[Knuts]

Hey Guys,

I am new to the Forum here and thought I would seek some advice regarding bike selection.

I have been trying to gather as much info on a handful of bikes to narrow my selection before heading to the city to buy a new bike. I live 2 hours from the nearest bike shop and really would like to have 5 - 10 bikes on my "must check out" list before booking a day off work to drive in to Calgary to some of the bike shops there.

I have been out of the mountain bike scene for the past 5 years and really want to get back into it this year. Interestingly enough I recently turned my old Iron Horse hard tail into a pig roast rotiserrie and it got me wanting a new bike to ride not just turn pigs.

So now comes the hard part. I am willing to spend $2000 but of course I am a cheap son of a _ and would rather spend much less (more like $1500). I live right next to the Canadian Badlands and want a bike that can handle the canyon like terrain as well as frequent trips to the mountains. My research tells me that I should be looking at an All-Mountain type bike. I want to be comfortable peddling this thing up as well as down just about anything I point it at as well some steep descents and the odd huck.

Some of the bikes I have been looking at are the Specialized Camber and StumpJumper, Giant Trance, Trek Fuel EX7, Kona Tanuki, Canondale RZ124, and the Jamis Dakar XamII.

I want to be able to have a list of bikes to go test ride and will have to make sure the shops carry these bikes. It is all about timing for me. Also some things to consider - I am out of shape. 5'6" and pushing 200lbs. Obviously using my bike to cook pork instead of riding it like it was intended has had a negative effect on my waist line. I am still active and expect the bike will help get me back down to the 160lbs that I normally sit at but it will need to withstand my abuse until then.

Any suggestions would be killer.
Thanks,

 

[Knuts]

Nobody has replyed to this so I made a list of some of the bikes I have looked at online. I figured if I made a poll I might get at least a few responses to give me some direction. The truth is, all of these bikes seem pretty great and most of them are using either the same or similar components like shocks and brakes and similar geometry. I really don't know what seperates these bikes from each other without having to research the differences. That is where I am looking for some educated resposes.

Thanks,

 

[amishmatt]

I'll be "that guy" and recommend something not on your list.

Based on my personal preferences for slack and low bikes, I'd pick the Specialized Pitch Comp @ $1900.

 

[HAB]

I'll be "that guy" and recommend something not on your list.

Based on my personal preferences for slack and low bikes, I'd pick the Specialized Pitch Comp @ $1900.

Those are GREAT bikes for the money. If they were available frame only I'd have looked really hard at one when I got my Spitfire. No regrets with that bike, but still.


I'll add that you've got kind of a spread of bikes there, as far as intended purpose goes, really. Travel is pretty similar, but the geometry is pretty wildly variable. Some are more on the XC end of things, some are a bit slacker and more aggressive. It's maybe a little hard when you've been out of the game for a bit, but what sort of riding do you see yourself doing, more specifically? That'll help.

 

[Knuts]

Thanks Matt. Finally someone willing to post a reply. I like your selection and I encourage people to post bikes that are not on my list. One of the things that I really know nothing about are the differences in bike components and what makes one crank system better than another or why the Elixer brake is better than the Juicy. When I look at the spec sheets of most bikes it doesn't get me very far. I really rely on written reviews that describe the pros and cons of each bike.

 

[HAB]

Thanks Matt. Finally someone willing to post a reply. I like your selection and I encourage people to post bikes that are not on my list. One of the things that I really know nothing about are the differences in bike components and what makes one crank system better than another or why the Elixer brake is better than the Juicy. When I look at the spec sheets of most bikes it doesn't get me very far. I really rely on written reviews that describe the pros and cons of each bike.

If you're dropping ~2k on a bike, the components are going to be fine. You're obviously not getting top tier stuff for that money, but it'll work plenty well. The biggest factor in your enjoyment of the bike is going to be getting something with geometry and fit that's appropriate for you and how you want to ride. If you're just looking to go out and ride relatively XC oriented trails without any particularly aggressive descending or anything like that, something a little steeper, like the Trek, for example will probably work better. If you're a little less interested in a bike that climbs really great, but want something that'll let you push things harder descending, something slacker and lower, like the Pitch, will work better. Once you've thought that through, go sit on some bikes and see what you're comfy on. We're not going to be able to help you much with that over the interwebs.

 

[Knuts]

Thanks HAB for the comments. I like riding single track through tight trails. I grew up in Vancouver and that is where I started riding mountain bikes. I like technical steep descents but also like to open up and let rip down the flowy stuff too. I'm not into big air but will hit the odd kicker and drop off some obstacles. I want a bike that goes up as easily as it goes down as I spend a lot of time in the mountains.

 

[cecil]

I'll be "that guy" and recommend something not on your list.

Based on my personal preferences for slack and low bikes, I'd pick the Specialized Pitch Comp @ $1900.

i rented a pitch in colorado springs, up awesome bike

 

[Knuts]

Anybody know much about Fezzari or this model?

I can't seem to find any third party reviews of this bike but looking at some of the components and my limited knowledge of their value it seems that this bike is a great choice for $2000.

I know that a lot of guys will be pissed with my next comment but I like the idea of bying direct from the manufacturer. That is not to say that I dislike dealing with local bike shops but where I live there isn't a bike shop within two hours of my town. Besides, at the end of the day I am cheap and by the time a local bike shop has bought and sold a bike it has usually gone through sever mark up in price.

Another really interesting thing about Fezzari was that before you order your bike they go through a multi step measuring process that measures for a 23 point custom set-up before they ship you the bike. This is basically what a good bike shop is going to do as well but they have placed the responsibility in your hands, saving you a bit of money in the process.

Right now I have (in no particular order) 5 bikes that have gained most of my attention. The Giant Trance X4, Specialized Pitch Comp, Fezzari Cascade Peak, Norco Fluid 2 and the Trek Fuel EX6 are the bikes that really interest me for the $$$.

 

[Leppah]

I have buddies that have owned the Fezzari's. They had nothing to say but good about those bikes. I watched them put the bikes through the works in Moab too. These guys are pro DH racers, so they were doing some crazy stuff on those bikes. They were taking lines I'd never thought of taking. Their bikes held up awesome. The only reason they got different bikes later was because they ended up getting sponsored by other bike companies. Those bikes are way solid though.

 

[joelsman]

the trek ex is more xc than am, the remedy is trek's AM bike, I say trance x, pitch or fezzari

 

[Knuts]

So despite countless hours of research I finally made a decision and bought my new ride yesterday. Funny thing is, I didn't buy a bike that I was even originally looking at.

I found a great deal on a brand new '09 Giant Reign X1. I was stuck trying to make a decision with all of the changes to the bike this year taking a bike a few models down with lower quality peripherals for a bit more $$ or taking the '09 X1. Ultimately the price won me over and I picked this gem up for $1800. Now spring can't come fast enough.

 

[crouchingtiger]

Nice! it makes me want to get a new ride