Bike choice

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    • #116074

      Hi I want to buy my first good bike but dont know where to start

      Airborne Hobglobin XO
      http://www.airbornebicycles.com/product … in-x0.aspx
      the airborne only seem to need better brakes, swap them for shimanos XT.
      Brakes – XT $260 ice tech rotors

      Motobecane Fantom XTR
      http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mot … _xtr30.htm
      Fantom needs crank and Brakes, I will upgrade those to shimano XT
      crank – shimano XT $296
      Brakes – XT $260 with ice tech rotors

      Trek Rumblefish Elite
      http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/mo … fish_elite
      This one is mostly SLX

      Giant Anthem X29 1
      http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bik … ifications
      also mostly SLX arguable less value than the rumblefish if this one dont come with 142×12 rear axle and less quality brakes
      Brakes – XT $260 ice tech rotor

      so does shimano SLX feels like XT?
      what about the suspension on those design and shocks/forks.
      I left all others out since group for price are way to high.
      thanks!

    • #116075

      Why exactly do you need to upgrade the brakes to Shimano XT on all of these bikes? The Airborne, for instance. Sure, XT brakes might be nicer, but there are a dozen things that you could upgrade to be "nicer."

      IMO, if budget is an issue, doing an aftermarket upgrade right after purchasing a brand new bike that already has a pretty awesome component spec is a bad idea. Maybe after you’ve ridden it for a couple of years and have some money burning a hole in your pocket, look at doing an upgrade then.

    • #116076

      Actually I can confirm that the OEM Elixir brakes are awful. However, for upgrading, go with the SLX. They work exactly the same as the XT’s, weigh only a couple of grams more, and are a LOT less money.

      Airborne is a decent ride for the price.

      For Motobecane, I have no issues with their hardtails but I’d probably avoid the FS … although that does look an awful lot like a Diamondback Sortie, minus the proprietary knucklebox suspension.

      I own a 2011 Anthem X 29er 3 and I love it. The stock SLX drivetrain works great, but I have upgraded the wheels to XT and the brakes to SLX. (watch the blog for a review of both) This bike has given me no issues, and if you buy it new it carries a lifetime warranty on the frame.

      And just to give you food for thought: check out the Felt Edict Nine 50. It’s the same price as the Anthem, carries slightly lesser drivetrain components, but has SLX brakes. (the non-icetech ones, but functionally the same) I rode the carbon version of this bike at Outerbike and it blew me away. If I was shopping now, I’d buy the Aluminum Felt over the Giant, and I am currently scheming to try to upgrade my Anthem to the carbon Felt. (anyone need a kidney?) 😆

    • #116077
      Actually I can confirm that the OEM Elixir brakes are awful. However, for upgrading, go with the SLX. They work exactly the same as the XT’s, weigh only a couple of grams more, and are a LOT less money.

      I disagree. It depends on the level of the Elixirs. Some of the lower Elixirs aren’t the greatest, and while I’ll grant you that I’d prefer XT over Elixir 9s, as a stock set of brakes the 9s are not too shabby. I own a bike with 9s and have put several thousand miles on it and have felt no compulsion to upgrade. While I have ridden with better brakes, they haven’t been good enough (and the 9s haven’t been bad enough) for me to plunk down the $$ to swap them out.

      Now, if my 9s bit the dust, I would consider XT brakes (or at least SLX) for a replacement…

    • #116078

      Fair enough, my opinion is based solely on going from Formula -> Elixir 3 -> SLX. The 3’s are definitely the weak link in that line-up.

    • #116079
      Formula -> Elixir 3 -> SLX. The 3’s are definitely the weak link in that line-up.

      Yup I’d definitely agree there 😀

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