Quantcast

Looking for advice:

Sep 17, 2018
1
1
Florida
I’m planning on buying a mountain bike soon. I live in Florida where we have a lot of soft sandy trails but I also like to travel to North Georgia's mountains. I am looking for a “Do-it-all” bike.

I set aside $4500 and have a lineup of possible options.

I realize I don’t have a vast knowledge of mountain biking and thus looking for usable input. I understand I could save a lot of money by investing in a hardtail, but I would really prefer a full suspension bike that I do not have to upgrade anytime soon but has the ability to be upgraded.

My current line-up includes in no particular order:

Scott Genius 920
Specialized Stumpjumper Comp Carbon 29 -12-Speed
Canyon Spectral CF 9.0
Ibis Ripmo
YT Jeffsy 29
Niner Rip 9 RDO 2-Star NX Eagle
Kona Process 153 CR 29

I would prefer some input on best value for the money, and pro’s & con’s. How would you rank these bikes? I will also take input on other bikes to consider.
 

rockofullr

confused
Jun 11, 2009
7,342
924
East Bay, Cali
Jeffsy or Process will be the best bikes for the money. Transition also has great bang for your buck, you should consider their bikes also. I'd include Canyon but I've heard a lot of horror stories with their bikes lately.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
I'd be wary of the 150-160mm 29ers, these are massive bikes and massively sluggish unless you have some significant gravity riding to really unleash them. I know there are features and obstacles on the trails in Florida, but this is where such a bike will really be a bear and not a lot of fun, having to constantly accelerate that much bike on flat ground or slight uphills is going to hurt and make it difficult to make the obstacles/gaps/etc. They are great plow-bikes for big descents, but a good solid 120mm 29er would be my pick (as opposed to a more XCish 120mm 29er) if you are looking to unleash it on some of those bigger descents in the GA hills/mountains. Build up with 140 fork or even pick up a 2nd fork and have two, a 120 and a 140, put the 140 on when you go North or on vacations.
 

ID2NVmtb

Chimp
Nov 27, 2018
4
0
x2 on the Pivot Trail 429. I've never ridden in Georgia but can attest that even in factory form, the Trail429 holds its own even on the most technical, choppy, and a BLAST on the flow trials of N. Nevada and the Sierra Buttes. I rode the Ripmo but it was on backorder for over 6mo. The extra travel would've been fun on the downhill but coming from a YT Capra (rode the Jeffsy too), the climbing speed of the Trail429 beats both the Ripmo and Capra/Jeffsy.
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
SC Hightower. I find it significantly more fun than the Pivot although my riding time on the new T429 is very limited. No stupid rear hubs either.
 

stevewonders

Chimp
Nov 29, 2018
5
0
Canada
I’m planning on buying a mountain bike soon. I live in Florida where we have a lot of soft sandy trails but I also like to travel to North Georgia's mountains. I am looking for a “Do-it-all” bike.

I set aside $4500 and have a lineup of possible options.

I realize I don’t have a vast knowledge of mountain biking and thus looking for usable input. I understand I could save a lot of money by investing in a hardtail, but I would really prefer a full suspension bike that I do not have to upgrade anytime soon but has the ability to be upgraded.

My current line-up includes in no particular order:

Scott Genius 920
Specialized Stumpjumper Comp Carbon 29 -12-Speed
Canyon Spectral CF 9.0
Ibis Ripmo
YT Jeffsy 29
Niner Rip 9 RDO 2-Star NX Eagle
Kona Process 153 CR 29

I would prefer some input on best value for the money, and pro’s & con’s. How would you rank these bikes? I will also take input on other bikes to consider.
i prefer scott :D