Thinking Of My Next Bike.

[Motozulu]

After riding a mate's Orange 5 I have realised how heavy and cumbersome my bike is - I was always going to upgrade next year and so on that, as soon as Spring comes I'll be taking the plunge. I obviously want lighter, better kit than my current Merida Matts 300 (deffo forks) and I'm staying HT.
This little beauty has caught the eye, but I'm a little bit unsure about buying from abroad, tbh.
What do you think of the bike and do you think for the money it's a good choice or could I do better and buy in the UK?

http://www.radon-bikes.de/xist4c/web/Black-Sin-6-0_id_22281_.htm

Confused of Staffs.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

What sort of riding do you do now? How might this change on the new bike?

 

[Motozulu]

Off road - i live local to Cannock so the dog/monkey or if it's busy the 15 mile blue route.
It's mostly weight I think - I know as I carry on I'll get fitter but right now I could'nt believe the difference when I had a short go on my mates Orange5 - it felt like I was floating up the hill he thinks most of my bikes front end heaviness is down to the suntour xcm's it came with - spose I could try upgrading them instead?

 

[lulubel]

From what I've learned here, upgrading the forks would make a huge difference, but it isn't going to take over 3kg off the weight of your bike, which I think is what you're looking at.

I ordered a bike from Bike Discount a couple of weeks ago, as I'm sure you and everyone else know, and (according to the very detailed tracking) it's going to be delivered tomorrow, so I'll be able to say more from personal experience, but in the mean time ....

Do you particularly want a carbon frame/SRAM components, or is it just for the weight saving?

You could get the Radon ZR Race 7.0 for €300 less. It's a few hundred grams heavier, and it has Shimano XT instead of SRAM X9. Or the Race 6.0 is still a much better spec and 2.5kg lighter than the current model of your Merida, and €600 less than the one you're looking at.

It depends on how much money you really want/are prepared to spend. And I love throwing more options into the mix!

(I hope I feel like I'm floating up the hills on my new bike. I'm OK with climbing, but it would be nice to be able to do it faster.)

 

[Cubist]

If a Five felt like you were floating I shudder to think what your Merida must ride like!

@GilesM will be along in a minute to say how lovely Fives are, and I wouldn't disagree.

 

[Motozulu]

Thanks Lulubel and yes I'm looking forward to your reports.

Bloody hard is'nt it? at first it was just weight, then I noticed that that particular bike had Avid brakes, but another bike had XT kit and was cheaper, but was slightly heavier. I suppose it still is mainly weight, but I want good kit on it too for my money.


*watches budget slowly creeping up*

 

[Motozulu]

Cubist - now I've 'tasted' another bike...it rides like a pig who is being fattened for slaughter that has just had a huge fish and chip supper as a last meal

 

[tigger]

Lightweight, great spec, racey geometry.

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/PBOOWHIPX9/on_one_carbon_whippet_x9_complete_bike

 

[lulubel]

More expensive than the Radon, though, and similar spec.

 

[lulubel]

If a Five felt like you were floating I shudder to think what your Merida must ride like!

The big(ger) lbs in our town sells mainly Merida so there are naturally a few people round here riding them. I think they're fine if you can afford to get a decent spec, but you seem to get a lot less for your money in terms of components and weight than with some of the other brands. Assuming Motozulu's Matts 300 weighs the 13.8kg quoted at Bike Discount, that's 200g heavier than the €260 BH I've been riding around on, and at nearly 3 times the price!

 

[Motozulu]

Yep you are correct Lulubel - I was'nt best advised at the time of getting my first bike - my fault as I only went to the nearest LBS to me who was obviously more interested in pushing the Merida on me than giving me the best deal. You live and learn.
At least second time around I have an idea of what I want and if I can't stretch to a carbon mtb then it'll certainly be something a bit lighter than my Merida.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Yep you are correct Lulubel - I was'nt best advised at the time of getting my first bike - my fault as I only went to the nearest LBS to me who was obviously more interested in pushing the Merida on me than giving me the best deal. You live and learn.
At least second time around I have an idea of what I want and if I can't stretch to a carbon mtb then it'll certainly be something a bit lighter than my Merida.

LBS in selling the inexperienced what they want to get shot of not what you need/want. Surely not?

You'll not beat the German sellers, either the direct boys like Radon and Canyon or the box shifters like bike-discount.de in the vfm stakes I reckon. Unless you get lucky with something in a sale somewhere.

If you're the sort that needs to touch it and see it before you buy it the off web from Europe route isn't for you. If you know what size you need, and are comfortable with the distance buying model, and slim possibility of warranty issues being a drag, then go for it. The Radon looks like it would suit what you want to do and then some.

 

[Motozulu]

Cheers Greg - yeah, what a dope eh? far too trusting that's me.

You learn though - at least now with the Merida I have a comparison and know the size I want - the Radon looks like a bike I could seriously live with...roll on Spring!

 

[GilesM]

If a Five felt like you were floating I shudder to think what your Merida must ride like!

@GilesM will be along in a minute to say how lovely Fives are, and I wouldn't disagree.

The Five is lovely, and I'll tell anyone who's prepared to be bored rigid how lovely, however, I agree with you, if it appears to float up hill compared to a HT, the HT must be pretty poor, I was out on my Orange Elite on Saturday, now that does float up hills, but as soon as the trails went down, I wished I was on my Five.

 

[Motozulu]

The mates Orange was a HT - maybe it was'nt a 5 then? all I know is it felt bloody great compared to mine.