Recommend XC FS 29er MTB

[NHAero]

Loaned my friend my 2013 Pivot Mach 429C and he’s finally willing to upgrade from his really well used (beat Tbh) old Santa Cruz FS 26er. He rides daily but is not a bike geek - another friend keeps him rolling. He’d like to do what I did, find a lightly used carbon XC FS 29er. Martha’s Vineyard riding is a lot of twisty woods trails, downed limbs, some rocks and roots but pretty mild, no big ups or downs. Current more slack downhill oriented geo is not an advantage here.

When I bought my bike in 2015 I’d narrowed the search to the Pivot, the Ibis Ripley, or Intense Spider. Looking at Pinkbike ads I realize I don’t know what would be a good XC bike for my friend, especially from Spesh, Giant, Trek, Cannondale, etc - I just don’t know the models to be looking for. So please hit me up with make/model of this type of bike to be looking for.

Btw - at 68 I’m the youngest of our core MTB group, so FS is for comfort on a three hour ride, it’s not for jumping off cliffs!


Thanks very much!

[clyde the point]

I am digging my Banshee Phantom V3.

[Dave B]

I immediately thought of an Ibis Mojo, but when i read 29er and then saw you had looked into the Ripley, I have to say Ibis is doing some brilliant bikes in carbon.

I would love one and if your friend is coming from a worn out 26er in "old days" technology to a new(er) Ripley....I would say smiles for miles on that one.

I know there are other great options, but I would say an Ibis or Niner as they really know their stuff and the bikes are just soooo good.

[EB]

+1 for Ibis Ripley. The Pivot Trail 429 also does just about everything well.

[fa63]

Ripley, Trail 429 etc. are more trail bikes than XC bikes. If you want a light, nimble XC bike that excels at climbing, they will not fit the bill (though they will be more fun when going downhill).

If your friend really wants a full-suspension XC bike, then I would look at (in no particular order):

- Ibis Exie
- Pivot Mach4 SL
- Specialized Epic / Epic Evo (the Evo has a little more travel plus no Brain fork which are both pluses in my opinion)
- Santa Cruz Blur / Blur TR
- Cannondale Scalpel / Scalpel SE
- Scott Spark RC

I have the new Santa Cruz Blur and have really been enjoying it.

[jghall]

Ditto on the Blur and Evo. Maybe Evil Following orRevel Ranger. Good thing, lots of really good options. Bad thing, limited supply and top dollar resale values.

[joosttx]

Pivot Mach 4 SL
Scott Spark 900 RC

Both are light and fast and you can get with Fox Suspension and Shimano brakes.

[nmrt]

ditto on what fa63 and joostx said.
ripley is a trail bike. you want something nimble, light, fast, and fun.

depending on the budget, i'd get in line for the ibis exie.

[RudAwkning]

Check out the BMC Fourstroke as well. 100 travel front/rear. I own a 2015 FS02. Still ride it today. It can handle quite a bit. I've raced it at the TT100 and ridden Rose 2 Toads on it.

[Jaybee]

If he's looking older, it's worth nothing that a 2015ish Tallboy, Ripley, Mach 429Trail are significantly more XC in those model years than they are now. Yeti ASR-C would be fun too.

I rode a Trek Top Fuel the other day too, because it was the last rental bike left, expected to be meh based on experience with the Fuel EX. Was searching for used Top Fuels by the end of the day. That bike pedals so well and loves fast twisty corners.

[Hilltopperny]

I highly recommend the Santa Cruz Tallboy 3. It is light, fast and agile. It climbs like a goat and is very comfortable as well. Great bike!

Sent from my LGL722DL using Tapatalk

[cetuximab]

Originally Posted by joosttx

Scott Spark 900 RC

light and fast and you can get with Fox Suspension and Shimano brakes.

I have Scott’s enduro bike. I love the lock out. I love to pedal out of the saddle. And the lock out makes out of the saddle feel like my rigid 29r.

One of my buddies just got the Spark RC. Great XC bike.

[jm714]

I bought a new SC Blur TR in June with SRAM GX. I switched over from a Giant Anthem and I’m pretty stoked on it. Just waiting on a new carbon wheel set.

[ORMojo]

I spent most of this summer riding both my Ripley and Spark 900 RC. While the Spark may be more of a pure XC bike, I never felt like I lost anything riding the Ripley on any terrain, and I definitely gained a lot with the Ripley on bigger terrain. But I'm pretty sure I'm riding on much different terrain than the OP.

[d_douglas]

Originally Posted by clyde the point

I am digging my Banshee Phantom V3.

I loved mine. I sold it to size up to an XL and ended up with a Ripmo AF. I like Thr Phantom better. These are stellar bikes. Their only fault is that they aren’t light, but who cares?