Fuel 90 Disc Vs. Jekyll 600 Disc Vs. NRS Disc

Trek Fuel 90 (Disc option) Cannondale Jekyll 600 (Disc option) Giant NRS 2 Disc

I'm looking to upgrade to a new FS this year for XC use and want some opinions on these models. I
know to ride them and form my own opinions on how they fit, but I'm looking for some experiences and
opinions on components.

The Jekyll is the only one with a lockout on the rear shock. Is this something I need? I've heard
that a lockout is really only needed to help out a poor suspension design.

Also, and ideas on what I should pay for these rides new would be appreciated.

Regards, Dave

 

"Dave S." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Trek Fuel 90 (Disc option) Cannondale Jekyll 600 (Disc option) Giant NRS 2 Disc
>
> I'm looking to upgrade to a new FS this year for XC use and want some opinions on these models. I
> know to ride them and form my own opinions on how they fit, but I'm looking for some experiences
> and opinions on components.
>
> The Jekyll is the only one with a lockout on the rear shock. Is this something I need? I've heard
> that a lockout is really only needed to help out a poor suspension design.
>
> Also, and ideas on what I should pay for these rides new would be appreciated.
>
> Regards, Dave

I can't comment on the others but I brought a Trek Fuel 90 Disc Option at the end of last year and
don't have any complaints. I haven't missed having a lock out on the rear shock and don't suffer
from any noticeable pedal bob.

I've found the Hayes brakes to be excellent, the rest of the components aren't anything special but
all work perfectly well, the only thing I've changed is the pedals to M959 SPD's.

M

 

[email protected] (Dave S.) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Trek Fuel 90 (Disc option) Cannondale Jekyll 600 (Disc option) Giant NRS 2 Disc
>
> I'm looking to upgrade to a new FS this year for XC use and want some opinions on these models. I
> know to ride them and form my own opinions on how they fit, but I'm looking for some experiences
> and opinions on components.

What kind of XC? Where do you ride? Components - components can be changed relatively easily. Frame
quality and value should guiding you.

> The Jekyll is the only one with a lockout on the rear shock. Is this something I need? I've heard
> that a lockout is really only needed to help out a poor suspension design.

Some folks will say that a lockout is needed all the time. Seated pedalling on the Giant produces no
noticable bob going uphill. To me, at least. The Fuel bobbed some, but I didn't really notice. The
Jekyll I rode never made it to the trails, because it's parking lot ride sucked so bad.

> Also, and ideas on what I should pay for these rides new would be appreciated.

Since you don't tell us where you live, we can't really tell you that. Find the one you like, and
buy it as cheaply as you can. (Big "duh" factor on that answer, hmmm?)

If it were me, and these were the only choices, I would save more money to buy a better bike. BUT, I
know for a fact some folks budget X amount of dollars for a bike, and go no further. No matter how
much money they actually have. So, Dave, I'm going to help you here. Marin Mount Vision, 2003 model,
from a bike retailer on eBay. While it would be nicer if you bought it at an LBS, if money is the
critical factor, then you can save a bunch. Especially over the Cannondale. That one is way
overpriced for what you are getting, unless you can find one on a "give-it-away" sale. Even then,
C'dales do not have a stellar reputation for robustness. I've never broken one, but that doesn't
mean anything.

The Fuel is a halfway decent bike, having ridden one or three for a few weekends. But the Fuel frame
has been criticized in places for being weak, especially in the headtube welds. I don't know how
much you weigh, but if you're over 180lbs, I'd skip the Fuel. My opinion, purely.

Giant has an excellent reputation for building good equipment and supplying decent bikes at a
reasonable cost. I don't know how much more convincing you need. I rode an NRS bike for an
afternoon, and it felt pretty good. I would have bought one, but I wanted something more simple, and
I didn't want to give business to the local Giant dealer (a-hole.) That's really what's going to
make or break your happiness with the bike - how good is your LBS? Great bikes from shitty LBSs make
for unhappy bikers. And the bike can get blamed.

Don't count out Specialized, either. The FSRxc bikes are supposedly excellent. Never have ridden
one, but I hear things. Marin, Giant, Trek, C'dale, in that order.

Or, a rigid single-speed. With disk brakes.
--
Jonesy "Wheeler's biatch, now"

 

"Dave S." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Trek Fuel 90 (Disc option) Cannondale Jekyll 600 (Disc option) Giant NRS 2 Disc
>
> I'm looking to upgrade to a new FS this year for XC use and want some opinions on these models. I
> know to ride them and form my own opinions on how they fit, but I'm looking for some experiences
> and opinions on components.
>
> The Jekyll is the only one with a lockout on the rear shock. Is this something I need? I've heard
> that a lockout is really only needed to help out a poor suspension design.
>
> Also, and ideas on what I should pay for these rides new would be appreciated.
>
> Regards, Dave

Rode the Trek, Giant and Cannondale last year. Bought the Cannondale in November and have been
thrilled with it ever since.

The Trek felt awkward and kind of clumsy to me. Not very agile, and slow acceleration. Just an all-
around unexciting bike to ride. The Giant felt similar, but a little better. The Cannondale had a
superior ride by far. It absolutely eats up the trail. Can't say enough good things about the
performance of this bike. No problems so far, but the rear Fox Shock does squeak a little. But I
urge you to ride each of them yourself and make up your own mind.

As far as the lockout goes, I've used it once going up a very long hill. If you're going to be XC
racing, it may be something you want. But if that's your bag, you probably want to go with a lighter
bike. Mine tips the scale at 29 lbs (Jekyll 600 w/o disc, frame small). Typical XC racers are a few
lbs lighter than that.

For a killer bike to take out on the trail and ride all day, the Cannondale Jekyll 600 is my
recommendation. Paid $1249 without disc. I believe they quoted mean $1499 with disc. Don't recall
the prices of the other bikes I test rode since that wasn't a huge issue. It's more important to get
the bike you want. But I believe the Jekyll was about the best value given the component group.

Not sure why you want disc, but unless you're riding in wet conditions frequently or in lots of long
hills, I would save the money on the disc and spend it upgrading to the next component level. V
brakes work fine in most conditions as long as you maintain them.

Also, as someone else said, don't count out Specialized. If I hadn't bought the C'dale, it would
have been a Specialized Enduro or even a Stumpjumper. Problem was I couldn't find an Enduro or 04
Stumpy to test ride. Things might have been different otherwise.

Good luck!

 

Dave S. <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I know to ride them and form my own opinions on how they fit, but I'm looking for some experiences
> and opinions on components.
>
Dave,

I bought a Fuel 90 (non-disk) last spring. Trek products in general don't get many great reviews
here in AM-B, and some for apparently good reason. None-the-less, I've been extremely pleased with
mine. I did spend a couple hundred bucks extra to upgrade the cranks, brakes, and put SRAM shifters
on it, though I recall that the disk option is Avid mechs which would be my choice. I'm not overly
impressed with the Rockshock Duke on the front (and you won't find too many defenders here), but
price was a key issue for me and a figgered I could survive with the Duke until I save up my
"allowance" for entry into the vaunted Bomberhood.

Bottom line for me on the Fuel: It liked the ride better than anything else I test rode. It served
me well through a 5-day jaunt in Moab last fall with little lasting damage. It's held up well for
my type of terrain and riding style, though eight months isn't all that long a period to judge. I'm
a relatively small guy (5'9'' , 175) and not overly abusive on my rides. You may want to look
elsewhere if you're a Clydesdale rider or a hucking fool, anecdotal reports in this NG of Trek
frame problems for larger riders might give you pause. It is after all, meant to be a XC bike. The
price was right what I was looking to spend, I paid just over $1600 with the upgrades (had the shop
put it all on so it probably cost me a bit more than if I'd done it myself). Fit is obviously a
personal issue, but was a big factor for me when buying the Fuel. It felt good the moment I threw
my leg over it. YMMV.

It brings me joy, and I love to ride it. The rest is just irrelevent, really.

Good luck

Tom

 

On 20 Feb 2004 07:57:50 -0800, Dave S. <[email protected]> wrote:
> Trek Fuel 90 (Disc option) Cannondale Jekyll 600 (Disc option) Giant NRS 2 Disc
>
> I'm looking to upgrade to a new FS this year for XC use and want some opinions on these models. I
> know to ride them and form my own opinions on how they fit, but I'm looking for some experiences
> and opinions on components.
>
> The Jekyll is the only one with a lockout on the rear shock. Is this something I need? I've heard
> that a lockout is really only needed to help out a poor suspension design.
>
> Also, and ideas on what I should pay for these rides new would be appreciated.
>
> Regards, Dave

Go for the Surly 1x1.

Gman "Wheeler"

 

>Subject: Fuel 90 Disc Vs. Jekyll 600 Disc Vs. NRS Disc
>From: [email protected] (Dave S.)
>Date: 2/20/04 7:57 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <[email protected]>
>
>Trek Fuel 90 (Disc option) Cannondale Jekyll 600 (Disc option) Giant NRS 2 Disc
>
>I'm looking to upgrade to a new FS this year for XC use and want some opinions on these models. I
>know to ride them and form my own opinions on how they fit, but I'm looking for some experiences
>and opinions on components.

Bought an early release of the '04 Jekyll 800 in October and love it. Had been riding an '00 Sugar
but needed some extra travel-- I'm over 200 lbs. and ride SoCal trailers hard!

For an all around bike, the jekylls kick but . . . Not too heavy but very plush. Don't know the full
componentry on the 600 but my 800 is set-up with ProPedal which makes seated climbing great so I
never even use the lock-out. The Jekyll can do it all from nasty (read fun)tech climbs to screaming
down the other side.

Buy and ride whatever feels good. Brian

 

RE/
>so I never even use the lock-out.

A Jekyll was my first sus bike. Expected a rear lockout...but the Jekyll didn't have it. Never
felt any loss.

Jekyll, however, turned out to just be too small in some respects and I got an Ellsworth. On the
Ellsworth, I just *had* to have a rear lockout. Paid extra accordingly...used it a few times, then
forgot it even existed. Money down the drain IMHO. OTOH, I don't have to keep up with any other
riders and wouldn't even *think* about racing...so YMMV.
--
PeteCresswell

 

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 10:28:22 -0500, "tcmedara"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>It brings me joy, and I love to ride it. The rest is just irrelevent, really.

I've been riding a Fuel 100 for over two years. No problems in over 4000 east coast XC trail miles.
Good fit (for me). Climbs way better than I can. In short, I am a happy camper. Can't figure out why
everyone hates Trek...

 

"JPT" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 10:28:22 -0500, "tcmedara" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >It brings me joy, and I love to ride it. The rest is just irrelevent, really.
>
>
> I've been riding a Fuel 100 for over two years. No problems in over 4000 east coast XC trail
> miles. Good fit (for me). Climbs way better than I can. In short, I am a happy camper. Can't
> figure out why everyone hates Trek...
>

Can't say that I hate Trek, I just don't care for the way they feel. It's strictly personal
preference. I do believe that Trek delivers a high quality, durable product. They are a leader in
the marketplace for a reason....just not my preference.

Just about every bike brand has people that dislike it. People are brutal on Cannondale. I would
have never considered buying one had I not ridden it, due to all the bad press I've read on this NG
and others. Turns out I'm extremely satisfied.

Bottom line is that everyone has a bike preference based on feel and pre-programmed attitude from
reading mags and reviews on the web. Most mainstream bike brands out there will treat you good if
you treat them good. Just make sure you can either work on them yourself or have a good LBS and
wrench that can do it for you. They all require adjustment/repair from time to time.

 

"BTL62768" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >Subject: Fuel 90 Disc Vs. Jekyll 600 Disc Vs. NRS Disc From: [email protected] (Dave S.)
> >Date: 2/20/04 7:57 AM Pacific Standard Time Message-id:
> ><[email protected]>
> >
> >Trek Fuel 90 (Disc option) Cannondale Jekyll 600 (Disc option) Giant NRS 2 Disc
> >
> >I'm looking to upgrade to a new FS this year for XC use and want some opinions on these models. I
> >know to ride them and form my own opinions on how they fit, but I'm looking for some experiences
> >and opinions on components.
>
> Bought an early release of the '04 Jekyll 800 in October and love it. Had
been
> riding an '00 Sugar but needed some extra travel-- I'm over 200 lbs. and
ride
> SoCal trailers hard!
>
> For an all around bike, the jekylls kick but . . . Not too heavy but very plush. Don't know the
> full componentry on the 600 but my 800 is set-up
with
> ProPedal which makes seated climbing great so I never even use the
lock-out.
> The Jekyll can do it all from nasty (read fun)tech climbs to screaming
down the
> other side.
>
> Buy and ride whatever feels good. Brian

The 600 has ProPedal also. I believe that all 04 Fox shox have ProPedal, regardless of what brand of
bike they come on. It seems to work very well, but I don't have much to compare it to since this is
my first Fox equipped bike. My last two full squish bikes had elastomer and coil, respectively. I
know that when I'm seated and cranking hard, the suspension only moves (apparently) due to the
trail, not my pedaling. If you stand up and start cranking though, you will compress the shock due
to the up and down movement of your weight. You can minimize that without locking out by keeping
your body more stationary and not bouncing up and down so much.