what's better than a norco sight for $3-5k?

[clockworked]

So great stereotype: my dentist mate is buying his lawyer fiance a 30th birthday present bike and he wants to spend 3-5k on a brand new bike.

She has a basic 29er hardtail already, and wants something to ride in Canberra where they live. Something more all mountain.

She's about 170cm tall, so a low stand-over is important.

I was thinking a norco sight A7.2 was a pretty hot contender, but I've been out of the buying market for a while.

what would you guys suggest?

 

[hifiandmtb]

Small budget - you sure it wasn't $10-15k?

 

[JTmofo]

Canyon Spectral is great value and a great all round ripper.

Yeah, I know... I've had my issues with mine... but I put that down to a lemon frame.

They have women specific suspension tunes and colour ways too.... well within the budget.

Lower End of your budget
2x 140mm Forked Alloy
https://www.canyon.com/en-au/mtb/spectral/2017/spectral-al-7-0-wmn.html

1x 150mm Forked Alloy (Ex)
https://www.canyon.com/en-au/mtb/spectral/spectral-al-7-0-ex-wmn.html

Upper end
https://www.canyon.com/en-au/mtb/spectral/2017/spectral-al-8-0-ex-wmn.html

Over Budget
https://www.canyon.com/en-au/mtb/spectral/spectral-cf-9-0-ex-wmn.html

 

[swaz]

Giant Trance
Norco Sight 7.1 (on special at the moment for <$4k) have ridden one and it's super fun
Scott Spark 27.5 or 27.5+

 

[Spike-X]

Norco Sight 7.1 (on special at the moment for <$4k) have ridden one and it's super fun

I own one (bought two weeks before the sale started, of course) and it's super fun!

 

[pink poodle]

Does your friend like his wife? Do you like your friend? If yes is the answer to these questions, you know a no holds bared Santa Cruz build is the only option.

Otherwise he may be able to build a nice custom rig at the upper end of that price range...to show he really cares.

Also Nukeproof and Comencal completes were on sale recently as well.

 

[Daniel Hale]

answer nothing [unless of course you run into a specialised owner: those people are uppety ive got the best bike %^&$^]

get the norco

 

[schred]

I'd go for something nice and light, or that can be made lighter relatively affordably.

 

[clockworked]

thanks guys! I'll pass it on.

 

[swaz]

I'd go for something nice and light, or that can be made lighter relatively affordably.

Such as?

10char

 

[schred]

That was attempting to be polite i.e. not a norco

 

[stickso]

answer nothing [unless of course you run into a specialised owner: those people are uppety ive got the best bike %^&$^]

get the norco

Specialized Stumpjumper. Best bike in the world ever

 

[JTmofo]

Specialized Stumpjumper. Best bike in the world ever

Here we go....

 

[allan.taylor64]

I ride an AM bike in Canberra. Last year I owned a sight A7.1 (think kermit the frog green) which was a fun bike and climbed decently.

Currently on a Lapierre Zesty AM 527. The Lapierre excedes the bike in everyway in my opinion. Climbs better and decends faster. I sat on a santa cruz bronson the other day and didn't like it as much as my zesty. Suposedly suspention kinematics are almost identical on the graph with a bronsons VPP although cant confirm that myself.

Norco imo is a bit disapointing in the alloy models as the geo is inferior to the carbon models but overall not a bad bike.

 

[pink poodle]

I am surprised this thread isn't filled with "buy an anthem" or Liv.

 

[schred]

I hope she likes and rips on whatever bike she gets.

 

[Daniel Hale]

Currently on a Lapierre Zesty AM 527. The Lapierre excedes the bike in everyway in my opinion. Climbs better and decends faster. I sat on a santa cruz bronson the other day and didn't like it as much as my zesty. Suposedly suspention kinematics are almost identical on the graph with a bronsons VPP although cant confirm that myself.

Am really liking my lapierre xr, the local bike shop mechanics/owner all favour norco though [deal lapierre also], though part of that is politics; dare i mention thr owner has specialised also

 

[Spike-X]

I hope she likes and rips on whatever bike she gets.

That's the bottom line.

 

[stickso]

Here we go....

It was an open invitation

Having gone from an alloy Sight to a Stumpy 6Fattie my experience is similar to Allan with his Zesty. Climbs, corners and descends better. Pedalling efficiency really surprised me.

In the years I had the Sight I really enjoyed it and never had any issues. It's a decent bike.

For AM I'd be looking at whatever had the best fork, shock, drivetrain and brakes for the money regardless of "brand". Being able to fine tune the ride will have the biggest impact IMHO.

 

[slimjim1]

It was an open invitation For AM I'd be looking at whatever had the best fork, shock, drivetrain and brakes for the money regardless of "brand". Being able to fine tune the ride will have the biggest impact IMHO.

I go the almost completely the other way these days. I've bought bikes that were amazing value and parts spec but then ended up selling them because I test rode something else which was more expensive and had worse kit on it, simply because I liked the feel of it and the geo better.

I agree though the fork/shock are important but for drivetrain and brakes anything SLX/GX level is functionally really good stuff. Upgrading those bits is not ride changing IMO.