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I'm thinking of buying a full suspension MTB and for my budget I think I have three principle options:

1.) Second hand Specialized Stumpjumper FSR
2.) Giant Anthem X5 (£900)
3.) Halfords/Boardman Team FS (£1000)

I've never wanted a full sus mtb before but after a couple of hours on my bike I feel terribly beaten up, probably nothing a fatter back tyre + suspension seatpost wouldn't fix, but seeing as I also managed to pop my Rockshox last week, I think I'm just as well to buy a new bike!

Any thoughts or advice?

Cheers,

Jon

I wouldnt pay anything less than £1500 for a new full suss, anything less than that and your at the bottom end of the market

Bottom end is fine!
I can't (and won't) spend £1500+ on an MTB. I just need more comfort as at the moment I'm doing these races and hurting from 2hours onwards.

I was just going to get a suspension seatpost for my hardtail, but now I've popped the forks I just thought i might be worth getting a new bike... ..but you don't rate them?
The Giant retails at around £1400 and seems to have reasonable parts?

Or is it as straight forward as I should get a used bike?

Take a look at the KHS range of bikes. I have a KHS604 full sus and love it. Very well speced bike and direct from uk distributor so some good deals to have...

And remember a full suss is heavier and slower than a ht so harder to push along 2hrs pushing and your gonna know it, esp with a cheaper full suss with cheaper components. What sort of racing are you doing?

Well I'm 14 stone myself so no lightweight race snake!
Only reason I'm racing is that I'm lazy with a short attention span. I like the fact I can go to a race and there's a course already marked out for me to enjoy and another 400 ish people to enjoy it with.

I'm really out of touch with cycling so I thought it'd be a good way of getting back in?
Races are pretty flat XC races, and I tend to wobble around at the back. Used to do Beastway and loved it; 1hr20m races were great for me.


I did look at the KHS site but they are out of my price range, sadly, although the interest free credit was tempting!

At that budget i would consider

http://www.canyon.com/_uk/mountainbikes ... tml?b=2555

Wow, I like that. Good suggestion- thank you.

Had a similar list at the start of the year, boardman or canyon would be my advice to have a look at.




assume you mean £150

Sorry, but slightly off topic- my 'blown' forks (the whole reason for buying a new bike) are early 2000 model Rockshox SIDS which have some old school Hope Discs attached.

These have the IS disc mount system which is two holes about 57mm apart ir memory serves me?
Do all forks come with the post mount now?

If so and I do decide to 'fix' my bike with new forks & a suspension seatpost, will I need to buy a new front disc brake too?
Does anybody still make forks with the old style of disc mount?

Should be able to get an adaptor either from Hope, or somewhere like SuperStar

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_ ... cts_id=359

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=75075
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=75086
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=75086
http://www.mitchellcycles.co.uk/offersShow.asp?ID=142
http://www.mitchellcycles.co.uk/offersShow.asp?ID=132

I got myself a kona dawg 2010 from mitchell cycles, had a large sollection of konas, deffenty worth looking at a year or two modles ago to try and get yourself something well specked for the money

Thanks, Matt, there are some beauties there!