I have had a look at the 3 bikes linked to and now I feel a little queasy 

I hope I have helped


----------



## Mr Haematocrit (25 Mar 2014)

The Rose is the bike I would take


----------



## GrumpyGregry (25 Mar 2014)

I like Skol said:


> I'm not going to add anything constructive to this thread I'm afraid as I am not convinced that more than maybe 20% of full suss riders actually require full suss.
> 
> I have had a look at the 3 bikes linked to and now I feel a little queasy
> 
> I hope I have helped


Define "require"


----------



## Motozulu (25 Mar 2014)

Aaahh but as a fifty plus rider I am feeling the effects of my SS rigid and XC HT. Think my old bones need a bit of help - hence going full boingy.


----------



## GrumpyGregry (25 Mar 2014)

Motozulu said:


> Aaahh but as a fifty plus rider I am feeling the effects of my SS rigid and XC HT. Think my old bones need a bit of help - hence going full boingy.


Everyone 50+ requires a rigid SS, an XC HT and a boingy-boingy


----------



## Motozulu (25 Mar 2014)

GrumpyGregry said:


> Everyone 50+ requires a rigid SS, an XC HT and a boingy-boingy



I wish I knew what this meant.


----------



## welsh dragon (25 Mar 2014)

Motozulu said:


> I wish I knew what this meant.



If you don't understand, just nod and agree.


----------



## Motozulu (25 Mar 2014)

I suspect some irony and a bit of sneering but for the sake of goodwill, I'm nodding and agreeing.


----------



## welsh dragon (25 Mar 2014)

Motozulu said:


> I suspect some irony and a bit of sneering but for the sake of goodwill, I'm nodding and agreeing.



That's the ticket. Works for me.


----------



## Motozulu (25 Mar 2014)

I like Skol said:


> I'm not going to add anything constructive to this thread I'm afraid as I am not convinced that more than maybe 20% of full suss riders actually require full suss.
> 
> I have had a look at the 3 bikes linked to and now I feel a little queasy
> 
> I hope I have helped



No, not in the slightest.


----------



## Cubist (25 Mar 2014)

The Canyon. The Rose is fugly imho, and Enduro heavy, whereas the other two sneak in at heavy XC, light AM weights. The Radon is nice, with good groupset and the best of the three forks, but the Canyon's frame styling do it for me. The Revelation fork on the Canyon is great, and the 1x11 drivetrain is pretty "en point". You won't get a test ride on any of them, but by experience and reviews the Canyon are awesome. If you do buy it save a few bob to bin off the Avid brakes though!


----------



## Crackle (25 Mar 2014)

I couldn't buy a bike called a Granite Chief, that is my only contribution.


----------



## dan_bo (25 Mar 2014)

Crackle said:


> I couldn't buy a bike called a Granite Chief, that is my only contribution.



I thought your favourite bike was your British Eagle BOSS?


----------



## Motozulu (25 Mar 2014)

> The Canyon. The Rose is fugly imho, and Enduro heavy, whereas the other two sneak in at heavy XC, light AM weights. The Radon is nice, with good groupset and the best of the three forks, but the Canyon's frame styling do it for me. The Revelation fork on the Canyon is great, and the 1x11 drivetrain is pretty "en point". You won't get a test ride on any of them, but by experience and reviews the Canyon are awesome. If you do buy it save a few bob to bin off the Avid brakes though!



Pretty much where I had got myself too. Looking for reasons not to go for the Canyon but struggling. Thanks - good input from all of you.


----------



## Cubist (25 Mar 2014)

GrumpyGregry said:


> Everyone 50+ requires a rigid SS, an XC HT and a boingy-boingy


And a fat bike.


----------



## GrumpyGregry (26 Mar 2014)

Motozulu said:


> I wish I knew what this meant.


If you need to ask you can't afford the hobby.


----------



## GrumpyGregry (26 Mar 2014)

Cubist said:


> And a fat bike.


My bike makes me look fat.


----------



## Cubist (27 Mar 2014)

Motozulu said:


> Hello again all, not posted on here for a while but I need some advice and this was always a good place for that.
> Have come into a little money recently, enough to be able to buy my dream bike, a full susser., .
> Trouble is, I have no idea of which to go for. I have narrowed it down to 3 bikes (I am test riding the Chief at Ashton Court with Fin, the Rose bikes rep, on Tuesday) but can you good folk tell me which bike is the best deal? which has got the better boingy bits?.
> 
> ...


Here's a spanner in the works for you. With your budget you could put a decent wheelset on one of these, and still have change for the pub. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IBIS-MOJO...1362102452?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item4ad2ac88b4


----------



## Alan57 (27 Mar 2014)

Well jus to get involved in the "spanner/works" dept , if I had the cash i`d go for this and maybe do some upgrades(thats if you can get one of course)
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBTIELGX5/titus-el-guapo-sram-x5-mountain-bike.
Or this 
http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/p/14950/santa-cruz-heckler-d-am-275-mountain-bike-2014


----------



## Jody (27 Mar 2014)

The Titus looks a nice machine at a decent cost.


----------



## Motozulu (28 Mar 2014)

Thanks again - the Titus I looked at but are sold out, I know everyone raves about santa cruz's but I think they are overpriced for what you get spec wise (bit like oranges)

The Ibis is a real eye opener though - don't know a lot about the shock/forks brand though? and if only the forks were black. Still interested at that price though - what wheelset would you put on there Cubist? ZTR flows on Hope evo2's?


----------



## Cubist (28 Mar 2014)

Motozulu said:


> Thanks again - the Titus I looked at but are sold out, I know everyone raves about santa cruz's but I think they are overpriced for what you get spec wise (bit like oranges)
> 
> The Ibis is a real eye opener though - don't know a lot about the shock/forks brand though? and if only the forks were black. Still interested at that price though - what wheelset would you put on there Cubist? ZTR flows on Hope evo2's?


Xfusion are very well reviewed. I have the burlier 160 Slants on my Ibis, and can't fault them. The Velvets are meant to be very good give their cost, especially when compared with Fox. . Light, smooth, well damped. They seem to be blossoming in the current market. If you don't like them you could always save up for the new Pike! The rear shock I know nothing about, but a bit of googling may find a review. If you don't like it, it's ripe for an upgrade. 

Yes, I'd go for Pro2 Evos with Stans ZTR rims, , simply because they are versatile, reasonably light and modular, so you can get adapters to suit all fork and rear axle standards. Hope customer service is legendary. At £300 give or take you are buying a rebuildable, serviceable, and of course British wheelset.Flows are absolutely bombproof, and very easy to set up tubeless, designed for big stuff. If you intend to ride trail/AM then perhaps think about Arch Ex, which are slightly lighter, and with a narrower profile. I have Flows on the Ibis and Arch Ex on the Soul. Hope Hoops are great as a factory build, but you can get a custom build and therefore have a choice of hub colour and spoke/ nipple combination. 

On a tighter budget you might look at Superstar switch evo hubs, on Stans or their own tubeless rims.


----------



## Motozulu (28 Mar 2014)

Cheers mate - very helpful.


----------



## Motozulu (30 Mar 2014)

Just an update - the Canyon and Radon are now losing the battle  finding out that a replacement cassette is 200 quid and a chain 30 odd has dented my ardour somewhat. I may not join the rush for the 1x11 drive.

Will do a quick review of the Granite Chief 3 after Wednesday if anyone is interested. The heaviest of the bikes I am looking at but sometimes that isn't a bad thing. Described as 'a bombproof frame' by someone on another forum...I can't wait for Wednesday.


----------



## sazzaa (30 Mar 2014)

I know SFA about mountain bikes, but the Cube full sussers are pretty.


----------



## Crackle (30 Mar 2014)

Motozulu said:


> Just an update - the Canyon and Radon are now losing the battle  finding out that a replacement cassette is 200 quid and a chain 30 odd has dented my ardour somewhat. I may not join the rush for the 1x11 drive.
> 
> Will do a quick review of the Granite Chief 3 after Wednesday if anyone is interested. The heaviest of the bikes I am looking at but sometimes that isn't a bad thing. Described as 'a bombproof frame' by someone on another forum...I can't wait for Wednesday.


Oooof. Those prices will come down though, like anything new.


----------



## ScotiaLass (31 Mar 2014)

Motozulu said:


> Just an update - the Canyon and Radon are now losing the battle  finding out that a replacement cassette is 200 quid and a chain 30 odd has dented my ardour somewhat. I may not join the rush for the 1x11 drive.
> 
> Will do a quick review of the Granite Chief 3 after Wednesday if anyone is interested. The heaviest of the bikes I am looking at but sometimes that isn't a bad thing. Described as 'a bombproof frame' by someone on another forum...I can't wait for Wednesday.


My Saracen is a full suss and I've had it for about 8 years. It is a VERY heavy bike but until recently (health issues) that didn't bother me.
It felt solid and gave me confidence when riding on technical sections. Speed wasn't an issue for me then either.


----------



## Motozulu (4 Apr 2014)

The Chief took my breath away, tbf. You hear loads of cliches in biking circles...toasty warm...buttery smooth...grin inducing...but I was actually grinning halfway around the SuperNova trail. Trying to keep up with Fin (UK rep and rider for Rose) meant I was really pushing myself on an unfamiliar bike but despite the wet, granite chunked and flowy, bermy track I never felt the bike was going to let go once. Never once felt the weight of the bike and felt absolutely in control - and I am not the greatest rider in the world.

Ordering one today - the configurator on the Rose site has meant me swapping bars, stems, drive train about a 100 times so far - it's too good!


----------



## Shadowfax (6 Apr 2014)

Crackle said:


> Oooof. Those prices will come down though, like anything new.


The prices may come down, but the quantity of chains and cassettes will go up.


Santa Cruz could never be overated, overpriced?


----------

