Any views?

 Currently bikeless and looking to get one soon. Saw a Mrk III in a shop and the geometry looked suited to my type of riding.

 However, the owner had just sold his 2007 test bike. Offered it at £2250 but I wanted to do a bit of research first.

 Anyone got / ridden one?

XC DO NOT TRY TO KEEP UP WITH STARSKYS BIKES!!!

What happened to the FSR to

And the Nomad

and ......................................

Ofcourse SOLD is your default setting

i've only ever ridden a sunday and i was mighty impressed.

 try and get a decent length test ride before you buy.

Moving away from BLING mate ??? good to hear!!

I spend 10hours per week and I still can't,  but I've never been Kit obssessed its the rider not the bike.

The Current Spesh FSR Expert with the Brain,  would likely suite you perfectly I still say,  I've ridden 1,  mates got 1 and damn nice ride nice do it all package.

Don't know if the 08's will have Brains or not ??

I see even the Spsh lovers in MBR couldn't bring themselves to say anything good about the Spesh own brand forks.

It will be interesting to see how many models in the 2008 range will have those forks.

The Enduro SL fork,  feels fantastic to be fair so we'll see.

I fancy the Spesh Pitch £1100 with the Manitou rear Shock,  reliable Coil ( I think Coil ) fork upfront,  6 inches of travel and a stupid bargain,  chop and change some bits over from the current bike and Hmmmmmmmm

I want a 29er to,  with they've got a FSR and HT with to, so hmmmmmmm decisions.

Can't justify it any more Dylan. 4 hours a week pootling around local trails which can be ridden on a hardtail do not justify spending £3.5k bikes!

Then why not get a nice hardtail Starsky, they're a much more involving ride, less hassle etc.  £2000 could get  you a lovely ti or carbon HT.

I suppose I want FS to give me more scope. If I decide to start riding a wider range of trails I may need the FS.

Often thought of a second hand HT though as a winter bike.

HT's just hurt,  in some ways there fun in others they just hurt and you won't want to ride it.

I hate riding HT's up the canal paths,  there bumpy and boring so I ride them 15mph+, easily done on a FS without feeling the bumps,  on a HT speed drops to much all the time getting out of the seat and your still getting beaten up.

Don't mind HT's so much in forest or hills,  where my speed is lower and bump forces lower.

I've got a MkIII.....

It's very good on the way down but does feel a bit weighty on the climbs. But that could be down to....

A. My lack of fitness.

B. The Suertacky Highrollers.

C. The 27tooth cassette. 

The DW link is excellent and feels more like a 6" bike than a 5". It still pedals very well tho with hardly any bob, and I'm running it at 30% sag. The '05 headangle was a little steep but the '07 has been slackened off a little (not sure about the '06). The new ones are also 1lb lighter and come with an RP23.

I've since stripped it down to build a new hardtail. I wont get rid of it, just stick it up in the loft for when I feel the need for a 5" bike, which isn't often.

Dude,  when are you going to learn,  its a bike,  they are all pretty much the same, and pound or 2 of weight here or there doesn't matter don't obsess over it ( unless you've a shot at winning huge prize money ).

Try something abit heavier,  built stronger with fat tyres ( that role quickly ish ),  huge brakes and a invincible feel to it, much more fun,  they just make you work a tad harder which is part of the fun!!

you want to ride a bike,  and feel like your riding a bike, not some pimpy light weight cheating device you barely notice and your scared shitless your going to scratch.

I LOVE my heavy bike,  when the weight weenies I've been keeping up with or infront of pick it up and think no way on earth they'd ride that,  but ............