I'm tossing up between a Scott Genius MC-50 and a Merida Transmission Speed and I just can't decide.
I've never had a full suspension bike before and I just don't know what "real world" considerations might help me decide.
I want the bike for xc events, (the Epic to start) my aim is basically to have something that will provide the best help with getting tired old me around a 100km course. I have no interest in downhilling, tricks, dropoffs etc.
The Scott is lighter (nearly 2kg). It has proper Horst link suspension (if that's worth anything). It has more Shimano gear on it (Shimano instead of Hayes 9 brakes, for example). It's also A$400 more. Otherwise the specs are about comparable.
My concern about the Scott (if anything) is the rear shock. It has no form of platform valving. It has three settings, lockout, 90mm stiff and full 125mm travel, controlled remotely. It seemed like a good system to me when I had a quick ride from the shop. I certainly found that climbing on the lockout setting (and to a reasonable degree on the 90mm setting) was good and without much bob. But of course if you have to lockout the suspension to avoid bob then that kind of defeats the purpose. And realistically are you going to remember to flick it to full suspension before you hit something big?
On the other hand, as I understand it the Scott bikes have a good reputation, and they use this same shock on their whole line, right up to their top of the line full carbon big dollar machines, which suggests they have great confidence in it (where most other manufacturers use increasingly expensive and sophisticated shocks for their top of the range models).
The Merida has faux link suspension. But it has a stable platform valve type shock which seemed to work well when I had a quick ride. It seemed pretty stiff and bobless but soaked up the hit well when I rode at a curb. I was riding in a park with no stuttery small undulations available. I've heard that stiff SPV type shocks don't cope so well with that because the platform valving doesn't open. But in some ways maybe that's an OK tradeoff for having a system that (automatically) stays stiff but softens on the big hits, without having to adjust anything.
I'm stumped. Anyone have any thoughts?