Mountain Bike

[Iceaxe]

I need a little help. I'm looking to buy a new mountain bike but have no clue what bikes I should be looking at.

What I do know is I'm pretty sold on a 29er and I'd like to keep the price under $2500.

I ride about 250 days of the year. 99% of my riding is in Corner Canyon on mostly single track. I ride about 10 miles each day. I ride to the top of the mountain and back to the bottom, none of that pussy car shuttle crap for me. The last new mountain bike I bought was 15 years ago, at the time I was racing and bought a top of the line Diamond Back, and I was pretty damn fast.... but now I'm just and old man trying to stay in shape by riding my bike.

Anyhoo... all suggestions and thoughts are welcome....

[rich67]

Full suspension or hardtail? 29er's are great in rocky terrain, but I personally still prefer the tried and true 26er for tossability and fun factor on singletrack. I am personally a Specialized fanboy (I have an 08 Stumpy FSR and a Camber Comp 29 er). The Camber Comp is a stripped-down but very capable (albeit heavy) trailbike and you can pick one up new for around $1500-1800. The Stumpy is lighter and fully decked out (with the Brain, which I highly recommend-especially if you are a climber and not just a shuttle runner) it will run you right around $2500. A hardtail bike is rough on the lower back and glutes if you ride daily and log over 25 miles on rough terrain. On smooth terrain and for sheer speed, they are the only solution. The prices for hardtails can be as low as $700 for a decent one to close to $2000 for carbon, high end components, etc. I've had excellent luck with my Specialized bikes. The Enduro and Stumpjumper are excellent models to start with, and if you can afford them, the S Works lineup. As for other manufacturers, Giant makes some pretty capable bikes as does Trek/Gary Fisher. Giant is a lot more affordable, but you get what you pay for component wise. But for sheer dependability and options as well as great components, stick with a Stumpjumper Expert. The Brain does all the work for you as far as locking out the rear suspension on climbs to eliminate pedal-bob, and you don't have to futz with a lockout lever every time like on the Camber Comp. Just set it and forget it. A buddy of mine went from a Specialized to a Giant lately, and he admittedly misses his Specialized, since the ride was a lot more smooth and predictable.

[rover]

I ride Corner Canyon all the time, probably seen you up there. I honestly don't think there is anything at Corner Canyon that requires full suspension, but that is of course a personal preference. I ride a FS but constantly find myself wishing for a hardtail for the climbing ease and the connected to bike feeling. You of course have some options on frame material, from standard aluminum to steel to carbon fiber. A steel frame offers a much smoother ride than aluminum, with only a minor weight penalty, plus you get incredibly long life/durability. In my opinion steel is the way to go for a hardtail. That being said, there are a lot of companies starting to create steel, hardtail 29ers. I would definitely take a look at Civilian Bikes. They build frames locally in Park City, and can be had for about $1200+ depending on the way you configure fork, drivetrain, etc. I've personally never ridden one, but have heard great things from friends about them. Also, since they are a local company I imagine you could arrange a test ride.
Check out their Young Turk model http://www.ridecvln.com/bikes/young-turk/

Another company worth looking at for 29ers is Vassago cycles. They claim to have basically invented the category, and the bikes I've seen around look pretty sweet. They also build steel hardtails.
http://vassagocycles.squarespace.com/

That being said, you surely know the most important things are fit and feel. If you prefer a FS or a hardtail from one of the bigger brands, I don't think you can really go wrong at this point. Lots of nice offerings on the market in the 29er All-Mountain category from Specialized, Giant, Cannondale, etc., etc. If you have a shop you like, just check out what they have on offer.

[neilether]

Hardtails are fun, but for day in / day out comfortable riding, a full-suspension bike is the ticket! My buddy owns a bike shop in Logan and he has one of these left over:

http://www.jensonusa.com/Ibis-Mojo-SL-Special-Blend-Build-Bike (in the electric blue color). MSRP is north of your target, but he has had it for a while and would likely be willing to deal so he could move it. How tall are you?

Anyway, this is the same bike I ride and I love it. It's a 5.5" travel bike front and rear, but the rear suspension design is set up to climb very efficiently. All the marketing people from all the brands will tell you this about their bikes too. However, I have ridden a bunch of bikes and I truly think this is the best I have been on in terms of climbing performance. The trade-off, is that it isn't super plush on some of the small chattery bumps like some other suspension designs are, but it still gets the job done.

Let me know if you're at all interested and I can give you his number and put in a good word for you.

Not a 29er. So if that is a hard limit, then forget I gave you this recommendation.

61854

[accadacca]

I like #1 Santa Cruz

Also Rocky Mountain and Kona...

[Iceaxe]

Was anyone here switched to a 29er and regretted it? From what I understand, unless you are hardcore downhill you will never look back after the switch.

Something else of interest I noticed... at this years Olympics, all the mtn bike racers were on 29ers and 90% were on hard tails.... thoughts?

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[nelsonccc]

My steel frame 29'er is amazing. Absolutely a pure pleasure to ride. It climbs like a billy goat but springs in and out of the turns on the downhill. I run it SS but I'd never go back. I don't even ride my geared specialized aluminum geared 29'er anymore.

[Sombeech]

Something else of interest I noticed... at this years Olympics, all the mtn bike racers were on 29ers and 90% were on hard tails.... thoughts?

A lot of racers will have hard tails, but if you want comfort and are out there to enjoy the ride and still get a good workout, I'd stick with full suspension. Maybe my body is just getting too old for the hard impact.

The hard tails are for efficiency, improving your time and wearing spandex :lol8:

[tallsteve]

I’m old AND I ride a hardtail! After riding full-suspension for years, I switched to a 29er hardtail about a year and a half ago. My strength has always been climbing however, so the hardtail suits me fine as it rockets uphill. 95% of my riding is along the Wasatch Front and for the x-country style of riding I do, I have never wished I had my full-suspension back. I love the 29er and wouldn’t go back. The only drawback to the 29er I’ve found is it definitely isn’t as quick around the switchbacks, but that could have something to do with the XL frame I’m riding. I also can’t bomb downhill like I used to with the FS. At my age though, I really don’t want to or should anymore. The only time I wished for a FS was on my ride-around-the-White-Rim-in-a-day ride this past spring. Just for comfort sake, 80 miles in a day on that rough 4x4 road was brutal. My bike is the Trek/Gary Fisher Superfly which I highly recommend if you go that route.

[neilether]

Was anyone here switched to a 29er and regretted it? From what I understand, unless you are hardcore downhill you will never look back after the switch.

Something else of interest I noticed... at this years Olympics, all the mtn bike racers were on 29ers and 90% were on hard tails.... thoughts?

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I have a full suspension 26" bike as well as a hardtail 29er. I really enjoy riding them both, but the one that sees the most action is the full suspension bike. I have not tried a full suspension 29er, but have a buddy that rides one and won't go back to small wheels. He is 6'4" and I think that helps to makes his case for the larger wheels.

I don't think the wheel size can be pinned strictly to "hardcore downhillers." 26" wheels are decidedly quicker around very tight turns and more agile for those that ride aggressively. With the longer wheelbases and geometries of 29er bikes, it's much more difficult to manual and jump. For those that like to keep the rubber firmly planted on the ground, this is a non-issue.

For $2500 you can get a very very well equipped hardtail. For the same money you are looking at a lower component spec on a full suspension bike. The slightly lower end (but totally functional) components on a full suspension are a worthwhile tradeoff for me to jump to rear suspension. Besides, a 2nd or 3rd teir component group is going to feel hugely better than your 15 year old stuff.

[neilether]

How's this for a conflict of interest:

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?66766-VooDoo-Soukri-Hardtail-29er-Frame&p=520095#post520095

What I meant to say earlier, is that you definitely need a hardtail 29er frame!!:lol8:

[Iceaxe]

FWIW- I'm now in my 50's, my days of jumping and riding aggressive are now a memory of my youth.

These days I'm happy when I can pedal some young bucks ass into the ground on a long climb.

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[rich67]

I'm 45, so I'd say stick with a full suspension 29 er. Your back and rear will thank you for it!


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[nelsonccc]

Disagree. I've had a full susy before and there's too much weight penalty and every one I've been on has been way bobby and climbs like ass. If you're not jumping I'd say 29er hardtail all the way. Extremely efficient and they can be really light.

[rich67]

That's because they haven't set their suspension up properly and don't have the right shock. Fox offers a pro pedal feature that locks out the shock on climbs, and the Specialized Brain also operates the same way. Pedal bob is virtually nonexistent on those setups. People who use too little air pressure on the shock also experience significant pedal bob. Most people don't bother setting proper sag or even have an understanding of it. My bike utilizes the Brain, and I can say that my bike works as well as a hardtail on the uphills. And I have ridden both.


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[accadacca]

Yep, some full sussers do climb well. My Salsa does great and has a fox in the rear so I reach down and lock it out when climbing. I use the pro pedal (stiffer) in some situations (flat terrain) and open in others, like hardcore downhill.

We ride enough rough stuff in the wasatch for me to want full suspension. I do like bombing the downhill though. Maybe you could demo a few bikes to get a general feel for it before buying.

[live2ride]

I'm a 29er convert and own both, I would not look back fom a full squish unless racing was in mind and yet the new suspension designs on every platform are bad ass climbing now too. I ride a trek superfly and love it. You kind find a great deal in the shops close to your house, I know Infiniti cycles has some great cannondales that would be light, fast and full suspension. Take a look at the scalpel if you spend most your time in corner canyon, not a ton of travel but enough and also efficient for your " non pussy" shuttles, so that tells me you want to climb. I will let you try out the superfly. I stay away from the bikes with no lifetime warrantee ie Santa cruz, salsa aluminum, and many others. Suspension design has came so far in the lat 15 years that you can get away with a 3 inch bike and properly set you will not bottom out and love it.

[live2ride]

I guess it is all relative to the bike you ride on how it climbs, my fs superfly 100 elite climbs crazy fast.
Disagree. I've had a full susy before and there's too much weight penalty and every one I've been on has been way bobby and climbs like ass. If you're not jumping I'd say 29er hardtail all the way. Extremely efficient and they can be really light.

[accadacca]

If a manufacturer needs a warranty, what does that say? :naughty: :lol8:

[REDFOX]

If you compare a 29er to a similar equipped 26 inch wheeled bike, The 26 inch should be lighter weight. If weight is truly an issue that affects climbing ability. 29 inch wheels have more metal and rubber in their make up. This added weight has an effect on the rolling resistance; however a larger wheel does roll over obstacles easier. Generally speaking a hardtail is a more effiecient climber. For me personally a hardtail bikes beats me up enough to rob me of efficient pedalling and endurance. My preference is for full suspension. I have been riding downhill 8" plus bikes on cross country trails now for 13 years. I could probably be much faster on a 6" travel but I have no intentions of racing anyone up or downhill.

[nelsonccc]

I will say that the full susys I was riding were full more downhill bikes. the fsr had pedal lock out but it still seemed to have a lot more movement than I liked. But I'm a more of an xc guy but a hardtail is definately a better climber than a full suspension bike. Even when I ride bootleg and harder downhill stuff I like the responsiveness of a hardtail.

[neilether]

....Generally speaking a hardtail is a more effiecient climber....


....a hardtail is definately a better climber than a full suspension bike....

This is debatable. On very smooth trails this is undoubtedly true. However, if the climbs are at all technical there is a lot of evidence to the contrary. The full suspension bikes are able to track the ground better and so the energy applied at the pedals can be more efficiently transferred to the ground. The other major point is this:


....For me personally a hardtail bikes beats me up enough to rob me of efficient pedalling and endurance.....

For me, this is also very true. On short rides, the hardtail is fine. The constant jarring of a hardtail adds up and on longer rides takes a toll that isn't exacted by my full suspension bike.


You should poke around for a shop that is having a demo day, or would let you demo both a hardtail and a full suspension 29er. Ride them both on a ride you know very well and see which one you like better.

[neilether]

My steel frame 29'er is amazing. Absolutely a pure pleasure to ride. It climbs like a billy goat but springs in and out of the turns on the downhill. I run it SS but I'd never go back. I don't even ride my geared specialized aluminum geared 29'er anymore.

Glad you like it! :cool2:

[nelsonccc]

Glad you like it! :cool2:

THANK YOU.
It's an extremely eye-opening experience. The frame is a blast to ride. Even on hard-rocky downhill it just flexes into the turns then kind of springs on the exits. Hard to describe but its just 'zippy'. Not sure if its the short chainstays or material or the overall lightness of the bike but it's fun to ride. The build ended up being 22 pounds, run SS, with a Reba RLT on the front. I haven't ridden my other bike since I finished the build.

[live2ride]

If a manufacturer needs a warranty, what does that say? :naughty: :lol8: That they stand behind the product 100%....FOR LIFE. One of the main reasons I didnt buy a Carbon Santa Cruz. 3 year warrantee and with the down time the bike gets in the winter it limits the warantee time and if it breaks in 4 your stuck.

[neilether]

Here's a thought. Short travel 29er. Full suspension, but short travel. Could be the perfect compromise for Corner Canyon Trails.

Salsa Spearfish

[live2ride]

Thats why i suggested the Scapel short travel but suffiecient for anything.

[Iceaxe]

Here are the two bikes that I'm considering at the moment

Salsa "Spearfish 2"
http://salsacycles.com/bikes/2012_spearfish_2

Specialized Camber Comp 29
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/camberfsr/cambercomp29


I can get both bikes for about the same price. From someone in the know... Which has the better components? If the cost of the two bikes were equal, which is the better deal? Which do you think will fit my needs better?

[nelsonccc]

Here are the two bikes that I'm considering at the moment

Salsa "Spearfish 2"
http://salsacycles.com/bikes/2012_spearfish_2

Specialized Camber Comp 29
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/camberfsr/cambercomp29


I can get both bikes for about the same price. From someone in the know... Which has the better components? If the cost of the two bikes were equal, which is the better deal? Which do you think will fit my needs better?

The components are almost identical on the two bikes. The spearfish has a 15mm maxle whereas the Specialized has a standard QR. The salsa has slightly better brakes (elixir 5 vs 3r). They both have x7 and x9 derailleurs and x7 shifters. The forks are the same, but the rear shocks are different with the specialized having a slightly better one (i think...). The salsa has better wheels and hubs than the specialized and a name brand headset. I also like the xking tires on the salsa.

[Iceaxe]

Looks like this is the bike... Salsa Spearfish 2.... it's supposed to be here Tuesday. A member of Bogley hooked me up with a really good deal.... Thanks a bunch.... You gotta love Bogley and it's members.

:2thumbs:

Salsa has updated the Spearfish 29er for 2012, “ultra-endurance racing and riding machine, perfect for 100-milers, 24-hour races, and all-day singletrack session,” says the company.

62060

[REDFOX]

I just looked at a salsa speerfish at scheels. I think that you will be happy
With it.
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[accadacca]

Sweet! I would definitely take the Salsa. Lotta Specialized bikes in Utah and they do make great bikes. However, I like to be different.

[neilether]

Looks like this is the bike... Salsa Spearfish 2.... it's supposed to be here Tuesday. A member of Bogley hooked me up with a really good deal.... Thanks a bunch.... You gotta love Bogley and it's members.

:2thumbs:

Salsa has updated the Spearfish 29er for 2012, “ultra-endurance racing and riding machine, perfect for 100-milers, 24-hour races, and all-day singletrack session,” says the company.

62060

Let us know how you like it once you have had a chance to actually get out on it. I have been intrigued by that bike since it was first released a couple years ago.

[Iceaxe]

Will do, but it might be a while. I have 18" on snow in my yard (Corner Canyon).

Right now I need to decide what to do about pedals, any suggestions?

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[neilether]

Will do, but it might be a while. I have 18" on snow in my yard (Corner Canyon).

Right now I need to decide what to do about pedals, any suggestions?

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Are you using clipless pedals now?

[Iceaxe]

Alright... pedal terminology gets a little confusing for me because aperently there are pedals called clipless that attach your foot to the pedal?

Anyhoo... right now I use a pedal that requires a brass bushing attached to the bottom of my shoe. They are called ATC or something like that. You kick your heel sideways to release. They release pretty well in a crash unless you are going over the bars, and in that case you are screwed.

I understand platform pedals, which all the bmx guys use. It also looks like the hardcore downhill guys also use platforms from what I can tell.

Again the problem is I don't know crap about pedals because its been 15 years since I bought my last pair and shoes.

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[Iceaxe]

A.T.A.C. are the pedals I'm currently using. I'm not sure if being clipped in is the best for casual trail riding. They were great pedals 12 years ago when I was still racing.

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[neilether]

Alright... pedal terminology gets a little confusing for me because aperently there are pedals called clipless that attach your foot to the pedal?

Anyhoo... right now I use a pedal that requires a brass bushing attached to the bottom of my shoe. They are called ATC or something like that. You kick your heel sideways to release. They release pretty well in a crash unless you are going over the bars, and in that case you are screwed.

I understand platform pedals, which all the bmx guys use. It also looks like the hardcore downhill guys also use platforms from what I can tell.

Again the problem is I don't know crap about pedals because its been 15 years since I bought my last pair and shoes.

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This is a guess on my part, but the gold standard used to be those toe-clips. They were straps that you wedged your toes into. Then they ditched the clips (clip-less) and went with the cleat on the bottom of your shoe that locks into a pedal mechanism. Voila. Clipless.

Anyway, your pedals are Time brand. I think I am in the minority, but I love Time pedals. I have a newer version of those A.T.A.C. pedals. There are lots of opinions out there as to the "best" pedals, but my favorites are Time, followed closely by Shimano. You could also look at Crank Brothers pedals. I don't like them, but lots of people do.

I can't stand riding anymore without being clipped in. I have gotten so used to being attached to the bike, that it is second nature now. I would say that if you are comfortable with clipping in and out of your pedals, then it is beneficial to stick with it.

[accadacca]

I use Time pedals too. :ride:

[accadacca]

Whole lotta threads on the subject:

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?29869-Pedals-Platform-vs-Clipless

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?63038-Clipping-in

[rich67]

I have a Specialized Camber Comp 29er. Great bike, very plush ride. Kind of heavy though; compare the weight to the Salsa before you buy. But the Specialized looks great, rides nice, and climbs like a billy goat.

[Iceaxe]

So my new Salsa bike came today. I put the ATAC pedals from my Diamondback on it for now and rode around in the snow a little. The suspension has a lot of adjustment so it might take a bit to get that dialed into what I like. So far I'm really happy with it, but time will tell. Thanks to everyone that helped me out.

I picked the Salsa over the Specilized in the end because the best deal I could get on both bikes the Salsa was just more bang for the buck.


62117

[neilether]

Very nice. First item of business; put some stans's sealant in those tires and ditch the tubes and go tubeless.

[Iceaxe]

Funny... I was just going to ask about going tubeless... So if I understand things correctly. To go tubeless I have to swap out the valves and install sealeant. I believe the rims are already taped on the new bike? How do I tell for sure?

[neilether]

Funny... I was just going to ask about going tubeless... So if I understand things correctly. To go tubeless I have to swap out the valves and install sealeant. I believe the rims are already taped on the new bike? How do I tell for sure?

Luckily those rims are Stans rims, so they should be ready to go. Just get the valve stems, put on one side of the tire, pour in some stans sealant, then put on the other bead. It'll help tremendously if you have an air compressor to fully seat the bead. It can work with just a floor pump, but is difficult and doesn't work all the time.

After you get the bead to lock into place (pump it up to the max stated on the tire sidewall) let it sit at high pressure for a while. You may hear some rather loud pops as the beads locks into place, this is normal.

Now you have to make sure the sealant fills up all the pores in the tires. Hold the wheel vertically and shake vigorously back and forth. Rotate the wheel 20 degrees or so and repeat until you have gone all the way around the tire. This will slosh the sealant up on the sidewalls of the tires. Then just lay the tire horizontally over a bucket or something so it is level. Wait a couple hours. Repeat the sloshing/rotating process and then lay it on its other side for a couple hours. Hopefully the following day the tires are still full of air.

Sounds more annoying than it really is. Pretty simple.

[neilether]

How do I tell for sure?

Once you have one of the tires off, you should see some bright yellow tape in the middle of the rim bed. If it is there, you are golden.

[Sombeech]

I just dunno about tubeless. Every time Mark fiddles with his tires it turns out to be a huge pain in the ass. And if there's a flat on the trail, he's walking the rest of the way.

[neilether]

I just dunno about tubeless. Every time Mark fiddles with his tires it turns out to be a huge pain in the ass.

He's doing something wrong then, or perhaps his particular setup isn't very amenable to tubeless. My group used to have flat after flat when in Moab or St. George. This past spring we had 1 flat in 3 days of hard riding amongst 12 of us. There were 3 people in the group with tubes, one of them got the flat. Tubeless isn't flawless, but it is certainly a huge improvement in my opinion over running tubes. You can run way lower tire pressure without risking pinch flats, and if you run through a patch of goatheads, you can just watch the sealant bubbles doing their job and keep on rolling.

The rims in question above are Stan's rims so they are designed to be run tubeless without any special gimmicry and I can vouch for their efficacy.


And if there's a flat on the trail, he's walking the rest of the way.

Why?!? If you do manage to get a flat on your tubeless set up (I have once in the last 3 years), just throw a tube in and you are back rolling in no time. Same thing you would do if you had a flat with a tube anyway.

[nelsonccc]

Deciding whether or not to run tubeless depends on what kind of pressures you want to run. If you're like me and you always run highish tube pressures then there is no real advantage to tubeless. I never get flats, but its mostly due to the fact that I run like 40 psi. If you want real low pressures then tubeless makes sense but there is very little weight savings. And when I ran ghetto tubeless I had all sorts of issues with burping and boogers and I didn't really feel it was worth it.

[neilether]

Deciding whether or not to run tubeless depends on what kind of pressures you want to run. If you're like me and you always run highish tube pressures then there is no real advantage to tubeless. I never get flats, but its mostly due to the fact that I run like 40 psi. If you want real low pressures then tubeless makes sense but there is very little weight savings.

I am 210# on a good day and I am able to run ~27-28 PSI in the front tire and 30 in the rear. I really like how the lower pressure grips and feels. I agree that by the time you add your 3-4 oz of sealant you are likely not really saving any weight, but for me the conversion is not about the "weight savings."


And when I ran ghetto tubeless I had all sorts of issues with burping and boogers and I didn't really feel it was worth it.
This is the key. A true UST or Stans setup is not prone to the headaches of a ghetto setup. Sealant boogers on the inside of your tire casing are usually a good thing. Those typically mean that is a flat that was fixed before you even knew there was a puncture. All the little gooey fibers are forced to the puncture and coagulate, sealing the hole.

[Iceaxe]

Flats are not an issue for me as I run tubes with slime, and I don't run real low air pressures, never had a pinch flat. But goat heads are a problem around where I ride. So the real issue is weight, ease of use and maintenance.

And weight in the wheel is extra bad as it is unsprung weight.

:cool2:

[Iceaxe]

One more item.... My new bike has Rockshox's front and rear, with a bunch of different adjustments. I have a shock pump but it is 15 years old and I was wondering what a good one is these days. It would be nice to have one that looses air at a predictable rate when unhooking.

[neilether]

Flats are not an issue for me as I run tubes with slime, and I don't run real low air pressures, never had a pinch flat. But goat heads are a problem around where I ride. So the real issue is weight, ease of use and maintenance.

And weight in the wheel is extra bad as it is unsprung weight.

:cool2:

A tubeless setup will give you freedom to try out lower pressures, should you so desire, without the increased risk of pinch flatting. If goatheads are a frequent occurrence, this is a no-brainer. There may be a slight weight savings over a tube, but likely not one that is noticeable.


One more item.... My new bike has Rockshox's front and rear, with a bunch of different adjustments. I have a shock pump but it is 15 years old and I was wondering what a good one is these days. It would be nice to have one that looses air at a predictable rate when unhooking.

Shock pumps are all different. All I do is make sure that I use the same pump every time. That way, I know what pressure my pump should read to get me the appropriate sag measurements on my suspension. Even if the 150psi that it is reading is not actually 150, or if when you unhook the pump a bit of air bleeds out that's ok because I know when the needle says 150 and I unhook the pump and go for a ride the suspension will be where it needs to be.

[Iceaxe]

Spent part of the day working on the new bike trying to dial in seat height, suspension and crap like that. Here is the new bike.

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[live2ride]

Love the color. Go tubless especially if your already running slime in the tubes. It will save soe weight and should be pretty hassle free with the Stan's rims.

[Iceaxe]

Love the color.

You're not going to miss seeing the bike, that is for sure. The surprising thing was even the hubs are anodised orange.



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[neilether]

Luckily it's been nice and warm for you, so you can get a lot of time in on the new rig.

[Iceaxe]

It turned cold and snowy the day the new bike arrived. I've only been able to ride one day and that was on the local paved trail. The bike will probably spend the next two month just sitting and staring at me....

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[Iceaxe]

A quick update on the new bike... so far I love it for the most part. I went with a 29er and I can see that was a good choice. The one thing I hate about the new bike is it shifts with thumb triggers, I much prefer my old twist grip. Four seperate thumb triggers gets a little annoying. The worst part is when you want to jump 3 or 4 gears and have to hit the trigger 3 or 4 times fast. A simple twist of the grip was so much easier. I put platform pedals on this bike and I'm going to stick with them. It just makes attempting difficult obstacales more appealing.

The bike shifted like crap the first few rides but is now shifting smooth, I figure the chain must have knocked some sharp machine burrs of the sprockets or something. This is my first bike with disc brakes, and they are nice, particularly when riding in snow and mud.

I still need to dial in the supension, but waiting for warmer weather.

The granny gear on this bike is not as low as my previous bike, that has messed me up a couple of times. I thinking if the entire rear gear set was on tooth smaller, or the big sproket was two teeth larger it would be geared more to my liking. I'm not sure how difficult/expensive a gearing change is. Or perhaps after a few more rides I'll just be used to it. I'm getting better at selecting the correct gear every day. I had my previous bike for 15 years and rode it nearly every day so knowing the correct gear to grab was second nature.

This bike is a monster on rolling single track, it can really eat up a lot of ground fast. I've never ridden anything like it before. If I decide to do some more racing this bike is going to rule supreme. I'm still waiting for the snow to melt out of the local downhill tracks to try it out in that enviroment.

So that is my up-to-date report.


http://www.bogley.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64387&stc=1&d=1363732010

http://www.bogley.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64125&stc=1&d=1363290695

http://www.bogley.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64095&stc=1&d=1363229458

[nelsonccc]

Pretty easy to spend $40 and get a new rear cassette with a bigger granny gear. Also SRAM did just come out with some pretty slick twist shifters. I wouldn't know though I run a SS.

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[Bootboy]

Pretty easy to spend $40 and get a new rear cassette with a bigger granny gear. Also SRAM did just come out with some pretty slick twist shifters. I wouldn't know though I run a SS.

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Except that $40 cassettes double well as boat anchors. Bleh...

[nelsonccc]

True to some degree though the weight difference between a $40 cassete and a $100 is pretty minimal. It's only 60 grams between the $100 xt and the SRAM pg970 at $45.

I don't worry about it cause I run just one cog back there. But have run the cheaper SRAM pg cassette for a year on my other bike with no issues.