Been thinking about this recently, then last night went in to LBS and found Santa Cruz Juliana available for demo... now I'm thinking bad thoughts

At the mo I've got a hard tail which is finally set up the way I'm happy with. My riding is fairly non-technical - red routes at trail centres and some x-country routes (NWales/Peaks). I might progress to more technical stuff to include small jumps and drops, but nothing extreme and not downhill.

So do I really need a full sus bike?

I was thinking of Specialized Safire (I've ridden Ros' stumpy and liked it!), like the look of the Juliana but think it might be too expensive for my requirements, and a budget of around 1.5K.

Do you think the Juliana is more than I need?

Any suggestions on other bikes I could demo?

Cheers, l.

Hi Lou,

I've just got my first full suss after riding a hardtail for 2 years. 

Firstly I'm really glad i stayed on my hardtail for that amount of time as i made me pick lines etc and not just plowing through like you can get away with on a full suss. I can really feel the difference now - people always talked about it but know i understand! It feels alot easier and less tiring - not necc better but def. different.

I chose an orange 5 (frame only)

I ride xc/trail not DH - locally in the peak but also visit lakes, n wales, scotland and trail centres  alot - so an xc whippet bike wouldnt be appriopiate for the terrain, so thats similar to your requirements i think.

The full suss bikes i had on my list were: la pierre zesty, cannodale rush, orange 5, commencial meta5 ( i think???) & a yeti. i never got round to demo'ing any apart from sitting on teh diva and realising it was too small. i would recommend you demo as many as you can though.

I don't think you can go wrong with a spesh, and you always get alot more high spec kit for your ££ than the smaller brands. so if you stick to less than £1500 i'd go for a spesh or the giant anthem. also don't be scared to consider frame only (and new forks to match geometry) and transfering your ht parts over.

I dont think that the juliana is too good for you etc, its just up to you how much ££ you want to dedicate to your hobby. 

im sure you be fine on something less ££ than the Juliana or staying on your HT but would it make you smile as much? get what makes you happy i say

 up to you lou- theres not right or wrong answer.  sorry for the ramble but i know what you feel like wondering whether to get full suss or not.... 

Trek full sussers also seem to be good value to me.  I demoed a small men's one and I really liked it as well...

Juliana is a nice bike but obviously up to you how much you want to spend.

Felt Virtue, Commencal Meta do quite good vfm lower that top level, but still good spec models that would be under 1.5K I think??

i've been down the beast and others plenty of times on a ht with 100mm travel and it was fine - yes you get thrown about a bit but its perfectly possible (and good fun!)

it certainly makes it alot easier on a full suss though and alot faster!  

hehe just need to get some skills   I know it's possible cos I've seen my friend on a rigid go down it, freak!

rigid riders around the peak are obvioulsy nutcases who want to punish themselves!

when you coming up to the Peak again? i feel a Beast ride coming on....

Thanks Ads - I think my kind of riding is pretty similar to yours and I shall have a look at yours and Claire's suggestions.

TBH my thoughts on whether to get full sus or not run in the same vein as yours and I think I'd be better off improving my skills/experience on the HT before investing....

One day I might even ride The Beast

Quote 

"I was thinking of Specialized Safire (I've ridden Ros' stumpy and liked it!)"

To me the Safire felt totally different from my Stumpjumper. Far more upright, felt like I was on a grany shopper bike, didn't like it all. It's a pants name too! I don't know what they'll be selling them off for at the end of the season, but I paid 1k for my Stumpy so I'd expect the Safire to go that low, maybe even more so because it's got a girly name so you're unlikely to get guys buying it even if the geometry fits them better.

Easiest way is to sit on some, I've been in the situation before where i've pined for something for months and told myself it was too expensive. Finally tried it and found that it was totally unsuitable anyway, easier to just try it in the beginning and get stuff ticked off the list early.

I don't buy into the idea that hardtails are the only way to increase your skills, full suss bikes don't have magical properties that suddenly make you able to ride stuff, don't be put off getting one because you think you won't improve on one. After all, if your more comfortable that can mean more rides/longer rides so you get better quicker

Ha Ros! I knew you'd be upgrading soon ... I still might get a demo of the Juliana at Llandegla, but will have a chat with you about the stumpy at some point soon!

I looked at the safire and Era, and finally plumped for the Era fsr and am really happy with it - it gets a much better write up than the Safire and the last review I read gave it 10/10 for a WSD full susser.  Not a great name admittantly, but when it's covered in mud, no-on can read that name

Hey flossie that's interesting to know.... Is there a difference in the spec of the components or is the geometry the main difference between the models? I feel a trip to Chester coming on (and a chat to the nice bloke in the specialized shop!).

And I'm trying out a Juliana next thursday - Llandegla from 6pm if you're not working and fancy a ride? Probably there with Caroline on tues eve as well....

So are you going to get it then??

See on on Tuesday at Llandegla?

If I were you I'd have another ride on Ros' stumpy before you make a decision.

I had a Julianna, which I loved when climbing and doing xc and technicalish routes, but always wished I was on my 5Spot for big bumpy downhills because it had more travel - it was such a bomb-proof thug.

I'm hopefully gonna demo a few others - new Safire or Era, Trek EX8, Giant Anthem before making a decision, and went out on Ros' stumpy at the weekend. TBH I think my biking is more XC and not much downhill so the Juliana will probably suit the kind of stuff I do.

I'd quite like to demo the Juliana somewhere a bit more rocky/technical than Llandegla but I don't think that's going to be possible.

I've got a Spesh FSR XC and love it - sat on a Safire at a demo day earlier this year and didn't like it either.  OH is trying to get me to upgrade but I've told him I am sticking with the FSR till next year at least as I think it's a fab bike (and didn't cost the earth!).

I'm just thinking this is the one time I'll actually have a large wedge of available cash to spend on a bike (due to the fortunate way things have turned out with company cars etc.). If I hadn't heard the bad reports about the new Spesh's (from several sources) the choice would be harder, but now I'm thinking how I can justify spending more than I was going to and maybe get the Juliana

The other benefit of the Juliana - it will really wind up the OH if my new bike is a better spec than his Stumpy ... Well I do more biking anyway!