Short Travel Trail Bike

[ichnusa]

I'm 1.88m - XL santa cruz for sure!

5010 amazing. However, consider the new Tallboy; my Bronson is getting jealous of the attention the Tallboy gets. I simply reach for it every time...

[Chavo]

Hi Guys. Need some advise. I'm looking at buying a short travel trail bike (130-140mm)

 

I've got a short list of the following:

 

Trek fuel ex8

Santa Cruz 5010

Transition Scout

 

I want a fun trail bike that I can, if I want to, do the odd marathon race or even the odd enduro, but generally just have fun.

 

I've currently got a 2014 Giant trance, but my arse is itching for something new with updated geometry.

 

Any advise or experience with the above bikes will be appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

I ride an XL Scout with a 150mm Pike and 35mm stem. I'm 1.89m tall so also fall on the L/XL cusp and glad I went with the XL. Mate of mine who is 1.84m and rides a L 2014 Trance rode my bike recently and was right at home with the setup.

 

The Scout is killer on the trails and I am yet to find it wanting on the trails I ride (primarily Tygerberg but also Jonkers and G-spot on the odd occasion). The Scout is a super fun bike and would handle enduros no problem.

 

Although I haven't done any major long distance riding with it (i.e. marathon), I reckon a longer stem (i.e. 50-60mm) will offer a decent setup for longer distance since the short stem is primarily setup for fun riding. But as has been said many times already, test as many bikes as you can.

[Bizkit031]

Still baffles me why the Trek is always dismissed out of hand? A mate recently bought the EX 9.8, awesome bike, with lifetime frame warranty, decent spec and it looks great.

Their track record in SA is not very good when it comes to back up because the distributor has been changed so many times.

[PhilipV]

put it this way - it was 2 beers into an afternoon Paarl session. 2 different days, but the application was the same.

 

EVERYBODY should have a post-beer run in their lives. HOLY SHAITE. Everything's hit harder, faster and with fewer nopes than ever.

 

This trail (this was early in the day)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4lD7-sEh9o

No offence Myles , but if you need beers to get over the confidence issue, then maybe it's time for a skills class.

Rather than acting recklessly maybe it's time to go back to the drawing board, and get the repetitive practice with guidance in to unlock the confidence. An advanced session with J-Louw or Chris will sommer help to iron out the bad habits.

[Odinson]

Comparing the Trek to the Santa or the Tranny is maybe not right, they are "boutique", but the Trek name seldom comes up when comparing the "main stream" brands. It's always Spez, Giant, Scott, Merida, Cannondale, etc.

Both Transition and SC have long moved past 'boutique' status. They're moving a hell of a lot of bikes.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

No offence Myles , but if you need beers to get over the confidence issue, then maybe it's time for a skills class.

Rather than acting recklessly maybe it's time to go back to the drawing board, and get the repetitive practice with guidance in to unlock the confidence. An advanced session with J-Louw or Chris will sommer help to iron out the bad habits.

None taken dude. I know that all too well. Definitely on my to do list

[nox1111]

No offence Myles , but if you need beers to get over the confidence issue, then maybe it's time for a skills class.

Rather than acting recklessly maybe it's time to go back to the drawing board, and get the repetitive practice with guidance in to unlock the confidence. An advanced session with J-Louw or Chris will sommer help to iron out the bad habits.

In my more reckless years I tried riding a trackbike for the first time - slighlty inebriated... Came to terms with what a fixie really means really quickly.

 

To the Op's question; you were on a 2014 Trance, why not give a 2017 Trance a bash?

I'm on a 2016 Trance, same Geo as the 2014 if I'm not mistaken, but I took the time to really dial it in, and just have the frame as Giant sold it, everything else is purpose chosen. It is one helluva bike and hard to beat for fun and playfulness.  I'm not saying there aren't better bikes out there, but I also went full circle in trying out bikes and looking at absolutely everything.  When I got on a Trance Advance, it just felt like my bike.

 

I get that I completely disregarded your three stated options, if you are just itching for new Geo on a great bike, then the Trance is a contender in my opinion - as well as the legion of bikes that everyone else suggested; if you however have your eyes very specifically on the three you mentioned, I actually have no real advice, but would personally buy the Santa - just because.

[rudi-h]

Thanks guys. It's a tough choice. I'll try organise a demo of each and make up my mind from there.

 

The other dilemma is size, as I am 1.87m tall, and sit smack bang in between large and extra large on both the transition and santacruz, for the life of me I don't want to spend all that money and end up with the wrong size.

 

SC 5010.  I am 1.83 and had an 5010 XL frame previously.  My bike got stolen and I could get a L 5010 frame second hand.  The L is a great fit but I do have my seatpost (KS Lev) set up to the limit mark with the L frame, so unless our proportions are way different you might want to go for a XL frame.  Both setups were good, but if my legs were 2cm longer I wouldn't have been able to fit on the L frame unless I got a longer seatpost.

[tcarthew]

None taken dude. I know that all too well. Definitely on my to do list

 

Woah, was that a mature response I just saw on the internet?

 

I'm completely freaked out right now.

[lechatnoir]

Woah, was that a mature response I just saw on the internet?

 

I'm completely freaked out right now.

 

Wait till Friday...

[T-Bob]

Just throwing it out there... The Following?

 

http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.imdserve.com/images/bikes-and-gear/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension/1446474599897-t1y8t80lfdwk-630-80.jpg

 

Hell of a trail bike, masses amount of fun and ability to enduro or marathon it. 

[Odinson]

Kona Process 111.

 

That is if you can stand the Orange Bikes level quality of welding on that seat tube gusset.

[tcarthew]

Just throwing it out there... The Following?

 

http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.imdserve.com/images/bikes-and-gear/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension/1446474599897-t1y8t80lfdwk-630-80.jpg

 

Hell of a trail bike, masses amount of fun and ability to enduro or marathon it. 

 

Anyone know the general pricing of these bikes?

[nox1111]

Did I miss the place that the OP indicated budget?

 

I'm sure suggestions would look slightly different if your budget had a limit figure.  That, if sensitive, could even swing a vote from a lesser specced carbon frame to a better specced alu frame or vica versa.  Or blow all of the suggestions out the water and keep you on your Giant and just upgrading grips

[T-Bob]

Anyone know the general pricing of these bikes?

 

Depends on build but Trailtech Cycles will help you out. Here is the review from the hub and check the Bike mag Bible of Bikes review on youtoob... but it's a full carbon frame as the start point. 

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/features/_/gear/reviews/review-evil-bikes-the-following-r4594

 

What's a 5010 going for these days? 

[tcarthew]

Depends on build but Trailtech Cycles will help you out. Here is the review from the hub and check the Bike mag Bible of Bikes review on youtoob... but it's a full carbon frame as the start point. 

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/features/_/gear/reviews/review-evil-bikes-the-following-r4594

 

What's a 5010 going for these days? 

 

https://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-ZA/5010

 

I considered a tallboy, but from 1 or 2 reviews I read it seems more xc/trail. Shorter travel & apparently doesn't descend as well.

 

Fuel EX 8 & the stumpy are still my forerunners at the mo :-) That Evil is way way out of my budget!