Show off your Mountain Bike!!!

I love my EX9 and got it for just over $3100. Components are pretty much the same on the Orbea, but I think the EX9 has a better wheelset, and you get the 142mm rear through-axle on the Fuel EX9. The EX7 is convertible to 142mm but comes with 135mm rear. It does make a difference -- my old bike was an EX7, and the new EX9 with through-axles has noticeably less flex and feels more solid.

The Orbeas do look nice, I just worry about the availability and ease of warranty work. There is good Trek support in my area, but I might have gone with a Giant if support was better.

 

I'm still researching bikes, I wont get anything till the fall. I want to stay away from 29ers, Being only 5'5" I didn't feel the gain out of it. Im looking for something I can ride for hrs on end, good climber and pretty fast. Not really into the downhill scene.

 

i wouldnt let being 5'5" keep you from getting a 29er. I was riding with my friend one time and this guy was probably around your height on a trek superfly i think and he was lapping us haha. I say to test them out as well. youll never know how it feels...unless you already test rode one haha

 

The whole myth of having to be tall to ride a 29er was laid to rest quite some time ago, height is inconsequential.

In fact Niner Bikes just annouced Xtra small frame 29ers. http://www.ninerbikes.com/ for rider 5'0" to 5'5". No toe overlap, easy stand over top tube, quick steering.

Ask yourself why would the benefit of a 29 inch wheel only benefit someone who is tall? That makes no sense.

 

From your description of what you want to do, a 29er may be just right for you. I know 5'0" women that ride 29ers.

I like the 26" FS on tight, rough, rocky, rooty technical trails. I like the 29er HT on slightly smoother stuff or if there is a lot of climbing to do. The 29er is definitely faster and climbs better. Sounds like you need to demo one before you choose.

 

I've always wondered about the advantage of a 29'er over the traditional 26'er.

There was an article in Mountain Flyer recently where the author compared the two over five different trails. The short answer was there isn't a significant difference between the two--like 2% in time difference (favoring the 29'er) to matter. I want to say 3 of 5 were no difference with the other two courses favoring the 29'er.

Interesting article but I still want to ride one.

 

Just did my first ride this weekend. I went to Aliso and Wood Canyons Regional Park. Had a blast. My feet kept slipping off the cheap plastic pedals my LBS installed. I just picked up some shimano clipless pedals and shoes to hopefully solve that problem

The worst part though, my butt hurts

 

2005 Santa Cruz Superlight. I miss that truck totaled it on Christmas eve.

 

Nice Superlight!

 

Thanks I love the bike. As pictured it weighs aprox 24lbs, not too bad for a full suspension bike. I did my first race on it last year and recieved 1st in my age group.

 

i feel your pain. i did 50 miles on my downhill bike. that was killer

 

just picked up a 2010 trek fuel ex 6, rode it the other day, I think it has a bad bottom bracket, keeps making a knocking/tink sound with every pedalstroke. Soooooooo......does anyone have any input to that? if it is a bb, I need a shimano isis bb, I think anyone have anything to add? thanks.

 

if it were me i would just take it into the shop. I think they would be able to diagnose the problem easier.

maybe it could be the pedal though? it could also be the chain rings/chain hitting the derailleur. just my thought on it i could be totally off though haha

EDIT: if you do take it to the shop and they find out you need a part hold off and check pinkbike.com you could probably get a good deal on a BB

 

my bike does that too. has done it for quite a while

 

I don't think this is a pedal problem, I put my old pedals on it, I may have to take it to a shop, I am just trying to avoid that.

 

take your BB out and put some fresh grease in it. that may help

 

This may sound off, but check your seat post first. Make sure the seat is tight. Pull the seat post out, clean it off and clean out the seat tube, put some grease on the seat tube and put it back together. This has fixed several supposed bottom bracket problems that I have seen, just a big grain of sand getting stuck in there can make a big annoying noise.

If the cranks have bolts that go through the spindle (not likely on Shimano, though), make sure those are tight.

A Shimano Hollowtech II BB is about $40 I think, not hard to do but you have to have the right tools.

Of course, it could be one of several other things as well.

 

Damn, we need to have a truck and bike trial gathering somewhere..sometime.
So many sweet rides here, too bad we're stretched all across the place.

 

At least ride a 29er. I think they have an advantage. I've gone from a Trek Top Fuel 9.8 26er, to a Fisher HI FI Pro 29er, and am now riding an Orbea Alma S50 29er. I'm tall 6'1"

The Top Fuel was a rocket that I could accelerate uphill quite easily. about 24 lbs

I could turn the Hi Fi as well as the Top Fuel in tight places. It was much smoother on the trail and rolled easily. The only disadvantage was a real climb because of the weight. It would roll over obsticles easily. 29 lbs.

With the Alma, I get the low rolling of a 29er, and it accelerates much better than the Hi Fi. The stock wheelset is heavy. I'm getting a Stan's wheelset, and with new tires and cassette will lose about 1.9 pounds in weight. That will get the bike to 24 lbs. I don't really miss the full suspension on my trails.

Bottom line. Try the 29er then get what you like the best. The Alma has been a great bike so far and has met my expectations.

 

My brother ended up getting a GF hardtail 29er the same time I got my bike, I took it out a few times while it was better at some things I thought it was difficult on technical riding (I such bad enough on tech riding as it is) and the increase in price didn't interest me at the time.