Full Suspension 29ers?

G

glide

Member
Thoughts on full suspension 29ers?

It appears most loyal 29" riders are on hardtails. I've owned two rigid 29ers and still have a SS 29er with front suspension but it still is not as easy on my body as my full suspension (26). I see merit in both wheel sizes and considering a full suspension 29er in the future.

I didn't find too much discussion after searching this forum.
 
I rode a fisher hifi pro last year and loved it. It was a fantastic bike. I think the merits of a FS bike are what they are: more comfortable, heavier in comparison to a hardtail, more expensive and more parts to fix/break. But they sure are high on the fun scale.
 
I have a Hi-Fi Pro and love it. It's pretty light compared to others in the price range.

Tim
 
Since you have a 26 and 29 bikes, the difference you probably need to consider is whether the increased maneuverability and lighter weight of the 26 more important than the 29er's great comfort and ability to handle bigger obstacles with greater ease.

It's all a matter of personal preference.:hmmm:
 
Stocky and Skiphreaknj,

How much does the Hifi Deluxe weigh?

You both love it but if you had to pick one weakness what would it be?
 
I have yet to ride a FS 29er that I liked. My 69er Trek is awesome though. I'm really really interested in riding Sleeveless Joe's Tallboy when he gets it.
I personally can't stand how long the FS 29ers are. Not a big deal if you are short but the wheelbase on a smaller bike is just too much for me. There is a minimum wheelbase you can get away with because of the size of the wheels and toe overlap.
Also the bottom bracket drop is too much for me on most 29ers, fantastic for race bikes but I'm not into that.
 
Glide,

You didn't ask about the Pro, but I'll tell you anyway.😀

Mine which is dead stock except for running Maxxis Ignitors tubeless (no Bontrager strip just Stan's tape) and full XT, weighs 27lbs on the nose with no pedals.

My biggest complaint is the amount of flex in the rear triangle. I guess this is the price you pay for low weight.

Oh yeah, and how if you crash the right way the carbon seat stays snap like twigs.😛

Tim
 
Tim has the older HiFi design. The 2010 and newer models have much stiffer rear triangles and AL seat stays.

I'm on a HiFi Pro as well. Large. Very happy with it. Stock it was around 27.5 pounds and the Deluxe was 28.5-29.5 pounds. I changed out the wheelset and tires and have it sitting at 26.7 pounds with no weight weenie parts. For reference, my stock HT (Paragon) was around 26 pounds anyway.

I rode a Camber and it feels completely different than the HiFi. Much more cushy in the rough stuff but lots of pedal bob on the climbs. HiFi/Spearfish/Jet9 are all good choices.
 
If I recall the Hifi Deluxe lists around $2600 and the Pro $3600...are you really getting that much better of a bike for the extra grand? Keep in mind I ride for fun with no intentions of racing.

I was leaning towards a Camber but all this love for the Hifi is beginning to tilt me in the other direction.
 
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90% of the time, the Deluxe is as high as you need to go. We have either done the Deluxe, or guys skip the Pro for the SuperFly100. The Pro is a weird price-point because it's a little too much to be just a trail bike, and at the same time it's not enough to be a serious race bike.

-Jim.

PS-I've been intrigued by the Camber on paper. I'd like to get my hands on a demo bike for a ride or two. Maybe when Scott's back in town I'll get one off the truck and run it through it's paces.
 
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gtluke;308997 I'm really really interested in riding Sleeveless Joe's Tallboy when he gets it. QUOTE said:
Two more weeks, Luke.

btw - I wimped out and bought a Yakima Front Loader tray in lieu of having to take the front wheel off the Lefty.
Click to expand...
 
I agree that the Deluxe is the sweet spot in value. I grabbed a Pro only because it was discounted enough to justify it.

I rode them back to back and couldn't tell the difference between the shock with the boost valve and without.
 
My 2009 HiFi Deluxe had carbon stays but didn't Fisher go the way of magnesium stays over carbon on the 2010 and up HiFi?
 
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I've been riding a Ventana El Rey for 3.5 years and love the thing. While the suspension (faux bar/single pivot) isn't the most sophisticated, the RP23 upgrade makes it very tunable: Plush for the rough stuff, firm for the smoother bits. I rigged up a thumb lever to flip between Pro Pedal on/off on the fly, and that took the bike from good to great. It's a bit portly (31-32 lbs), but mainly because I have older (early 2000) XT components hung on it (plus it's a 23" frame), but that weight hasn't prevented me from riding (and mostly cleaning 😉)the techiest stuff at Wawayanda, Allamuchy, Ringwood and more. That said, as/when it dies, I would like to check out a DW-link equipped bike and/or give FSR (Specialized) another go to see how they compare.
 
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