Difference between the rear shocks (Buying a new bike) HELP PLZ

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

The Merida is an outdated race bike. OP would be much better served with the Scott - a bike which can knock out serious miles, but is also fun on more trail (gravity) rides.

 

And really, a dropper doesn't require much maintenance.

This.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Based on this I'd go for the merida. It's about a kilo lighter, nimble and doesn't come with the added maintenance of a dropper

It's also running outdated geo, a noodle instead of a fork and it is an out and out race bike.

 

Buy the Scott. Esp if you live in Geore

[Grease_Monkey]

My choice would be the Scott. I think the Merida is a bit outdated compared to most bikes these days, but by no means does that make it a bad bike. The Scott takes the cake for me bacuse:

 

- Twinloc suspension (three different suspension settings for different terain/parts of your ride controlled by a remote on the handlebar

- More trail oriented geometry than the Merida which is slightly more racey. It won't give you any massive performance gains, but you probably find the Scott to be slightly more comfortable. But that is a very subjective thing.

- Scott has a dropper seatpost - in my books probably the best thing that has happened to mtbs in a long time. Coming from a street/jump bike background I've always ridden with my seat slammed as low as it can go - it allows you to move around on the bike and get your weight where you want it. Sure, it can be done with a rigid seatpost, but it is harder and a bike without one is quite simply just less fun to ride. And dropper post maintenance is minimal, and they asldd very little weight.

- The Scott comes with wider rims which opens up your options for wider tyres a bit more.

- The Scott has Boost spacing (the most recent standard of axel widths), I'm not sure if the Merida has it or not.

- The Scott has a Fox 34 fork, solid and stiff, a trail fork - a must for us heavier guys! The fork on the Merida will feel like a noodle underneath you.

 

In short, I will take the Scott every time, it's a great value for money option with up to date standards and versatile geometry which will allow you to ride almost any terain. They are also great fun to ride, and once again very subjective point - I like how they look.

 

At 107kg weight difference between the bikes is probably not gonna make a massive difference to you, so don't read too much into that - it will fluctuate up and down anyway as you change tyres and parts.

[DieselnDust]

The spark comes with a rock shox 120mm fork. I suspect it's a recon. Not exactly a great performer.
X fusion rear shock on the 2019.


The merida has sram GX 1x12
Fox FLOAT 32elite.
And yes it has boost hubs.

Spec wise the merida wins hands down and if you want a dropper a Lyne costs an extra R2500...

I know what I would take because I don't let fashion and geometry charts drive my decisions.

Okes split hairs over a degree here or there. It's a bike not a trip to the moon

[Grease_Monkey]

The spark comes with a rock shox 120mm fork. I suspect it's a recon. Not exactly a great performer.

X fusion rear shock on the 2019.

 

Eish, ja that Scott has an RS Judy, also a noodle. Had the wrong model in mind. If you can get the Spark with a Fox 34 that would be a win - but obviously that pushes the budget up.

[stefmeister]

Based on this I'd go for the merida. It's about a kilo lighter, nimble and doesn't come with the added maintenance of a dropper

Don’t listen to this guy. He’s proven now numerous times he doesn’t know much about modern mountain biking.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Grease_Monkey]

Don’t listen to this guy. He’s proven now numerous times he doesn’t know much about modern mountain biking.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks that!

[marko35s]

I know what I would take because I don't let fashion and geometry charts drive my decisions.

 

Yep geometry clearly has nothing to do with how a bike handles...

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Eish, ja that Scott has an RS Judy, also a noodle. Had the wrong model in mind. If you can get the Spark with a Fox 34 that would be a win - but obviously that pushes the budget up.

That 940 is brilliant, and just a little bit more than the 960.

 

That Judy on the 960 is just as bad as the 32 elite, but I'd say it's marginally stiffer. Would still take the 960 over the 800. Far more well rounded and versatile than the Merida.

 

And as for geometry vs components. Geo takes it every time.

[Grease_Monkey]

That 940 is brilliant, and just a little bit more than the 960.

 

That Judy on the 960 is just as bad as the 32 elite, but I'd say it's marginally stiffer. Would still take the 960 over the 800. Far more well rounded and versatile than the Merida.

 

And as for geometry vs components. Geo takes it every time.

Spot on. You can upgrade components, can't do anything about the geo...

[DieselnDust]

Yep geometry clearly has nothing to do with how a bike handles...

Why so defensive Bro? Don't be so dramatic man. Leave the drama to the wife

[DieselnDust]

Spot on. You can upgrade components, can't do anything about the geo...

? You mean a short stem and wide bars won't fix it??!!!

[Grease_Monkey]

? You mean a short stem and wide bars won't fix it??!!!

Are you anti-everything made after the era of 500mm bars, 150mm stems, rigid forks, hardtails, and rigid seatposts; or are you just different for the sake of being different?

[ABrooks]

I don't know if it has been mentioned before, but why not try and shop around a bit for a 2018 model as the 2019 models will probably start to roll out soon. You might get a good deal on a bike with better specs on a 2018 model as you would on a 2019 one. 

 

Also, my money is on the Scott, the better geometry will instil more confidence when the front wheel is pointed down the mountain. 

[BaGearA]

Merida is outdated ( but has good components )

And the Scott comes with crap components and A high price cause the brand is overhyped ( get the 940 or rather avoid)

 

IMO you should look at Silverback ( good spec , good geo , good price )

Giant anthem its A decent bike and not too over priced but better than the two mentioned 

 

 

shop round as much as possible and try to get as many test rides in as possible  

[DieselnDust]

Merida is outdated ( but has good components )

And the Scott comes with crap components and A high price cause the brand is overhyped ( get the 940 or rather avoid)

 

IMO you should look at Silverback ( good spec , good geo , good price )

Giant anthem its A decent bike and not too over priced but better than the two mentioned 

 

 

shop round as much as possible and try to get as many test rides in as possible

 

 

I disagree with the outdated comment. Just because it's unfashionable doesn't make it outdated.

Everything chapeau. Best advice given thus far. Silverback or Giant or even a blow out deal on a Momsen ViPa (or is that outdated too.... LOL)

Trek also having end of season sales. FuelEX 9.8going for R60k.

 

Fashionable geometry or not that Scott is pig heavy for the purpose the OP wants to use. At 14Kg he may as well look for a real trail bike not an Xc bike with an identity crisis