newbie... new bike.... updated. (help post)

Quoted message said:

Subject: newbie... new bike.... updated. (help post) From: [email hidden] (nodriver) Date:
9/14/2003 6:50 AM Eastern Daylight Time Message-id:
<[email hidden]>

I've managed to narrow down my search a little bit...

Here are some bikes I have in mind.

Cannondale Jekyl 600 ( cannondale.commodel 3VN6.htmlOpen ↗

Giant XTC NRS 2 ( giant-bicycle.com030.000.006.aspOpen ↗

lercountry=&lYear=2003&bikesection=8817&range=107&model=10644

Quoted message said:

)

Giant XTC NRS 3 (cause it's cheaper... like.. $400 cheaper)

K2 Tirade 4.0 ( k2bikes.comtirade 4.aspOpen ↗ )

Jamis Dakar XLT 1.0 ( jamisbikes.com03 2dakar xlt1.htmlOpen ↗ )

Any of your thoughts would be helpful...

Thank you.

$1,000 to $1,500 budget.

--

Well, you have at least two longer travel suspension bikes, the Jamis and the
K2. Are you going to be doing alot of riding that will constitute you needing all that travel? If
so, I'd go with the Jamis. Jamis is alot like Giant; they pack alot of bike in for less then
some of the other big name manufacturers. That K2 is 37 pounds, I'd forget that!

If you can spend up to $1500 and want an xc bike, Id go for the NRS 2, just because it's better
spec'd then the 3, namely disc brakes. *Disclaimer* this is not to say disc brakes are necessary,
but I think you would appreciate them, especially if you ride in wet muddy conditions.

nodriver said...

Quoted message said:

I've managed to narrow down my search a little bit...

Here are some bikes I have in mind.

Cannondale Jekyl 600 ( cannondale.commodel 3VN6.htmlOpen ↗

Giant XTC NRS 2 ( giant-bicycle.com030.000.006.aspOpen ↗
ntry=&lYear=2003&bikesection=8817&range=107&model=10644 )

Giant XTC NRS 3 (cause it's cheaper... like.. $400 cheaper)

K2 Tirade 4.0 ( k2bikes.comtirade 4.aspOpen ↗ )

Jamis Dakar XLT 1.0 ( jamisbikes.com03 2dakar xlt1.htmlOpen ↗ )

Any of your thoughts would be helpful...

Thank you.

$1,000 to $1,500 budget.

Get the Jamis. Good parts that are built to be used. The Fox fork blows away the offerings on the
other bikes listed. The Hayes hydraulics are very cool. The NRS bikes are race oriented ultra-light
jobs that will ride comparatively harsh and won't take as much abuse. The K2 is a heavy pig with
mediocre parts.

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"nodriver" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've managed to narrow down my search a little bit...

Here are some bikes I have in mind. Giant XTC NRS 2

I've got one going cheap.....
--
Westie

Seriously though, I can recommend the NRS2 although I, personally, don't like the mech disc brakes
on it. Perhaps you could get the them swapped for Avids (as I hear people are satisfied with Avid
mechs) at low or nil cost to yourself? It's a XC bike though so while you can do reasonable drops
and plenty of rough stuff, forget about big drops or throwing yourself off mountains. The Jamis
would be better for that. But it's heavier and consequently will be a bit harder and slower on the
level and uphill. What style of riding do you expect you'll be doing? What sort of distances? What
type of terrain? I've had my NRS for a while and thrown quite a bit at it and it's generally been
very reliable, tough and well built.

--
Westie Just don't drive a 4WD over it. < sob >

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"Westie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"nodriver" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've managed to narrow down my search a little bit...

Here are some bikes I have in mind. Giant XTC NRS 2

I've got one going cheap.....
--
Westie

Seriously though, I can recommend the NRS2 although I, personally, don't like the mech disc brakes
on it. Perhaps you could get the them swapped for Avids (as I hear people are satisfied with Avid
mechs) at low or nil cost to yourself? It's a XC bike though so while you can do reasonable drops
and plenty of rough stuff, forget about big drops or throwing yourself off mountains. The Jamis
would be better for that. But it's heavier and consequently will be a bit harder and slower on the
level and uphill. What style of riding do you expect you'll be doing? What sort of distances? What
type of terrain? I've had my NRS for a while and thrown quite a bit at it and it's generally been
very reliable, tough and well built.

--
Westie Just don't drive a 4WD over it. < sob >

I think I was pretty much already decided on NRS 2. It was, and I guess still is... between the
Giant and the Cannondale. I was hopping there would be some more posts about the Cannondale.. but
nothing yet.

A buddy of mine has a K2 bike and so I wanted to add that in there cause I "know" that bike a little
bit.. so it gave me a good frame of reference. And the Jamis sounded pretty good, but I honestly
don't do that hard core of riding... I don't intend to do a lot of "Mountain dropping" or sever
downhill riding either. Mostly Right now I do urban riding. I ride to and from work (about 5 miles
each way) I ride the train tracks, and through the park and I like to make jumps out of stuff. But
I'd like to do some more trail riding... I have an entry level hard tail Raleigh right now, and I
don't get very excited about riding it. I think a FS bike would be a lot more fun to ride.

I think I'm probably sold on the NRS 2. I just have to ride them both now and start shelling out
some cash.

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"nodriver" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I think I was pretty much already decided on NRS 2. It was, and I guess still is... between the
Giant and the Cannondale. I was hopping there would be some more posts about the Cannondale.. but
nothing yet.

Most people with Crack'n'Fail's have been scared away from this newsgroup - or at least they don't
admit ownership in polite conversation.
--
Westie

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nodriver said:

I've managed to narrow down my search a little bit...

Here are some bikes I have in mind.

Cannondale Jekyl 600 ( cannondale.commodel 3VN6.htmlOpen ↗

Giant XTC NRS 2 ( giant-bicycle.com030.000.006.aspOpen ↗
ntry=&lYear=2003&bikesection=8817&range=107&model=10644 )

Giant XTC NRS 3 (cause it's cheaper... like.. $400 cheaper)

K2 Tirade 4.0 ( k2bikes.comtirade 4.aspOpen ↗ )

Jamis Dakar XLT 1.0 ( jamisbikes.com03 2dakar xlt1.htmlOpen ↗ )

Any of your thoughts would be helpful...

Thank you.

$1,000 to $1,500 budget.

All good bikes. I have a Cannondale Jekyll and I love it. Solid, reliable, agile, climbs like a
mountain goat, handles the rough and the technical stuff quite well. Mine has a Lefty -- I believe
that the one that you mentioned has a head shok? If so, it's still a great bike 🙂.

BUT, all of the bikes that you mentioned are good! Buy the one that fits you the best. Test ride and
choose. The best bike in the world's not good if you don't like it! If you still can't choose, buy
the LBS. Buy the one that give you good honest answers instead of industry hype; the one that's more
interested in getting you on the right bike than in selling you a bike off the floor; the one with a
good knowledgable service department!

David

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nodriver wrote: ..

Quoted message said:

I think I was pretty much already decided on NRS 2. It was, and I guess still is... between the
Giant and the Cannondale. I was hopping there would be some more posts about the Cannondale.. but
nothing yet.

..

I've been riding a Jekyll for almost 2 years now. The frame's a 700, but the rest are upgrades/last
bike swap-overs (the shop knows me well and sold me a frame -- not usual for Cannondale). My Jekyll
has a Lefty, but I had a headshok on my last bike (an F1000sl). Both are excellent forks.

I like the Jekyll a lot. It's agile, climbs well, handles the rough stuff and the tricky stuff.
IMNSHO, it's a solid, well made bike.

BUT, so are the others that you mentioned! DON'T MAKE YOUR FINAL CHOICE BASED ON THIS NEWSGROUP!
Test ride, ride, ride and choose the one that fits you the best. The best bike on the market is
garbage if you're not comfortable on it. If you can't choose based on that, choose the bike shop
instead -- the one that gives you straight answers (not hype), personal treatment, is interested
more in getting you on the right bike than selling you a bike off the floor. Look over their
service dept. -- Get a dialog going if you can. A friendly, well informed service dept is what sold
me on my last couple of bikes -- and has paid off in good info on soild reliable upgrades and on
riding tips 🙂.

David

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