newbie

Hi everyone,

I've recently started mountain biking on my old cr@ppy Carrera bike I bought in Halfords. I'm really getting in to it and plan on making a couple of trips to different trails around the country. The only things is my poor bike is starting to fall apart already and I need some advice on what might be a good MB.

As you can see from the title I'm new to this and have no clue what I should be going for and what makes a quality MB. I've had look at a couple of bikes, Giant, Trek, Cube but have no idea how these stack up against each other.

I cycle roads a couple of times a week and do trails around Ballinastoe twice a week. I'm thinking of fixing my Carrera up and keeping that for the roads and investing in a good full suspension bike for the trails.

My budget is around €1,500, any advice on what might be suitable, good value for that sort of cash?

Cheers..
Originally posted by shaner View Post
Hi Gordon,

How does the Fluent SLX stack up against the Cube AMS Pro RX?
It looks like these are retailing at the same price.

Shane
Thats a tough comparison!.
I havent riden the cube but it is very well spec'd with a good mix of components.
Stevens focus on solid build and rather than mixing components go with full shimano throughout for durability and reliability. Their finishing parts are 'scorpo' - re badged ritchie components - again for reliability.
Kinda like VW vs' toyota if that makes sense?...(before the prius problems!)
Stevens being the VW it will be interesting to hear the comments from others on that!.

I offer discount to EPIC riders and forum enquiries so if your more of a VW man drop me an email and i ill do a formal quotation with full specifications etc.

gordon
I'm off to re-badge all my failing parts, I knew there had to be a cheap fix!
Originally posted by gordob View Post
Their finishing parts are 'scorpo' - re badged ritchie components - again for reliability.
Kinda like VW vs' toyota if that makes sense?...(before the prius problems!)
You've kinda lost me there Gordan, thanks for the info though!
Sometimes the car analogies work!.

Stevens are handbuilt in germany - cubes are made in taiwan.
Ritchie is a major brand name in mtb components - not to be confused with Epics Richie - a major brand in Irish mtb!
Yep 'Scorpo' is the Stevens bikes brand name for a range of accessories that retail for far less than the Ritchie branded seat posts - bars - stems etc.
GBI cycles will be establishing a trade presence at the races very soon to establish Stevens brand here and proud to announce we will be sponsoring Robin seymour - Irelands mountain bike legend who will ride a Team Carbon.
Nice one Gordon, if the whole Seymour things falls through I am open to sponsorship deals, free bikes and the like. While Robin is great showpiece most people can relate more to the struggling, middle aged, somewhat unfit and over weight types like myself. And 60 riders a week will see me on your lovely bike, Robin has yet to make an appearance!

Go on, it makes sense...
Can I add that 60 riders will see the bike at the start, most of them pass me during the race, and then get to look at it as I lay in heap at the finish, that's a potential 180 views every week!
i think Dons right..
no point in giving Bob Benchcut a bike..everybody knows hes deadly regardless of bike, he hasn't appeared yet at the Club race, which sources close to him tell me, is only because Don is getting a hardtail..
Personally as Dons Coach, i can guarentee that he will improve vastly onboard a Stevens Carbon dream machine..
and inspire other less athletic middleaged men ( they have all the money anyway ) to buy a Stevens bike and get better !!
And knowing Don, reviews of said bike will be all over the Interweb..
make the right choice Gordon, Bob is at the end of his career while Don is only beginning his..think about Don , svelte, hairless, oiled up, juiced up, on the startline of the Euro Champs next year, astride a Stevens ( by G0RD0 ) bike !! Come on ..
Christ I think i'll buy one myself !
Thanks for the support boys, Was secretly hoping for a repeat of the '95 champs and give him a run fror his money...but like they say if you cant beat em, sponsor them!.
I am very gratefull that Robin is open to my support as God knows he should be getting major international backing. The objective is to work with him to raise the profile of the race scene and sport in general so as they say - watch this space.
behind the scenes im actually lining them both up for a major deal!! all will be revealed soon...
Originally posted by gordob View Post
Sometimes the car analogies work!.

Stevens are handbuilt in germany - cubes are made in taiwan.
Ritchie is a major brand name in mtb components - not to be confused with Epics Richie - a major brand in Irish mtb!
Yep 'Scorpo' is the Stevens bikes brand name for a range of accessories that retail for far less than the Ritchie branded seat posts - bars - stems etc.
GBI cycles will be establishing a trade presence at the races very soon to establish Stevens brand here and proud to announce we will be sponsoring Robin seymour - Irelands mountain bike legend who will ride a Team Carbon.
Ok, I'm with you now. Can you point me in the direction of some reviews? I can't seem to find any on the interwebs..

Cheers, Shane.