Long Travel BS Thread

Norco Fluid FS is one of the best bangs for the buck. It’s the first budget bike I’ve seen with actual good geometry. Sub $2k. Check out the Pink Bike value bike and budget bike field tests.

 

The local place recommended these two today
https://www.pedalpowerbikeshop.com/product/giant-trance-x-1-398120-1.htm

https://www.pedalpowerbikeshop.com/product/giant-trance-x-2-398121-1.htm

Only catch he had was
Neither is a 29” and neither is an XL

 

Are you coming from a 29 or 27.5?

Me as a non sponsored, non centerfold rider. Has found that the 29’s do tackle terrain better but don’t seem to be as “playful” in the fun stuff.

Again, not a professional here. Just what I’ve noticed.

 

Either bike will have you a bit overbiked for local stuff and underbiked for most of windrock.

They do also have a trance x 29, i also think a size L will be fine for you, but i like to be a thile bigger end for a bike, much easier to toss around that way. I'm on a medium 5010 cc at 5'10 which is right where medium and large kind of interchange.

On older geo with less slack head tube, I liked bigger frames.

 

Yeah he said he wasn’t convinced I’d fit on the Large
And he has no 29” in stock

I came off a 29” and liked it that way
But seem to be getting a lot of resistance to that in terms of availability inventory

 

I’ve noticed if bike stores don’t have stock, especially in stores that don’t see a lot of volume, they will aggressively try to sell you whatever they have and try to convince you you don’t *need* what you actually want, because they know that if they order something for you it will take weeks to come in, get delayed, and you will walk away from the sale.

Look around and buy what you want. Not what they want you to buy.

The ass fell out of the bike market. They’re giving shit away. I picked up a Santa Cruz bike for literally half of what it should have cost just in November.

 

I’ve been aggressively hunting for a XL Hightower 3 C but lowest price thus far is still in the 5 range
And Santa Cruz told me that it has way more margin but nobody is willing to come down. The lead contender for vendor is looking like evo
I was looking at higher trims but this may be all I can swing
https://www.evo.com/mountain/santa-cruz-bicycles-hightower-3-c-r-complete-bike

 

https://mikesbikes.com/products/santa-cruz-hightower-3-c-s

This isn’t the lowest I’ve seen, but would it be in your price range?

They are always having sales.

 

Yes, I linked the base model
But had been shopping for the S and GX

right now is currently their factory sale
So the prices are in until new bikes drop and they cut the price again
Which supposedly in august
I’m waiting to hear back from someone about another frame but the smarter residents in here said I’d really hate the base model vs a S or GX

 

I ride a mullet 29 front 27.5 rear

 

I was trying to talk myself into another Walmart bike at this point
But then some asshole showed me one of these

https://www.gasgas.com/bicycles/en-us/bikes/1003550925/e-bike/ecc/ecc-6.html

so I’ve been drooling over this now too

 

If either of those giants here in town were mullets
I would have gone today

 

Sorry to derail but we both have 35s and mid travel... have you tried just adding more caster. My setup doesn't wander or tramline and I've got the even "worse" (if you believe that kinda stuff) ES bushings and a 27 year old rack. But I've dialed 4.6* of positive caster into it.

 

I would look at Mike’s bikes sometime in the fall, they do this thing called carbon for less where they put cheaper parts groups on the premium Santa Cruz carbon models at more than half to 70% off.

 

That’s pretty cool

 

I have the solo LCA's that already add more caster. I'm at around 3.5 both sides rn. I was going through bushings at an alarming rate when I had them crossed up to get higher than that, so I've since dialed it back.
I have a pretty new rack as well. It doesn't wander too bad really, there's just a little play in the wheel that would be nice to eliminate is all. I attribute part of that to just being an old truck with big tares on it too.
Surprised you were about to get 4.6 out of stock arms. I was only ever able to get about 3 out of mine.

 

I didn't cross up my lowers much since it is so hard on them, only moderately. Did the rest with SPC uppers. I tubbed the firewall with that already dialed in so it wouldn't be a rubbing concern ever.

 

Ah adjustable uppers will get you there. My TC uppers said no.

 

When you did the tack weld mod did you put the sheet of plastic in the funky steering column joint?

 

hmm. wym sheet of plastic?
here's some pics from when I did it back in 2019.