Hey everyone,
I’m torn between two bikes and would really appreciate your input—especially if you’ve ridden either of them or have experience with similar setups.
I’m deciding between the following two builds:
Radon Slide Trail 8.0 CF (Carbon Front Triangle + Alloy Rear)
• RockShox Lyrik Select+ (Charger 3 RC2)
• RockShox Deluxe Select+
• SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed
• Magura MT5 (4-piston brakes)
• SUNringlé Duroc 35 wheels
Radon Slide Trail 8.0 AL (Full Alloy Frame)
• Fox 36 Performance (FIT GRIP damper)
• Fox Float DPS Performance (3-position)
• SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed
• Magura MT5 (4-piston brakes)
• SUNringlé Duroc 35 wheels
How I Ride
I mostly ride technical trails, urban stair sets, and some jumps around 1.5 meters (~5 feet). I’m not racing or riding big bike parks, but I do ride hard and like to push my limits. Durability and confidence are very important to me.
My Dilemma
• I currently ride a Canyon Stoic 4 (aggressive alloy hardtail), which has been super reliable. I’m a bit hesitant about moving to carbon because I’ve heard that alloy tends to last longer, especially for aggressive use and occasional crashes.
• Component-wise, the CF version is tempting. I have experience with a RockShox Pike Select and love the feel. The Lyrik Select+ with the Charger 3 damper and full adjustability looks like a great upgrade.
• The AL version comes with a Fox 36 Performance, but it has the simpler FIT GRIP damper with just 3-position adjustment. I’m not sure it would feel as smooth or tunable as the Lyrik.
So my main questions are:
1. Is the carbon front triangle on the CF version strong and durable enough for aggressive trail riding and moderate jumps?
2. How does the Fox 36 Performance (FIT GRIP) compare to the RockShox Lyrik Select+ (Charger 3 RC2)?
3. Would you choose the carbon frame with the better fork, or stick with full alloy for peace of mind?
Thanks a lot in advance!
by Ok-Republic-2118
6 Comments
Depending on how long you plan to keep it especially considering your doing aggressive trails. If your keeping it for 2-3,5 years get the carbon!! If you plan to keep it for longer like 5-6 years id say aluminium. Also it depends on what parts your prefer because I see that they both have different parts. But it really is up to you.
I have the 8.0CF. Honestly I might’ve gone for the AL but I didn’t want a white bike 😀
Too much mud here in Ireland
Every time I notice a new dent, gouge, scrape and so on I think, “good thing its not carbon.”
Both of those frames will handle any “trail” riding. It’s the crashing you need to worry about. But that’s also what frame warranties are for.
CF frames will cost around 1000 Money more and will save you 1kg! That might be 1% to 2% of the hole sytem (rider and bike). I would always go for aluminium in value, reselling and worrying about the material.
I got the alloy entry version 7.0, and been very happy with it. Over time I upgraded the shock for a bit more tunability, and few other components due to personal preference, but even at the original state, it’s a lot of bike for the budget. I find the forest green better aesthetically than the light gray/white one, but that is very subjective. One remark, if you go for the alloy version and plan to upgrade to a piggyback shock, it is not possible. The alloy version is missing the extra cutout for additional tolerance at the last 5mm of shock travel, and you risk hitting the frame at bottom out.
Edit: syntax corrections