OT MTB, probably selling my anthem tonight

[jimcav]

just curious on anyone who has tried the new scalpel--once i am settled in san diego i'll check out the XC scene there and likely look for another XC bike.

was happy with giant, found the epic a little heavy (And the carbon crazy expensive for mtb--i have no issue with road bike cost, but since i occassionally crash on my mtb, i will maybe do a used bike)

thanks
jim

[Ken Robb]

well you can play all you want on and around the 'cross course at UCSD. San Clemente Canyon along Hwy 52 connects with Rose Canyon. Penasquitos Canyon lets us on the fire roads but not the cool single track through the oaks. I can ride to all of these places. Mission Trails Park, Big Laguna, Noble Canyon, etc. require driving to get to them.

[Dave B]

Scalpels are neat bikes. I had the last design with the carbon lefty. very fast bikes. The lefty is incredibly stiff and a wonderful fork. Dives a lot under breaking unless it has the Fox platform.

Anthems are nice, but you know that.


Get a Moots YBB

[jimcav]

some areas the rocks were enough i was glad to have it. think martha's grove up in poway had a section i was glad to have FS.

and around lake cuyamaca having FS was not essential, but left me more refreshed.
doubt i can go ride as long next go round--now that am with kids--my wife won't want me gone 4-6hrs

anyway, no one rides/checked out the '08 scalpel

Ken those areas still good after the fires?

jim

[flux]

just curious on anyone who has tried the new scalpel--once i am settled in san diego i'll check out the XC scene there and likely look for another XC bike.

was happy with giant, found the epic a little heavy (And the carbon crazy expensive for mtb--i have no issue with road bike cost, but since i occassionally crash on my mtb, i will maybe do a used bike)

thanks
jim

I thought you were in the seller's market?

What's up?

[jimcav]

I just sold my anthem mtn bike tonight, and that was making me think about what to eventually replace it with down the road as in the end of this year or maybe early next year--so i thought i'd ask if anyone had expoerience with the new scalpel--becasue by next year this time maybe i can get a deal on a used one and get back to mtn biking?

was just curious--tough crowd i guess

jim

[bnewt07]

I owned had a C'Dale Scalpel (although not a really recent one), and still rate its distinct characteristics-namely the agility and sharpness. The rear cushioning seemed enough much of the time to keep things planted but I now own a Ti hardtail and a FS bike (SC Blur XC) and actually wonder how much bonus the softtail gives. The Ti bike has almost as good ride quality and the SC is in another league.

The biggest thing I miss is the Lefty though, no conventional fork I have used since has got close. The big snag (and one of the reasons I sold the bike) was servicing the fork, if you use it in lots of mud and rain as I do they raelly need a service quite often and my local shop stopped carrying C'Dale making servicing a real chore.

I rode a newish Spesh Epic this weekend and was very impressed-although the front end gemoetry may be quite racy for some. The 'brain' rear shock does its thing very well. I love my Blur XC but I think if I did replace it I'd look at something like the Epic or perhaps a Scott Spark. Both carbon of course-but accepting that they get a bit scuffed and scratched (or just buy helicopter tape and protect it) I'm pretty happy that carbon frames are as tough in an impact (or tougher) than aluminum. I've bent tubes on my SC twice with impacts after all!

[jimcav]

i got a chance to ride an epic this smmer--it was great, although heavier than i expected and i caught pedals on all kinds of stuff i never hit with my giant.
i have read the new scalpel has a BB higher than the rush
anyway, thanks for the run down on what you've tried. if i sell my fisher SS i'll be mtb-less for awhile
jim

[bnewt07]

i got a chance to ride an epic this smmer--it was great, although heavier than i expected and i caught pedals on all kinds of stuff i never hit with my giant.
i have read the new scalpel has a BB higher than the rush
anyway, thanks for the run down on what you've tried. if i sell my fisher SS i'll be mtb-less for awhile
jim

Low BB height is an issue with the Blur XC too, I actually dropped crank length slightly to compensate when I first bought it.

If you like the softtail idea what about a Moots YBB? Seems like a lovely clean and simple design, and testers seem to like it. Tough and light too.