Originally Posted by BikeNY
As others have said, before going custom, I HIGHLY suggest you demo a bunch of different bike styles, buy something used, or buy a cheap steel bike in the style you 'think' you want. There are so many different styles and setups for mountain bikes these days, it doesn't make any sense to go custom until you have tried a bunch of stuff and formulated a much better idea of what you like to ride, as well as where you like to ride. From 29+ rigid, to 29er XC hardtail, 27.5+ hardtail, long travel 27.5 hardtail, and then the various permutations of full suspension bikes, from XC to freeride to Enduro , etc....
I say again, you will figure out what you like to ride after riding a bunch of different styles of bikes, and it will depend also on what kind of trails you end up liking. If you end up liking the rougher stuff like Skeggs, a FS bike might be a better option. That stuff can of course be ridden on a hardtail, you just have to take the rock gardens a bit slower. If you end up likeing the fireroads and smoother trails like Tamarancho better, a hardtail, or even a rigid Plus bike mike be a better option.
And yes, if not going FS, stick with steel, or even Ti!
Oh, and keep the road bike!
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