So, any ideas for a XC race oriented bike around the grand mark?

hardtail or FS? or not bothered? for that price range i would go Hardtail....something like Giants XTC range (i am abig Giant fan BTW :p)

something like THIS? you could pick something up cheaper in the '05 sales.

this is clearly better, because it's not Giant :-P

here

is a very well specced kona for the money, raceface, fox vanilla

you're onto a winner there methinks

Giant are a bit "high street" ;)

think i'l have to agree with mike TBH

Nowt wrong with Giant Mike. Also GT aint bad either i bought my GF an GT Avalanche. I also Own a Kona :p The Giant is a fantastic bike tho IME, it's very stiff and very very fast.

so all of the above (including the Giant) are possible choices. My pick would be the Giant, it uses very light aluminium (6013 Fluid Formed) this makes it light and very strong.

LMFAO at high street. Just because they make A LOT of bikes doesnt make them high street. They offer great value for money and make fantastic bikes.

Dont think you could call my NRS high street. I dont think you could call the new £3000 Giant Anthem High Street either TBH.

I dont see how more for you money equates to being high street.

Apollo - Carerra are high street.

Also, Halfords sell Kona and GT as well so inherently that makes them far more high street than a Giant.

lol, i was joking smidge!

but out of the 3, i'd say kona, very light using 'easton ultralite race' tubing :-P

plus the components piss on the other 2, despite prefrences, the kona looks the best deal

halfords can order a foes bike if you really wanted them to! high-street :-P

:p i'm very sensetive when it comes to Giant Mike :)

I like the look of the Kona to be honest. However bare in mind that Giants 6013 Fluidformed aluminium is probably some of the lightest and strongest aluminium you can get.

Because they are the biggest manufacturer in the world they have the facillities to develope new technologies like this. I mean their carbon frame building is regarded as some of the best in the world (they make the majority of the carbon frames on the market including specialized).

Yer mike, but they dont stock them as standard lik kona and GT :p i mean they stand on shelves next to Saracens FFS!!

meh, iirc it was only the merida made gt's they stock in halfords? (the agressors, i've never seen an avalanche in a bikehut)

:p there may be some truth to that, but STILL!!! :p

they sell i-drives in bike hut btw lol

the old'uns only i think, i haven't seen a new shape idrive in mine

(they have cheap innertubes ok!)

... and Muc off, that's my bike staying dirty then :o)

LOL i dont dispute it....:p

TBH if you look online you could get this XTC for around a £1000. Now thats a sexy bike.

granted the components are not as good as the Kona, but it's carbon :p