Are you happy to pay the premium pricing for the top-spec models? Do you think the differences between the premium model and a more base-level one justify the jump in price?
I couldn't afford thows sorts off prices I have to start with the basic then as I go and thing wear out then I save and upgrade slowly adding higher end part my bike has to grow when I can but the main thing is I enjoy getting out there learning new things and having fun don't get me wrong higher end bike are amazing I just thing thay are way over price to the point where I wouldn't want to take it on a trail at that price incase I break it
Just got my new 2022 Trek 9.8 XT. All in 5.6k. Am I happy? Well, I haven’t ridden it yet. I’m too afraid to. 😂. I’m only a LITTLE tongue in cheek. My only disappointment is I was a novice to buying MTB (my fault for not doing more research - but I’m doing it now) - I’m not a novice to riding. I have a non branded carbon bike from China (2.3k all in) - and it served me well - I still have it and still ride it. I do feel like my local bike shop (who I just met) took advantage of my lack of knowledge (won’t happen again). I’m sure I’ll love my new trek. And it’s my last bike before I hit the dirt (leave this world - I’m 57), unless I win the lotto. But I wish I held out and bought (perhaps) better or later year bike for the same price. Please know, it’s not a complaint - just an observation. I take responsibility for my decision.
Honestly I don’t see the need to ride top spec bikes or kit, I go out, I ride, enjoy myself on what I can afford, and repeat… problem solved. My point of view is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy yourself.
Its even better to ride a bit cheaper because you can just ride instead of stressing about an expensive break. And unless youre going pro you wont be hurt by a few extra seconds on your time.
If you have the money, go for it. Life is short. If not get something you can afford. Just be happy you even can and have a bike to ride. Many people don't have either. Take care. Aloha. 😎🤙
Generally speaking, it's always best to buy the "mid" spec bike. Why? You get to pick exactly where you want to upgrade. For example, the "top" spec bike will come with nicer, lighter wheels. But are they the nicer, lighter wheels you really want? Or is there an aftermarket set that you'd much rather have? Picking the mid spec bike allows you to swap out for the exact higher end wheels you want. Same for cranks, bars, breaks, etc. If you plan ahead, and have a cool bike shop, sometime the bike shop will give you 'credit' for the stock parts if you do your swaps at the time of purchase. Really a great way to get a mostly custom bike for as little money as possible.
I really wish more brands would let you spec your own build! I personally get frustrated when the higher spec bikes start putting on fancy wireless seat posts and drive trains which in my humble opinion is a huge waste of money! If I had the option to chose I’d put the money into suspension, high end brakes and wheels and I’d put a standard cable dropper with a lower end shimano drivetrain!
The issue with fancy expensive bikes is replacing the fancy individual hard to find parts on them. The best bet is to buy a frame that fits you best and build a custom made bike with quality easy to find parts. This is the reality for the average biker.
I've got two bikes; one with Sram GX Eagle, one Shimano SLX. Both perform very well, and I find the 'lower spec' SLX actually performs slightly better all around.🤷🏻♂️
I have an Orbea Laufey H30 which came with 11 speed Deore. I impressed with it. I did upgrade to 12 speed SLX. But I did go for the Deore 12 speed chain and cassette. Which I di intend upgrading to SLX when they wear out. Which I'm also impressed with. I actually still use the 11 speed Deore as I put the groupset on my hybrid. I only used a different chainset due the different chainline and want a more road focused gearing. I also have an Orbea Rallon M-LTD. With XTR groupset. I'm impressed with that groupset as well. When the gears are set up correctly. To be honest. I'm not sure if I can feel any difference. There is as slight differece in the gear levers.
Not quite the topic of the video, but I would like to see more affordable bikes with a gearbox like the Pinion. Huge range, crisp shifting, no maintenance, survives everything, lasts forever.
I love my EMTB's I bought a Giant Fathom 2+ 29 (500wh) as my first... cost me £2400, Time I upgraded it with a dropper, pedals, fox 34 performance, fortis 30 pro 5 hub and a few other upgrades (most things in a sale) I'm still £3600 deep and I still need to change the rubbish brakes.. I bought a Cube 160 Action Team (750wh) with Factory suspension etc.. needed no upgrades stands me at £4600.. and it's ready to go and rides amazingly, Sometimes you just have to pay for the spec you think you'll need. especially in my case when my HT is only £1000 less then my amazing Cube bike.
Everyone always just says carbon is lighter. Well does a 1/2 of a pound. Maybe 1 pound make it worth an extra couple thousand dollars. Stronger is also questionable. How often do you see videos of aluminum bikes snapping in half. You can watch on youtube all day long of carbon bikes breaking in half. For me aluminum is the best material. Last forever, it's not heavy and it is repairable even tho every single person seems to believe it's not.
X01, XT, (road Force, Ultegra) is where I'm at. I buy bikes based on component level anymore. My best upgrades for performance have been wheels. I buy what I can afford, but I would not lose much time on my PRs if I rode a lower spec. ✌
I got a minor brake upgrade to Deore SLX with an I spec EV clamp and replaced my deore 10 speed shifter to an I spec EV for about £25-30 so lever and shifter integration does not have to be overly expensive.
I just bought a slightly higher mid grade spec. Buying the better fork, drivetrain and brakes now was cheaper than upgrading to better components later, for the bike I could afford.
The lowest spec bikes save on invisible details like headset bearings. My entry level Orbea Alma had a dire OEM headset that cost under 10 pounds. The mid spec Alma has good sealed bearings. I still got a great deal and can upgrade when the cheap bearings wear out.
A good quality frame with geo and kinematics that suit me, decent suspension and strong, dependable brakes those things I want, the rest is negotiable ;)
I see dirtbikes and mtbs as pure losses in the sense that you beat them down until they break and it will cost you a lot to bring them to this point... The most laughable parts is when people buy a car or a bike and speak about their "investment"... Bike shield ads even say it: "protect your investment" Investment...😂😂😂
If you can afford to buy and maintain a top spec bike go for it, personally for me it's great having gucci kit until your paying £500 to replace a cassette.
Yes, they are. Hopefully they will come back and come back to the U.S. I feel if they had come to the U.S. two or three years ago they would have been a dominant brand. Unfortunately the financial trouble hit soon after they got here.
I don't spend anywhere near the time riding my mountain bike to justify spending on the higher options and am glad there are cheaper choices with same geometry. Lots of times I'm riding a different bike and not MTB
It would be nice if you could do a series on budget new bike sub 500 pound bike don't laugh but not every one can afford the bike s you show that are fantastic but way out the price range for a majority of people at the end of the day isn't it about just getting out having fun and keeping fit you don't need. To spend thousands to do that cover bikes that the average family can afford ?
A sub $500 mtb does not exist. GMBN has done reviews of entry level MTB’s, but these generally start at around $850 for the cheapest hard tail to $1,500 for the cheapest full suspension. Anything below these price points are big box store bikes that just won’t handle actual trail riding. But, they do just fine for gravel riding and road riding, so if that’s what you are after then this is not the channel for that anyways.
Carerra and Voodoo make some great sub £500 mtb hardtails Plenty good enough to start out with and easily upgraded with a cheap air fork. Got me started, took my Carerra Vulcan over Snowdon, Brecon Beacons, Helvellyn and 1000 kms of lower level trails. Yes of course a better bike does it much better but no reason you can't hit the trails on a super budget bike and have some great fun.
If I can't get the frameset alone I usually go for the cheapest build since I know in a couple of months nothing OEM will be left on the bike, you could theoretically get a better build and have more value out of reselling more high end components but that option isn't suited to my lack of willingness to post ads and sell parts. I just throw them in a pile 😂
Really interesting! Even more interesting from my point of view (with limited financial resources) would be real life performance tests with timed runs using e.g. three bikes of the same model speced at different points in the price spectrum. I imagine blind testing might be hard to achieve with your well trained expert senses, but perhaps it could be possible if you also invited outside (slightly less experienced) test riders. I am also interested in hearing your thoughts regarding the feel of the bikes/components as well as discussions about durability and serviceability. This all would be really fun to see for all the main MTB diciplines. I imagine the results will differ between them.
That's a great idea! Blind testing could be fun, but our expert senses are as in tune as you may think. Check out this video where Blake and Rich try to tell components by feel 👉 ua-cam.com/video/tk8Uw-I77YQ/v-deo.html
A good brakes, tires and and shock with piggback at least... Alloy frame Slx m7120 brakes Lyrik or Zeb Seletc Superdeluxe Select M6100 or NX Eagle Drivetrain I dont need carbon fancy frame with a 38 factory or Ohlins rxf 38 m. 2 Trickstuff, Maven or Hope Brakes EXT shock XX Axs Drivetrain Axs Dropper Reserve or i9 wheels...
Very nice and all, but would be nice if you guys actually compared how low/mid/high end bikes ride, then talk about what makes the most difference and if there is a good reason to spend or not to spend. Also, if you say that "entry-level kit is very good" you should back it up and ride that instead of the top end, and not for a ride or 2 but for a whole season, then it would be believable to say that "this is almost as good as the top-end stuff, just less fancy and customizable"
The bike that I would want to buy now is pretty much a middle to low speck one Currently I have second hand DH bike the frame is from a brand that doesn't exist any more all I know is that it was made around 1997-2001 because it was painted along the way and I can find anything on the internet about it
I'm a total SRAM guy for everything except their brakes! Their brakes suck. I'm a huge fan of Hope Tech Brakes that are flawless is set up and operation!
I am an x + 1 rider and would rather have several medium level bikes than a single super expensive bike. I like having an XC, enduro, and an emtb, oh yah , and a steel ht, and a cf Hardtail
To do a comparison of top and bottom spec bikes, would it not be better just to stick to the same frame material which you did on the CF7. What you didn't say is, is it worth laying out a big chunk of money straight away or just upgrade later on as & when components wear out. That's what I tend to do; buy a decent bike and upgrade as I go along.
Do you guys plan on doing a review on the new Voodoo canzo pro full suspension, it looks really nice and has decent specs, I'm getting back into riding after 10 years off and need a new up to date bike, and this is one on my list.
Im still rocking my 2016 trek fuel ex i have upgraded the drive train to slx 12 speed from 10x2 and brakes to slx also and I really don’t have a need to get xt or xtr. Im not a racer and im just out there to shred until the bike breaks 😂
I have always felt the difference between Cheap and moderate specs is HUGE HUGE HUGE but the the difference of Moderate to high end specs isn’t that great. It’s Diminishing returns at a certain point.
Great episode, I like the fact that the tech that goes into designing the bike frames is used across the range just not the materials so the alloy looks some what like the carbon fibre versions. Again helping me dream about owning one haha.
@@gmbn there really well made light durable overall had shimano and sram before i think race face cranks just some of the best never tried hope ive allways ticked to what i know never had issues
I went with the cheapest as I am not a pro so probably wouldn't be able to notice any difference. Spectral on cf7. I am the limiting factor not my bike
Hello, Neil. Based on your experience, do you think this Spectral Medium will fit me? Thanks for any info. I'm 175cm, come from a Trance 27.5 with 435 reach, 610mm ETT, 67 HTA, 1160WB. I've never rode a modern geo mtb. So not sure about the long and slack geo sizing...
Stem, bar, pedals, grips, saddle, seatpost, you can save a bit of coin on a budget custom build... What most brands do with their mid to low tier bikes. You'll notice the most difference in higher end, custom wheels, suspension, brakes and tyres. Drivetrains are much of a muchness... I've had budget setups that have worked great e.g. my ole 2017 Giant Reign 2 had NX 11 speed and never missed a beat. Then I've had GX & XT that have always given me issues. The best drivetrain I've owned has been XX1 12 Speed. Best wheels I've owned have been Carbon rims on DT Swiss 350 hubs w/ 54t ratchet upgrade. Best brakes I've owned/used?? My first MTB, a KHS Winslow 29... back in 2014, had some Tektro something or other brakes on 160mm rotors. They ran on some sort of oil and could stop on a dime, despite the XC tyres and small rotors. On more modern MTB's, I've found the SRAM Guide RE to be great bang for the buck. Rockshox Yari forks are dependale. Marzocchi coil shocks are also solid and good value. In the end, ride what ya like... as life is too short to ride sh!t bikes 🤘
@@sultanabran1 think you've replied to wrong post buddy.... never mentioned speed once in post. O/C The Don is all about The Speed... some of us ride for other reasons.
What i dont get is that companies clearly would be able to sell you a frame set for 1k but no instead the frameset is 3k and the cheapest bike is 2k but it comes either with nx or at best a slx derailer and shifter with a crapset
My fav is when i see top-end enduro bikes and the rider literally uses it for a hike-a-bike once a month... Then sells it after 3 months.. At this point ,you just paid for the clout, realised no-one cares and sold it :D
I got an Intense 951 XC at Costco for $1799. It's carbon fiber, has Fox suspension, and weighs 28lbs. Other $1800 bikes are aluminum, have Rockshox, and weigh 35lbs. Nothing wrong with that, they are good bikes too.
@solidsnake2030 hopefully your carbon frame won't bend in a crash, it's more likely that a rock hits the frame and cracks it and the it fails catastrophically the next time you land a jump
@@georgekrpan3181 I got myself recently Scott Scale 950 2022 for about the same price. Usually you dont buy XC bikes for downhill terrains. I would not be so worried about your purchase. I was also looking for Fox paired with the highest Shimano offering at my budget. There are many companies that do CF repairs if accident happens.
@@simptrix007 The Scale looks looks like a sweet bike. I watched a lot of vids on the 951 XC and it handles downhill well. It's got 120mm of travel and some call it a "down country" bike. I'm not worried at all about it being CF. It was a fabulous deal. Cheers!
There are alot of comments saying there is no point buying an expensive bike and giving them a hard time, I think having an expensive bike is nice if you love bikes and can afford it. Its like owning a Ferrari.Does anybody need one? No but if you had the money, it would be nice wouldnt it?
RockShox top suspension is great and reliable (avoid Fox :) ) but the same about SRAM/Avid brakes and any AXS components (or just Sram drivetrain and dropper post) - AVOID - waste of money (especially that it's super expensive and not very durable)
Have heard a lot of people say the new pods aren't as ergonomic or tactile as the original shifter. I've got the original and to me the pods don't look anywhere near as ergo
2 grand + has been the sort of entry level for a worthwhile full squish bikes for years. Was the same when i bought one in 2015 and it's still roughly the same now. 2k will buy a nice hardtail but if you want a full sus then 2 grand is just getting started. Unless you wait for sales or buy second hand, which i'd recommend anyway.
Comments like this are always so incredibly stupid. Everything is subjective, and no one is saying it's cheap overall, they are saying cheap for the medium. Case in point, 5 bucks is super cheap. Unless I say it's for a single piece of home office printer paper, in which case 5 a sheet is crazy expensive. By your logic, it would still be cheap though because 5 dollars is never a lot of money.
@@LiveStoked Take a step back and look at this objectively. A few tubes of metal welded together plus a few gear components bolted together. Does this sound like 2K worth to you?
Def don’t buy a top end drive train on a full-fat e-bike if you can avoid it and change to 10 or 11 speed when it wears out. Saves a fortune given the wear on e-bikes and you won’t notice the difference.
What drives me nuts is that they never have exactly what you want. If you buy a frame only, then build it up. It's too expensive. Wish you could pick a frame from the company then click the components you want.
Don't buy anything at RRP, ever. Wait for a sale. Bike companies still make a decent profit at 30% off. Spend your money on brakes, tyres and a saddle that fits your behind. Save money on a pointless drivetrain upgrade and buy a better lid instead, again, in a sale...
I went through this recently, I started with the Spectral AL 6 for £2,599 then decided by the time I'd upgraded the parts it would cost the same as the CF 7 and I'd be stuck with the heavier bike. After looking at the sale on both the Specialized and YT websites I've ended up buying the Stumpjumper EVO Comp with similar specs to the Spectral CF 7 but it has the eagle gx groupset so I can get the axs upgrade kit in the future. It uses the same frame as the S-Works version from what I can tell and is a 1kg lighter than the CF 7. The bike I really would've liked was the 2023 Spectral CF 8 and that's on sale at the moment but then that would cost £3,800 and my original budget was meant to be £2,500.
Like cars or anything else, it’s a matter of your budget, not your actual needs! You ride on the sidewalk only, love bikes and have to cash? We’ll buy the fancy bike you love! Stop judging people and say stuff like “he doesn’t need that bike”. Who cares!? It’s HIS money. YOLO.
Every single one of these companies are having their carbon fiber frames built in China. Then they have them made dirt cheap and sell them to you for 10x what it cost to be made.
That's a really interesting topic. Top content as always. I get weight saving aspects with carbon frame and the performance advantages of higher-end suspension. But anything after that is IMO luxury 99% of riders don't need.
Nothing wrong with that. Buy the bike you like and can afford. If someone had 10 grand for a bike and couldn't even bunny hop, well good for them. I'd do the same.
should have shown whats good on a much cheaper bike. not everyone is spending 2 grand + on a bike to go out and have fun on.video was pointless to me as an everyday joe just looking to ride a normal bike.
this was an awful comparison tbh. were you paid by sram to shit on shimano? or paid to promote super expensive bikes and push people up the spending ladder? even the deore has ispec ev (sram matchmaker counterpart) and the slx brakes had the toolless reach adjust. this amount of intentional misguiding and bias is really disappointing.
Are you happy to pay the premium pricing for the top-spec models? Do you think the differences between the premium model and a more base-level one justify the jump in price?
I couldn't afford thows sorts off prices I have to start with the basic then as I go and thing wear out then I save and upgrade slowly adding higher end part my bike has to grow when I can but the main thing is I enjoy getting out there learning new things and having fun don't get me wrong higher end bike are amazing I just thing thay are way over price to the point where I wouldn't want to take it on a trail at that price incase I break it
Just got my new 2022 Trek 9.8 XT. All in 5.6k. Am I happy? Well, I haven’t ridden it yet. I’m too afraid to. 😂. I’m only a LITTLE tongue in cheek. My only disappointment is I was a novice to buying MTB (my fault for not doing more research - but I’m doing it now) - I’m not a novice to riding. I have a non branded carbon bike from China (2.3k all in) - and it served me well - I still have it and still ride it. I do feel like my local bike shop (who I just met) took advantage of my lack of knowledge (won’t happen again). I’m sure I’ll love my new trek. And it’s my last bike before I hit the dirt (leave this world - I’m 57), unless I win the lotto. But I wish I held out and bought (perhaps) better or later year bike for the same price. Please know, it’s not a complaint - just an observation. I take responsibility for my decision.
Honestly I don’t see the need to ride top spec bikes or kit, I go out, I ride, enjoy myself on what I can afford, and repeat… problem solved. My point of view is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy yourself.
Its even better to ride a bit cheaper because you can just ride instead of stressing about an expensive break. And unless youre going pro you wont be hurt by a few extra seconds on your time.
but the marketing people say if i ride with the highest spec components, i'll be faster. if my bike is 100g lighter, i'll be so fast.
@@sultanabran1😂😂
@@sultanabran1 Posing on a fancy bike ain't fast. I'm forever passing them fools.... ❤
Carrera 29er I've owned it 9 years been all over the place and it's never failed me.
If you have the money, go for it. Life is short. If not get something you can afford. Just be happy you even can and have a bike to ride. Many people don't have either. Take care. Aloha. 😎🤙
Generally speaking, it's always best to buy the "mid" spec bike. Why? You get to pick exactly where you want to upgrade. For example, the "top" spec bike will come with nicer, lighter wheels. But are they the nicer, lighter wheels you really want? Or is there an aftermarket set that you'd much rather have? Picking the mid spec bike allows you to swap out for the exact higher end wheels you want. Same for cranks, bars, breaks, etc. If you plan ahead, and have a cool bike shop, sometime the bike shop will give you 'credit' for the stock parts if you do your swaps at the time of purchase. Really a great way to get a mostly custom bike for as little money as possible.
I really wish more brands would let you spec your own build! I personally get frustrated when the higher spec bikes start putting on fancy wireless seat posts and drive trains which in my humble opinion is a huge waste of money! If I had the option to chose I’d put the money into suspension, high end brakes and wheels and I’d put a standard cable dropper with a lower end shimano drivetrain!
The issue with fancy expensive bikes is replacing the fancy individual hard to find parts on them. The best bet is to buy a frame that fits you best and build a custom made bike with quality easy to find parts. This is the reality for the average biker.
Not really true. Its more expensive to put better parts on bike. Sometimes its better to wait on bike deals and then top specs makes a good value. :)
I've got two bikes; one with Sram GX Eagle, one Shimano SLX. Both perform very well, and I find the 'lower spec' SLX actually performs slightly better all around.🤷🏻♂️
I have an Orbea Laufey H30 which came with 11 speed Deore. I impressed with it. I did upgrade to 12 speed SLX. But I did go for the Deore 12 speed chain and cassette. Which I di intend upgrading to SLX when they wear out. Which I'm also impressed with. I actually still use the 11 speed Deore as I put the groupset on my hybrid. I only used a different chainset due the different chainline and want a more road focused gearing. I also have an Orbea Rallon M-LTD. With XTR groupset. I'm impressed with that groupset as well. When the gears are set up correctly. To be honest. I'm not sure if I can feel any difference. There is as slight differece in the gear levers.
Not quite the topic of the video, but I would like to see more affordable bikes with a gearbox like the Pinion. Huge range, crisp shifting, no maintenance, survives everything, lasts forever.
I love my EMTB's I bought a Giant Fathom 2+ 29 (500wh) as my first... cost me £2400, Time I upgraded it with a dropper, pedals, fox 34 performance, fortis 30 pro 5 hub and a few other upgrades (most things in a sale) I'm still £3600 deep and I still need to change the rubbish brakes.. I bought a Cube 160 Action Team (750wh) with Factory suspension etc.. needed no upgrades stands me at £4600.. and it's ready to go and rides amazingly, Sometimes you just have to pay for the spec you think you'll need. especially in my case when my HT is only £1000 less then my amazing Cube bike.
My tried and trusted method is buy slightly above your current level of riding and/or need, then replace bits with nicer things as they go pop
so what can an xtr spec bike do that an slx bike can't?
@@sultanabran1double downshift. Not that it's a necessity
Everyone always just says carbon is lighter. Well does a 1/2 of a pound. Maybe 1 pound make it worth an extra couple thousand dollars. Stronger is also questionable. How often do you see videos of aluminum bikes snapping in half. You can watch on youtube all day long of carbon bikes breaking in half. For me aluminum is the best material. Last forever, it's not heavy and it is repairable even tho every single person seems to believe it's not.
X01, XT, (road Force, Ultegra) is where I'm at. I buy bikes based on component level anymore. My best upgrades for performance have been wheels. I buy what I can afford, but I would not lose much time on my PRs if I rode a lower spec. ✌
I got a minor brake upgrade to Deore SLX with an I spec EV clamp and replaced my deore 10 speed shifter to an I spec EV for about £25-30 so lever and shifter integration does not have to be overly expensive.
I just bought a slightly higher mid grade spec. Buying the better fork, drivetrain and brakes now was cheaper than upgrading to better components later, for the bike I could afford.
The lowest spec bikes save on invisible details like headset bearings. My entry level Orbea Alma had a dire OEM headset that cost under 10 pounds. The mid spec Alma has good sealed bearings. I still got a great deal and can upgrade when the cheap bearings wear out.
A good quality frame with geo and kinematics that suit me, decent suspension and strong, dependable brakes those things I want, the rest is negotiable ;)
Love seeing people with $10,000 dollar bikes and top end kits just tip towing down the hill scared to crash because there stuff is so expensive
I see dirtbikes and mtbs as pure losses in the sense that you beat them down until they break and it will cost you a lot to bring them to this point... The most laughable parts is when people buy a car or a bike and speak about their "investment"... Bike shield ads even say it: "protect your investment"
Investment...😂😂😂
If you can afford to buy and maintain a top spec bike go for it, personally for me it's great having gucci kit until your paying £500 to replace a cassette.
Vitus bikes are awesome for the price! 🤘
Yes, they are. Hopefully they will come back and come back to the U.S. I feel if they had come to the U.S. two or three years ago they would have been a dominant brand. Unfortunately the financial trouble hit soon after they got here.
I don't spend anywhere near the time riding my mountain bike to justify spending on the higher options and am glad there are cheaper choices with same geometry. Lots of times I'm riding a different bike and not MTB
TREK has a number of their commuter bikes and entry level MTBs spec'd with CUES. Marlin 5, Roscoe 6, FX 4
Specialized kenevo comp this year's comes with link glide as standard.
It would be nice if you could do a series on budget new bike sub 500 pound bike don't laugh but not every one can afford the bike s you show that are fantastic but way out the price range for a majority of people at the end of the day isn't it about just getting out having fun and keeping fit you don't need. To spend thousands to do that cover bikes that the average family can afford ?
Not on this channel, it’s a just a canyon commercial
i thought the same, this vid was pointless for me and many others that cant spunk 2 grand + on a bike
I don't know if i would recommend doing enduro riding on a sub 500 bike
A sub $500 mtb does not exist. GMBN has done reviews of entry level MTB’s, but these generally start at around $850 for the cheapest hard tail to $1,500 for the cheapest full suspension. Anything below these price points are big box store bikes that just won’t handle actual trail riding. But, they do just fine for gravel riding and road riding, so if that’s what you are after then this is not the channel for that anyways.
Carerra and Voodoo make some great sub £500 mtb hardtails Plenty good enough to start out with and easily upgraded with a cheap air fork. Got me started, took my Carerra Vulcan over Snowdon, Brecon Beacons, Helvellyn and 1000 kms of lower level trails. Yes of course a better bike does it much better but no reason you can't hit the trails on a super budget bike and have some great fun.
If I can't get the frameset alone I usually go for the cheapest build since I know in a couple of months nothing OEM will be left on the bike, you could theoretically get a better build and have more value out of reselling more high end components but that option isn't suited to my lack of willingness to post ads and sell parts. I just throw them in a pile 😂
Really interesting!
Even more interesting from my point of view (with limited financial resources) would be real life performance tests with timed runs using e.g. three bikes of the same model speced at different points in the price spectrum. I imagine blind testing might be hard to achieve with your well trained expert senses, but perhaps it could be possible if you also invited outside (slightly less experienced) test riders. I am also interested in hearing your thoughts regarding the feel of the bikes/components as well as discussions about durability and serviceability. This all would be really fun to see for all the main MTB diciplines. I imagine the results will differ between them.
That's a great idea! Blind testing could be fun, but our expert senses are as in tune as you may think. Check out this video where Blake and Rich try to tell components by feel 👉 ua-cam.com/video/tk8Uw-I77YQ/v-deo.html
A good brakes, tires and and shock with piggback at least...
Alloy frame
Slx m7120 brakes
Lyrik or Zeb Seletc
Superdeluxe Select
M6100 or NX Eagle Drivetrain
I dont need carbon fancy frame with a 38 factory or Ohlins rxf 38 m. 2
Trickstuff, Maven or Hope Brakes
EXT shock
XX Axs Drivetrain
Axs Dropper
Reserve or i9 wheels...
Very nice and all, but would be nice if you guys actually compared how low/mid/high end bikes ride, then talk about what makes the most difference and if there is a good reason to spend or not to spend. Also, if you say that "entry-level kit is very good" you should back it up and ride that instead of the top end, and not for a ride or 2 but for a whole season, then it would be believable to say that "this is almost as good as the top-end stuff, just less fancy and customizable"
The bike that I would want to buy now is pretty much a middle to low speck one
Currently I have second hand DH bike the frame is from a brand that doesn't exist any more all I know is that it was made around 1997-2001 because it was painted along the way and I can find anything on the internet about it
I would argue that the slx brakes are better than the sram ones you presented as "high end" :)
I'm a total SRAM guy for everything except their brakes! Their brakes suck. I'm a huge fan of Hope Tech Brakes that are flawless is set up and operation!
I am an x + 1 rider and would rather have several medium level bikes than a single super expensive bike. I like having an XC, enduro, and an emtb, oh yah , and a steel ht, and a cf Hardtail
i buy the lower spec then upgrade further n a later date
I would of liked to see you compare the actual base spec bike not just mentioning it before moving onto a not base spec carbon bike.
To do a comparison of top and bottom spec bikes, would it not be better just to stick to the same frame material which you did on the CF7. What you didn't say is, is it worth laying out a big chunk of money straight away or just upgrade later on as & when components wear out. That's what I tend to do; buy a decent bike and upgrade as I go along.
I got base carbon. It's perfect. Upgrade components as needed, but the base spec is great.
Do you guys plan on doing a review on the new Voodoo canzo pro full suspension, it looks really nice and has decent specs, I'm getting back into riding after 10 years off and need a new up to date bike, and this is one on my list.
Im still rocking my 2016 trek fuel ex i have upgraded the drive train to slx 12 speed from 10x2 and brakes to slx also and I really don’t have a need to get xt or xtr. Im not a racer and im just out there to shred until the bike breaks 😂
I'm wondering if I should save money to buy a new bike or consult with my local mechanic and buy all the parts one by one
It'll be a lot more expensive to build it from the frame up than to buy a complete. Unless you're using older used frames and parts
I have always felt the difference between Cheap and moderate specs is HUGE HUGE HUGE but the the difference of Moderate to high end specs isn’t that great. It’s Diminishing returns at a certain point.
Great episode, I like the fact that the tech that goes into designing the bike frames is used across the range just not the materials so the alloy looks some what like the carbon fibre versions. Again helping me dream about owning one haha.
Thank's for watching! One day 🤞
it maybe be heavy at lower spec can always get it lighter overall with different parts and always can put your own spin on it i run race face cranks
What do you think of the race face cranks?
@@gmbn there really well made light durable overall had shimano and sram before i think race face cranks just some of the best never tried hope ive allways ticked to what i know never had issues
what you guys think of thr spectral 6 2021, genuinely curious
I went with the cheapest as I am not a pro so probably wouldn't be able to notice any difference. Spectral on cf7. I am the limiting factor not my bike
Hello, Neil. Based on your experience, do you think this Spectral Medium will fit me? Thanks for any info. I'm 175cm, come from a Trance 27.5 with 435 reach, 610mm ETT, 67 HTA, 1160WB. I've never rode a modern geo mtb. So not sure about the long and slack geo sizing...
Stem, bar, pedals, grips, saddle, seatpost, you can save a bit of coin on a budget custom build...
What most brands do with their mid to low tier bikes.
You'll notice the most difference in higher end, custom wheels, suspension, brakes and tyres.
Drivetrains are much of a muchness...
I've had budget setups that have worked great e.g. my ole 2017 Giant Reign 2 had NX 11 speed and never missed a beat.
Then I've had GX & XT that have always given me issues.
The best drivetrain I've owned has been XX1 12 Speed.
Best wheels I've owned have been Carbon rims on DT Swiss 350 hubs w/ 54t ratchet upgrade.
Best brakes I've owned/used??
My first MTB, a KHS Winslow 29... back in 2014, had some Tektro something or other brakes on 160mm rotors. They ran on some sort of oil and could stop on a dime, despite the XC tyres and small rotors.
On more modern MTB's, I've found the SRAM Guide RE to be great bang for the buck.
Rockshox Yari forks are dependale.
Marzocchi coil shocks are also solid and good value.
In the end, ride what ya like... as life is too short to ride sh!t bikes 🤘
a good rider will be fast no matter what he's riding. a crap rider will be slow whatever he's riding.
@@sultanabran1 think you've replied to wrong post buddy.... never mentioned speed once in post.
O/C The Don is all about The Speed... some of us ride for other reasons.
@@kingrat738 i actually think i did reply to the wrong post. i don't remember reading your post at all
At the end of the day, I’m the only one who’s going to be fixing the bike, so no electronic stuff when I’m buying
What i dont get is that companies clearly would be able to sell you a frame set for 1k but no instead the frameset is 3k and the cheapest bike is 2k but it comes either with nx or at best a slx derailer and shifter with a crapset
My fav is when i see top-end enduro bikes and the rider literally uses it for a hike-a-bike once a month...
Then sells it after 3 months..
At this point ,you just paid for the clout, realised no-one cares and sold it :D
I got an Intense 951 XC at Costco for $1799. It's carbon fiber, has Fox suspension, and weighs 28lbs. Other $1800 bikes are aluminum, have Rockshox, and weigh 35lbs. Nothing wrong with that, they are good bikes too.
Btw having carbon fiber not necessarily a good thing. If you crash hard and they get bent, that's a wrap. Not the case for aluminum bikes.
@solidsnake2030 hopefully your carbon frame won't bend in a crash, it's more likely that a rock hits the frame and cracks it and the it fails catastrophically the next time you land a jump
@@RedPanther2030 I know but which would you choose if the price is the same?
@@georgekrpan3181 I got myself recently Scott Scale 950 2022 for about the same price. Usually you dont buy XC bikes for downhill terrains. I would not be so worried about your purchase. I was also looking for Fox paired with the highest Shimano offering at my budget. There are many companies that do CF repairs if accident happens.
@@simptrix007 The Scale looks looks like a sweet bike. I watched a lot of vids on the 951 XC and it handles downhill well. It's got 120mm of travel and some call it a "down country" bike. I'm not worried at all about it being CF. It was a fabulous deal. Cheers!
There are alot of comments saying there is no point buying an expensive bike and giving them a hard time, I think having an expensive bike is nice if you love bikes and can afford it. Its like owning a Ferrari.Does anybody need one? No but if you had the money, it would be nice wouldnt it?
Interesting video👍
Thank you 👍
Come on, slx is definitively not low end
came here to comment the same thing :) SLX all day (with an XT shifter)
Just ordered a Bird Aether 7 with full XT plus some Hope bling. So near top end but very durable.
What Hope bling have you bought? Is it colour coordinated with your bike? 🤘
A top-tier suspension might be worth it, but everything else is pretty negotiable. Carbon frame definitely not worth it
What is that on the brakepads on xtr m9120 brakecaliper. Rubberband? 9:45
Stops the pads chattering. Not what you expect from shimano.
I could use some too! What size rubber bands Neil? Mahalo🤙
I’d rather buy low end model and replace with better components as I go along waiting for sales ect getting stuff at the best price
RockShox top suspension is great and reliable (avoid Fox :) ) but the same about SRAM/Avid brakes and any AXS components (or just Sram drivetrain and dropper post) - AVOID - waste of money (especially that it's super expensive and not very durable)
'24 Giant Reign E+1 is spec'd with Shimano XT LinkGlide cassette, derailleur, chain and shifter. Works great!
Neil, what's with the new AXS and original shifter paddle ?
Have heard a lot of people say the new pods aren't as ergonomic or tactile as the original shifter. I've got the original and to me the pods don't look anywhere near as ergo
I have a 2018 Giant Stance, modified,
Lighter? 100 percent, Stronger? Not so much imo. I've seen more cracked CF frames compared to aluminum which is zero in my experience.
Always good to see you Neil👍
Always straight up and informative
Have we all lost our sence of value? In what universe is 2K 'low price'?
Perfect example of the word inflation
2 grand + has been the sort of entry level for a worthwhile full squish bikes for years. Was the same when i bought one in 2015 and it's still roughly the same now. 2k will buy a nice hardtail but if you want a full sus then 2 grand is just getting started. Unless you wait for sales or buy second hand, which i'd recommend anyway.
$2k has been entry level for MTB for quite a while now.
Comments like this are always so incredibly stupid. Everything is subjective, and no one is saying it's cheap overall, they are saying cheap for the medium. Case in point, 5 bucks is super cheap. Unless I say it's for a single piece of home office printer paper, in which case 5 a sheet is crazy expensive. By your logic, it would still be cheap though because 5 dollars is never a lot of money.
@@LiveStoked Take a step back and look at this objectively. A few tubes of metal welded together plus a few gear components bolted together. Does this sound like 2K worth to you?
Def don’t buy a top end drive train on a full-fat e-bike if you can avoid it and change to 10 or 11 speed when it wears out. Saves a fortune given the wear on e-bikes and you won’t notice the difference.
2:32 what garmin mount is that?
It looks like a garmin MTB mount. It’ll be on the garmin web site
thanks@@BigChrisD1965
A sub 500 is not for enduro just getting out there having fun
What drives me nuts is that they never have exactly what you want. If you buy a frame only, then build it up. It's too expensive. Wish you could pick a frame from the company then click the components you want.
I think Propain bikes let you order like that. I'm sure some others will too
Only the office workers want carbon to many lads have lost alot of money on broken carbon frames
Don't buy anything at RRP, ever. Wait for a sale. Bike companies still make a decent profit at 30% off. Spend your money on brakes, tyres and a saddle that fits your behind. Save money on a pointless drivetrain upgrade and buy a better lid instead, again, in a sale...
I went through this recently, I started with the Spectral AL 6 for £2,599 then decided by the time I'd upgraded the parts it would cost the same as the CF 7 and I'd be stuck with the heavier bike. After looking at the sale on both the Specialized and YT websites I've ended up buying the Stumpjumper EVO Comp with similar specs to the Spectral CF 7 but it has the eagle gx groupset so I can get the axs upgrade kit in the future. It uses the same frame as the S-Works version from what I can tell and is a 1kg lighter than the CF 7. The bike I really would've liked was the 2023 Spectral CF 8 and that's on sale at the moment but then that would cost £3,800 and my original budget was meant to be £2,500.
Just ordered my spectral al 6 for £1850 as it was on Canyons end of season sale it’s now back up to full price again.
Like cars or anything else, it’s a matter of your budget, not your actual needs! You ride on the sidewalk only, love bikes and have to cash? We’ll buy the fancy bike you love! Stop judging people and say stuff like “he doesn’t need that bike”. Who cares!? It’s HIS money. YOLO.
Every single one of these companies are having their carbon fiber frames built in China. Then they have them made dirt cheap and sell them to you for 10x what it cost to be made.
That's a really interesting topic. Top content as always.
I get weight saving aspects with carbon frame and the performance advantages of higher-end suspension. But anything after that is IMO luxury 99% of riders don't need.
I rather have slx than code ult
Slx “low end” had the shifter mounted to the same clamp as brakes same as the “high end”. Great video though!
Soo beautiful bike ❤❤❤❤
5k for a bike 😂😂 paid 300 quid for mine and I've been all over the place on it. Unless I was rich with money to burn then I wouldn't justify it.
When you earn £60+ grand a year but with mortgage and bills you can't afford a push bike😂
You can't afford a pushbike on £60k per year? Aim lower. 😄
I'd say $2000 - $4000 max would be the best range for having a great bike.
Good Job Neil! I agree with your take components! Thanks for a great report!
Is this a Canyon ad?
I was just looking for this video last week and here it is.
All depends on how and where you ride them.....Simple..Ha!!
Hey hey early birds
See so many people riding top end bikes that really limited riding skills
Nothing wrong with that. Buy the bike you like and can afford. If someone had 10 grand for a bike and couldn't even bunny hop, well good for them. I'd do the same.
Bike industry is a scam. I got caught up in it for a while. Just ride what you got. The fancy shit isn’t much better.
should have shown whats good on a much cheaper bike. not everyone is spending 2 grand + on a bike to go out and have fun on.video was pointless to me as an everyday joe just looking to ride a normal bike.
this was an awful comparison tbh. were you paid by sram to shit on shimano? or paid to promote super expensive bikes and push people up the spending ladder? even the deore has ispec ev (sram matchmaker counterpart) and the slx brakes had the toolless reach adjust. this amount of intentional misguiding and bias is really disappointing.
Interesting
1st
Not quite 🥈
There’s not way 90% of riders are being held back by a base spec bike.
Cables through the frame is a NO GO on any bike Try keeping that clean 🧼 😬