recommendations on a $4k budget XC race mtb?

akashra

Eats Squid
If you shop around and shop smart, you can get a Giant Anthem Advanced 27.5 1 for a little more than $3k. I'm super happy with mine as a race bike, and I don't plan on having a hardtail as well.
 

SF Trailboy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Are you looking for a fun Competent-comfortable bike that you'll be grinning so much while riding that you don't care whether you finished 10th or 12th in the local C grade race?
This is the bike I am looking for.

Currently ride Clydesdale where ever offered on a hard tail 29er.

Do a few 4 hours and 50km events - say 4-5 a year.

Next bike will be a dually of some sort so watching the op's decisions closely - don't really want to give up the big wheels but hard to go past the anthem advanced in 27.5 - really hoping the odd rumours about the anthem 29 updating this year ( geo more like the 27.5 )are true....
 

Sappa

Likes Dirt
Hmm, stupid n+1 rule. Will be interested in what the OP does.

I was looking at a 2015 giant xtr advanced 29er 1 this morning full XT with giant carbon wheel set marked down to $2.4k

My thoughts were it being a second bike just to do XC races on to keep it simple. Single suspension to look after. But I do like pushing myself for the longer distances. I have only ever entered one event (dwellingup 100) last year. And hitting 40 this year maybe a hard tail will kill me after 6 hours. I'm just doing it for fun/complete not to place.

Will be doing kalamunda 50 on 26" trance this coming weekend.
Planning on the d100 again and maybe the cape to cape.

Now to find out what XCO is, never really looked at the different types of races before.
 

akashra

Eats Squid
Now to find out what XCO is, never really looked at the different types of races before.
XCO is Olympic format - a lap-based race on a course typically between 4-6km, but sometimes using longer laps. An Elite race would generally have a target time of 1:30-2:00, with lower grades targeting slightly shorter races. So if you're expecting 15 minute laps, 6 to 7 laps would be set.
XCM is Marathon - 60 to 160km in either a point-to-point or long-lap format, with not more than 3 laps. So it might be 100km of trail you only ride once, or maybe 3 laps of a 35km course.
XCC is Shorttrack. Intended to be short, fast, bunch racing, a reduction on the emphasis of technical trail features and a short course - generally a 90 to 120 second lap. Club XCC events might be closer to 20 minutes, UCI listed events would be 30-60 minutes.
XCEN is Endurance cross country - typically a set time, and you do as many laps as you can in that set time. 6 hours is common in Victoria with 3 hour being incredibly popular, other states tend to use 4 hour. Depending on the event it might be solo or teams. In its longest format you have 24 hour racing.
XCE is eliminator. A 500-1000m course, with everyone doing a TT/XCT run to set a seeding time. Then you're grouped in to brackets designed so the fastest seeded riders meet the slowest ones, in heats of 4 or 6, with the top few going through to the next round. Repeat until there's only 4 or 6 riders left for your final.
Then there's minor formats like XCP (basically a short marathon), XCT (Time Trial), XCS (Stage race).
 

caad9

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I was looking at a 2015 giant xtr advanced 29er 1 this morning full XT with giant carbon wheel set marked down to $2.4k
There's quite a lot of speculation that Giant will be bringing a revised Anthem & XTC in for 2016. Suggestions are they are trying to get them handling similar to the 27.5's that a lot of people have enjoyed.
 

akashra

Eats Squid
Huh? Anthem is already 27.5 in 2015. They revised the frame in 2015 from 2014 so I doubt if 2016 will see any major revision.
 

bennyp1

Likes Dirt
XCO is Olympic format - a lap-based race on a course typically between 4-6km, but sometimes using longer laps. An Elite race would generally have a target time of 1:30-2:00, with lower grades targeting slightly shorter races. So if you're expecting 15 minute laps, 6 to 7 laps would be set.
XCM is Marathon - 60 to 160km in either a point-to-point or long-lap format, with not more than 3 laps. So it might be 100km of trail you only ride once, or maybe 3 laps of a 35km course.
XCC is Shorttrack. Intended to be short, fast, bunch racing, a reduction on the emphasis of technical trail features and a short course - generally a 90 to 120 second lap. Club XCC events might be closer to 20 minutes, UCI listed events would be 30-60 minutes.
XCEN is Endurance cross country - typically a set time, and you do as many laps as you can in that set time. 6 hours is common in Victoria with 3 hour being incredibly popular, other states tend to use 4 hour. Depending on the event it might be solo or teams. In its longest format you have 24 hour racing.
XCE is eliminator. A 500-1000m course, with everyone doing a TT/XCT run to set a seeding time. Then you're grouped in to brackets designed so the fastest seeded riders meet the slowest ones, in heats of 4 or 6, with the top few going through to the next round. Repeat until there's only 4 or 6 riders left for your final.
Then there's minor formats like XCP (basically a short marathon), XCT (Time Trial), XCS (Stage race).
Thanks for this. Clears up a lot for me.
 

caad9

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Huh? Anthem is already 27.5 in 2015. They revised the frame in 2015 from 2014 so I doubt if 2016 will see any major revision.
I quoted the fella above who was talking about the 29er, I thought it would have made sense. Sorry Tim
 

simonhaha

Likes Dirt
Ive spoken to a guy from LBS

I told him my situation having 2 hardtail bikes, one XC one AM hardtail single speed. Both are suposedly fun and i said yes, after my usual lap of a 16km ride in an hour, I do get quite tired but satisfied enough to not do an extra loop and drive home grinning.

I told him i was thinking of getting a 650b short travel bike for XC race. He says 650b is no doubtedly more fun than the 29er but it will be slighly disadvantaged against the 29er. "29ers are built to ride faster than 27.5" which is why most XC racers use them. It was recommended that i was to look for a dual suspension 29er since I could last longer on the trail with the rear suspension. "Getting a hardtail for XC 6 hour races will be tough work unless you train everyday..

So looks like im in the market for a Dual Sus short travel 29er.

Hardtail for my fun short rides and 29er for training/racing. The Turner Czar looks quite tasty
 

Boxer

Likes Dirt
A) So looks like im in the market for a Dual Sus short travel 29er.

b) Hardtail for my fun short rides and 29er for training/racing. The Turner Czar looks quite tasty
A) What we've been saying (seriously the Tallboy is a good XC'er)

B) Goodluck getting a Czar anywhere near budget
 

thatsnotme

Likes Dirt
I know you want something a bit less field and less mass market, but with some of the deals around on end of season bikes at the moment, you could pick up a lot of bike for a lot less money than normal. Trek have Superfly and Fuel EX models for 20% off at the moment, bringing some nice bikes well within your budget. Bit more boring, but they'll do the job, with change to spare for customisation if you want.
 

Ackland

chats d'élevage
If you can get Boxer down to $3200... bang some $800 Light Bicycle hoops on that Tallboy and you're away....

Not a snowballs getting more than a frame/fork Turner Czar for $4K
 

frank_n

Likes Dirt
I ride the same Tallboy as is for sale. Great bike and it looks in good shape. I'm running 1*11 but 1*10 is also good. The geometry is good for all-round riding, XC or AM. Down the road you can upgrade the wheels as others have suggested. The frame should last a fair while yet.
 

simonhaha

Likes Dirt
I know you want something a bit less field and less mass market, but with some of the deals around on end of season bikes at the moment, you could pick up a lot of bike for a lot less money than normal. Trek have Superfly and Fuel EX models for 20% off at the moment, bringing some nice bikes well within your budget. Bit more boring, but they'll do the job, with change to spare for customisation if you want.
Thanks, ive done exactly that and got myself a trek fs 9,

Im happy with the purchase, santa cruz would've been nice, but the price of the fs 9 was hard to look past.

Appreciate everyones input,
 

Ackland

chats d'élevage
Now time for a decent saddle, seatpost, bars, grips and new wheels.
Fixed for you

Can't say that I don't think that you ignored a lot of good advice...
The Tallboy would have been lighter, faster and better looking....

Hope you at least nabbed the FS 9.7SL rather than the FS 9
 
Last edited:

ClintC

Likes Dirt
Fixed for you

Can't say that I don't think that you ignored a lot of good advice...
The Tallboy would have been lighter, faster and better looking....

Hope you at least nabbed the FS 9.7SL rather than the FS 9
The new vs used argument. It's a tough one!

Personally If I was going new in that price range I would of bought a giant. Second hand tallboy was great.
 
Top