Poll: FSR type mtn bikes

[Tannerm]

Ok, Its a poll so give it a sec to come up.

Im looking for a quality full suspension bike to share my garage with my hardtail rockhopper 29er. Have best of both worlds. Will be used for trail riding at local trails. Not raced. All these should be 29ers. If you have anything I didnt mention that you liked and did well for you, add. My budget isnt a fortune and this isnt gunna happen overnight.

[Binky]

I like the Scalpel, but the single shear fork always bugged me.

If i get a FS i am looking at the Niner Rip9

[Tannerm]

If you vote other, please say what u had in mind. Again, I'm looking for a budget esque 29er full suspension. So no 3,000+ dollar Carbon top o the line bikes.

[Tannerm]

I like the Scalpel, but the single shear fork always bugged me.

If i get a FS i am looking at the Niner Rip9

Forgot about niners. What's there prices like?

[Binky]

Forgot about niners. What's there prices like?

I was just lookin, i think they are out of the range (frames are 1.5k)

[ThreeFingerPete]

FSR is a patented suspension linkage system used by specialized. The term full suspension is probably what you're looking for.

What part of the ride do you enjoy the most? The scalpel is light and fast, the lefty is the lightest suspension fork on the market and the suspension is tuned to be efficient. It will not be the most plush, but it will scoot.

The Giant Anthem 29er will be the lightest of the bunch, and will pedal extremely well and still have a nice ride. The maestro suspension is a very good design, and everyone I know who rides them loves them. That being said, the Chainstays are very long, which makes the wheelbase very long, so it's not the most agile bike around in larger sizes.

I would forget about the GT.

The cambers are more plush, a little less efficient, but a very popular bike for a reason. Plenty of travel for around here, and nice, less aggressive handling.

And as a rule, I don't like trek. The superfly is a cool bike though, although the parts spec sucks for a $2400 bike, although the fork is very nice.

You can get a complete Niner Jet 9 for $3000 bucks, but I wouldn't necessarily say that it's better than any of these bikes. It's an x7 level build. The Jet 9 frame is xc racerish, but it's a little chunky. Spending $2000+ for a 30lb bike doesn't make any sense. The Niner's pedal well, and the company has done a lot of innovation for the big wheels. My rigid bike is a Niner and I'm pretty happy with it.

[TeeShock]

I would buy a specialized, I poop on mine and it doesn't give me much grief. I have been scoping the new scalpel though, it felt good riding inside the bike store. Have you thought about buying a used stumpjumper?

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/bik/2997820844.html

[Tannerm]

FSR is a patented suspension linkage system used by specialized. The term full suspension is probably what you're looking for.

What part of the ride do you enjoy the most? The scalpel is light and fast, the lefty is the lightest suspension fork on the market and the suspension is tuned to be efficient. It will not be the most plush, but it will scoot.

The Giant Anthem 29er will be the lightest of the bunch, and will pedal extremely well and still have a nice ride. The maestro suspension is a very good design, and everyone I know who rides them loves them. That being said, the Chainstays are very long, which makes the wheelbase very long, so it's not the most agile bike around in larger sizes.

I would forget about the GT.

The cambers are more plush, a little less efficient, but a very popular bike for a reason. Plenty of travel for around here, and nice, less aggressive handling.

And as a rule, I don't like trek. The superfly is a cool bike though, although the parts spec sucks for a $2400 bike, although the fork is very nice.

You can get a complete Niner Jet 9 for $3000 bucks, but I wouldn't necessarily say that it's better than any of these bikes. It's an x7 level build. The Jet 9 frame is xc racerish, but it's a little chunky. Spending $2000+ for a 30lb bike doesn't make any sense. The Niner's pedal well, and the company has done a lot of innovation for the big wheels. My rigid bike is a Niner and I'm pretty happy with it.

Now that's what I'm talking about! Thanks for the detail. Wat is ur beef against gt or trek?
My favorite part of the ride is the time with friends and fam. Gay I know but that's the best part to me. trail wise I like busting thru them and tackling obstacles. I hate climbing rocks or stuff steep. I might just keep riding my hopper for now till I can afford a really nice specialized. I am new to bikes as of last year and not particular to any brand. I like specialized since that's the only mtn bike I've ridden. I have a trek roadbike that's nice but I don't ride it so I'm selling.

[ThreeFingerPete]

Now that's what I'm talking about! Thanks for the detail. Wat is ur beef against gt or trek?
My favorite part of the ride is the time with friends and fam. Gay I know but that's the best part to me. trail wise I like busting thru them and tackling obstacles. I hate climbing rocks or stuff steep. I might just keep riding my hopper for now till I can afford a really nice specialized. I am new to bikes as of last year and not particular to any brand. I like specialized since that's the only mtn bike I've ridden. I have a trek roadbike that's nice but I don't ride it so I'm selling.

GT is owned by pacific bicyclle company. They are NOT the company of the 1980s who made high quality bikes that earned the spot in our collective hearts. Pacific bicycle company purchased the Schwinn/GT brands and promptly ran them into the ground.
Some of their designs are flat out stupid. Like their carbon frames have ZERO watter bottle bosses. Their FS designs are nothing phenomenal, and since they're generally sold by performance bike or other low end retailers, the chances of getting a decent mechanic at the same place you purchased your bike is VERY slim.


Cannondale is also owned by pacific cycle as of 2008, but they have held their quality up, with the exception of many of their frames being produced overseas now.


Trek? Meh, Most of their bikes just don't have the spec that I would want for my money. There are a few exceptions, and I do like the G2 geometry. I would buy one if I rode it and liked it and the component spec was comparable, but time after time other companies build better bikes for the money.

[Tannerm]

Ok let me ask u this. I'm not a pro. I have a 2011 rockhopper 29 expert that my dept bought me. I am allowed to use it however. But, to use it for fun, I am having to swap out tires to knobbies. I have considered many things from my dreambike of a 29er FS bike. But reality is a biotch. Should I consider buying my own hard tail with great components or a 26 FS. Just a thought.

[ThreeFingerPete]

Ok let me ask u this. I'm not a pro. I have a 2011 rockhopper 29 expert that my dept bought me. I am allowed to use it however. But, to use it for fun, I am having to swap out tires to knobbies. I have considered many things from my dreambike of a 29er FS bike. But reality is a biotch. Should I consider buying my own hard tail with great components or a 26 FS. Just a thought.

How tall are you? If you like the way your 29er rides, then stick with it. Interchanging parts is an added plus.

[Tannerm]

6ft

[Osiris]

Proud owner of a 2012 camber 29'er

[ThreeFingerPete]

Proud owner of a 2012 camber 29'er

How many other 29" full suspensions did you ride?

[Treybiz]

Listen to threefingers.

And could you feasibly build your own?
My turner 5 spot (used frame) is gonna be less than most off the shelf FS bikes new because i pieced it together.