This years bike...

Isn't she pretty?

Well I've been feely lucky recently.  Got my last road bike in August 2010 and Now I have a new 2013 MTB.  My previous MTB was from 2004 and is just very worn.  The agreement with the wife was to ride the existing MTB in Trans Portugal 2012 and make sure I enjoyed it before splashing the cash on the right sort of bike for that race.

The twins.  Why do I always get black bikes?

Looked a round a lot at the various bikes and to be honest there's not a huge choice of high end race bikes.  I'm not one to buy the most expensive but prefer something with good specs.  Seems to be a trend with a lot of Manufacturers to have an uber expensive top end bike and then much much cheaper bikes.  Also for some reason a lot of "race" 29ers are starting to have 120mm front and rear.  I also did the debate over hard tail or FS but I am a softy so when for the Full suspension in the end.  I've never ridden a hard tail and I'm nearly forty so why start now?

So I brought an Epic Marathon...OK a bit predictable but they are popular

Bike will be completely stock except for XTR pedals and I've swapped to Maxxis tyres today.  Weighs in at about 11kG which is a good kilo off my old one.  I've also ordered bigger front chain ring as I felt the 38x11 was a little on the small side.  Gone for the 39x26 combo instead of 38x24

I've done nearly 1000km on it and I must say it's superb.  Easier to get the same position as my road bike.  A little higher of the ground takes some getting used to.  Brakes are a little noisy with moisture on them.  Wheels have take a hammering already in deep snow.  Happy with my purchase and it feels oh so much faster.  Much easier to ride up technical sections.  I rode sections that I just could not do on my 26er and half way up I'm in disbelief that I'm still riding.

Looking forward to spending multiple days on it in sunny May !!!