Recommend XC FS 29er MTB

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by cetuximab

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.

I have a crazy light HMX SL RC900. The lockout is amazing and, yes, it’s an awesome XC MTB. I have ridden the Pivot Mach 4 SL and I really like that bike too. Not sure which I’d go with if I had a to choose now.

[sparky33]

Originally Posted by NHAero

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.

It sounds like you are on the right track in steering away from trendy downcountry geo for your location. The prev gen Tallboy 3 (68hta 100r/120f) is about right for the variety of MV trails, and there are probably available cast-off TB3s since that is now old. I found that the TB3 worked great for both the up-island twisty rocky rooty trails and for the mellow pedal-y areas further east in the outwash plain. I recently swapped the TB3 for a conceptually similar Yeti SB100, which is also great for the area. The important qualities were/are: plush suspension that makes traction (and comfort) but still pedals efficiently and has middling front end handling.

All that said, picking good tires at least as important as the bike itself. I'm liking Barzo 2.35s for this terrain.

[mickey.d]

if you are on the island, buy a bike with suspension designed by a guy that lives on the island.
A pivot or ibis would have to top the list. Last time I rode your hometrails with DW i definitely had a blast. Personally, if i lived on MV i would be all about the race hardtail life, the whippet/marathon race fs bikes still don’t turn me on, let alone the older generation. I didn’t use my dropper once last time i rode there, but Weagle basically never raises his seat and constantly looks for **** to hop over. If you just wanna plonk around fs bikes are fine- but you just cant beat the way a well designed race hardtail with fast tires slices and dices on flatter/sandy/twisty if the pilot is giving it the beans.

[NHAero]

Thanks Steve! My friend was the guy on the creaking old Santa Cruz when you passed us going up Indian Hill on Sunday. And the other guy is the one who has led Island MTB rides for decades. He's a very good wrench and has kept Richard's bike functioning.

I'll look for the TB3. Some of the bikes suggested in this thread look fantastic - now I want an Exie! - but he's not looking to spend $8K on a bike so I'm looking used.

Originally Posted by sparky33

It sounds like you are on the right track in steering away from trendy downcountry geo for your location. The prev gen Tallboy 3 (68hta 100r/120f) is about right for the variety of MV trails, and there are probably available cast-off TB3s since that is now old. I found that the TB3 worked great for both the up-island twisty rocky rooty trails and for the mellow pedal-y areas further east in the outwash plain. I recently swapped the TB3 for a conceptually similar Yeti SB100, which is also great for the area. The important qualities were/are: plush suspension that makes traction (and comfort) but still pedals efficiently and has middling front end handling.

All that said, picking good tires at least as important as the bike itself. I'm liking Barzo 2.35s for this terrain.

[sparky33]

Originally Posted by mickey.d

if you are on the island, buy a bike with suspension designed by a guy that lives on the island.
A pivot or ibis would have to top the list. Last time I rode your hometrails with DW i definitely had a blast. Personally, if i lived on MV i would be all about the race hardtail life, the whippet/marathon race fs bikes still don’t turn me on, let alone the older generation. I didn’t use my dropper once last time i rode there, but Weagle basically never raises his seat and constantly looks for **** to hop over. If you just wanna plonk around fs bikes are fine- but you just cant beat the way a well designed race hardtail with fast tires slices and dices on flatter/sandy/twisty if the pilot is giving it the beans.

The DW-correct answer here is an Evil Following with a Trust Performance fork.

[NHAero]

I rode an early Trust because another fellow here is an investor. I can see that being awesome for hard chargers, but for geezers here on mild MV singletrack, not required!

One of the regulars here has a Following and I haven't seen it but has a newer Spesh bike which he likes way better.

Originally Posted by sparky33

The DW-correct answer here is an Evil Following with a Trust Performance fork.

[EB]

Originally Posted by NHAero

I rode an early Trust because another fellow here is an investor. I can see that being awesome for hard chargers, but for geezers here on mild MV singletrack, not required!

One of the regulars here has a Following and I haven't seen it but has a newer Spesh bike which he likes way better.

I have a Following - you can find it in the gallery. It’s the best bike I’ve ever owned, bar none. However, I don’t know if I’d recommend it for the OP - it’s much more of a burly short travel trail bike. Mine is built up like a mini enduro bike and I’ve even got a coil shock on order for it. You can build them up more XCish with a 120 SID or a Fox Stepcast, but I’ve tried it, and it doesn’t excel at that kind of riding in the way that an Epic Evo or a Ripley does.

Contra most folks in this thread, I don’t recommend the flat out 100mm race bikes for anyone who isn’t racing. Aside from the travel limitations, the pedaling position on these bikes is usually not as relaxed, so unless you’re training for a race, pinning it and doing max efforts all day, it’s not going to be great for your back. Even for the MV terrain, I’d go with something like a Ripley - the modern 120 bikes pedal so well that you won’t mind the extra 2cm of travel at all, and then you will be able to use your bike for traveling to more hilly places *and* you won’t feel so stretched out when seated.

Just one mountain bikers opinion.

[KarlC]

There was a thread a bit ago on the Costco Intense XC with a carbon frame deal ..... https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...ghlight=costco

https://www.costco.com/intense-951-x...100691780.html

This is a great bike for the $, it also comes with a lot of extras for free.

I got the Costco Intense Trail deal and it's working out well so far, my buddy has last year's top of the line $8K Intense and could not really tell much difference.

.

[KarlC]

Delete

[crownjewelwl]

i've had every iteration of ripleys...

now i'm on a Revel Ranger w/120 sid ultimate fork...it is fantastic

xcish, but can take some abuse if necessary

[NHAero]

Thanks for reminding me about that, still shows current!

Originally Posted by KarlC

There was a thread a bit ago on the Costco Intense XC with a carbon frame deal ..... https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...ghlight=costco

https://www.costco.com/intense-951-x...100691780.html

This is a great bike for the $, it also comes with a lot of extras for free.

I got the Costco Intense Trail deal and it's working out well so far, my buddy has last year's top of the line $8K Intense and could not really tell much difference.

.

[NHAero]

Eli, it appears you and I think alike on many aspects of cycling. Thanks for your input, even it is confirmation bias for me

Originally Posted by Eli Bingham

I have a Following - you can find it in the gallery. It’s the best bike I’ve ever owned, bar none. However, I don’t know if I’d recommend it for the OP - it’s much more of a burly short travel trail bike. Mine is built up like a mini enduro bike and I’ve even got a coil shock on order for it. You can build them up more XCish with a 120 SID or a Fox Stepcast, but I’ve tried it, and it doesn’t excel at that kind of riding in the way that an Epic Evo or a Ripley does.

Contra most folks in this thread, I don’t recommend the flat out 100mm race bikes for anyone who isn’t racing. Aside from the travel limitations, the pedaling position on these bikes is usually not as relaxed, so unless you’re training for a race, pinning it and doing max efforts all day, it’s not going to be great for your back. Even for the MV terrain, I’d go with something like a Ripley - the modern 120 bikes pedal so well that you won’t mind the extra 2cm of travel at all, and then you will be able to use your bike for traveling to more hilly places *and* you won’t feel so stretched out when seated.

Just one mountain bikers opinion.

[fa63]

Originally Posted by Eli Bingham

I have a Following - you can find it in the gallery. It’s the best bike I’ve ever owned, bar none. However, I don’t know if I’d recommend it for the OP - it’s much more of a burly short travel trail bike. Mine is built up like a mini enduro bike and I’ve even got a coil shock on order for it. You can build them up more XCish with a 120 SID or a Fox Stepcast, but I’ve tried it, and it doesn’t excel at that kind of riding in the way that an Epic Evo or a Ripley does.



Contra most folks in this thread, I don’t recommend the flat out 100mm race bikes for anyone who isn’t racing. Aside from the travel limitations, the pedaling position on these bikes is usually not as relaxed, so unless you’re training for a race, pinning it and doing max efforts all day, it’s not going to be great for your back. Even for the MV terrain, I’d go with something like a Ripley - the modern 120 bikes pedal so well that you won’t mind the extra 2cm of travel at all, and then you will be able to use your bike for traveling to more hilly places *and* you won’t feel so stretched out when seated.



Just one mountain bikers opinion.

The OP asked for XC bikes, hence the recommendations for XC bikes I agree that most folks would be better off on a short-travel trail bike if that is the one bike they could ride as it gives more flexibility.

At the same time, modern "XC" bikes have sorted of morphed into trail bikes as well. I ride some pretty rocky / rooty stuff here in the N. GA mountains and the 100mm frame / 120mm fork feels more than sufficient for 98% of the trails. Plus the false sense of security that sometimes comes with having extra travel prevents me from trying to do stupid stuff on the bike

There is no one perfect bike really, even though we all want that one quiver killer. I hated my previous Yeti SB115, even though on paper it should have been the perfect bike.

[NHAero]

I should have disclaimed all knowledge about MTBs in the original posts, in the sense that I am not current with these definitions and I thought that XC was the light, low travel, not jumping off of stuff end of the spectrum. I'm still not sure I understand the difference between XC and Trail

Originally Posted by fa63

The OP asked for XC bikes, hence the recommendations for XC bikes I agree that most folks would be better off on a short-travel trail bike if that is the one bike they could ride as it gives more flexibility.

At the same time, modern "XC" bikes have sorted of morphed into trail bikes as well. I ride some pretty rocky / rooty stuff here in the N. GA mountains and the 100mm frame / 120mm fork feels more than sufficient for 98% of the trails. Plus the false sense of security that sometimes comes with having extra travel prevents me from trying to do stupid stuff on the bike

There is no one perfect bike really, even though we all want that one quiver killer. I hated my previous Yeti SB115, even though on paper it should have been the perfect bike.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by NHAero

I should have disclaimed all knowledge about MTBs in the original posts, in the sense that I am not current with these definitions and I thought that XC was the light, low travel, not jumping off of stuff end of the spectrum. I'm still not sure I understand the difference between XC and Trail

It’s a blurred line. Only becoming more blurred as XCO courses become more technically challenging and manufactures respond with XC MTBs with more travel and wider, knobbier tires.