Buying a race ready mtb

[Deanj]

I'm looking at entering MTB xc racing and wondering what sort of budget I'll need to be spending to buy a race ready bike as the old kona commuter is not quite up to it. I've always been a hardtail rider but the specialized flow control bikes have me a litttle interested! Any thoughts?

[toolonglegs]

I think you are looking at minimum $3k for a cheaper dualie,bit cheaper for a hard tail.

[Kalgrm]

Specialized Epic or Giant Anthem 1 or 0 are both race-ready FS bikes.

Cheers,
Graeme

[toolonglegs]

I had a look at the anthem today....Giant are damn well priced,the boys at thelbs even said I wouldn't brake the carbon frame model...hohoho

[Kalgrm]

.... the boys at the lbs even said I wouldn't brake the carbon frame model...hohoho

Guess they don't know you like we do then .....

(Or they think you might buy one but are holding off because you know it won't last.)

[mikesbytes]

I had a look at the anthem today....Giant are damn well priced,the boys at thelbs even said I wouldn't brake the carbon frame model...hohoho

Recon you need Kmart steel. just replace the group set, seat/post, handbars/stem wheels/tryes pedals and anything else I forgot to mention.

[toolonglegs]

Thing is they know me very well....and they still reckon it is the go.Say a couple of stone chips wouldn't bother it etc.
They also gave me my warranty helmet today,only took 5 weeks but I have a Rabobank Atmos now...not big on the team color thing but the new ones don't have pods.

[Deanj]

I was thinking around that price range though my (lack of a) bank balance was hoping for something different. Was looking at the 2008 epics in the LBS today but they also have some 2007s in the sale.

[toolonglegs]

I saw a couple of epics at the 24hour..they look sweet..hope they are stronger than the older model brains used to be...but they are going to be a hell of alot more than an anthem.
PS not quite a Kmart special but a mate did find me a dodgy trek 4500 frame...council workers ,it lasted quite a while but always had crack written on it...and guess what it did!.KMART...that would last a day if i was lucky..and i dont jump!!!.I thought steel frames would be the go but after braking two,dont think that anymore.

[Deanj]

I think the new epic has a price of 4200 which I'd be able to get 10% off and the anthem 1 is 2995 and the anthem 0 4295. A bit of a jump from the 1 and the 0. Anyone got any good money making ideas

[toolonglegs]

those are good price for the giants!...under 3 grand for an xt level race bike or 4 for the Anthem 0 with those bits and those wheels is pretty impressive...i would find the extra for the 0...

[Bnej]

The Anthem is a very light and sexy dual suspension bike.

[Deanj]

Unfortunatley I totally agree! Have to start cooking tea and doing the ironing.

[Kalgrm]

The Anthem would be my choice: I much prefer the use of clever frame design to overcome suspension flaws than doing so with a proprietary shock absorber.

Trouble is, I already do all the cooking and the chance of getting an Anthem is still close to 0%.

I don't want you to post pics. Envy is such a base emotion .....

Graeme

[Deanj]

I'll just post a link then so you don't have to look!

Nice bike

Having not long ago quite considerably blown my pre arranged budget on the roadie and were're about to landscape the back garden my chances are too pretty close to 0. Luckily the winter race series doesn't start till march so got a bit of time to get some browny points and hide away a bit of money

[Kalgrm]

Funnily enough, someone on MTBR is also agonising over this same choice (Epic v Anthem) at the moment.

Nah, with a new dSLR (camera) coming next month, I think my desire for FS MTB will remain a pipe-dream for some time to come. HTs rule anyway .....

Cheers,
Graeme

[toolonglegs]

new dSLR (camera) coming next month, I think my desire for FS MTB will remain a pipe-dream for some time to come. HTs rule anyway .....

Cheers,
Graeme

mmmm....and i thought of you as a traditionilist ...
PS you dont want a eos1 ds mark 2 do you..going cheap

[Kalgrm]

It's all about the right tool for the job. A couple of friends of mine have decided to get married, and it looks like I'm the tool who agreed to do the job ..... So rather than scan several hundred 35mm frames (I usually shoot 800 shots on a wedding ), I'm buying a dSLR with the money they are paying me.

I'll probably hardly ever use it for my main work, but I'll teach workshops with it if nothing else.

The Ds MkII is a lovely camera, but I own Nikon lenses. The idiots at Nikon are finally releasing a full frame dSLR and it's not even as good as the old Canon!

Cheers,
Graeme

[Kalgrm]

The Anthem would be my choice: I much prefer the use of clever frame design to overcome suspension flaws than doing so with a proprietary shock absorber.

Nah, with a new dSLR (camera) coming next month, I think my desire for FS MTB will remain a pipe-dream for some time to come. HTs rule anyway .....

Having made these pronouncements with such resolution, I went out and bought myself a 2005 Epic frame last night. I couldn't help myself - at $700, the deal was just too good to pass up.

Now I get to swap all my stuff from my HT to my new FS frame - Yippee!

Pics to come soon.

Cheers,
Graeme

[Birdman]

Nikon are finally releasing a full frame dSLR and it's not even as good as the old Canon!

Cheers,
Graeme

My dad has an old Canon which he recently saw in a museum (you should have seen him turn red when he saw it), but it takes some of the best photos ever.

You didn't waste any time grabbing the frame did you? Can't wait to see the finished product.

Mitch.

[toolonglegs]

That money was just burning a hole in your pocket

[Kalgrm]

Must have been really hot - I picked up some cash from a friend whose wedding I had shot over the weekend and took it with me when I viewed the frame. It wasn't in my pocket for more than 30 minutes ......

I'll make a new thread when I start building it up. That seems like the in thing to do these days!

Cheers,
Graeme

[Deanj]

Ahhh who says we have to do what we say? Nice to know I'm not the only one



Looking forward to seeing the photos and hearing how it rides!! Went round a few shops the weekend, giants aren't in stock here anywhere yet but the LBS has the epic expert test bike in raring to be tested out. Going to wait till the giant is out so can ride both the same weekend! The epics do look pretty tasty though!