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charlythen

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rockmonkeysc

I bought a Giant Talon 3 for my wife. Great frame but the fork could be better. I bought the lowest spec (cheapest) and replaced the forks with Rockshox Recons & fitted my old SRAM X7 mech & shifters. It rides really nicely.

weeksy59

Giant 29er

rockmonkeysc

Have you ridden the 29er? Horrible thing, the proper 26" version steers & handles so much better plus you get a much better choice of tyres & tubes etc.
Not ridden a 29er yet that steers properly, too tall and the C of G is too high plus the front end washes out easier than with 26" wheels.
You might notice that where handling & grip really is everything & really gets pushed hard, downhill & freeride, there are no 29er's.

cooldad

For those who don't memorise the spec of every bike known to man, you might get a better response if you posted links.
Very few people will have actually ridden all the bikes you are interested in.

weeksy59

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Have you ridden the 29er? Horrible thing.

Yes.. and for XC it wipes the floor with the 26ers posted. (i own a XTC 29er actually and ride it ...oooooh... 7 hours ago)

You may want ultimate grip and handling, he wants an XC bike according to the first post.

charlythen

thanks guys, I just update the post with the links, about 29er model a friend told me on trails is a little bit harder to maneuver in tight, on rocks and roots easier due to the wider circumference, 26er more versatile, is a hard decision but I have to buy the 26er model because the parts in the city where I live are hard to find

rockmonkeysc

Yes.. and for XC it wipes the floor with the 26ers posted. (i own a XTC 29er actually and ride it ...oooooh... 7 hours ago)

You may want ultimate grip and handling, he wants an XC bike according to the first post.

Surely the best bit about xc riding is carving up some sweet twisty single track where you need a bike which will steer properly, is nicely balanced & has plenty of grip. 29er's do roll well but thats all. Give it a few years & they will be out of fashion again, why do you thing tyre manufacturers don't do a full range of 29er tyres? Too much for them to invest in a something that will only be around for a short time.

weeksy59

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Yes.. and for XC it wipes the floor with the 26ers posted. (i own a XTC 29er actually and ride it ...oooooh... 7 hours ago)

You may want ultimate grip and handling, he wants an XC bike according to the first post.

Surely the best bit about xc riding is carving up some sweet twisty single track where you need a bike which will steer properly, is nicely balanced & has plenty of grip. 29er's do roll well but thats all. Give it a few years & they will be out of fashion again, why do you thing tyre manufacturers don't do a full range of 29er tyres? Too much for them to invest in a something that will only be around for a short time.

Think you're wrong personally based upon the vast numbers they now sell in the US. Time will tell of course, but i'd guess i'll be right on this one.

rockmonkeysc

I can't see them staying for long. They just don't work as well as 26". Not as strong, heavier, don't steer well, less grip, less tyre choice & they will never work with long travel forks. Too many negatives for the one positive.

castlelad

I have a giant revel 1.......decent frame, sh*t forks, but it's a very capable bike its gone everywhere i've wanted it to, i only got it because i never thought i'd enjoy going "off road".....how wrong i was......but i wouldn't put anyone off from buying one.......

cycle monster

Hire or borrow as many as you can. One man's trusty steed is another man's donkey. To answer your question properly we need to know how often you will ride, how hard and where. My first mtb (£100 - fully rigid) sat in a shed for five years. My second (£250 - budget hardtail) was ridden to death in two years, my third (£550 - better hardtail) has had various bits replaced through wear and tear. I am now on the cusp of biting the bullet and spending £2,000 on a full susser. If you are new to the sport, keep costs low and save for potentially substantial investment to come. If you are hooked already, buy the best you can for your preferred riding. There is no exact science or magic to this, as you will get better and more adventurous with experience.

robbroo

Hire or borrow as many as you can. One man's trusty steed is another man's donkey.

is it really true....i have ridden a hard frame (non suspension P7) for over 20 years and loved it. I am now looking at a full suspension bike...at the moment i am thinking of something like an orange 5 or a zesty but looking at the specs they have similar head angles similar pivots etc.

i am tempted by the zesty because it is significantly lighter but the orange will probably be cheaper....will they really ride that differently? i can test the orange easily at a local bike shop but the zesty means a 100 mile round trip

cycle monster

Sorry for the late reply. To give an example of how we differ as much as bikes do, get this. My boss and I have the same bike but his is a medium and mine a large. He is an inch taller than me. Our bikes feel absolutely right for us. If we swap, his feels like a clowns bike to me and he feels like he has stolen his Dad's bike and gets a nosebleed. Try before you buy if you can.

cat_with_no_tail

robbroo wrote:

i am tempted by the zesty because it is significantly lighter but the orange will probably be cheaper....will they really ride that differently? i can test the orange easily at a local bike shop but the zesty means a 100 mile round trip

Yes they will. Completely differently.

I never quite understand that kind of thinking. Sure it's a 100mile round trip, but when you're forking out the thick end of, what? about £3k? Surely it's worth a couple of hours out of your weekend to make sure it feels right.

Not having a go, just trying to put it into context.