Show off your Mountain Bike!!!

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Took this picture before my 13 mile ride after work. Loving the new bike.

 

That frame is so sick, looks like you had your Taco wheels pc'd to match your frame.

 

Mentos

Mento

 

Let me know how that Gamut works out. I keep dropping the chain on rough downhills unless I switch to the big ring, which is a pain since I probably just climbed the hill in the little ring. I need to figure something out, it's messing with my flow.

 

Illustrator, rain and 14 hours.

 

8" 888's

 

So I've been wanting a FS MTN bike for a while now and I've been doing the research on which way to go. Originally I wanted an Orbea Occam but they run $3500 and up for the aluminum frame. I've been looking at a Trek Fuel EX 7 and a specialized Stumpjumper FSR. Both under the $3k mark. Any opinions on these?

 

My boy!
All SRAM X0 components
Crank brothers wheels
Avid Elixirs 6" rear 8" front
Magura Durin Front shock w/6" travel
Future Mods:
Chris king Bottom Bracket (orange)

had the frame imported from the UK, as far as I know it is the only one in AK. Gotta love the Orange bikes.

 

Yeah I was in a shop today and I was checking out the comp 26". It was nice. Im in no rush to buy. The Trek fuel is advertised as a more relaxed seating position upright I guess. I dont really like that. I was looking at the EX 7 or 8. But the S comp was a nice looking bike.

 

you'd be good to go either way

 

I am biased toward the Fuel, but this is good advice. All the current big-name FS designs are refined and work well, so go for the better components which will give you a better value. If you can, ride both, and go with your gut.

I have also run both SRAM and Shimano, and the difference to me is more like SRAM is fast and brute-force solid and Shimano is quiet, slick and smooth. I hear and feel my X7 shift (2x9 on a Sawyer), but the XT 3x10 on my EX9 is freaky quiet and smooth. For me, they both hold up just fine. Not sure about customer service, though, I have never needed it. But, if faced with a choice at the same price, I would probably lean SRAM.

 

Yeah I rode my brother's 2011 Stumpy at Slickrock this past September and was very impressed.

 

The stumpy is a little more slack and more travel than the fuel which i think makes the stumpy lean more all-mountain and the fuel a little more XC. with that said i really like my EX8. i havent been able to take it on any super steep decents yet but i have been able to take it through some drops about a foot or 2 and some smaller jumps that were recently built into the local trail and it handles it fine. it also climbs great i can barely tell that it is full-suspension

like they said i would definitely test ride and see what feel better. if you could demo one out on a real trail that would be even better but i know that is a little harder haha.

i cant really compare sram to shimano since ive only ridden a bike with x-4 and my ex8 with slx

 

Another vote for the Fuel EX, I love mine

 

I went for a ride yesterday. there is a spot called "Dons bowl" and its a bunch of steep drops and and equal rise on the opposite side, really fun, as I came back up the other side I got some good air....right into some small trees I was able to bail out as my front tire was crashing into them. My shin did manage to get smashed by a peddle

I got a drink, smashed those sapplings out of the way and did it again, minus the crashing part.

 

The EX8 is a better comparison - same MSRP, same component groupings (equivalent levels), etc.

With that said, I think the Fuel and the Camber should be compared. Both are ~5" trail bikes, designed for the same purpose. The Remedy and the Stumpy are a better comparison (IMO)

Personally, I am a Sram guy - I like the Elixer brakes, the 1:1 system, etc. But I like Shimano cranksets.

Personally, I feel that TREK stole the suspension design from Dave Weagle, who designed it as the "split pivot", marketed it, and then Trek started using the ABP. This alone will keep me off their bike.

Spec has their own set of problems in "ruining the industry", and you can find info on both companies out there.

With that said, I have a Spec as one of my bikes.

Geo is actually very similar - the newer Trek stuff is slacked out a bit more than last years models- but I think the Fuel range is more comparable to the Camber, though the Fuel line goes higher up in component levels. And if you go to the Camber, the Trek is actually a hair slacker.

I agree that the Fuel (and Camber) are more trail bikes, where the Stumpy (and Remedy) are more of the light AM style bikes.


I think deciding how you ride will point you in the right direction - If you like going up, and have fun on the down (or ride without a ton of elevation changes), and dont hit up anything more than the 1-2' bumps and features on regular trails, I would get a 5" bike. (unless you are a clyde). If I were looking in the 5" bike range, I would probably look at those two from the big guys (cannodale is no longer on my radar AT ALL, but the Giant Trance X would get a look as well, with a new headset to slack it out some)


If you like the down more than the up, but dont want to push a bike uphill, enjoy seeking out those larger trail features with some regularity (2-4' drops and features, with transition), look toward the 150mm bikes.

With that said, at the $3k level there are a TON of bikes. I would be seriously considering getting on a Yeti ASR-5. Sick bike, great geo, excellent build in the sub $3k range.

The Transition Bandit would also be very high on my list.

Santa Crux Nickel would be up there, and they offer a decent build at $2300 or so - nothing fancy (I would upgrade brakes and wheels) but definitely do-able.


Just a few options I would also be looking at.

Good luck, and have fun!

 

true i forgot they did that. i was thinking about my 2011 fuel haha

 

I've been looking to demo a yeti. Those bikes look great and always seem to get good feedback.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCsoBCdjcP8