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So what are the current options for good, low cost trail bikes?

jstuhlman

bagpipe wanker
Dec 3, 2009
16,728
13,082
Cackalacka du Nord
well if you want to blindly and hack-ily smash-n-charge, i highly recommend the nomad. it’s stupid efficient for it’s travel. dial it back a touch and maybe a new bronson.
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,899
6,186
Yakistan
Yea dude. Anything in the range 2.6-3.0". And honestly a lot of options out there for it, especially hardtails. A lot of 29ers are even designed to handle up to like a 27.5 x 2.8 tire.
In my brief google hunt I couldn't come up with anything besides Giant, Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, SC, and Salsa. Rocky Mountain is a contender also. I would have included Scott also but they pulled out. Wheres the boutique brands jumping on the bandwagon?
 
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jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,115
24,641
media blackout
In my brief google hunt I couldn't come up with anything besides Giant, Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, SC, and Salsa. Rocky Mountain is a contender also. I would have included Scott also but they pulled out. Wheres the boutique brands jumping on the bandwagon?
Norco has one. GG has one. There's more, just too coffee deprived right now to think of more.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,784
5,684
Chumba makes some sweet ones.
That's a name I haven't heard in a long time.
I half expected the site to just be a link to Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" but it seems they do indeed still make bikes, none that I would pay money for though. It's a shame that most old Murican names that still manufacture in the US are still churning out bikes that would have been sweet in the 90's.

Also it's pretty crazy to see Transition mentioned as a budget bike, in Australia they cost buku bucks!
 

SuboptimusPrime

Turbo Monkey
Aug 18, 2005
1,660
1,638
NorCack
You can def still get stuff direct from Maxxis (at full MSRP) but it is getting harder to find 26 stuff from shops or e-shops (discounted). I don't think this means there will be no moar 26 tires super soon but essentially zero shops (online or brick and mortar) carry them consistently. It's definitely more of a pain in the last year than before.

Also, OT. Another vote for a trail pistol. If we had not been ambushed by many unexpected house related costs, I'd have one by now.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,375
8,966
Crawlorado
well if you want to blindly and hack-ily smash-n-charge, i highly recommend the nomad. it’s stupid efficient for it’s travel. dial it back a touch and maybe a new bronson.
Agreed. I rented one in Squamish and rode a bunch of the classic, chunky Northshore trails and the Nomad was a monster truck. It was also surprisingly okay on the fire road climbs, though I'm sure it would have been more of a factor in CO. Good, solid bike that made me reconsider my choice of the SB-5.
 

rockofullr

confused
Jun 11, 2009
7,342
924
East Bay, Cali
Agreed. I rented one in Squamish and rode a bunch of the classic, chunky Northshore trails and the Nomad was a monster truck. It was also surprisingly okay on the fire road climbs, though I'm sure it would have been more of a factor in CO. Good, solid bike that made me reconsider my choice of the SB-5.
Nomad > SB5

can confirm
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
41,322
13,436
Portland, OR
Fucking semi chubby, half fat, + size, 2.6-2.8" tires. Whatever the fuck they are. Squirmy piles I say. My buddy wants one and came to me for my opinion. When i finished laughing, I realized I didnt know much about the semi chubby category. Looking around, the category of half fat (semi chubby) seems to be shrinking. The bells do not seem to be ringing for the semi chubby tire any longer.
Hardtail with 3" tires? Have we come full circle only from 26 to 27.5+?

Evil with Monsters.jpg