New MTB advice

[Mr Pig]

you may be able to save £50 on the net but I would prefer to have some comeback if anything goes wrong.

I think you're being wise, I hope it works out for you. You're never guaranteed that things will be plain sailing but having the person you need to deal with nearby is definitely a good start. I've bought five bikes over the last five or six years from Dales and Alpine Bikes in Glasgow and they've both been great to deal with. You're quite right, I could have saved a few pounds buying over the net but when I've had an issue these shops have cheerfully sorted it out as quickly and they could.

None of the bikes you've shortlisted are junk, they're all good kit, so I'm sure you're going to get a good bike. Just take your time and try to get the one that's right for you.

Talking of trying bikes. When I was thinking about the Altitude I was struggling to find a shop with one in my size to try. I found a shop in Stirling that had one so drove up one Saturday to try it out. Looked nice, had a chat with sales-bod and said "Can I try it out?". "No, we don't do test rides"!!!

"What? I've driven for an hour and you expect me to just buy a bike without even trying it out?" His answer? "You can sit on it in the shop" So they lost a sale and Alpine Bikes got one.

 

[RedBike]

My current bike is a Dawes XC2.2 but am losing confidence in its reliability which is a big issue as I want to do some long rides soon including a coast 2 coast.

To be perfectly honest on paper the specification of the dawes isn't that bad. It's basically...

Deore kit, which is normally solid dependable stuff. Upgrading to lx,xt wont make your gears any more reliable.

Avid huicy 3 brakes, lower end kit from Avid but their stuff is normally very well made.
It's probably one of the best buget brakes available.

Rockshox Dart 2 fork, not the best of forks but Rockshox forks are normally pretty reliable.

All in all buying a new bike like the Stumpjumper / Genesis probably isn't going to sort out your problems. I would expect you to have quite a few problems with any new bike you buy too. The thing is, the parts on the bikes you've listed aren't really any more reliable than what you've currently got!

My advice if you want a MTB thats as reliable as possible is to talk to the LBS about having a single speed bike built up with Hope hubs and brakes. - Seriously!

 

[Mr Pig]

Interesting that the Altitude 20 is nearly 5lb lighter than the Dawes! That's a lot, and the Rockhopper is a pound lighter again!! Even the entry steel Altitude 00 is over a pound lighter than the aluminium Dawes, it's a heavy bike.

I agree about the spec of it not being that bad though, it should work ok. I've heard of a few folk having issues with the Jucy3 brakes but mostly just problems setting them up.

 

[Cubist]

Look at this for the same price as the Rockhopper.
http://www.cube-bikes.de/xist4c/web/LTD-TEAM_id_31069_.htm#anker

 

[mickthegreek]

Thanks for all the great help.

Cubist I love that bike. It looks great! Thats the second recomendation now for a cube bike. I had never heard of them previously (been out of the bike world for a good 15 years) are they a reputable brand?

 

[Cubist]

Thanks for all the great help.

Cubist I love that bike. It looks great! Thats the second recomendation now for a cube bike. I had never heard of them previously (been out of the bike world for a good 15 years) are they a reputable brand?

Yes, they are. They're german for a start. My son has an Attention, and in the 8 months he's owned it it has suffered the sort of wear and tear that a bike used by an extremely enthusiastic 11 yr old will suffer, but nothing major.

Santa very kindly got me a Cube Ltd Comp. I love it to bits, and now I've upgraded the forks to Reba Race it's light, very good-looking and a joy to ride. The spec on the Ltd range is very good for the money. It's definitely trail/XC oriented. I have a 34" inside leg, and went for an 18" , which gives a good standover, and a fast riding position with the seat above the bars. Brakes are good at the Ltd Comp level, (hayes stroker ryde) but the Ltd Team has the Reba race shocks as standard (they are awesome, plush, tuneable, well damped and very light. )and OroK18 brakes. The saddle is very good, in fact I would say it's as good as any I've ever ridden on. The wheels are light, with Shimano M525 hubs, and the tyres are awesome, the Racing Ralph on the back is grippy coupled with a Nobby Nic on the front. That rarely puts a foot wrong, gives great traction and control.

The ride itself is great fun. Handling is like a thoroughbred. Let it have its head and pick the lines well, and it's very rewarding. It can get a bit twitchy in places, but then who wants dull and uninspiring? You need rider input, it won't do it for you!

It even behaves well on -road. At full pressure (55 psi) the tyres roll fast, and it's capable of good speeds on the flat. Kept clean and well-maintained my Ltd has not shown the slightest bit of wear.

And the looks? What can I say. That green looks the bollocks, but the black is just pure porn.

I like Cubes so much I bought another ten for my team at work.

 

[mickthegreek]

Just a bit of an update.............

Well, I've bought my new bike. After lots of searching and test riding I opted for the Stumpjumper Comp HT '09. This bike is fantastic, and although I’ve only covered a meagre 10 miles so far I am very impressed with the suspension, brake, super quick gear change and most of all the weight (or lack of it!). This should be ideal for climbing the hills and banks where I live.

I opted for the 18" frame which is perfect for me and gives a great riding position.

It's a really quick bike and I'm very happy with my choice - even got 15% off through the Edinburgh Cycle weekend sale!

Just wanted to say a big thank you to all who helped me make an informed decision!

 

[Mr Pig]

Nice one dude. I'm sure you'll enjoy it :0)