Fitman

Very vice bike, but I tend to agree with Nick that most of us "average" riders would probably be more comfortable and confident on the likes of the Camber. Without trying to completely hijack the subject, what about bikes with newer XC geometry like the new Scalpel Si and Spark RC with head tube angles of 69.5 and 68.5 deg respectively? Would they now hit the sweet spot between the Epic and Camber, or would they still be considered too twitchy for a less skilled rider?

Thanks for the tips everyone. The hardest part now is convincing my wife that I really, really, really need a new bike...

I’m riding an old 26 inch hardtail and would like to upgrade. The current thinking for more recreational riders seems to lean towards bikes with slacker geometry that inspire more confidence and are more comfortable than traditional XC race whippets. Most of my riding will be around the Jhb trails, e.g. Modderfontein, but also some others like Karkloof or Holla. So far, I’ve narrowed it down to either the 2017 Specialized Camber Comp Carbon or Scott Spark 930. Both seem similarly priced and spec’d with 120 mm travel, GX 1 x 11, Fox rear shocks and dropper posts. The Camber has the RS Revelation RL vs the Spark’s Fox 34 Float Performance fork. Thanks.

Thanks. The new breed of XC bikes seem to be blurring the lines between XC and trail bikes. For example the new Scalpel Si has head tube angle of 69.5 deg and the new Scott RC is 68.5 deg. The Camber is also 68.5 deg. Even the Scalpel's wheelbase is much the same as the Camber. The Scalpel Si 4 just seems better specced than the Camber Comp Carbon at a similar price, so maybe the best of both worlds.

Thanks, I'll look out for that. Modderfontein is closest to me and realistically probably where most of my Jhb riding will be done because it is so practical.

Thanks for the tips. I know the feeling, my old bike weighs in at around 15kgs with pedals, etc!

I’m new to mountain biking and reasonably fit from gym and running, but not (yet) a strong or skilled rider (male, age 48, 1.67 m and 65 kg). I’ve been using a very old GT hardtail and looking at upgrading to something better. To complicate my decision, I see that several bike magazines are now recommending bikes with more relaxed geometry and more travel for the average SA rider, for example the Camber, in preference to the more traditional XC/marathon bikes like the Epic. The likes of the Scalpel Si Carbon 4, Anthem X Advanced, BMC Fourstroke 02 XT and Epic FSR Comp Carbon versus the new Spark 920, BMC Speedfox 02 XT and Camber Comp Carbon, amongst others, have all crossed my mind and have relatively similar pricing. This is an expensive decision and I would appreciate any advice/comments regarding the selection of the right bike particularly in terms of the trade-off between efficiency and lighter weight against more comfortable confidence inspiring geometry. Finally, with its new geometry, could the new Scalpel Si be considered a reasonable compromise between the two schools of thought?