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View Full Version : New bike time and I am lost


Hougham
06-23-2007, 03:13 AM
Hello

I am finally replaying my do everything bike. I ride a few miles every day down to work and then up the hill back home after. After work at least every other week or so I go on a two or three hour all mountain ride after work then at the weekend I like to go do a local DH runs or just a mess about at the 4X track. So the bike really has to do anything. So I am selling my GT LTS DS1000 and Pace RC150 forks and getting something new finally.

I really like the Orange Patriot and Sub 5. I like the way they feel like they dig in when you peddle and really accelerate well. But most of all I love the way the bearings are standard and cost less than a beer. However there not cheap and I don’t get much of a discount on them as we don’t sell them.

I was also thing a Giant Reign as I can get them on a staff deal. So I can get it very cheap. I do like the more basic suspension that digs in when you peddle and the Giant really does not do this. I know its way better than what I have though so its still a possibility. But the biggest thing putting me off it are all the custom bushes and pivots and all that lot. I tend to keep a bike for a very long time and it would piss me off the price of the rear service kits and if I could not get the parts a few years down the line I would not be happy.

I can also get Iron Horse, Maverick, Bianchi and Intense bikes at a relatively good price. But have not had a really good look at any of them yet.

As for forks I can get best prices on RockShox but also get a good deal on Pace. Then I can get Mavericks and Fox with a small discount. But don’t really know what I want. I was thinking single crown this time though.

If any one would like to recommend anything or comment on what I I have put that would be a great help.

Many thanks

Kanter
06-23-2007, 10:42 AM
Kona Coiler or Coilair?

Intense with a Fox fork would be my choice out of the ones you mentioned.

ZHendo
06-23-2007, 09:14 PM
Intense 5.5 EVP with a RS Pike 454 U-Turn Air if you're leaning towards aggressive XC-ish trails. If you prefer some drops and more all mountain style riding with the occasional ski resort trip or some shuttles, go for an Intense 6.6 with a Lyrik 2-Step. The reason I'm pointing you towards Intense is because the VPP linkage is very similar to a single pivot when it comes to acceleration characteristics. The only problem with newer incarnations of the VPP system are that is still has quite a bit of pedal feedback when you're climbing in the granny ring. They also eat bearings like crazy, so that might turn you off on them. Orange bikes look amazing, but there is no point in buying one right now with exchange rates being this bad. They are absurdly expensive already, and the rates make them stupid to buy just because they cost as much per frame as two of many other exotic frames. I'd seriously consider the Reign because of how awesome the Maestro design performs. It won't accelerate quite like a VPP frame or a single pivot, but there isn't any annoying pedal feedback in the granny, and the suspension destroys rough terrain. Word is that the bearings last longer than VPP, but you still won't get much life out of any multi-pivot design using ball bearings. You're looking at a great group of bikes, so I think that you'll end up happy regardless of which directions you turn.

allsk8sno
06-23-2007, 10:39 PM
bottlerocket maybe?

Hougham
06-24-2007, 05:17 AM
Thanks for the replies. The Kona I would have to pay full price on so I may give that a pass. But by the sound of it I may have to blag a test on these shorter travel Intenses. They do sound good Zhendo and thanks for the description on the suspension it self. You hit the nail on the head of what I’m after. Something that primarily will be fun when you want it to, but will not be woefully out of place plodding around. I dont like XC but you have to get up the hill to go down it. I am not to bothered about replacing bearings as long as there a industry standard that I can get for next to nothing from any bearing shop really. Will see what the best price is on the orange as it is tempting even at the cost lol.

Many thanks again

trailblazer
06-25-2007, 09:38 AM
i am so thrilled with my heckler.
I just bought a set of cross max st's and the 07 duallies.
that ride rocks now