Freeride/all mountain bike recommendation...

[Portable Splat Graphics]

$1800 you can get an awesome Giant VT2. Look for year close out sales.

CS
'04 VT2


"Marc Westerlind" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Last time I was in here was about 4 years ago, and I know you all got
bombed
> with questions on bike recommendations. Sorry...
>
> I'm looking for a full suspension freeride bike. Something with 5 or more
> inches of travel. Juice disk brakes. My price range is topping out at
about
> $1,800 right now. I'm willing to buy a used bike less than two years old,
> unless I'm "missing out" by not going with a more current model. I'd
rather > not get a bike where I'd have to upgrade components, because I know
I'll never
> get around to it unless something actually stops me from riding.
>
> The bike will most likely get used for 50% Freeride, 25% DH, and 25% XC.
I
> realize the last two conflict heavily, and I'd rather err to the side of
"XC",
> as long as the bike can handle head-high drops all day long. More or less
a
> stong Freeride bike I won't mind taking out for a casual ride.
>
> I recently dusted off my current ride, '98 or so Trek 8000SL (hardtail)
with a
> really great elastometer fork with a whopping 2.something inches of travel
(Some
> crappy RS Judy fork). During my 2+ years away from mountain biking, my
friends
> got more "hardcore" in their riding. No more simple trail blazing. I rode
two
> of their bikes last night. A '03 Kona Stinky and a late model Specialized
P3
> (hardtail). The Stinky's suspension was a dream, but the ergo's were more
cramped
> than what I'm used to. The P3 had great ergo's, but I fell in love with
the
> full suspension. Both bikes definitely weighed more than my superlight
8K, but
> the weight was not nearly as bad as I thought it would feel. Those two
bikes
> felt like dirtbikes, making my bike feel like a fragile little road bike.
>
> Right now I'm looking at the Kona Coiler, Kona Stinky, and 04+ Haro
Extreme X3.
> The X3 seems like a real great buy for the components. I like the Coiler
for the
> pedal-ability, but it'll need platforms and a bashring. Not that that's a
> huge deal...
>
> Anyone have feedback on these bikes or any others I should look at?
>
> How about that Ellsworth company?
>
> Thanks,
> -marc

 

[Marc Westerlind]

Last time I was in here was about 4 years ago, and I know you all got bombed
with questions on bike recommendations. Sorry...

I'm looking for a full suspension freeride bike. Something with 5 or more
inches of travel. Juice disk brakes. My price range is topping out at about
$1,800 right now. I'm willing to buy a used bike less than two years old,
unless I'm "missing out" by not going with a more current model. I'd rather
not get a bike where I'd have to upgrade components, because I know I'll never
get around to it unless something actually stops me from riding.

The bike will most likely get used for 50% Freeride, 25% DH, and 25% XC. I
realize the last two conflict heavily, and I'd rather err to the side of "XC",
as long as the bike can handle head-high drops all day long. More or less a
stong Freeride bike I won't mind taking out for a casual ride.

I recently dusted off my current ride, '98 or so Trek 8000SL (hardtail) with a
really great elastometer fork with a whopping 2.something inches of travel (Some
crappy RS Judy fork). During my 2+ years away from mountain biking, my friends
got more "hardcore" in their riding. No more simple trail blazing. I rode two
of their bikes last night. A '03 Kona Stinky and a late model Specialized P3
(hardtail). The Stinky's suspension was a dream, but the ergo's were more cramped
than what I'm used to. The P3 had great ergo's, but I fell in love with the
full suspension. Both bikes definitely weighed more than my superlight 8K, but
the weight was not nearly as bad as I thought it would feel. Those two bikes
felt like dirtbikes, making my bike feel like a fragile little road bike.

Right now I'm looking at the Kona Coiler, Kona Stinky, and 04+ Haro Extreme X3.
The X3 seems like a real great buy for the components. I like the Coiler for the
pedal-ability, but it'll need platforms and a bashring. Not that that's a
huge deal...

Anyone have feedback on these bikes or any others I should look at?

How about that Ellsworth company?

Thanks,
-marc

 

[Marc Westerlind]

Portable Splat Graphics wrote:
>
> $1800 you can get an awesome Giant VT2. Look for year close out sales.
>

I checked them out briefly, but passed them off as XC bikes. I was
looking more at the AC line, until the price turned me away.

How do you like yours? What kind of abuse do you put it through?


-marc

 

[FeltnA]

Marc Westerlind wrote:
> Last time I was in here was about 4 years ago, and I know you all got bombed
> with questions on bike recommendations. Sorry...
>
> I'm looking for a full suspension freeride bike. Something with 5 or more
> inches of travel. Juice disk brakes. My price range is topping out at about
> $1,800 right now. I'm willing to buy a used bike less than two years old,
> unless I'm "missing out" by not going with a more current model. I'd rather
> not get a bike where I'd have to upgrade components, because I know I'll never
> get around to it unless something actually stops me from riding.
>
> The bike will most likely get used for 50% Freeride, 25% DH, and 25% XC. I
> realize the last two conflict heavily, and I'd rather err to the side of "XC",
> as long as the bike can handle head-high drops all day long. More or less a
> stong Freeride bike I won't mind taking out for a casual ride.
>
> I recently dusted off my current ride, '98 or so Trek 8000SL (hardtail) with a
> really great elastometer fork with a whopping 2.something inches of travel (Some
> crappy RS Judy fork). During my 2+ years away from mountain biking, my friends
> got more "hardcore" in their riding. No more simple trail blazing. I rode two
> of their bikes last night. A '03 Kona Stinky and a late model Specialized P3
> (hardtail). The Stinky's suspension was a dream, but the ergo's were more cramped
> than what I'm used to. The P3 had great ergo's, but I fell in love with the
> full suspension. Both bikes definitely weighed more than my superlight 8K, but
> the weight was not nearly as bad as I thought it would feel. Those two bikes
> felt like dirtbikes, making my bike feel like a fragile little road bike.
>
> Right now I'm looking at the Kona Coiler, Kona Stinky, and 04+ Haro Extreme X3.
> The X3 seems like a real great buy for the components. I like the Coiler for the
> pedal-ability, but it'll need platforms and a bashring. Not that that's a
> huge deal...
>
> Anyone have feedback on these bikes or any others I should look at?
>
> How about that Ellsworth company?
>
> Thanks,
> -marc


If you look for stinky, one option would be SC bullit, but I don't know
US prices. Here in Europe would cost you (with 5th element) about $2000.

 

[Scott]

I have a 03 Bullit and a 03 Haro ex3.

Both are great bikes but I would recommend a used Bullit frame and build it
up. I did and I love it.

Check 'em out.

http://www.pinkbike.com/modules/photo/?op=list&function=myphotos&photouserid=8639

 

[ellis]

"Marc Westerlind" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Last time I was in here was about 4 years ago, and I know you all got
bombed
> with questions on bike recommendations. Sorry...
>
> I'm looking for a full suspension freeride bike. Something with 5 or more
> inches of travel. Juice disk brakes. My price range is topping out at
about
> $1,800 right now. I'm willing to buy a used bike less than two years old,
> unless I'm "missing out" by not going with a more current model. I'd
rather
> not get a bike where I'd have to upgrade components, because I know I'll
never
> get around to it unless something actually stops me from riding.
>
> The bike will most likely get used for 50% Freeride, 25% DH, and 25% XC.
I
> realize the last two conflict heavily, and I'd rather err to the side of
"XC",
> as long as the bike can handle head-high drops all day long. More or less
a
> stong Freeride bike I won't mind taking out for a casual ride.
>
> I recently dusted off my current ride, '98 or so Trek 8000SL (hardtail)
with a
> really great elastometer fork with a whopping 2.something inches of travel
(Some
> crappy RS Judy fork). During my 2+ years away from mountain biking, my
friends
> got more "hardcore" in their riding. No more simple trail blazing. I rode
two
> of their bikes last night. A '03 Kona Stinky and a late model Specialized
P3
> (hardtail). The Stinky's suspension was a dream, but the ergo's were more
cramped
> than what I'm used to. The P3 had great ergo's, but I fell in love with
the
> full suspension. Both bikes definitely weighed more than my superlight
8K, but
> the weight was not nearly as bad as I thought it would feel. Those two
bikes
> felt like dirtbikes, making my bike feel like a fragile little road bike.
>
> Right now I'm looking at the Kona Coiler, Kona Stinky, and 04+ Haro
Extreme X3.
> The X3 seems like a real great buy for the components. I like the Coiler
for the
> pedal-ability, but it'll need platforms and a bashring. Not that that's a
> huge deal...
>
> Anyone have feedback on these bikes or any others I should look at?
>
> How about that Ellsworth company?
>
> Thanks,
> -marc

Check out Jamis Dakar XLTs too. Aintworths ain't worth the money IMO.

 

[ZeeExSixAre]

> I checked them out briefly, but passed them off as XC bikes. I was
> looking more at the AC line, until the price turned me away.

I bought my 2003 Giant AC1 for $850... came with a Marzocchi Junior T, 6"
rotor rear, 8" rotor front, RaceFace DH cranks, MRP chainguide, 6.3" rear
travel, 7" front, Singletrack/XT wheelset, Maxxis 2.7 tires, etc. etc.

That's about $3k just in parts.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

 

[jdnz]

"Marc Westerlind" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone have feedback on these bikes or any others I should look at?

Check out Jamis Dakar XLTs too. Aintworths ain't worth the money IMO.

I own an '04 XLT 1.0, and whilst I love it to bits, they're a 'rugged XC' bike, not a freeride/big drop machine!!

The original poster was talking about 'head high drops' - two other XLT owners I know locally now have broken frames (one at rear dropout, one in middle of seat tube) thanks to trying such things (I'm too old and scared for that thankfully).

the XLT is like the Spec Enduro / Giant VT - 'trail bikes', not freeride machines

 

[Marc Westerlind]

Marc Westerlind wrote:

> Anyone have feedback on these bikes or any others I should look at?


Thanks a lot everyone. There's a lot more bikes out there than
I orginally though.

The Kona "OB" line is really growing on me, and there seem to be
a good amount of deals out there.

 

[TJ]

>
> How about that Ellsworth company?
>

WHO???


> Thanks,
> -marc

A Specialized enduro builds up as a nice trail bike. 5" rear travel with a
5, or 6" travel fork is nice.

TJ

www.gvii.net/hundtoft