Picking a New Bike

[Jaden Deuter]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>I am looking for a new bike $3000 or less. I live in an area where most of the trails are considered cross country but, I am only in high school and and am looking for a bike that is flexible that I can ride for years to come. I am planing to go to college in the mountains where things are more down hill and endero orientated. I have been looking at the 2017 Giant Reign 2 and my local Giant rep said he can probably get me a deal since I’m a regular customer. But I’ve also been looking at a 2016 Anthem X Advanced 29er that regularly costs $3700 but I’m on a out of town ride and a local bike shop is clearing out the inventory and they will sell it for $3000. It’s an amazing deal but I don’t know if it will be able to downhill black Diamond and Red trails. There is a third option I’ve been looking at the Pivot Mach 6 Aluminum bace model with shimano slx. It doesn’t have the best components but they can be upgraded. Any one of these bikes will be 20 times better than my current bike I am open to any suggestions or recommendations. Thanks  in advance.</p>

[Alvin Mullen]

Reign is on the edge of being downhill, Anthem is more cross country, I would say the bike in the do everything range is the Trance.

[Paul Oliver]

Also looking for a new FS bike, the confusion of XC, trail, race, and enduro is mind boggling. Could use some advise. I am 67 and now looking for the most versatile and comfortable bike that can be found. Lots of travel would be good, but need control for slow speeds. Not into heavy stuff anymore, just  light single and double track, gravel, chip, some paved roads, and greenway riding with the grandkids.  Is there a bike that can do it all? Have read lots of reviews, but they focus on youngsters and pros going all out. I have always been into carbon and light weight. My rides now are:

2015 Trek Domane 5.9 Di2

2017 Trek Procaliber 9.6

[Alvin Mullen]

I am 59, and personally anything with drop bars I do not find comfortable at all.. Personally with a touchy back I ride my Full Suspension bike all the time, even on pavement.   I have a Giant Stance, it has 120mm suspension both ends. It really will do anything I am capable of, yet I still drool over bikes with 140mm or 160m suspension, and will probably end up with one in the next year or so.

 

Paul, of the two bikes you list, the 9.6 would be my choice, but considering you are saying you won’t be riding anything heavy anymore, that bike has components you probably don’t really need. Like the Boost hubs, are you planing on running wider tires occasionally and swapping back and forth, if not you don’t need them.  And I find it annoying that Trek insists on not putting 1×11 on less expensive bikes. The X-Caliber 9 would be a good less expensive alternative to the Pro Caliber 9.6 if it had a 1×11 option.

 

[Brian Haynes]

I just bought my first full suspension. It’s a Giant Trance 3 2016 and I love it. I did a lot of research and even though I too live in an area where trails are mostly xc terrain but still have a few tracks that are pretty bumpy, but I would say i’m really happy with the purchase.  This also gives me flexibility if I want to take trips anywhere with bumpier terrain and what not.

[Chris Daniels]

You didn’t mention a price on the M6, but I’d go with Pivot! SLX isn’t bad at all (especially the brakes). Why get the Anthem if you’re going to unfamiliar territory that is, at the least, more mountainous than what you ride now?

[Alvin Mullen]

I love the Pivot M6, and the DW-link is a great setup, but the price is pretty high. The lowest level M6 starts at $3700. Trance starts at $2100 and the Reign starts at $2900.   Admittedly for that price the lowest level M6 does has a higher component level.  If I was looking to spend in the $4k range The three bikes I would look at first are the Pivot M6, the Reign SX, and the Foes Racing Mixer.

[bikerboy15]

I say check out the trance.. it may be better for the terrain you ride now and it will be good if you start riding gnarlier terrain..

[keithmerson]

Pivot Mach 6 is certainly a great bike, and there a a couple of models on sale right now at Competitive Cyclist. They’re probably only available in a limited number of sizes, but this time of year there are always killer deals to be had.

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