MetalRider

Hello. I'm going to buy a new bike and this will be first real MTB bike. I have maximum $2500 to spend. Due to covid shortages, the choice is very limited.

About me:

• 31yo
• 177 m
• amateur
• 5-year racing experience
• 8-year riding experience
• member of local cycling team

Bikes to consider:

• Scott Scale 930 Wakame Green (2022)
• GT Zaskar Carbon Elite (2022)
• Cannondale Scalpel HT Carbon BPL (2022)
• Rockrider XC900 (2022)
• any other suggestions (it depends if available)

What I will ride:

• MTB races (XCM marathons) in south-east Poland
• XC (cross country) races - sometimes

I am good at:

• uphill is my strong side
• asphalt rides due to 3x10 gear in my current bike

I am bad at:

• downhill in harder terrain - want to improve
• technical sections - still learning and want to improve
• exertional headaches since 2019 after long intense rides

What I need:

• I want to feel comfortable and safe on downhills.
• I want to better maneuver in harder terrain
• I want to keep my strenghts like uphilling
• I want to improve my terrain riding skills
• I want to improve race results by better bicycle

Things that were discussed before on other boards:

• Scott Scale 930 without pedals weights equal 12 kg (26,5 lb) and that's too high for carbon bike!
• Zaskar has good geometry but people discourage it because of thin 21mm rim and SRAM NX
• Scalpel has best geo and look, best fork but is more expensive and needs 500 km shipping
• XC900 has best quality to price ratio but a bit weird geo (71.6° seat angle)
• Size for me is between M and L - algorithms show M but probably L will be more suitable (higher reach, etc)

Things to discuss:

• What is best head tube angle and other geo params to feel comfortable on downhills but also maintain good maneuverability? For example Scalpel has 67° head tube angle which seems best for downhill parts of XCM races but won't it worsen other aspects of racing? It has also highest seat angle 74,6° so you sit closer to crank and your legs should give more power to the gear
• How to lower weight? Should I change wheels after buy? How much price?
• How about SRAM NX? Is it that bad? Why is Shimano better than SRAM or vice versa?
• How about forks? Scott requires you to service Fox within 12 months to maintain warrancy and this costs over $100.
• What are other things to consider when buying a bike?

Quick geo comparision:

So what is best bike for me and what are most important parameters?

BTW I found used Rocky Mountain Vertex 990 (2016) for $1000 with broken rear brake mount. So it needs carbon frame fix and gear upgrade to better than 11-42. And it's size M and may be too small for me.

veganbikes

I would go for that sexy Scott Scale. It is XT 12 speed, a sexy green frame and tan wall tires with a Fox fork (not Kashima coated which would have been mega sexy but also more expensive). The weight on it doesn't really matter a lot because unless you have put all the bikes on a scale yourself or seen them weighed on a scale with the same amount of components you won't likely get an accurate picture from the manufacturer

All forks should generally be serviced yearly and really that applies to the entire bicycle. Usually it is 200hours or yearly depending on which comes first but you should always regularly service your bike.

Really it comes down to test riding bikes and what is best for you.

I wouldn't buy a broken bike for that amount of money or really any amount of money unless it were steel or maybe titanium from a well known fabricator and was valuable. A bike with broken carbon with an unknown history is a bad recipe. If I had damaged the carbon myself then sure I might repair it but from some unknown source no thanks. Plus the price is kind of high for a 6 year old bike that has had a hard life. However if you are racing you kind of do want something pretty modern unless it is a vintage race or just fun races then do whatever but if you plan on competing having boost and that sort of modern stuff will be an advantage to finding new parts easily to keep you racing.

2old

Definitely don't buy that used bike. You've noticed how current bikes have slacker head angles than the old "NORBA" geometry, so you'll feel more comfortable descending. Accordingly, most have very steep seat angles to improve weight distribution. For me, this would rule out the RR. I'm not a fan of NX and would avoid that. Buy something comfortable from a local dealer if possible. Maybe since you're racing you can get partial sponsorship. With your budget you'll be against riders with much pricier rigs so avoid anything too ponderous. Those extra pounds you're piloting along add up in a long race. You're much better off spending money on a bike when purchasing than buying and upgrading, in general.

prj71

Based on the geometry the Scalpel will be better for downhills. 67 better than 68 or 69 HTA. Scalpel also has a longer wheelbase (more stable) and higher bottom bracket.