T-girl Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 Hmmmm where to start... I am looking to buy a new bike...want to spend between 15 and 20 grand. I am more of a weekend warrior but I want a good, reliable bike! Any top tips? Hard tail or soft tail? I like the Giant anthem x2... also quite a fan of the Scott Scale 35...and some of the KTM's look nice too. Help!
parabola Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 Check out the new Merida one-twentys, they are nice all rounders
EigerSA Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 Aahhh... the age-old question that has started many a war, st vs. ht! Where in KZN are you? And how much do you know about mtb'ing? Have you ridden soft-tails and hard-tails? If you going to just be a weekend warrior then I'd buy the best hard-tail I could get for my money. I'm a fan of Silverback's myself, good value for money. Another brand I like is Mongoose. Spend some time visiting cycle shops and have a chat to the sales girls and guys, then make a discision (don't just go to one now, go to like three or four!). Good luck, oh and welcome to the HUB.
cat-i Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 t-girl you can't go wrong with an anthem - good value for money and excellent reviews. and very pretty too! try to ride one, if you haven't done so. that's the one with the upright shock, and not the older version where the shock was horisontal?
T-girl Posted December 1, 2009 Author Posted December 1, 2009 I have been to all the cycle shops around (I'm in Durbs) Currently riding a mongoose and I must say I'm not a huge fan... I was going to get a hardtail but then thought if I start doing longer races/stage races (and I do intend to) I may wish I had a softtail! Confusion!
T-girl Posted December 1, 2009 Author Posted December 1, 2009 Yes it has the upright shock... was going to test ride one next week. It does look very nice!
EigerSA Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 Okay, so Mongoose not it then... no problem. Soft-tail will make then ride a lot more comfy, I've got a hard-tail which I'm sticking to out of pure doggedness, but I do wish I got the soft-tail sometimes. The Anthem is really a nice bike.
mountain_lion Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 t-girl you can't go wrong with an anthem - good value for money and excellent reviews. and very pretty too! try to ride one' date=' if you haven't done so. that's the one with the upright shock, and not the older version where the shock was horisontal?[/quote'] Both the older Anthem and the newer Anthem X are great bikes. I road the older Anthem2 for 3 years (no complaints) and recently upgraded to the Anthem X2.Main reason for the change was to upgrade the component spec; Giant upped the spec for the 2010 Anthem X2 considerably.The Anthem X2 is great value for money; strong enough to do some trail style riding but still light enough for cross country. If you primarily ride for fun and enjoyment rather than compete for podium spots, then a full suspension bike is the way to go (if it fits in your budget). Even the pros are riding full sus for the longer races these days. Which full sus bike it should be, only you can decide. Try to test ride as many different bikes as possible. You will know which bike feels right.Although to get a full sus set up just right for you takes time (many rides and expertimenting) and can only really be done after you have bought it.Have fun choosing and good luck with your decision.
Rapunzel Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 I also just bought a 2009 anthem x2 and got a great deal (end of range). Steered clear of the women's model as I was concerned about resale value. I initially didn't like it when I took for a test ride, but I swapped out the riser bars for flat bars and lowered them and then swapped out the saddle and the setup is spot on.
T-girl Posted December 2, 2009 Author Posted December 2, 2009 Thanks for the comments! I have since decided that the anthem x2 is just too far above my budget...any comments on the anthem x3? I know its slx and not xt but the frames are the same and both shocks are still fox! either that or I get a hard tail with xt-grade components...
Flowta Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 Absolutely nothing wrong with SLX components. What are the differences in the shocks between the X2 and the X3?
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now