Dammit’s adventures in mountain biking

Welcome to the World of Montagne Biek.

Probably can't go too far wrong with a Jeffsy though... 140mm 29er with a dropper and really nice components (essentially the same finish kit the big companies are putting on their £4k bikes) for £2k.

I'd quite like one of these myself.

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/spectral/2018/spectral-cf-8-0.html

My pal I ride with has the Alu one. It's pretty bloody nice alright! The other ones I'd be keen to check out these days are Transition. The Smuggler looks like a fun bike and the two new carbon hardtail look mega!

Speaking of Mega, Nukeproof make some really nice bikes for the money too... If you wanted a hardtail it would be hard to look much further than this for the money.

So...

Wheel size = whatever

Full sus or hardtail = whatever

Dropper post = totally

Fork travel = between 120-150mm

Getting somewhere

I like where this is going

Special mention to Starling Murmur. Ticks all of the boxes while also sating Dammits appetite for custom and different...

As a mud-fearer this thread is baffling and interesting

Isn't the standard advice to start with a hardtail then switch to a full-sus later so you don't develop bad habits (with your bunny hops, line choice, landings, etc.)? They are also better for long-distance bikepacking and whatnot usually so if one doesn't know what one is going to be riding it's probably a safer bet.

You won't be doing the most difficult downhill routes where you really need full suspension, at least for now.

I'd maybe go for what is known as a hardcore hardtail. Though admittedly I'm not totally up to date with mountain biking (for some reason I don't suffer from constantly wanting to upgrade my hardtail, unlike all my other bikes, so I don't really bother reading the MTB news and such)

Edit: also when choosing between 29" and 27.5" consider whether you'd ever want to share wheels with your gravel/road/whatever bike.

Tarntainuim

But that, cover it in fancy bits, be happy.

You can even buy two fancy wheel sets as it takes 29/27.5 as well

You don't need full sus at the moment, when you do,or you feel you do, buy one. As someone has already suggested in this thread you buy an MTB, then realise you need/want another kind of MTB thats even more over biked for your ability than you need.

I'd agree with the above - get a hardtail, learn your limitations and get confident, and if it feels like you're getting thrashed around way too much when descending to the point where it's not enjoyable, then consider rear suspension. Can't think of many instances where you'd need more than 140mm of travel in the UK, and the same is true here in Australia. You'll have way more capacity to enjoy yourself across a long day's riding by getting a lighter bike with good pedalling efficiency, making hardtail a good choice.

Even an 'All-mountain' dual-suspension with lockable rear suspension can be pretty punishing on climbs, but they of course afford a much more balls-out descending style.

Failing that, buy a Kona Process (aluminium).

Someone was selling a banging hardtail on here. Can’t remember who or find the thread.

A green one.

I was thinking about buying it before I started wasting money on steel bikes and replacing Di2.

Edit - this https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/305371/#comment14095535

I've got two sets of ENVE 29er wheels, however they're no longer a current model so I wonder whether they are suitable for current tyres (width being my concern).

I lived in Greece during the Athens Olympics and went out to watch the MTB race - first time the XC was won by a full suspension design IIRC, which made an impression.

Usage is going to be whatever I can find South East of London, places like Swinley Forest, and the South Downs way. Initially, anyway.

what will you wear?

Also quite nice https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/320532/#comment14225114

surely its "who will you wear" ?

I thought you didn’t believe in droppper posts.

Swrve shorts, a t-shirt and sidis, last time

I got carbon stays on my hard tail for a bit of damping under load. 😎

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first time the XC was won by a full suspension design IIRC, which made an impression.

If I wanted to go faster, I'd get a full sus. Is going faster one of your requirements for this bike?

Still haven't bought one ;-)

you want a XC full sus bike, 120mm travel.
I think a santa cruz tallboy would be pretty great, but you could pick something similar.
you won't regret buying just about any mtb especially if you buy it new.

you won't regret buying just about any mtb especially if you buy it new.

This. A warranty is a very useful thing to have on a mountain bike.

I guess that rules out Cannondale...

The feels, you are hurting them. Sadly true though, and such a shame that Cannondale have a shameful abdication of their duty of care as their most famous characteristic these days. Bring back the days when they were known for innovation rather than leaving their customers with a broken bike.

Yeah but lefty