Next Bike : Trail vs XC

[Nahtan]

I have the Stage Max and love it.  it is comfortable on long rides, climbs and descends well (got a 140mm on the front) and the two water bottle holders are VERY useful.

[Grease_Monkey]

Nice assessment.

 

Where would you say the discontinued Camber slots in? Closer to Epic Evo or Stumpy ST?

 

The Epic Evo is still over a kg heaver than the equivalent Epic; that's plenty for a racing snake but negligible for the average (slightly overweight) 40-something doing Cape Epic. Given how technical that and some of the other stage races have become I expect the Evo to do well among the weekend warriors as it is such a well-balanced option for exactly that. Ultimately it remains a compromise over a pure XC bike and if you are in that racing snake category I'd stick to the XC and save up for a separate trail bike instead. I'd LOVE to have a separate trail bike to just have fun on.

 

Alas I'm not in the position to have another mtb and wish I had gone with an "inbetween" option when I bought mine, but instead I have a hardcore XC bike that regularly gives me a beating. When my wife isn't looking I take her Camber for a spin and it instills enormous confidence on the trails.

I'd say the discontinued Camber is still closer to the Stumpy ST than the Epic Evo in some regards, but closer to the Evo in others. It's hard to compare because the Camber was actually just a short travel Stumpy (same frame different rear triangle). It could take your heavier duty gear but felt just as at home built up as a more XC bike.

 

Anyway, I get your point. Personally I think the Epic Evo is an amazing bike - but still an XC bike. I think that even serious non professional XC riders (I'm imagining guys that take their riding seriously and do well at Stage races) would gain lots of advantage and comfort from a bike like the Evo. It is very well suited to marathon riding and gives just that extra bit of comfort and fun factor most guys are looking for - lots of people have actually been modifying their XC bikes in a similar way for years, and if you have a normal Epic it can be modified in the same way for not too much money...

 

As for the Stumpy ST - I think it's alot more versatile and still the right bike for the average weekend warior. It can do the stage races, but won't be the right bike for someone whose priority is speed and long kms.

 

If I could have 2 bikes from the Spaz range it would be the normal Stumpy (150mm travel), and an Epic Evo. The one for fun, the other for races (but I still wanna enjoy the descents hence the Eve haha). But... if I could only have one bike - which is the case with most guys it would be the Stumpy ST - but that's because I enjoy trail riding with the ocassional stage race/marathon.

 

At the end of the day I think the Evo is just a race bike with a few compromises to make it more versatile, but not to the point where it is a trail bike.

 

Just take your hardcore XC bike (not sure what it is), and put a 20mmm longer air shaft in your fork (R1000), add a dropper post from Lyne (3k), 750mm handlebar (R500), 10mm shorter stem (R400), and a 2.3" front tyre - hey presto you have an Evo... that's literally all they did to the Epic.

[robbybzgo]

I was in a similar position over a year ago and after doing research and finding a good buy on Bike Hub I purchased a 'demo' bike for a fairly reasonable price.

It is a Lapierre Zesty XM 827 full carbon 12,5kgs with 650b wheels and 130 mm/120 mm travel.

It was a compromise decision but have realised that it was the right one.

Was wanting a 29' full XC bike but this bike is perfect for me. Being in my 50's but still wanting to ride some gnarly trails and compete in 40km XC races - this bike has proved to be a perfect match. The slacker angles make the bike more stable and so willing down steep slopes. Its light enough for me for hill climbing so all in all, a great bike.

 

BTW. picked up a Lapierre Xelius roadbike the other day. I do enjoy the LP brand. Good sales and servicing backup in Pinetown/ Durban.

 

Good luck with your decision making.

[Mawbs]

i personally feel it will be a tough decision when i want to buy a new bike next time as there are so many new models in the Trail section that can do it all.  

[robbybzgo]

So true all manufacturers are looking to plug the gap of a mid XC / Trail bike.

But having a HT lightweight race bike for cyclocross events and easy XC, a Dual Sus mid bike for racing and trails and a road bike seems the way to go....as they say -

"you can never have too many bikes"....but then 3 is such an odd number - maybe 4?

[Bos]

So many replies to this, but I think I can add some value..

I also recently went this route,  but found there is no golden ticket. I also did many marathon type races however would join mates at Jonkers over weekends and would pump up the shock pressure and put a shorter stem on my xc bike. It helped but as soon as you start going fast It would get hairy..Perhaps its possible on groomed trails but not often enough. So I now have a 135mm trailbike which I had built up at 12kg and now at 12.8kg (heavier rubber + dropper)

 

The difference riding heavier rubber with more rolling resistance, dropper post and the slightly compromised climbing geometry makes a big difference to how keen the bike is to climb. Its just not as much fun going for the uphill KOM's anymore, and I find myself constantly looking for more technical trails because flowing flatish singletrack is just boring now.

Its one thing to say it will climb, but It climbs much more like a 100mm race bike when its a kg lighter and running Maxxis Icons. 

 

My point is whatever bike you get, if you want to get the one bike quiver.. Save some cash to get a second wheelset for those "time in the saddle days". A full wheelset so you can swap the two easily. I find taking shortcuts either ways ends up in bent rims or cut sidewalls. 

 

I'm willing to bet that a 110mm bike with heavy strong wheels will feel more planted than a 140mm trailbike with weight weeny tires and rims. And the opposite.

[Grease_Monkey]

I'm willing to bet that a 110mm bike with heavy strong wheels will feel more planted than a 140mm trailbike with weight weeny tyres and rims.

Very true. Build kit makes a massive difference to the bike. I have seen Specialized Cambers built up weight weeny with skinny tyres, long stem and light components that climbed well but felt twitchy, and then the exact same bike with wide riser bars, short stem, propper wheels and tyres and a dropper and it felt like a beast.

[Matchstix]

the new merida 120 looks lekker

[ETV]

SANTA CRUZ TALLBOY 3.

 

I had the same decision as you. I came from the Camber comp carbon and went for the tallboy 3.

Couldnt be happier.

 

Lifetime frame guarantee. 

lifetime guarentee on their carbon wheels aswell. Thats great.

[WIPEOUT 1000]

Agree, I really like mine. It's not the lightest but it climbs well and TB3 is much better down hills than my previous TB2 & TB1. 

 

 

SANTA CRUZ TALLBOY 3.

 

I had the same decision as you. I came from the Camber comp carbon and went for the tallboy 3.

Couldnt be happier.

 

Lifetime frame guarantee. 

lifetime guarentee on their carbon wheels aswell. Thats great.

[Edge_Design]

Keep the Scott and get a 160mm bike for fun if it's an option (not sure if you've outgrown the Scott physically or technically from your original post)... You are looking for a bike that will be capable of doing everything, but that also means it will be compromised in everything. After riding the 160mm play bike you will be much stronger and fitter when you get on the Scott to go racing (IMHO you will never ride the Scott again, but maybe that was just me after buying a decent Enduro bike  ).

[Ascension]

The new Rocky Mountain Element with Ride9 tech. You can easily change the geometry, it climbs like a good xc bike and descends like a good trail bike.

[splat]

SANTA CRUZ TALLBOY 3.

 

I had the same decision as you. I came from the Camber comp carbon and went for the tallboy 3.

Couldnt be happier.

 

Lifetime frame guarantee. 

lifetime guarentee on their carbon wheels aswell. Thats great.

 

New 2019 colours are much better that current

 

 

[Edge_Design]

Problem solved - https://www.bikehub.co.za/features/_/gear/gear-news/giant-launches-all-new-trance-29-range-of-trail-bikes-r7475

[Bos]

Sorry guys, but @racepace If you're riding Gspot, Jonkers, Contermans and in the end, you enjoy the down slightly more than the up, I would recommend, just cut the BS and get a trailbike. not #ENDURO, a trail bike..

 

Listen to this ..

1. The Fuel EX brings trail bike plushness with an XC race bike feel for our most versatile mountain bike whip
2. It's great for riders who don't want to do just one kind of mountain biking, but want to explore everything from XC marathons to epic descents

I Know, I know.. Its marketing.. but Its what they are trying to achieve with the "Trail"130-140mm segment these days. The 110mm bikes have more modern geo and suspension has come a long way, so you'll think you can, going fast, until you flatland that gap, hit the braking bumps or the rock garden, you'll wreak wheels and you just wont have the control.  You're going to end up making your 110mm bike the same weight as what you could be running in a 130mm anyway, and the trailbike will always be more capable. 

 

My 2 cents..

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Sorry guys, but @racepace If you're riding Gspot, Jonkers, Contermans and in the end, your enjoy the down slightly more than the up, I would recommend, just cut the BS and get a trailbike. not #ENDURO, a trail bike..

 

Listen to this ..

1. The Fuel EX brings trail bike plushness with an XC race bike feel for our most versatile mountain bike whip
2. It's great for riders who don't want to do just one kind of mountain biking, but want to explore everything from XC marathons to epic descents

I Know, I know.. Its marketing.. but Its what they are trying to achieve with the "Trail"130-140mm segment these days. The 110mm bikes have more modern geo and suspension has come a long way, so you'll think you can, going fast, until you flatland that gap, hit the braking bumps or the rock garden, you'll wreak wheels and you just wont have the control.  You're going to end up making your 110mm bike the same weight as what you could be running in a 130mm anyway, and the trailbike will always be more capable. 

 

My 2 cents..

BOS dropping truth-bombs.