Quantcast

Dos or Spider??

Tmeyer

Monkey
Mar 26, 2005
585
1
SLC
Alright, I've decided to sell the Excalibur frame in favor of something a bit more forgiving hence the Salsa Dos Niner and Intense Spider. About a 500 price difference between the two at my costs. The aluminum just kills me and I'm not going for any XC titles any time soon. Just looking for something that I can do some big rides on and be comfy. Two choices are mentioned above. I like the idea of the Dos niner, it has a fair price tag but I'm nervous about the soft-tail in terms of durability. I am a smooth rider but def hammer on my bikes sometimes as I ride a bunch of DH as well. The Spider looks really nice hence the price tag and as of now I can't see anything wrong with it other than the price? I ride my 29er twice a week usually and race locally maybe 3-5 times a year to give you an idea. Feedback on the Dos Niner? I saw the write up by George on the Intense...... Thanks
 

Guitar Ted

Monkey
Aug 21, 2006
305
0
Waterloo, IA
I ride a Dos, weigh about 240lbs, and I have thrashed mine on everything from super rocky high desert trails to super mud infested Iowa B maintenance roads.

That said, there couldn't be more of a disparity between your two choices.

As an all arounder, the Dos will suit you better. The Intense is a great trail machine, but with all those pivots, your weight and maintenance will be greater than with a Dos. I think the Dos handles very well and would do about 80% of what most guys riding 29"ers want to do.

The Dos does have paint chipping problems, due to the process used to preserve the strength of the Scandium tubes. It also would be a bit overwhelmed in fast, rough down hills, essentially being a hardtail-ish design.

The Intense would be my choice if I really wanted an epic trail machine and I rode severe terrain on a regular basis.
 

Tmeyer

Monkey
Mar 26, 2005
585
1
SLC
Thanks for the info, the Dos is sounding like its going to be the one. I have other bikes to thrash on if need be and really want something that will be light enough to do a few races. Whats the build weight pn yours Guitar Ted and what fork are you running? I'm thnking of the new Fox 29er.....
 

MMcG

Ride till you puke!
Dec 10, 2002
15,457
12
Burlington, Connecticut
The Dos would be my choice based on this scenario. If you've got money for a Spider - why not contact Brendan at Siren Cycles to see what the latest is on his Siren Song Softail frame though - maybe that'd be more to your liking than the Dos Niner and you could get it built around the Fox fork platform.
 

Guitar Ted

Monkey
Aug 21, 2006
305
0
Waterloo, IA
Well, my bikes weight fluctuates based upon what I am testing for Twenty Nine Inches. It can be quite light though. I've had it down below 26lbs a couple times with a Reba and no stupid light, or even close to stupid light parts with the exception of maybe the wheels I ran those two times.

There is no doubt it could go below 25lbs if I chose some carpet fiber parts like handle bars, seat post, and stem, along with an upgrade in the crank and a few other bits, but that would double the price of the bike as it sits too!

MMcG: The Siren Song isn't quite ready yet. It's close though....

And I'm very sure that the Dos is up for some serious upgrades from Salsa soon. I've no word from anyone regarding this, just my own personal hunch. I look for a carbon rear end on it. Take a look at the Mamasita for a clue.
 

Tmeyer

Monkey
Mar 26, 2005
585
1
SLC
The siren looks nice but def out of my budget, should have been more clear before, I COULD afford the Spider, but it would be a stretch. I'm thinking of grabbing a dos and selling my reba and x-calibur frame. Then hopefully get my paws on the new Fox 29er RLC fork, looks really nice and is getting rave reviews in comparison to the Reba. I would expect to see the Dos in Carbon soon as well, scandium will be fine for now. Thanks for the input...
 

Guitar Ted

Monkey
Aug 21, 2006
305
0
Waterloo, IA
Buddy just went from RacerX 29 to a Spider... he likes the head angle on it for steering vs the RX
I talked with Jeff Steber at Interbike in '06 and asked him about this head angle that they use on the Spider. It was his intention to get the "quick, snappy handling of a 26"er that I love", as I recall him saying then.

Well, some folks like 29"ers for the fact that they are...29 inch wheels and not 26 inch wheels. This includes how they steer.

Getting your head angle that steep, amongst more obvious pitfalls, makes the front end of your bike less stable and allows your wheel to get closer to zero trail at less of a turn angle than a slacker head angle does. This manifests itself in tight switchbacks and the like where you are at slow speed and trying to stay upright while threading a nasty downhill pitched corner. Typically you are cranking the handle bar and experiencing more head angle steepness due to shock compression. It's all a recipe for endo-mania! (sound familiar?)

Interestingly, Intense has been "secrectly" experimenting with slacker head angles and Fox forks with longer offset recently. This tells me that even they are not fully convinced of their own Spider's design and handling package.

Now back to the seemingly chosen Dos. It will be a much more "tuneable" chassis, since it's head angle is more "middle of the road" and not at an extreme where all you could do is try to tune it back the other way, which isn't possible with the Intense. There are no shorter offset forks with suspension available, and of course, that would only make toe overlap even worse.

So, I believe the Dos is a wiser choice just from the front end handling perspective alone. Sure, it is not full suspension, but Salsa will probably have that covered here soon anyway.
 

SyT

Chimp
Aug 26, 2005
10
0
I don't like soft tails. For me it's either fs or not. However, being the owner of a spider, I can say you couldn't give me one of these frames unless you provided a buyer for it as well. The rear triangle of these bikes flexes to a ridiculous degree. Companies like Intense make good arguments for having quantifiable lateral flex information available to any purchasing prospects. I personally feel that it degrades the ride to the point of being a warranty issue. Intense doesn't even acknowledge a problem exists. (that I'm aware of)
It was the last Intense product to gain access to my funds. Ever.

Oddly enough, the geo on this bike seems fine for my midwest riding terrain.
 

Tmeyer

Monkey
Mar 26, 2005
585
1
SLC
Thanks Syt, appreciate the input. I was also just @ the LBS and was looking at the GT peace 29er geared frame. Very affordable and steel and I would def have the budget for a F29 fork. Might be a little piggish but a great ride and think 200-300 cheaper than the Dos. Still waiting on frame price for the Peace 29.
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
I talked with Jeff Steber at Interbike in '06 and asked him about this head angle that they use on the Spider. It was his intention to get the "quick, snappy handling of a 26"er that I love", as I recall him saying then.

Well, some folks like 29"ers for the fact that they are...29 inch wheels and not 26 inch wheels. This includes how they steer.

Getting your head angle that steep, amongst more obvious pitfalls, makes the front end of your bike less stable and allows your wheel to get closer to zero trail at less of a turn angle than a slacker head angle does. This manifests itself in tight switchbacks and the like where you are at slow speed and trying to stay upright while threading a nasty downhill pitched corner. Typically you are cranking the handle bar and experiencing more head angle steepness due to shock compression. It's all a recipe for endo-mania! (sound familiar?)

Interestingly, Intense has been "secrectly" experimenting with slacker head angles and Fox forks with longer offset recently. This tells me that even they are not fully convinced of their own Spider's design and handling package.

Now back to the seemingly chosen Dos. It will be a much more "tuneable" chassis, since it's head angle is more "middle of the road" and not at an extreme where all you could do is try to tune it back the other way, which isn't possible with the Intense. There are no shorter offset forks with suspension available, and of course, that would only make toe overlap even worse.

So, I believe the Dos is a wiser choice just from the front end handling perspective alone. Sure, it is not full suspension, but Salsa will probably have that covered here soon anyway.
Well, I'm not interested in a 29r that rides like a 26r...

I love my Rx and cant see changing anytime soon... unless I decide to build up a geared hardtail Titus Eleven...
 

MMcG

Ride till you puke!
Dec 10, 2002
15,457
12
Burlington, Connecticut
Thanks Syt, appreciate the input. I was also just @ the LBS and was looking at the GT peace 29er geared frame. Very affordable and steel and I would def have the budget for a F29 fork. Might be a little piggish but a great ride and think 200-300 cheaper than the Dos. Still waiting on frame price for the Peace 29.

Are you sure you can buy a GT Peace 29er as a frame only though?