Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt

Need some MTB recommendations - got a budget of up to £2500 - what are people liking at the moment?

That's about what i paid for my cotic solaris max with hope wheel and headset upgrade, and fork upgrade. Love it.

HT or FS? What sort of travel?

This thread should be renamed - if you have to ask - just get a fecking Cotic.

@pit weren't you sporting some Adidas when we went to Thetford?

Yeah. They lasted about 1000 miles of mixed riding. Liked them enough to get another pair. The rubber is super soft and has tons of grip.

Reason I ask is that I have to get an 11 in traditional FiveTen because they're so narrow, whereas in Adidas I can get a 10. If the sole is the same I'll get some of the Trail Cross and hope that they're on an Adidas last rather than a Five Ten last (which I'm hopeful of, as they look to be the replacement for the Adidas Terrex MTB shoe).

Giant Trance 29 2. Probably the perfect UK do-it-all bike at that budget and there is no obvious skimping on any components.

Yeah I've been looking at Giant's range, they seem like great value for money. I'd rather 27.5 so have been looking at the Stance 1

They come true to Adidas size and are on the wider side of things. I'm 11 and that's what I went for.

Have you ridden a 27.5+ bike? They are an "acquired taste" IME but if you like them then that Stance looks decent if a bit heavy

What?

Do you even remember 26” bro?

#26aintdead

Admittedly I’m a bit of a noob when it comes to this, having always ridden 26”, I imagine 29ers as being harder to get going and that 27.5 would be twitchier. Then again I guess 29ers hold momentum better. Tbh I’m open to either, need to test ride a few to decide - hopefully that might be a possibility before too long

I imagine 29ers as being a lot harder to get going

I haven't ridden a 650b MTB but there's nothing hard about getting going on a 29er

Is anywhere doing skills sessions/ worth doing?
A little goof around on the far-too-good-a-bike-for-my-skill-level bike has indicated I'm proper rusty.
Obv going to be riding a fair bit but having someone tell me I'm fucking something up always helps.

go and see Tony Doyle at UK Bike skills, he will sort you out, no problem.

Where are you based?

I enjoyed a good day being coached by Gareth Hopkins in the Forrest of Dean.

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/gareth-hopkins-mtb-coaching.html

SW London, but occasionally (when not covid) Devon, so fairly mobile.
Also just got a rack for the car so- wherever.

This thread should be renamed - if you have to ask - just get a fecking Cotic.

Calibre Bossnut

I did a days course with Gareth a couple of years ago. I had just bought my YT Capra and hadn’t really pedalled a full sus in anger in about 10 years.

I believe Gareth was 4 times Welsh DH champ so has plenty of experience to call upon when coaching and he’s a real good guy.

I’ve also heard good things about the coaching at BPW, it’s pricey but you get the plethora of trails at the park to be coached on, not too mention no riding up.

Giant Trance 29 2

I hired one of these in Colorado, was decent, I'd never buy one though, they're lacking in soul.

It's a fecking bike not a Rolex!

^ deliberate trolling

Unfortunately I can't say the same about Cannondale.

As in you would buy a cannondale?