New bike dilema

davidj

Senior Retro Guru
I am pretty much stuck on the Charge Cooker 27.5 midi, I love the colour of the 2 in blue, hate the 3 in Brown and am a bit Meh about the 4 in black.

I can buy the 2 or the 4 on my company bike to work scheme making the Cooker 2 just £442 down from its rrp of £999 and the Cooker 4 £663 down from a rrp of £1499. The above prices incorporate the retailers clearance prices.

The specs of the 4 would almost certainly be upgraded by me, I already have an unused M8000 groupset awaiting a new home. So am I better going for the cheaper 2 and accepting I am going to upgrade the driveline. I do not have a suitable fork upgrade or wheels though!

I am disapointed the Cooker is already 2lb heavier than my 16 year old Marin FS, which leaves me wondering if I should go for a Cooker 5 Ti and forget the ride to work scheme and just look for a discounted price in the new year. I have seen the 29" versions being cleared out for £1600 from the rrp of £3k.

Or do I wind my neck in and just ride my existing bikes more...

Should add space dictates at least 2, possibly 3, existing bikes will have to be broken up and sold to make room and every one of them is lighter than a Cooker 4 and 1 is lighter than a Cooker 5 but all are at least 15 years old.
 
Bigger wheels need bigger tyres and that adds weight, not to mention longer fork legs.

My lightest 26 is at 8.5kg, my most recent 29 hard tail disappointed me at 10.1kg ( my 29 fs rolls in at 10.8kg).

...but i do prefer the larger wheeled bikes so its not all about weight. Not familiar with cooker.
 
I gotta admit to not only myself that Charge's bike range come with shocking bad spec for the money.

I know if it were me, I'd bite the bullet and go for a 5 Ti version if I hadn't been spoilt by Merlins and Litespeeds already which are a lot sweeterly made.

But if you can manage to do a further deal on a 5 Ti go for it.

Because your worth it!
 
Re:

If you are not sure have a look at other bikes. If you only like the colour of one of em that's the one to get if you go Charge.

29ers are ace though, that's where my money would go.
 
Re:

Weight is not the be all and end all of a bike, by all accounts the Charge Cooker is a bloody good ride.
And 29" wheels are pretty good.
I'd go with something on the Cycle To Work scheme, be it Charge or otherwise.
 
Got a 29 cooker 3 a couple of years ago. End of season half rrp etc. Love it. Basic Spring forks and mechs of cheese. (SRAM) other than than and a stuck avid rear.......... Nice steel frame.
 
02gf74":2yh6vhgb said:
My lightest 26 is at 8.5kg, my most recent 29 hard tail disappointed me at 10.1kg ( my 29 fs rolls in at 10.8kg).

Thats mega light for a 29'er full suss, what is it?

I've been noticing the same trend recently with bike weights, they all seem to be getting heavier across the board.

The Trek fuel surprised me, I had one chalked down on the potential list and given its their xc trail bike, the next step from their full on xc race bike the weights seem miles off where they should be.

For instance, trek fuel 9.7, carbon frame 1x11 etc... should be a weapon.
http://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/bikes ... 4600-2017/

in size 17.5" = 13.43Kg :shock:

I dont get it? :facepalm:
 

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