http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=27868

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=15121

i'm choosing one of the 2 bikes posted above, but i cannot decide. need some inputs and insights with the pros here in EF.

Personally I think the GT is better value for money.

Nathan, Tomorrow is the Velobörse in Nänikon-Greifensee, maybe you could find a better bike for that money there

it is from 9-12am at the Church in Greifensee

i am actually going to a veloborse in helvetiaplatz tomorrow, hope to find me a good bike there, just want to have other options


eire,

why would you go for the GT? any comments

Velobörse at Helvetiaplatz ? Where is it ?

I am going to Greifensee with a girl who wants a cheap citibike, I guess if there is a VB in Zürich it would be better.


if you see here, the VB tomorrow is at Greifensee, Helvetiaplaz was the last month IIRC


http://www.pro-velo.ch/boersen/nachOrt_d.php

Datum
Ort /Platz
Annahme
Verkauf
Provision
Bemerkungen
06. Sept. 2008Zürich (ZH)
Helvetiaplatz08:00-10:00 h09:30-15:00 h%Provision siehe www.provelozuerich.ch
Wenn mehr als 5 Velos zum Verkauf, bitte im Voraus Kontakt aufnehmen mit info@provelozuerich.ch oder 044 440 23 32Der Erlös kommt Pro Velo zugute!
VeranstalterIn / Auskunft
Telefon / EmailPro Velo Kanton Zürich
Dave Durner
044 440 23 32
info@provelozuerich.ch

i think this is the one i am talking about

is this still accurate? i remember a swiss citizen at work confirming this to me

In the GT you get a better drivetrain. It has less suspension travel, but what appears to be a better rear shock. With suspension it is not just how much you have but the quality of it too. I have heard some good things about the i-drive system where as I think the Saracen is a single pivot design (I could be wrong here) which is not the most efficient pedaling platform in the world.

The GT does not have disc brakes, but in my opinion a reasonable set of rim brakes might be better then a cheap set of discs.


What do you want the bike for? At the kind of money you are spending I think you might consider a hard tail. You'll get more value for money and better components then if you try to buy a fully at that price.

i was considering a hard tail, and looking at some. what i want is a bike that can go up medium (hard) mountain trails, light enough to go for long bike runs, and general use city biking.

Oh yes I see now, there are 2, I'll go with my friend to this one then.

actually, i did not see the one you posted, the one in nanikon, i am just looking at the ones in zurich

Sounds like you should be looking for a hardtail. Ditto what Eire says.

I'd say in that case, at that money then go for a hard tail and forget a fullly. Your looking at bikes in the range of 2500 to 3000CHF before a fully can become really viable.

For the money you are talking about spending you may be able to pick up a hard tail with reasonable forks and components which will serve you much better if you want to ride solid trails then a fully with lower quality components.

I expect for 1500CHF you could get a hardtail from last year with something like

Shimano LX drivetrain
Shimano LX hydraulic disc brakes (or Avid Juicy 5's)
Rock Shox Reba Forks

It may take some looking, but should be possible, and you can ride pretty much anything with that, it will climb better then a cheap fully, be lighter and have more up for it components.

Thats just my $0.02, feel free to get other opinions.

If you really want a fully at that price think about second hand.

chep fully Alu ( Trek Fuel 90 ) at ricardo CHF 460.- and it is in Zurich ( Wetzikon )

http://www.ricardo.ch/accdb/viewitem...Nr=0&PageNum=1

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=25896

regarding hard tails, is this a good enough model?


thanks for the link salsa lover

I've found three other options on Chain Reaction.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=24063
I bought a Be-One road bike off CRC and have been really happy with it. I reckon the bike was good value for money for what I got and I have been happy with the bike so far. This one seems to be marginally better speced then the GT, so personally I would think about this one. The advantage of the GT is you can probably find a shop in CH somewhere and go and sit on it to see how it fits. This bike like the GT will be quite cross country orientated but will do you quite well for day tours out in the alps too.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=28630
This bike is more a trail bike. It has more suspension travel on the front and appears to have a more relaxed geometry to make you feel more secure on technical decents. If you really want to ride technical trails and put this above all out speed then this could be a good bike. I don't know much about the brakes and the components are around the deore level in the shimano range. Seems like a good value bike for all mountain riding to me.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=23672
A little more expensive, but a bit better speced then the others. If you can afford this and want an XC bike I would go for this one. You may be able to find a dealer here where you can take a test ride too which would be a plus before ordering.

If you want an XC bike and can afford it I would get the cube. If you want an all mountain/trail type bike the Sarecen could be a reasonable bike.

I will make a small disclaimer that I have never ridden any of these bikes and am just giveing a gut impression based to the specs given on the site. Google might be your firend to get extra info on these bikes. I know it helped me when I was ordering my road bike from CRC.