Quote:
Originally Posted by cral12
Because this thread is huge, tough to dig thru even with search feature.
Yet another bike recommendation (Cross-country) request. Got some tips from a friend on features to strive for, but still not sure where to begin the search:
"Get a carbon frame, full suspension, xc bike with 4 inches of travel front and back, and minimum Shimano xt or Sram X9 components. In stores that will run you serious money; consider used."
Thoughts welcomed!
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I think that if you're riding the terrain around here, the climbing abilities of the XC bike are a big priority. I would gravitate towards the higher-end rear suspension set-ups to maximize pedal efficiency (dw-link, VPP, horst link, etc). Older singlepivots just bob way too much on the steep stuff around here.
I'm currently on an Ibis (140mm travel) that I've obsessively upgraded. It weights in (including reverb and pedals) at 25 pounds. It functions perfectly fine as an XC bike and I have enough suspension to get rowdy coming down. At the end of the season, I plan on picking up either a Yeti ASR-C or a carbon Transition Scout (rumored for 2016) to try out the long, slack, low geometry in an XC bike.
TL;DR - there are lots of good XC bikes. you'll have to try them out to see what works for you.