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Mountain bikes

Discussion in 'General' started by Rob P, Nov 25, 2016.

  1. rowe748

    rowe748 Well-Known Member

  2. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

  3. rowe748

    rowe748 Well-Known Member

    Should have mentioned that. 80% gravel with the family and baby in tow and 20% single track. Nothing intense on the single track, but plenty of roots etc.
     
  4. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    Roots will beat you so badly you’ll be wishing for a FS. Roots caused me to go from a FS XC bike to a FS trail bike, which is roughly double the travel. After my ex- rode a full-rigid on rooted trails, she went straight out and bought a FS bike. Keeping in mind, she was a national-level BMX racer, years ago, so she had offroad experience.

    If you can avoid riding rooted trails, your riding will be much more enjoyable, with what you’re looking at. At the least, the Giant Fathom is a better option than either the Trek or CL bike. The Giant is a trail HT with 120mm fork and a little more relaxed geometry, whereas the Trek is an XC bike with short-travel, 100mm fork and more aggressive geometry. A suspended-fork MTB is going to be an investment over the CL bike, for comfort, versatility, and long-term happiness.

    I’d suggest the Giant Fathom.
     
  5. brex

    brex Well-Known Member

    That's an awefully high price for that bike on top of the above advice.
     
  6. bacolmm

    bacolmm Well-Known Member

    The local Trek dealerships had a blowout sale this weekend. Seems like they might be changing ownership or something? I swung by to “look” and left with a bike - 2017 Trek Superfly7 29er for $700. It was a demo bike and is in brand new condition. It wasn’t exactly what I was looking for (I had been shopping for a 27.5+ bike) but I couldn’t pass it up. The bottom of my receipt says I saved $1332. I’ve put a few miles on it on the trails and I’m a fan of the 29 inch wheels! It carries momentum really well, rolls over roots and rocks easier, and the tires hook up better (larger contact patch I guess). When I was checking out the woman next to me purchased a road bike, road frame, wheel set, etc. Her receipt said she spent $3K and saved $6K.
     
    stk0308 and ducnut like this.
  7. rowe748

    rowe748 Well-Known Member

    Thanks ducnut. I’ve been looking at bikes for a month, and your post just made it all clear. I’m going to stick with a hard tail, but it will be the fathom.
     
    bacolmm and ducnut like this.
  8. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    I’ve bought two demo bikes off eBay that were ~$2800ea. I gave $1200/$1250, for each of them. My first FS bike was the shop owner’s “good intentions” bike, with a $3500msrp, and I gave $2500 for it.

    There are tons of good deals around, this time of year, if you’re not in a hurry and you have some flexibility in your wants.
     
    bacolmm likes this.
  9. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    29ers are great for cross country. The big OEMs are trying to push the 27.5s and not offering much in the 29er. The boutique companies still offer nice packages for the 29er. My buddy got a FS carbon frame/wheel 29er... that thing rips. Cost more than a used gsxr...lol
     
    bacolmm likes this.
  10. bacolmm

    bacolmm Well-Known Member

    I was looking at the Fathom 27.5+ and it's a badass bike, but it would have cost me almost double what I paid for this bike. I suspect there are some qualities of that bike that I would like better than the Superfly, but so far the 29 inch wheels have exceeded my expectations. In hind sight I might be more interested in the 29 Fathom than the 27.5. The shop where I looked at the Fathom had a shocking number of bikes that were pushing the $10K barrier...
     
  11. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    The industry HAS to keep coming up with new trends, in attempt to keep buyers buying. It’s stupid. I’ll be keeping my FS 29er with 2X10 for a long time.
     
    ineedanap, TurboBlew and bacolmm like this.
  12. mike-guy

    mike-guy Well-Known Member

    Got a question specific to people in the desert/red rock areas. I'm going riding in Sedona AZ and I've always rode 27.5 hardtails with normal sized tires, 2.2-2.4 and I really don't like the feel of plus sized nor do I care for 29ers that much. Anyways bikes up for rental are either plus sized or 29ers. I would think the plus would grip way better on dusty rock stuff but I'm not sure. All are full squish higher end bikes.
     
  13. RichB

    RichB Well-Known Member

    Any test/assessment I've read on this has shown that 27.5+ are slower up, down and overall compared to a 29er of moderate tyre size. Not sure if that was your point but there is no reason to go 27.5+.
     
    bacolmm likes this.
  14. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    in DH and descents the 27.5 and even the 26 are better/faster than 29.
    One thing I like about the 27.5 is the tire width selection. Yes its slower than a 29 pedaling but you can even the effort on the brakes and corner speed.
     
  15. RndHoleSqPeg

    RndHoleSqPeg Well-Known Member

    I would disagree, 29ers role as fast if not faster down hills. Every World Cup team is launching or launched a 29er. The diameter allows you to roll faster over obcstacles and not loose momentum. With boost or boost plus spacing on rear hubs the chain lines and chain stay lengths have improved the geometry of 29ers so that they are a lot more poppy and fun. The hotest bike that every manufacturer is launching is the long travel 29.

    Plus tired bikes have the problem of tire durability, and the novelty is wearing off fast as now most 27.5/29 bikes can now fit a 2.6 if not a 2.8 because of boost spacing. If you are in a sloppy part of the year rolling on a 2.6 minion will be way more confidence inspiring than 3.0 rekon.
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2019
    bacolmm likes this.
  16. RndHoleSqPeg

    RndHoleSqPeg Well-Known Member


    I forgot that your question was desert specific, last time I was in Moab the only tire problems we had were on my buddies plus tired mojo, with two sidewall cuts. The plus bike has great grip and you can clear some stupid obstacles with all that traction, But I’d lean toward a regular 29er for tire durability.
     
  17. bwhip

    bwhip latebraker.com

    Super stoked about my latest MTB "investment" - especially since I got it for almost half price. :D Now if it would just quit snowing and raining...

    [​IMG]
     
    Fencer, bacolmm, tropicoz and 4 others like this.
  18. Odilup

    Odilup Well-Known Member

    This is just wrong. The 29" wheel downhill is so much faster and clears chunk so much better.
     
    ducnut likes this.
  19. Mechdziner714

    Mechdziner714 More Gas Less Brakes

    That must be why all the downhill racers use 26/27.5....
     
    TurboBlew likes this.
  20. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    not so much the roll speed as changing direction and braking. When I did a back to back to back test ride all with the same size brakes the 29er was the harder of the 3 going DH. Since most of my riding is cross country the 29er is the fastest vs pedal effort but I dont race so I went with a 6" travel bike that checked the boxes of what I wanted. From what I gather most of the fastest racers run 120mm travel fork on a carbon hardtail bringing the bike weight in under 20lbs. My bike is 30 ready to roll which works great for exercise.
     

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