What is a marathon bike vs a trail bike

[CAAD4]

Sure, maybe he also rides what he is given. Slowbee is going to buy.

[billygoat0523]

i think many of you are stuck on the old tech/geometry and how xc used to be.  (kinda like how people still think bmw's depreciate the fastest)  how many of you saying xc bikes are twitchy, have actually ridden the latest xc bikes???

 

 many xc bikes now have a more relaxed head angle and do not feel like they want to throw over the bars.  i have a cannondale scalpel si 3 and a silverback sola.  sure the sola did feel twitchy at first, but my skills have improved and I fitted a grippier front tyre.  the scalpel feels very stable on steep downhill sections.

 

check out the cannondale range of "xxc" bikes as well as the scott xc range.

[Eldron]

People people. XC (XCO) and Marathon (XCM) bike are not the same. Until recently rear suspension was poo pood by XCOers.

 

Marathon bike are not "twitchy". They may be more twitchy than Trail/Enduro bikes but if your Marathon bike is twitchy then your set up or riding style is dodgy.

 

Trail bikes are certainly more forgiving and love the rough stuff more but describing a 100mm duallie as a "jeep track bikes" is doing them a disservice.

 

A steel hardtail with a Lauf fork would be the best idea for that....

[Eldron]

That said - I think a lot more people would be happier on longer travel more realxed bikes.

 

The current South Africa "race race race" culture doesn't quite permit it (yet). If you want to go fast but feel a little beaten up after 100km mtb race then 100mm duallie with a steeper head angle is your machine. If you want to enjoy yourself a bit more and a chunk of time to your race friends then trail/enduro if the way to go.

[Ride Rate Review]

There are many factors to consider. what do you LIKE to ride(fire road or trail), what is your skill level (can u handle a bike properly or not), what position do you want to be in when you ride (relaxed mx bike or super bike), are you riding 70km+ mainly on district road, do you want to have fun or race? those are just some of the questions that could steer you to the right choice.

 

The Camber is specialized biggest seller at the moment in cape town for a reason. Their sales team is steering customers in the right direction keeping their safety and enjoyment in mind. It's a very capable bike that can ride most trails and is more confidence inspiriring so it's not as aggressive, more forgiving (allowing riders to hone in skills and become more confident & better riders) generally xc/marathon bikes are RACE bikes So it's like a sports car, you shouldn't give someone a sports car until he can drive properly, they could injure themselves badly possibly kill themselves, I'll give the epic prologue as an example, once the general population hit the singletrack and especially something with more tech it was tickets for them, falls, otb's, etc, many of whom lost out on even riding the first stage.

This is an extreme sport and YOUR safety should be in mind.

 

In Cape Town we are lucky to have a variety of different trail and the way things are moving trails will become more technical(hence new style xc bike changing geometry). with a race bike if you are not a capable rider you may limit yourself to certain trails and miss out on easily stepping outside your comfort zone to ride new and exciting trails so you could try future proof your purchase.

 

 

I will always steer someone more towards a trail style bike for the Cape's trails than a xc bike, unless you are SERIOUS about RACING marathon, xco AND have intermediate to advanced level of riding skill or you possibly like to ride flatish stuff with lots of climbing and majority jeep track and put in serious milage (70km +), you could get a gravel bike for that.

Your Safety should come first.

 

Alway keep an open mind and give it some thought.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Formallyknownas]

"describing a 100mm duallie as a "jeep track bikes" is doing them a disservice."

 

.

This is what I was getting at Myles.

[stefmeister]

It all depends on the type of riding you do. If your rides are mostly limited to 20km rides, even a fat bike could even suffice. If you're regularly doing 50km + rides get a xc bike.

Most of our trails don't require a trail bike, and if you're focused enough your skills will make you just a fast on a xc bike as on a trail bike.

Also, most mountain bikers, being in the 30 - 50 year old range, are not into smashing jumps and drop offs. So there's no need to get land cruiser to do grocery shopping.

 

 

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[Eldron]

There are many factors to consider. what do you LIKE to ride(fire road or trail), what is your skill level (can u handle a bike properly or not), what position do you want to be in when you ride (relaxed mx bike or super bike), are you riding 70km+ mainly on district road, do you want to have fun or race? those are just some of the questions that could steer you to the right choice.

 

The Camber is specialized biggest seller at the moment in cape town for a reason. Their sales team is steering customers in the right direction keeping their safety and enjoyment in mind. It's a very capable bike that can ride most trails and is more confidence inspiriring so it's not as aggressive, more forgiving (allowing riders to hone in skills and become more confident & better riders) generally xc/marathon bikes are RACE bikes So it's like a sports car, you shouldn't give someone a sports car until he can drive properly, they could injure themselves badly possibly kill themselves, I'll give the epic prologue as an example, once the general population hit the singletrack and especially something with more tech it was tickets for them, falls, otb's, etc, many of whom lost out on even riding the first stage.

This is an extreme sport and YOUR safety should be in mind.

 

In Cape Town we are lucky to have a variety of different trail and the way things are moving trails will become more technical(hence new style xc bike changing geometry). with a race bike if you are not a capable rider you may limit yourself to certain trails and miss out on easily stepping outside your comfort zone to ride new and exciting trails so you could try future proof your purchase.

 

 

I will always steer someone more towards a trail style bike for the Cape's trails than a xc bike, unless you are SERIOUS about RACING marathon, xco AND have intermediate to advanced level of riding skill or you possibly like to ride flatish stuff with lots of climbing and majority jeep track and put in serious milage (70km +), you could get a gravel bike for that.

Your Safety should come first.

 

Alway keep an open mind and give it some thought.

 

 

 

 

 

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Agreed. Cape Town is way more "trail" than Jhb. Pmb too.

 

When buying a bike people should take all factors into account rathwr than going "jeep track" or "trail".

[mtb impi]

I know what i like to ride, which gives me the most joy, and grin-factor. This will be different to everyone out there.

Get the right bike for the majority of your rides.

My team mate on most rides is having a blast on his Stumpy 27.5+, and ... I was amazed how well he did on technical terrain last year on the W2W, him being a newb to mtb'ing in general.

 

If you're not a racesnake, and enjoy the Cape mountaintrails, - trail bike all the way!

 

Come ride my Santa, you are welcome.

[Jewbacca]

Get a Camber....

 

Seriously. A pimped out Camber will eat anything you throw at it.

 

These days 'do it all' bikes are aplenty. Slackish head angle, steep seat tube angle, 120mm of travel and the option of a 120 to 140mm fork.

 

With the right set up one could complete any race on the local calendar with a huge smile on their faces.

[FCH]

Canyon bikes are like Hanzel...., so hot right now!!

 

I'm trying to decide between these 2 bikes at the moment.I've ridden both a few times and both great bikes.

 

As it's already been said the trail bike is a little relaxed and turns a little slower on the downhills.It's more stable than the Marathon bike and gives some extra confidence on the descents.

 

Climbing i actually can't feel the difference between the 2 but then again I'm as slow as a tortoise.

 

The trail bike is only 400grams heavier.

 

 

140mm Trail Bike

 

Screen Shot 2017-04-28 at 19.55.24.png

 

 

 

 

120mm Marathon bike

 

Screen Shot 2017-04-28 at 19.55.24.png

 

[Slowbee]

mmmm all these buzz words, so lets start at the very begining, a very good place to start, when you read you begin with A-B-C. When you sing you begin with do-re-mi.

 

No wait, that a tangetial line to what I was thinking. Lets start with this question.

 

I currently ride a titus racer x, 26er. I feel I can ride almost anything with this beast of a bike. I love it totally. So is it a XC bike, or a marathon bike ?

[Jewbacca]

mmmm all these buzz words, so lets start at the very begining, a very good place to start, when you read you begin with A-B-C. When you sing you begin with do-re-mi.

 

No wait, that a tangetial line to what I was thinking. Lets start with this question.

 

I currently ride a titus racer x, 26er. I feel I can ride almost anything with this beast of a bike. I love it totally. So is it a XC bike, or a marathon bike ?

Well, does it really matter.

 

It does the job and you love it. So many boxes to tick and pigeon holes to fill..... If you are 'upgrading' my advice would be to just try the Camber... I know its not niche or radical but it really does get the job done and then some.

 

No I don't work for Spez, I don't even own one. But if I was looking for a 1 bike, I would probably get one. In fact there is one for 15k for sale on thehub which I might buy....

[Formallyknownas]

mmmm all these buzz words, so lets start at the very begining, a very good place to start, when you read you begin with A-B-C. When you sing you begin with do-re-mi.

 

No wait, that a tangetial line to what I was thinking. Lets start with this question.

 

I currently ride a titus racer x, 26er. I feel I can ride almost anything with this beast of a bike. I love it totally. So is it a XC bike, or a marathon bike ?

The two events you are committed to will play a huge role in what you drop dollar on. Think long and hard, this is not a decision to take lightly.

[Slowbee]

The reason for me asking about the titus, is I would like to replace like for like.

 

Why replace the titus. Parts are getting more and more tricky to get hold of. The dropout is bent, and I have to import a new one. 26 tyres are getting more and more sparse and I cannot just walk into the LBS and buy 2. I have to call first to check if they have stock. Its the small things that are starting to add up that make maintenance tricky.

 

Which brings me to the 650 vs 29 debate. I just somehow cannot get my mind (excuse pun) round the 29er wheels. Maybe they are nimble and can turn on a penny, but nipping through single track on a 29er, I cant see it happening - so maybe I should try it.

 

Which brings to the money debate. Silverback make a great 650b that is a trail bike for around R28k. They also make a nice 29er for around R25K. Which leaves some change for an upgrade on wheels etc.

 

A new giant 650b starts at around R35k.

 

AND then the final "mental" hurdle, is the shock position of horizontal vs vertical. Yes the science is there as are all the pros riding whatever. But in MY head, the vertical just seems/feels/pseudoscience like better.

 

So what now ?

 

Oh Jewbacca, asked Sasha about the year model on that camber for R15k. Maybe, that is the answer.

 

EDIT: Unless of course people start taking my hints seriously in allowing a terminology inept rider a long term test on one of their bikes.

[Jewbacca]

Ha! You are welcome to try out my steel hardtail 29er with 140mm forks.... You will never look back!

 

It nips through tight single track and skips down mountains.

 

hmmm.... pity about the age of the Camber... if it looks too good to be true......

 

The Silverback pivot and solid rear triangle gives amazingly predictable feedback and feels awesome. We tested the yet unreleased 160mm trail bikes in Jonkers a while back and they felt and looked a LOT like a Santa Cruz but at 1 third the price point.

 

Have you approached SB about testing the bikes? They have demo models at a lot of their on trail stores. I rode one of their demo bikes at the ride with Riaan final 5 day. 

 

The guys at Silverback are pretty cool. I'm sure they could hook you up.