[miked.]

i know these are different rides, and maybe this is more of an all mountain question than a downhill question but if you had your choice between these 2 bikes at the exact same low low price, which would you take home?

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/08/cusa/model-8VM3.html

or

http://www.specialized.com/it/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?arc=2008&sid=08EnduroSL&gold_ses=

 

[zdubyadubya]

the bikes aren't even close to similar.

one is a very steep head angle XC bike.
one is a slacker all mountain with a dual-crown fork.

its like comparing a jeep to a civic

me? i would buy the rush because i already have an all mountain bike and a downhill bike. however, i know two people who bought rushes and said that they are not confidence inspiring on descents whatsoever. so maybe i would buy the more expensive one (since you are getting an amazing deal) part it out on ebay and build up what i really want for the type of riding that i want a bike for.

 

[miked.]

sorry about that!!! here's the second link again!!!

http://www.specialized.com/it/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?arc=2008&spid=33444

 

[miked.]

you're right, they are indeed completely different bikes. i used to ride a stinky, and found it too heavy and a terrible climber. advances in technology since i last shopped have greatly improved an fs's ability to climb, which is great, but while i am worried about the cannondale's ability to descend, i am also worried about the specialized's ability to climb... is it going to just straight up suck the energy out of me like my old stinky?

 

[J-Dubs]

I would take home the Specialized because it is more versatile. The Rush is a more dedicated racer for less technical trails, which doesn't work for me, or where I usually ride.

 

[miked.]

what else would you recommend i take for a test ride then in the same category as that enduro?

 

[cableguy]

I wouldn't get either. I rather buy a used Nomad or Tracer or SS for the same $$$.

 

[MinorThreat]

Enduro by far. And run from Crack-'n-fail.

 

[sanjuro]

I would get the Specialized.

 

[time-bomb]

Another vote for the Spesh. They pedal better than you think. Excessive bobbing is caused by the rider not knowing how to pedal, not the bike. I would put my Titus up against anything when it comes to climbing.

 

[norbar]

Banshee Rune, Spesh, Nomad, Corsair Marque, Lapierre spicy (if you are in a place they can be sold). The rush is not a good descender. I wouldn't even go with the more enduro cannondales as after the test ride I've got a feeling they are far from nimble. I've got a much longer trailbike that behave much better than their stuff in terms of cornering ability.

 

[miked.]

thanks for the input all... i'm only more confused. i think i need to ride a few more things which is probably the best idea since neither of these were screaming out at me... just the sale price was. it's hard to know which direction to go. i rode kona for so long, i just don't know where to move next.

 

[w00dy]

Can't believe nobody said it, Canondale was bought out again. This does not bode well for their long term serviceability.

 

[ska todd]

Can't believe nobody said it, Canondale was bought out again. This does not bode well for their long term serviceability.

That's b/c Cannondale was sold by an equity firm to Pacific. It didn't really disrupt the brand's daily operations or dealer base.

-ska todd

 

[OB1]

I'm confused. Are you asking what I would want, or what I think you should want? I don't have a use for either. And I don't know you. So....why am I even posting? And why am I watching Joe Dirt for the 3rd time in a week?

 

[miked.]

damn! that corsair and that lapierre are sweet! i've never heard of them before. i wonder if i have a dealer for either in toronto. anyone ever actually ride either of them?

 

[miked.]

hah! ob1, no need for you to post if you don't feel you should be. i am basically asking if you had your choice of only one but say it were free, which one would you take home right now. i don't know either of the brands well, so i am trying to get a sense of whether or not i should definitely stay away from either of them. in the end, i will make any bike i choose work for me wherever i ride it, but these were a sweet price so wanted a sense of which one i should nab if i don't find something else more suited for my needs.

 

[OB1]

hah! ob1, no need for you to post if you don't feel you should be. i am basically asking if you had your choice of only one but say it were free, which one would you take home right now. i don't know either of the brands well, so i am trying to get a sense of whether or not i should definitely stay away from either of them. in the end, i will make any bike i choose work for me wherever i ride it, but these were a sweet price so wanted a sense of which one i should nab if i don't find something else more suited for my needs.

Allright then....Specialized for sure! No doubt about it! And I'm not just saying that because on a Specialized backed team. I have an 09 SX that I'm very happy with. And I'm no fan of carbon when rocks no roots are around. 2nd hand pot smoke makes me paranoid.

 

[norbar]

damn! that corsair and that lapierre are sweet! i've never heard of them before. i wonder if i have a dealer for either in toronto. anyone ever actually ride either of them?

Look on the forums as there was something mentioned about the canadian dealer of Lapierre. They look even more hot in person and the build quality is sublime.

 

[DirtyMike]

Enduro by far. And run from Crack-'n-fail.

Agreed, after working for a cannondale dealer years ago, and having time on both bikes, youll find the enduro in my garage to compliment my Blindside. The damn thing climbs great, decents decently. What you will find me changing will be the bars, the seat, the headset. Some flat, wide bars, a Speccy Alias seat, and some headset with a lower stack height, the stock one is kinds rediculous, made it hard to mount the bottle opener unerneath the crown. Other than that, I plan on riding the **** out of it, I will replace suspension parts as I kill them, Guessing it will be the rear shock I kill before the fork.


Oh yeah, even today, there is a reason Cannondale is Nick named Crack-n-fail.

 

[cneums]

the corsair is such a nice bike. drop them an email to see where your closest dealer is, you can also buy straight from them if you'd prefer that. awesome customer service, top notch quality and builds.

 

[rockofullr]

Of those bikes the Enduro is the better choice.

There are a slew of bikes which are comparable to the enduro in pedaling efficiency but handle descending much better. Unless you are a true XC geek get something that handles the downhill better. It makes riding so much more fun when you can confidently attack the descents.

There are many more but here's a place to start:

Nomad
Reign
6.6
Remedy

 

[miked.]

alright! i am hearing a lot of praise for the intense bikes and for the giant's. intense was not something i had thought of, and i was gonna go test out a reign this weekend. the reviews i am reading on the tracer make it sound like one of the best bikes ever made. i suppose most user reviews are biased though... there's a need to justify spending that much money to lots of people. but i'm gonna find me a dealer here and ride one for sure. those corsair's are sick! but i worry about "newer" bike companies. think i prefer something tested

 

[norbar]

alright! i am hearing a lot of praise for the intense bikes and for the giant's. intense was not something i had thought of, and i was gonna go test out a reign this weekend. the reviews i am reading on the tracer make it sound like one of the best bikes ever made. i suppose most user reviews are biased though... there's a need to justify spending that much money to lots of people. but i'm gonna find me a dealer here and ride one for sure. those corsair's are sick! but i worry about "newer" bike companies. think i prefer something tested

It's the bikes that need to be tested not the companies. Tracer is also a new bike so actualy there is no differance between it and the corsair in how "tested" they are.

 

[miked.]

that's a very good point. thanks! i can't find an intense dealer in my neck of the woods anyhow. and obviously no corsair dealer in my area either... so i can't test either of them. i am sure someone must sell intense in or around toronto...

 

[miked.]

ok, so it's been a couple weeks, and i may have found a bike. i don't have intense dealers around me, so i don't know what they are worth. what would you pay for this build?

Intense Tracer Med White no iscg tabs so 1/2 pounds lighter
2010 RP23 boostvalves
Fox Float 32 RLC 140 mm
Full X-0
Juicy Ultimate Carbon
Mavic crosstrail UST with Intense Sys 2 tire tubeless
seat chromag
truvative stylo wc bar
truvative stlo GXP black
truvative carbone seatpost
easton Ea50 stem
no pedals

 

[Joe W.Cup]

what would you pay for this build?

Dude, it's not what I would pay for that build, it's what will you pay for that build. Somebody may be willing to pay "X" more then I would be. But that doesn't mean he got ripped off. Look around, see what simular builds are going for and decide if your willing to play ball.

 

[miked.]

hmmm... i see your point. my problem is, i haven't shopped for a bike in many years. i have never known of intense cycles until recently, and things have changed a lot in technology since i last shopped. i haven't been able to find one for sale in ontario, so i don't have a clue where to start. i guess a better way to phrase the question would be; what do you think this build would sell for in a retail store?