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#3321701 17-Dec-2024 20:15

mudguard:

Technofreak:

I've just started looking for another bike to use on rail trail types of rides since we are planning on doing a fair bit more of this sort of riding

I have a Specialized Sirrus which I bought when I first got into cycling. It was a cheaper bike to get started on and I used it almost exclusively on the road. Later on I bought a dedicated road bike a Giant OCR which I really enjoy riding. After riding the Giant I realised the Sirrus is really one size too big for me. Hence the search for another bike.

It's not a have to have but front suspension would be nice as well as disc brakes. Also for the type of riding envisioned I think straight handle bars rather than drops would be better. Also weight is a consideration.

Actually now that I think about it, my partner has a Sirrus X? However it has disc brakes on it. I think it would be perfect for something like the rail trail, hers is like a flat bar gravel/commuter.

The dilemma with some bikes is that the cheaper suspension forks often don't work that well and barely take the edge off. I've not done the rail trail, but I know a few that have including my brother in law who does big road kms. He did it on a gravel bike at the last minute instead of his mountain bike and loved it.

What model X? The Sirrus would probably work. I'm 175 tall and fit a M or Medium. Unfortunately Specialized have very few bikes in stock the M in the price range I'm looking at. No Sirrus that I could see.

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mudguard

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#3321704 17-Dec-2024 20:46

Technofreak:

What model X? The Sirrus would probably work. I'm 175 tall and fit a M or Medium. Unfortunately Specialized have very few bikes in stock the M in the price range I'm looking at. No Sirrus that I could see.

She has a Sirrus X 2.0. Which I see is much cheaper than when she bought it, but it may be cause it's last year's colour or only the small sizes.

https://www.specialized.com/nz/en/sirrus-x-20/p/200342?color=322584-200342

I'd have to look the size up when I get back from work. I'm 178cm and have ridden it for an hour or so and didn't think it was too small for me despite being about 10cm taller.

mudguard

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#3321705 17-Dec-2024 20:49

On another note, I haven't looked up my Strava stats for the year yet. I too play a lot of golf (which goes into Strava as well funnily enough).

After another dismal effort at the Whaka50 this year and already hitting my target of 1000kms off road (I travel Monday to Friday for work, so only get to ride weekends) I've barely touched my bikes in the past month and enjoyed some good golf.

There's a direct correlation for me, with limited time, I can either get fitter riding, or play better golf. Not both!

Technofreak

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#3322120 18-Dec-2024 22:58

mudguard:

NB I have a huge Specialized bias. Though your post did prompt me to look at their website for hardtails and it seems they only make one. A Chisel. Traditionally Specialized don't offer great bang for buck component wise. How tall are you?

I had a look at the Roam 1, both it and the Chisel use of mix of their own brands. However quite a big price difference in Giant's favour. But out of the two the Chisel looks much more orientated towards mountainbiking (slacker head angle and lower gearing) than the Giant. Whether it's worth the extra money I don't know.

There will tonnes of brands doing hard tails like this. Funnily enough I only know the Chisel as they've realised a full suspension version that I'd quite like as a bike to cover a lot of kms.

Tried to find a Giant Roam 1* today. No luck. Beginning to think they may not be released yet even though they're on the Giant website. Tried to contact Giant. They sure make it difficult to make a general enquiry. Will see what they come back with.

Managed to take a Chisel Comp out for a short ride. I quite liked it. Weight pretty good (listed as 11.8kg on the website) and the forks are adjustable. Not sure I'd settle for the 52? mm tyres though. Would rather something more in the mid to late 30's. Also they only had the Comp in store which is listed at $2900. That's getting up there well past my original budget.

Had a look at the Trek Marlin 7 might go back and see if I can get a test ride. Though it's about 1.5 kg heavier than the Chisel it is quite a bit cheaper too.

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mudguard

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#3322137 19-Dec-2024 06:36

Technofreak:

Had a look at the Trek Marlin 7 might go back and see if I can get a test ride. Though it's about 1.5 kg heavier than the Chisel it is quite a bit cheaper too.

That Trek Marlin 7 Gen 3 has a really nice build kit on for the price.

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#3322164 19-Dec-2024 08:45

mudguard:

Technofreak:

Had a look at the Trek Marlin 7 might go back and see if I can get a test ride. Though it's about 1.5 kg heavier than the Chisel it is quite a bit cheaper too.

That Trek Marlin 7 Gen 3 has a really nice build kit on for the price.

There's something about the Marlin that makes it probably the biggest selling hardtail mountain bike range on the planet.

They just seem to have nailed the special sauce on that one.

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Technofreak

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#3322234 19-Dec-2024 10:54

Heard back from Giant. The Giant Roam 1 isn't in the country, well as of yet, the website is missing a note saying "Special order only".

I may have to discard that option.

The Trek Marlin 7 has a dropper post which I'm not all that keen on. It's not something I'd use and I like to have the seat height set and left alone. Perhaps the Marlin 6 may be the better option.

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#3322241 19-Dec-2024 11:02

Technofreak:

The Trek Marlin 7 has a dropper post which I'm not all that keen on. It's not something I'd use and I like to have the seat height set and left alone. Perhaps the Marlin 6 may be the better option.

They are surprisingly useful even without doing technical riding.

When you come to a stop, drop the seat down and you can put your feet down easily. When you go to resume riding, stand up, flick the lever and the seat returns to optimal ride height.

You still set the seat height as normal with the dropper at full extension, so you aren't fiddling round mid ride to reset it.

If you haven't tried it in practice, I would definitely suggest doing so, even on a test ride. I used to have the same thoughts but now I have one, I wouldn't go back to a fixed post (other than on the trainer).

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mudguard

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#3322247 19-Dec-2024 11:25

Technofreak:
Heard back from Giant. The Giant Roam 1 isn't in the country, well as of yet, the website is missing a note saying "Special order only".

I may have to discard that option.

The Trek Marlin 7 has a dropper post which I'm not all that keen on. It's not something I'd use and I like to have the seat height set and left alone. Perhaps the Marlin 6 may be the better option.

The dropper has seriously been one of the best mountain bike innovations. Up for efficiency, down for corners or descending. Or when you come to a stop, seat down and get off. Friends are putting them on gravel bikes now too.
You pretty much just set the maximum height, ie your most comfortable and efficient position. Then it just drops down out of the way when you want it to and it will return to that height when you press the lever again.

Technofreak

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#3322252 19-Dec-2024 11:53

mudguard:
Technofreak:

Heard back from Giant. The Giant Roam 1 isn't in the country, well as of yet, the website is missing a note saying "Special order only".

I may have to discard that option.

The Trek Marlin 7 has a dropper post which I'm not all that keen on. It's not something I'd use and I like to have the seat height set and left alone. Perhaps the Marlin 6 may be the better option.

The dropper has seriously been one of the best mountain bike innovations. Up for efficiency, down for corners or descending. Or when you come to a stop, seat down and get off. Friends are putting them on gravel bikes now too.
You pretty much just set the maximum height, ie your most comfortable and efficient position. Then it just drops down out of the way when you want it to and it will return to that height when you press the lever again.

I'd happily try it out and may end up being a convert. However I'm not going to be doing that sort of riding nor ever have had issues getting on or off. I don't think I'd find the use for it.

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#3329403 8-Jan-2025 22:33

I ended up buying a Specialized Chisel Hardtail Comp. I got the 2.35 inch tyres replaced with 38mm tyres.

So far I pretty pleased with it, though I'm finding the handlebars a tad wider than I'd really like. I'm thinking of getting them cut down. For the riding I'll be doing I don't need wide bars plus when negotiating tall obstacles like fence posts, bridge railings etc they way to close to the ends of the handlebars for my liking.

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mudguard

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#3329424 9-Jan-2025 06:13

Technofreak:

I ended up buying a Specialized Chisel Hardtail Comp. I got the 2.35 inch tyres replaced with 38mm tyres.

So far I pretty pleased with it, though I'm finding the handlebars a tad wider than I'd really like. I'm thinking of getting them cut down. For the riding I'll be doing I don't need wide bars plus when negotiating tall obstacles like fence posts, bridge railings etc they way to close to the ends of the handlebars for my liking.

Nice! Don't be too hasty cutting or changing the bars. They've got pretty wide these days. I have 800mm on a couple of bikes and 760-780 on some others. Once you're used to it, anything narrow feels less stable.

But I agree, there are a couple of pedestrian stock gates I ride through and my grips have brushed either side a couple of times!

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#3329426 9-Jan-2025 07:23

mudguard:

Technofreak:

I ended up buying a Specialized Chisel Hardtail Comp. I got the 2.35 inch tyres replaced with 38mm tyres.

So far I pretty pleased with it, though I'm finding the handlebars a tad wider than I'd really like. I'm thinking of getting them cut down. For the riding I'll be doing I don't need wide bars plus when negotiating tall obstacles like fence posts, bridge railings etc they way to close to the ends of the handlebars for my liking.

Nice! Don't be too hasty cutting or changing the bars. They've got pretty wide these days. I have 800mm on a couple of bikes and 760-780 on some others. Once you're used to it, anything narrow feels less stable.

But I agree, there are a couple of pedestrian stock gates I ride through and my grips have brushed either side a couple of times!

I went from my 700mm 20+ year old bars to the current super wide ones. Immediately cut them down to 760mm. Much more agreeable for me. Just because they all come at max width from the factory, doesn't mean it's suitable for all riders. It's just easier post purchase to cut them shorter than to make them longer.

MotorDrive Rallying

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#3329439 9-Jan-2025 08:47

mudguard:

Technofreak:

I ended up buying a Specialized Chisel Hardtail Comp. I got the 2.35 inch tyres replaced with 38mm tyres.

So far I pretty pleased with it, though I'm finding the handlebars a tad wider than I'd really like. I'm thinking of getting them cut down. For the riding I'll be doing I don't need wide bars plus when negotiating tall obstacles like fence posts, bridge railings etc they way to close to the ends of the handlebars for my liking.

Nice! Don't be too hasty cutting or changing the bars. They've got pretty wide these days. I have 800mm on a couple of bikes and 760-780 on some others. Once you're used to it, anything narrow feels less stable.

But I agree, there are a couple of pedestrian stock gates I ride through and my grips have brushed either side a couple of times!

When I get off my road bike which has 450 mm wide bars 760 mm feels a stupidly wide bar. My old hybrid bars are 600 mm which I think is an OK width.

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elpenguino

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#3329490 9-Jan-2025 11:55

Congrats on your new bike.

Wider bars give increased leverage for you to turn the wheel but decreased leverage when the wheel wants to turn the bars, say, if you hit a rock or root or something.

If you're not doing that kind of riding then trimming the bars shouldn't have too many downsides.

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