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I would certainly consider heading to Brevard area and camping. Tons of trails to ride in the area, you can camp at Davidson River campground and you’ll be close to DuPont, Pisgah, and Bent Creek. The nice thing is there is plenty to do for the family in the immediate area with hiking, shopping, and Asheville is only 15-20 minutes away. Search here on Singletracks as there are a number of articles about the area and trails.
I have had Rudy Project and Oakley (Half-Jacket, Jawbones, and now Flak 2.0s). I highly recommend SportsRX for any purchase. I’m getting on up there with my prescription and, due to the thickness of my RX, I could no longer get Oakley prescription lenses for my Jawbones or Half Jackets). I recently ordered a new set of Flak 2.0s and got the Prizm Road lenses and they are incredible for both the road and trails. I wear my sunglasses all the time as I live in Florida and the Prizm Road lenses are great. I debated getting the Prizm Trail lenses, but was able to go try them on at a local Oakley store and they simply would not work for most everyday usage. After getting my glasses from SportsRX, one of the lenses cracked and they replaced both lenses free of charge and had outstanding customer service. All of these Oakley frames allow for interchangeable lenses, but their lenses are not cheap.
I’m going down this same rabbit hole as you are and recently upgraded to a 1x system with my 2016 10 speed full suspension bike. I was fortunate because I only had to buy a new chainring and could keep my rear cassette, shifter, and derailleur so it was a relatively cheap upgrade ($40). I now want to get new wheels, but will probably buy used to save some money. I say this because, given your situation and what you’re looking to buy, I’d suggest getting a new bike. If you’re replacing a 3×8, that means your hardtail is probably an older model. To go 1×11 with a good mix of Shimano SLX and XT you’re looking at $300-400 for parts, for a good new fork, that’s at least another $500+, and the same for wheels. You’ve then got nice new parts mixed in with an old hardtail frame. I think I would just take that ~ $1500 you’re going to eventually spend and save up for a new full suspension and keep the hardtail around as a backup (or buy a new hardtail if that’s what you really like). This scenario makes more sense if you’re scouring Craigslist or Ebay and buying used parts.
As for parts, I often buy from Amazon too as they get it to me quickly and have low prices. I always compare with some other go-to sites like Performance Bikes, Nashbar, SteepandCheap, Competitive Cyclist, Jensen, etc… Good luck
I have not been to their Jax store, but my son is attending UNF and is only 5 minutes away. Is their brick and mortar store similar to their website, i.e., are there a number of different models to look at in person?
If you’re looking for easier flow trails, I’d recommend Tsali over Pisgah/Dupont area. If you’re camping, there are tent sites right at the trailhead or you can go a few miles away to Tumbling Waters campground (I recommend the latter). The trails at Tsali are not very technical although there is some good elevation. While Tsali may look close on the map, its a 2 hour drive from Brevard. I just read about the new trail in nearby Cherokee that looks promising. I’ll check that out next time I’m up there. On the other hand, Brevard is a cooler town and nicer area to vacation IMHO.
If you’re staying in Brevard, definitely go with Dupont over Pisgah. There are some nice flow trails in Dupont -definitely hit Ridgeline. I will also second the earlier recommendation for Mayberry’s and suggest going for breakfast. I’ll even throw in a lunch recommendation at the Mexican restaurant next door to Sycamore Cycles (can’t remember the name), but the Chorizo chicken dish is perfect for an after-ride meal. If camping, go with Davidson River. April will be a great time to go!
I bought a used 2016 Giant Trance 3 as my first full suspension bike and love it. That said, it has a little more travel than I really need for the trails I ride the majority of the time. I now find myself wishing I had a cross country type 29er to use for endurance events and the occasional race or Xterra triathlon. If I had $2500 and was looking for my first full suspension, I’d certainly consider a Santa Cruz Tallboy (or maybe 5010), or maybe look at Specialized bikes – Epic Comp or Camber. If you go with the Trance, hope you enjoy it!
My nephew has one on his truck (not sure which brand), and we travel with it often. Surprisingly, there is no issue with scratching or bike movement because there is a thick pad there and your bike fits very snug on it. The only real drawback I’ve noticed is you can’t leave your bike unattended for any length of time unless you craft a DIY type of locking system to prevent theft. Otherwise, I find my bike sits on the truck pad more securely than it does on my Thule bigmouth roofrack tray.
A number of companies (Zoic, Yakima, Thule, etc.) make a pad that attaches to the back of the truck and you can simply place your front tire over it and it will hold your bike securely.
