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I agree on the hard tail direction. $1000 is not a lot of money when it comes to new bikes these days(relatively speaking of course), but just like you I researched high and low for a max bike for that budget. I ended up getting a 2016 Rockhopper Comp on a sweet sale as it was September and the bike shop was trying To get rid of last years bikes. Was it my first choice for a bike, no, but am I happy with the bike, you bet. I go out with a bunch of guys all riding All Mountain and Enduro bikes and I keep up with them as well as one can on a hardtail. Sure I get dropped sometimes, but that’s probably because of my skill rather than the bike itself.
My point is, you can shop around, don’t rush it, and you will come across that one wicked deal that will just feel right, just like I did. And you can get a lot more bike when you get a hardtail as opposed a full squish.
For the record, I own both a hardtail and full suss, and I love riding them both for their unique riding experience
Ok, I got it figured out. Shock pump is good, the fork is fantastic……the user however is not switched on. Having never used the shock pump before, I was not screwing it tight enough. It was tight, but apparently not tight enough. So what I was pressurizing was not the shock, but the little hose between the shock and the fork, thus giving me a false reading. Once I overcame that hurdle, smooth sailing.
Thanks guys.
@Raymond Epstein, this is not exactly a dedicated LBS. it’s a store that sells bikes, LaCrosse equipment, but mostly it’s a hockey store. I would’ve bought another bike from the “dedicated LBS” but I honestly couldn’t afford the bikes I liked there. Having said that, the staff is friendly and well educated on the bikes, but I’ve had no previous experiance with the bike shop part of the store.
Thanks everyone else for your input I guess I got a little too excited and wrote this before research gong on the net.
But I do appreciate advice from your riding experiences, how it should feel or not feel, how does a bottom out feel, as a simple table/guide is just a starting point. Now off to do some reading
Thanks guys
I must be missing something or I am simply a half wit. I’m trying to do the same but I can’t find “add to this trail” button or drop down menu.
Can I use my iPhone to do this or do I have to log into Strava and then log into Singletracks to sink it?
Please help as I’m about to chuck my iPhone out of a moving car.
Rocky Mountain Slayer 730 MSL or Commencal Meta AM 4.2 World Cup. Either one of those would make me the happiest man on earth.
I use an old pair of Nike skater shoes and they work great with my NRG Taster’s Choice flat pedals. I have a hard tail and ride with guys who all have full squishes and trust me when I tell you they make me push my bike to the limit. And those shoes stick like glue to my pedals. Someday I will get a pair of 5.10s but for now, skater shoes do the trick.
I love the Trance 2. I demoed it couple of days ago and it is butter. Hopefully I will get one within the next month or so…….or get the Commencal Meta TR 4.2 for the same price. Better spec and only 130 mm in the back and 140 in the front. I tested the Kona precept 130 (130 mm front and back) and it felt so nice as well. But the spec on it was not that good. Anyways that’s my 2 cents.
Good luck.
As someone who is on a budget and recently purchased a hardtail, I will throw the 2016 Specialized Rockhopper Comp 29″ into the mix. I bought it on sale for $999 CDN and can attest to the fact that it is a solid entry level HT. components aren’t spectacular, no XT here, but that thing shreds which can be seen by my Strava sections at my local trails. I am killing some of the guys on their $5000 whips, and their carbon steeds.
I have upgraded a couple of things, but mostly the original spec works fine….for a bike at this price point. Pure joy.
I say the dropper post. Internal routing is cosmetics as I’ve never heard of anyone getting injured because their cables got tangled on something. Carbon is nice, but not mind blowing….to me anyways.
Suspension is also up there somewhere.
I am in the same boat as you. Looking to upgrade to a full suspension bike and am limited to what my local bike shops carry Kona, Specialized, Trek, Giant, and Rocky Mountain. Yea I know about the direct buy lime YT and Commencal but looking to buy local now.
In my opinion Camber and Precept are more alike then the Trance. Trance will be able to take you further to where you wanna go….just like me. I say get the Trance, I know I will. Unless I get a smoking deal on one of the other ones. The components on the Trance are also hard to match.
Good luck
Unfortunately I agree with the comments above. A year ago I hastily bought a Rockhopper Comp and loved it. But as i rode more I realized that the components on it were not good. So within a year span I’ve upgraded my cockpit, brakes, pedals, and that’s where I drew the line. I am now saving for a decent full suspension bike (Giant Trance 2) and will not upgrade the Rockhopper anymore. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun bike, but as you ride more, your skills improve, and you find your bike is limiting you. I ride with guys who all have FS bikes and although I try hard, I am held back by the geometry and lack of rear suspension. But I still rip on XC trails. So I say get the Rockhopper Expert and go shred.
Tektro Auriga brakes came with my Rockhopper. It’s a hardtail so I don’t do any downhill and my trail riding is pretty tame, but even with that I noticed the brake fade was horrible.
I ended up upgrading to Shimano SLX M7000 and love them. The modulation, the reliability, and the look of course. Glad I did it.
I got the RF Atlas 785 mm and cut it down to 760 mm, which decreases the weight of that’s your concern. Not sure what they weigh now. Low riser, 1.5″, and they are fantastic. Just wide enough for my comfort.
Thought about Renthals but decided on my Canadian company instead.
Like @kenwrightjr I went with the 2016 Specialized Rockhopper Comp and I have no regrets. It is not the most aggressive geometry Hardtail, but for my first serious mountain bike, it hit the mark. I have done a several upgrades to date and am looking forward to this biking season, after which I hope I can upgrade to a full suss bike. Which coincidentally might be a Giant product(Giant Trance 2).
So whether you choose Giant or Specialized bike, you will be happy for sure.
As for my recommendation, go with the Rockhopper.
I’ve never done it, but mentally getting there. I’m currently looking to upgrade my bike and have been doing online research to a point of exhaustion. This includes visiting my LBS and testing their bikes too.
But the more I check online, the more I see satisfied people with their Commencals, YTs, etc. I even discovered a few Canadian start up companies which I never even heard of before.
That being said, you do take a bit of a gamble not being able to touch it, feel it, and ride it.
So to sum it up, yea I’d buy a bike online if the stars align and the deal is hard to pass up.
I just got into the sport last year and was just like you. $1000 was my max so I did my research and went with the best offer at one of the three LBS around me.
I went with the Specialized Rockhopper Comp and I love it. She’s my baby. Sure I’ve done some upgrades to make her the way I want and improve ride comfort. But out of all the choices the other guys have given you, I will promote the Rockhopper.
Yes, I will be getting a full suspension bike eventually(in addition to my current one, not instead) as both bikes will ride differently.
I will be hitting more technical trails which will require a bike with better suspension. But for the flowy singletrack, and XC I’m doing right now, the Rockhopper rocks my world.
So if I understand this correctly, it’s more of a trial and error thing? You basically eyeball it and use 2mm spacers to correct it either way?
Just had my bike serviced and ready to hit the trails. I also had my new SLX brakes installed.
Thanks guys. I don’t have the money at this time so I think I’ll just get myself a 30t narrow-wide chainring and put that on. Later maybe I’ll follow up with the drivetrain.
Will I need to get a special chain to go with the NW Race Face chainring?
Hahaha. You got my name almost right. And you’re welcome.
