Yeah, it is funny to see the "old" models, that aren't that old...
The what new bike are you considering thread
- Thread starter Captain Brainstorm
- Start date
Captain Brainstorm
Well-Known Member
This notion of having a bike that you can also take to the bike park is one that I think has been completely invented by the industry and bullshit bike "journalists" like Pinkbike. Through my experience, I find that the best bike to ride at the bike park is one that you don't own. I took my own bike once, after that I bought my own helmet and pads, and now rent. Its much more liberating to ride without the worry of totally roasting your own brakes and destroying your own tires and wheels, and scratching the shit out of everything when you crash.
As a follow up, I rode my scalpel last night...which if you dont know, has a 100mm carbon lefty....stans podium front wheel and a racing ralph 2.25 as its currently set up. I'll preface this by saying, I have not spent time playing with tokens or volume spacers while Riding a fox or a rockshox....However in the past year I have ridden many different bikes with Foxes/RS forks..and I ALWAYS carry a shock pump with me in my camelback. ..I wish ANY of them could match my lefty when it came to small bum compliance.....Soon as I was back on my lefty, my hands stopped hurting and I was amazed at how smooth the ride was. Im chalking this up to tuning, but man it would be nice to hop on any RS/Fox and not have them feel like garbage right off the bat. That was really my only gripe with the hightower, fork was great on big hits, but it beat the piss out of you on small bumps. Something im going to have to figure out since c'dale isnt making big travel leftys anymore.
I already own one of those in fact I have 3 in garage, I see plenty of folks at the parks with these long travel trail bikes now. 5 years ago you wouldnt think of bringing one. I am not going big anymore and pretty much know my limits and these bikes are all I need. This is a downsizing without compromising.
I’d mostly agree and while I think that one bike is not enough to do everything, BUT my Bronson really surprised me this year. I rode it for a week in bellingham a month ago and did some big climbing days. We rode some of the steepest dhs ive encountered in my life and I can’t say enough how fun it is to ride with the
BIKEDORK.
Follow him here:
(Yes, we rode brown pow btw)
I also rode it at Highland two weeks ago and was super pleased with it there as well. I actually felt more confident than on my GT fury. It certainly jumps way better.
My more xc bike of the moment the 429 setup on 29x2.6”. This bike reminds me at times of the scalpel I once rode. It’s slower for sure, but it’s really efficient and works better out of the saddle.
Lately the choice between the two is tougher than ever and more driven by who I’m riding with than where. The pivot is the best out of the saddle bike I’ve had in forever. It seems to be more like what most people in NJ should be riding.
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Captain Brainstorm
Well-Known Member
Once you have your own personal preference dialed, it’s difficult to find a fork that meets it in stock form. The other problem is pricing. Back in the day, like 3-4 years ago, you got top of the line suspension on a $6k bike, like Fox Factory. Now, you buy an $8k Santa Cruz with that shitty Fox performance fork and a Reverb dropper? Tokens help a lot, but you sound like you’ll also need to look into aftermarket damping also. Or troll eBay to find an older 160mm lefty for your next bike. If you really like that fork so much, why not?
Ian F
Well-Known Member
I'm 5' 10" and used to be all about sizing down, but I ended up with a Large Megatower. I test rode both at the SC demo day and while I could have lived with a Med, the Large just felt better after riding them back to back. On the downside, I need to learn how to nose-wheelie switchback corners. The bike is as long as my M16C was, if not slightly longer.
Oddly enough, as I'm rapidly closing in on 50 I've ridden jump lines at bike parks a lot more - Gronk at Thunder; Hellion at Highland; and now looking at Hawleywood at Thunder; and now Dominion at Creek doesn't seem as intimidating as it once did. After some practice, getting air on jumps is a lot less abusive on the body than riding natural single track runs.
Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
All of mine are mediums due to my freakishly stupid dimensions (long torso with stumpy arms and legs). I’m between a med and large on SC bikes and I’m 3” shorter than you.
pygmypony
Well-Known Member
i turn 50 in February 2020, so i'm looking for a bday present to myself! this thread has come at the perfect time for me, so thanks!
i've really enjoyed reading everyone's bike reviews here...it's amazing how much you can learn, just reading what other people observe while on a new bike. sadly, my reviews will be terrible because i don't have the patience to write that much stuff!
i rode the Pivot Trail 429 and the Mach 4 SL at the 6MR demo...i really loved the Mach 4 for 6MR. it was super fast and playful, and if i could buy two bikes, i'd be looking for something along those lines. however, what i'm looking for in my next bike, is something i can confidently take "just about" anywhere. i could see the Trail as being a much more capable "go anywhere" bike, for some of the chunkier central jersey (yes, it exists) places i go to regularly, like Chimney Rock and RV. while it was definitely a little more "lumbering" than the Mach 4, i could imagine it would be much more capable when things get chunky. i wish they had that Pivot demo at CR!
i plan on riding the SC Tallboy at some point in the near future, and the Hightower, but i think the Hightower may be a bit more bike than i need around here.
i've really enjoyed reading everyone's bike reviews here...it's amazing how much you can learn, just reading what other people observe while on a new bike. sadly, my reviews will be terrible because i don't have the patience to write that much stuff!
i rode the Pivot Trail 429 and the Mach 4 SL at the 6MR demo...i really loved the Mach 4 for 6MR. it was super fast and playful, and if i could buy two bikes, i'd be looking for something along those lines. however, what i'm looking for in my next bike, is something i can confidently take "just about" anywhere. i could see the Trail as being a much more capable "go anywhere" bike, for some of the chunkier central jersey (yes, it exists) places i go to regularly, like Chimney Rock and RV. while it was definitely a little more "lumbering" than the Mach 4, i could imagine it would be much more capable when things get chunky. i wish they had that Pivot demo at CR!
i plan on riding the SC Tallboy at some point in the near future, and the Hightower, but i think the Hightower may be a bit more bike than i need around here.
The Kalmyk
Well-Known Member
The Blur or like geo is the ticket for me if FS was the path I were to take on. Truthfully though, I see fulls suspension as a headache. Single speed is so much less of a worry to maintain.
After going back to HT for 8 years, partially because of dealing with aging suspension pivots, I will say this:
Santa cruz suspension linkages are SUPER easy to maintain. Aside from lifetime replacement for bearings, you can also buy replacements for every part on the SC website for reasonable prices. I opt'ed to buy the lower link to have factory installed bearings instead of potentially f'ing it up with the replacement bearings. For $60, it was well worth the money. And note, while I did grease.clean the bearings per the recommended intervals, some of the lower links bearings didn't get crunchy until about 450 hours.... The upper bearings on the upper link were crunchy too in the same time frame and I just pressed those in this past weekend and it was E-Z
qclabrat
Well-Known Member
Is the Blur good for someone with lower back problems? Asking for a friend...
That's the thing about these bikes. I'm sure the suspension is now far better than my former 150mm 2007 Enduro SL, but they still have to be "big" bikes. Bigger wheels, more travel and slacker angles = bigger bike (wheelbase). Maybe they've worked out some magic in the geometry, but I can't imagine them feeling that nimble, which is what I personally like for most of the slow tech riding around here.
Magic
Formerly 1sh0t1b33r
I don't know. I'll let you know when my back is better and I get a Blur.
ignoring poor fit set-ups:
I think FS in general is good for backs. When riding HT, my back would be hurting on a two hour ride. With FS, not even as issue.
5010 is the most nimble bike I have ever ridden, line changes at will..
The Kalmyk
Well-Known Member
Why would you change lines? Because one is better than the other or you just like to? Free will is fake. lol
Nah all joking aside. I can't bash any new fs bikes with the limited experience. All things considered, I do know that a ht is the right bike for me right now with the door kept open for full suspension consideration in the future.
That moots clusterF still stinging, eh...
pygmypony
Well-Known Member
i was also eyeing up the 5010 for my list...
in terms of nimbleness, any thoughts or experience as to how the 27.5+ 5010 compares to the tallboy?