I've done it - I've bought a modern (ish) bike!

Well after I don't know how many years I have finally crossed the bridge and bought a modern (more) bike.

Yes I have bought a 2004 100mm full suspension bike, and feel great about it.

In honesty I have gone over and over it in my head and finally given in, it even has disc brakes!!!

I haven't actually got it yet but it has been posted so within the week it will be here.

So, what is it!? And what will you use it for?

I went down the same road about 18 months ago, and haven't looked back since.
I bought a 4 year old Trek Fuel EX9 and liked it so much I splashed out a year later on a new Santa Cruz Superlight
Still love my retro rides, but I'm much quicker on my modern bike

Come on - what is it??

I'm just finishing a 2003 Orange Sub3 - XC racy, long distance, all day comfort - mmm

It's a 2004 S-Works Epic FSR.

As I intend to take groups out on guided rides etc I figured I couldn't really get away with using a museum piece

When I was on my TCL course recently it became obvious to me quite quickly that some of the riding, and skills that you are required to know and be able to demonstrate, as well as knowledge of different types or riding, length of some day trips etc the old girl (and me) just weren't going to cut it.

The idea being that when I get it I will take off some of the really modern bits and return it to something near period spec, and maybe after a year or so sell it on and get one a few years newer

argh! kill yourself now...hopefully an s-works is better than regular, had the normal 2004 epic, worst bike i have ever ridden

your results my differ though

Ted that sounds bad. The bike has had good reviews in the past, and even on here there are members who rave about them so I guess personal preferences have to be allowed for.

These bikes clearly have a following as some of the prices on ebay seem to sky rocket so I should be able to recoup any funds by selling it on if I also don't get along with it.

Bought one new in 2008 for a tad under £1800 (Epic comp but upgraded to XT chainset)

Sold it on here earlier this year for I forget how much but I think it was less than a 3rd of the new price. Enjoyed it at first but came to think it sapped too much energy, despite the brain, for my liking and returned to Hardtails & rigids.

I dunno, I went by all the rave reviews in the mags at the time... a guy I rode with had the same bike and loved it, but I just couldn't get on with it.
Mind mine was not an s-works. But I couldn't gewt the fit right, it was a medium but after riding it a bit it was miles too small and either I had the rear shock pumped up so hard it made it a heavy hardtail, or backed it off and it was all mushy (but push on it, nothing, the brain thing still worked).
Man I hated that bike, rode it of 2 months and went and went back to a HT.

But like I said, that was me, my mate loves his

Well despite both of you deciding to move yours on I'm willing to give it a try. For me I'm thinking of it as the nearest modern(ish) equivalent to my current 1995 S-Works FSR Team. Who knows one day I may go for more travel or a 29er hardtail, or whatever, but for me this seemed like the sensible place to start my foray into modern bikes; as I said before I did take into account the ease of selling it on and the financial loss in case I didn't get on with it before actualy getting it.

Jerky I'm intrigued on a different topic, how did you get on with the Sunn softtail when you had it? Digressing on my own thread