Mountain Bike Purchase Help and Advice please

[DodgyRog]

As the title suggests, I am getting another mountain bike after about 10 years away from it

 

I will be mainly doing light cross country stuff, so plan to get a 29er full sus for a bit of easier pace and a bit more comfort than a hardtail on my old back

 

My big local cycle place always sells a lot of cosmetic light paint damaged stuff, so still brand new etc

 

They do a lot of Giant stuff and they have offered me a 2014 Giant Trance 29er 1 for £1400, it has good spec from what I can see for this sort of money, normal retail is £2k and it is discounted due to a few chips on the swing arm, which it would get from use fairly quickly any way

 

Just wondering if anyone has one of these already or can advise on any other equivalent or better options for under £1500

 

Please say why something else would be a better option or why not to go for the Giant Trance

 

Cheers Rog

[bignum]

For that money the giant is a good bike, however if you plan to ride through the winter in muddy conditions i`d go with something single pivot on the rear ie less bearings to replace, the giant/trek etc are known to be high maintenance .

[DodgyRog]

For that money the giant is a good bike, however if you plan to ride through the winter in muddy conditions i`d go with something single pivot on the rear ie less bearings to replace, the giant/trek etc are known to be high maintenance .

 

In all honesty, I doubt I will ride it in the worst of the winter

 

I am just planning on odd rides as a blow out and for a bit more fitness

 

So would I expect to have to replace the bearings on a yearly basis if I do say 500 miles of cross country a year on it, summer is very dusty and some sandy type stuff, most of the mud around my area is clay

[pjavon]

Not sure if this helps but here's a link to pauls cycles. It may not be the Giant trance you were after but theres one here for £850, maybe it would be plenty for your needs?

I'm not well informed on Giants but the they seem to have press fit bottom brackets, I do a bit of mileage on mine and I've gone through 3 bottom brackets. Mine, and as far as I'm aware most, have screw in type ones which can be changed easily at home. The word press fit doesn't 'sound' like that maybe the case with them.

If you do get back into it you will be doing plenty of maintenance lol. So maybe a bit of research on how giants are in that area maybe worth while.

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s154p4838/GIANT-TRANCE-X-29ER-2-2013

[Eddie-S]

Giants are pretty good bikes, I had an NRS a few years back and no problems with pivot bearings, I agree with the press fit bottom brackets although my Kona has one and it's been ridden pretty hard since I bought it in March and no problems yet! Back to the Anthem, are you sure it's a 2015 model as I think they went to 27.5 then? As well as Pauls cycles also try Rutland cycles, they also have some very good deals on. http://www.rutlandcycling.com/?gclid=CNKcwaf_gcoCFYWfGwodG3YLZA

[Tsia]

In all honesty, I doubt I will ride it in the worst of the winter

 

I am just planning on odd rides as a blow out and for a bit more fitness

 

So would I expect to have to replace the bearings on a yearly basis if I do say 500 miles of cross country a year on it, summer is very dusty and some sandy type stuff, most of the mud around my area is clay

 

Just don't pressure wash it and you'll be fine, doubt you'd even be replacing them yearly. I did hundreds of miles on my old Trek Remedy (commuted on it for a long time) plus rides at a particularly sandy area (which is the worst thing for bearings) and after a year you could have whipped the bearings out and sold them as new. Giants typically have a fantastic spec for the money, weigh bugger all and ride really well - although when I buy my next MTB I'll likely be getting a Canyon, which looks a bit like this:

 

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/nerve/nerve-al-7-9.html

 

Again, brilliant specs, get 4.5/5 stars on BikeRadar

 

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension/product/review-canyon-nerve-al-7-0-14-48548/

[DodgyRog]

Thanks everyone, yeap sorry should read as a 2014 bike (edited 1st post)

 

It's this one I have been looking at, but it comes with a dropper already fitted as well https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2014.giant.trance.x.29er.1/15003/66618/

 

tsia the Canyon does look good, and I like the idea of the lower top bar, gives you the chance to squat that bit lower to get that lower centre of gravity

[JamieP]

Need one like mine Rog. Electric

[Sanya]

For 500miles a year and type of riding I would of got myself something in the region of £300 and replace it when needed...

[Tsia]

That looks a really nice bike - especially if you can get it for £1,500! Dropper posts are ace, just not always worth the weight penalty. Then again, Giants are generally light bikes in the first place.

 

Sanya: That's a daft solution to a zero problem