Ok everyone ... been a long ass time since I've been here ... I don't have cliffs available .... but I will use paragraphs!
I have a 2004 Epic. Got it new ... and I beat up on bikes.
I've cracked the frame on the rear chainstay twice. This is when I was weighing in around 225.
The bike has had all kinds of problems, creaking, I can feel movement in my right leg on the downstroke. I've spent a fortune replacing parts and the LBS this past year ... barely ride the damn thing, it's no fun in the present condition ... the LBS is now saying that maybe it's time to give up and move on to a new bike. WTF. He's giving up because of a creak!? After taking all my $$$ ...
So part of me just wants to take the bike to another shop to see what they say. I understand pivots can get worn and creak, I'm just not confident with them throwing in the towel without a better investigation.
There's been talk about shifting to a single pivot full suspension. I'm weighing in at about 250 right now, and I'd have to kill myself if I get something with pedal bob.
Some people are trying to talk me into a hard tail, but I remember a few years back, they said I needed a soft-tail like the Epic to just absorb enough of the rear wheel trauma so I wouldn't be eating parts like I had been on my old hard tail.
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What do you guys think? Keep trying with the Epic? Maybe try another shop?
Or succumb to the new bike tease? Any suggestions for someone who weighs in hefty but likes to toss the bike around and is addicted to speed?
Hard tail? Soft?
I have a 2004 Epic. Got it new ... and I beat up on bikes.
I've cracked the frame on the rear chainstay twice. This is when I was weighing in around 225.
The bike has had all kinds of problems, creaking, I can feel movement in my right leg on the downstroke. I've spent a fortune replacing parts and the LBS this past year ... barely ride the damn thing, it's no fun in the present condition ... the LBS is now saying that maybe it's time to give up and move on to a new bike. WTF. He's giving up because of a creak!? After taking all my $$$ ...
So part of me just wants to take the bike to another shop to see what they say. I understand pivots can get worn and creak, I'm just not confident with them throwing in the towel without a better investigation.
There's been talk about shifting to a single pivot full suspension. I'm weighing in at about 250 right now, and I'd have to kill myself if I get something with pedal bob.
Some people are trying to talk me into a hard tail, but I remember a few years back, they said I needed a soft-tail like the Epic to just absorb enough of the rear wheel trauma so I wouldn't be eating parts like I had been on my old hard tail.
-----------------------------------
What do you guys think? Keep trying with the Epic? Maybe try another shop?
Or succumb to the new bike tease? Any suggestions for someone who weighs in hefty but likes to toss the bike around and is addicted to speed?
Hard tail? Soft?