Advice: Deal

[KWICKS]

Long time no post.

New bike. I'm liking 3 AM bikes: SC Nomad (build up so anything), Trek Remedy 8 ($4999 advertised), Giant Reign 0 ($3799 advertised). Specs on complete bikes are on their websites, but I am leaning towards the SC as LBS sells them and I have a good relationship with the proprietors.

Budget $4500. More over time for improvements etc.

Ridden none yet, researched a lot and found no negatives for anything, seems people are happy with what THEY have bought.

LBS has offered to build up a Nomad for me to budget featuring Lyrics 115-160mm, RS Monarch 3.3, WTD dual duty wheelset with shimano hubs, Hayes Stroker 203 and 180mm brakes, XT Shadow derailleurs, Deore shifters and crankset. I'm assuming it will come with generic tyres 2.35 and grips, seat, bar and stem will be economical.

Are there any serious flaws in this build? I'm a heavy rider with moderate ability at best. Strength and durability over absolute performance is the brief. Weight of the bike is not an issue.

I guess bundling the big ticket items up front and gradually improving spec over time will occur for smaller ticket items like shifters, derailleurs, headsets, etc.

All advice welcome.

 

[Dirt king]

Having the Santa Cruz and Trek as an option I am maybe getting the hint you don't want a bike that every man and his dog has a.k.a the Giant. As much as it is a great bike there are a lot of them. I have not ridden the Trek, but I rode a Santa Cruz Nomad a few months ago, and I must say probably one of the best bikes I have ridden.

Relatively light, depending on build, suspension is amazing, and it climbs the hills unbelievably well. Because of its travel, I was expecting it to be a bit of a pig (and I am light weight myself), but it was the complete opposite. Did not notice hardly any rear bob, and it just kept going. On the flip side, the downhills though were the most fun. Very stable and handled everything extremely well.

After the ride I came to the conclusion it was a great all round bike, and just a very fun bike. I am assuming the Trek and Giant would be much the same, but the way the VPP system worked, if I was you I would be getting the SC Nomad, even if the spec is not quite as good as the other two.

 

[SideFX]

Buy the nomad with a dhx air and lyrics and go second hand on the rest of the parts .

 

[KWICKS]

Seriously considering that! As much as it will kill me to have a killer part bike in the shed when all I have as an alternate is a Giant Talon...

 

[L.P.]

i think the complete nomad is the best deal, though a brake upgrade to some avids or shimanos would make the bike sweet.

 

[Jimass]

^^ Just what i was about to say.

 

[wind ding brutha]

Don't forget the Gary Fisher Roscoe either, its essentially a 140mm version of the remedy and is such a sick bike too. Such a hard call between the Remedy and the Roscoe, your decision might be influenced by the fact that the Remedy's are in demand and it might be harder to get hold of the size you want. Trek AUS make demo bikes available to customers through their dealers, you should ask your local Trek dealer about riding either a Remedy or a Roscoe!

 

[SideFX]

You know there is a brand new medium mk2 nomad on e bay at the moment . It belongs to a member on this sight . There i also a large mk2 advertised on this sight , both cheep .

 

[hifiandmtb]

A medium frame won't cut it - KWICKS needs a large. I second (or third?) the "buy frame/shock/fork & get second-hand/CRC-sourced parts" mantra.

 

[KWICKS]

A medium frame won't cut it - KWICKS needs a large. I second (or third?) the "buy frame/shock/fork & get second-hand/CRC-sourced parts" mantra.

XL I think. 6'2" of me.

Likely to be sourcing a frame from the US as my half brother lives there and mum is visiting him for his wedding in June, and she agreed to bring me a frame back.

 

[SideFX]

XL I think. 6'2" of me.

Likely to be sourcing a frame from the US as my half brother lives there and mum is visiting him for his wedding in June, and she agreed to bring me a frame back.

Nice one ! . Get the dhx option then . Ano finish is good aswell . The sc bikes have a fine layer of pain as to keep the weight down , it mark up easy thats fine if you intend on painting the frame . But the ano lasts longer and if you put some oil on ano , it come up looking new .
XL frame hay , that will be a monster bike .