Canyon, nice spec

Canyon, nice spec, I've only seen them in mag's, none of my local bike shops have these, guess it's a direct purchase (Mail order? Internet order only?)

What I meant is that for years we only bought bikes in local/national bike shops that are from USA or UK (That is made for the UK or USA, but maybe the frames are made in Taiwan, or somewhere else exotic because they have the know how, to make elegant, strong but light frames).

More recently we've seen more European bikes makes such as: GHOST, CUBE in bike shops in the UK, and as you lot suggested directly sold CANYON's.

I guess that because of these excellently spec'd GHOST's and CUBE's the bike shops that sell these may have a good sales year! And the shops that don't might NOT have such a good year! Surely in the UK because of the great spec GHOSTs and CUBEs (And yes CANYONs), less TREKs/GIANTs/CANNONDALEs/SPECIALIZEDs/KONAs/MARINs will be sold.

DIRECTLY SOLD?
The CANYONs have a nice spec, but if these are ORDER only, many will be put off (Or this brand maybe unknown to customers who will only ever use bike shops), unless:
~ They can see an actual bike to know the quality is good (setup, warranty)
~ They can get their leg over one to see that the size fit and geometry (Standover and Reach), is right for that person (Especially me, as I need CROTCH CLEARANCE coz I'm short, and this can be very hard to judge from just geometry diagrams, because of many variables such as: B/B height, seat post extension, sloping top tube angle, etc).

Bikes like Canyon are really aimed at the second or thrd time buyer who knows what to do with it when they get it and who is aware that they may need to change bars/stem/saddle etc....

Luckily for bike shops, this type of customer is very much in the minority.

TRUE, I'm short though, and can relate to try before buy.

True, for me I really have to sit on the bike to see that I have enough CROTCH CLEARANCE, but I guess for average height people 5'8-6ft, they just get an 18" or 20", and standover clearance for them isn't such a big issue.

Hence a decent fit is a bit of ambiguity, this puts me off straight away. However if it was ok, and liked the Canyon I'd get it, but at glance at £1700+ that's more then I want to spend (Around a £1000). So Ghost or Cube it is then.

Bit much?

The Canyon specifications are excellent and the reviews are always impeccable.

However at £1500+ they are bit much for most persons looking to buy a decent full sus, that is who isn't an aspiring professional DH MTB racer.

The frame I'm sure works very well, but the finish of it doesn't look as nice as a GHOST or CUBE.

In fact the Canyon reminds me of: AL CARTER which were unequivocally great bikes that didn't have cheap ancillaries (Headsets, b/b, rims, seatposts, tyres, etc) and were an absoloute bargain price.

But you can't exactly say Canyon bikes are a bargain price can you.

They might not be cheap but if you compare them with bikes of a similar spec they are certainly competitive. Bad thing at the moment is the bike my boss was going for has gone up 20 quid in the last week or so due to fluctuations in the euro.

Canyon ~ Smallest 16.5"

Yeah well next to a DH go-getter like a "works" Orange Five (It's my Mum I just borrowed it to goto the shops down the road, hope nobody saw me), and the Giants, I suppose it does look competitive.

But for me the CANYONS are too big, even the smallest at 16.5" (Really 16.8" = 420mm = 42cm). And even if they weren't the frames look a bit basic in comparison to the other EU makes. Well at a glance they have no round to square tubes, no hydroformed tubing, what welders do they have? They must have arm length, like ET's statuesque legs, and wondering what the acronym CAD stands for.

I mean average height persons 5'8" to 6', won't know what I'm moaning about, they get their leg over a 18", no problem.

These taller people might say, you midget.

And I could say, well I could delve into the near fantasy world of ....... CUSTOM bike frames, near virtual reality, made up GEO, hand welded by MyMate, never ending decisions of where to change ROUND tubesets to SQUARE. Er NO THANKS.

So I'll get an other small FULL SUS, something close to a grand (£1000):
GHOST ASX
CUBE XMS
SPECIALIZED CAMBRO CAMP
or TREK FUEL EX 5 (If they make a 15.5" in 2012, just for me, discounted to meet their EU rivals: GHOST & CUBE.)

Canyon do an on phone sizing service that got my mate bang on. the bike is perfect despite me thinking it would be too small.

I have a similar dilemma with my next purchase - my next bike is a bike to work, I want a Transition TransAm - frame £520 but I also want it built up with half decent wheels forks and brakes, absolute top budget is £1100 and even with 10% build discount I can't see me getting what I want.

I am buying this at my LBS (with everything listed at RRP) They also sell Cube and have for £1100 the LTD race - a far better specced bike than I could ever afford with the Trans Am.

Their suggestion was to just buy that as it is better value for money. Or second choice buy a lower specced cube and transfer all the parts across to the trans am and sell the cube frame, hopefully keeping it under my £1100.

The frames are very different and really built for different things but the LTD feels really good as it is, and definately would "do"

Should I stick to my guns and get a low spec bike with the frame I like or buy a high spec bike with one I am less keen on?