Mike: new bike?

[LBmtb]

So rumor is that your car's tranny is ok and you have a green light for a new bike? (rumor = your aim away message :wave: )

So what bikes are you looking at?

 

[moochy]

haha...this is very true.

Boring story about my car...read with caution:

I got my tranny rebuilt sept 2003 so the 1 yr warranty was expired when i felt it slipping 2 weeks ago. Brought it to the mechanic and he couldn't figure it out so brought it to the place that rebuilt it. After running some tests they said the transmission was fine and that the spark plug wires were arching (sending electricity) to the engine block and that was causing it. So, hopefully we'll (my dad and I) switch 'em out with new ones and i can keep drivin the old camaro until it dies completely. It's an awesome car but it's getting to the point where something major will cost more than its worth.

Onto the fun part:
The last couple of months I've been saving some money for a new car (I still should be but i need a bike!)...so I have about 2000 plus whatever i can take out of this months paycheck. I'm not exactly sure what I want to get but I'm leaning towards a Santa Cruz Heckler. The guys at BikeCo in irvine said they could build me one for about 2000.

My Specialized was a 3 inch Xc bike so i wanna go with something a little beefier with 5 or more inches and I want something with good enough components so I won't have to spend more money upgrading stuff.

I would appreciate any input on what kind of bikes you guys recommend. I'm 6'1" 180lbs. I'm not a super aggressive rider but i'm hoping to start going bigger/faster with some jumps&drops if I can find some around here.

I think i'm gunna get a single pivot frame like the Heckler, Intense 5.5, or Yeti 5.75. They seam like the most reliable kind of rear suspension and it saves some weight compared to the 4-bar.

The Spec. FSR was a 4 bar and i wasn't completely satisfied with it (maybe because it had an old beat up shock and only 3 inches of travel).

What other good FR bikes are there that I should consider? Price is a factor though so no turners or anything that'll cost me a kidney.

Also what kind of fork do you guys have/recommend? I like my Marzocchi mx comp for the whole month and a half i had it so i might get another one...maybe the z1 or something with a little more travel. Fox has some pretty nice forks that i could get too. Once again, input will be much appreciated. If you guys know of any deals let me know too.


Thanx a lot,
-Mike

 

[ECOdork]

Forks?
My Rocky Mtn came with a Fox Float 100R. Not their biggest or best fork, but compared to my old Rock Shox or my Marz EXR it is incredibly nice! I admit that the other two forks were not even in the same price category as the Fox, so that makes a difference. Nevertheless, I have been very impressed with its durability and performance.
I have run into people on the trail with Rock Shox (SID, I think) and a Manitou (can't remember which type) who complained about their (new) forks leaking after rides.
Not cool! [-(

...I would imagine that if you buy just about anyone's higher-end fork that is designed for you and the riding you do, you will probably be alright. If it was my dough I'd go either Marz or Fox.

 

[chumbaracing]

i had a 5 inch travel manitou and it leaked two times with just light XC riding, what a pos. Get a FOX.

 

[ArrrKelly]

I sold my heckler (have a bullit now) but it was a fantastic bike. With a Fox Vanilla or a Pike up front you will have an excellent bike for almost all kinds of riding. I took mine on 45 mile VQ training rides, techno Aliso trails, Northsatr DH trails and some freeride spots too. You would be happy with other bikes too, but the Heckler is the cheapest and is as good as anything else out there. If you are really cheap you can get a used one on ebay for less than $700 with a 5th element coil.

The only complaint I had with the heckler was the low bottom bracket. I only noticed brake jack when I got on the brakes hard in a bump section.

 

[TURNERob]

I'd get a Pike, for the money it is a great deal and the dampening feels incredible. I've tried out a LOT of forks, and the Pike is so plush it amazes me. Why pay twice as much for a Fox :?:

 

[moochy]

Ya, I've had your mentality lately rob...they have some 04 pikes for about 400...good deal for that much travel plus its got the remote lockout

Thanks for the info arrkelly, The heckler frame is like $500 cheaper than similar frames so its a good option for me right now. I'm a little worried about the low bb. My old bike was an XL and i still hit it on some technical climbs...i guess you can't really eliminate that problem...Did you hit it on any downhills or just at places where rocks jut out?

What exactly is brake jack? I think its when the suspension locks up while braking but I've never experienced anything like this. Is it because the force of braking holds the rear triangle back so it can't go forward/up to compress?

 

[ArrrKelly]

you have the idea about brake jack. It is a very small problem on heckler. Unless you are racing dh dont let it influence your decision.

No problems hitting pedals going downhill. Only on uphill on rocky climbs.

What is the target weight for your build? Also if you are going to be freeriding or you're not too worried about wieght the new Z1 (150mm) would be pretty bitchin'.

 

[moochy]

I have a bad habit or only using my back brake (i think its cuz im right handed), so i guess the brake jack situation will force me to get over that. Do all single pivot frames have this problem?

I don't necessarily have a target weight but i don't want it to be too heavy because it'll be my only bike and I'll use it for everything. My old bike was a (supposedly) XC bike, but it weighed about 34 lbs last time i checked (i added a couple things so the original weight was more like 32). The Z1 is a nice fork. I think i've narrowed the forks down to:
1) fox vanilla, probably rlc cuz of the lockout (490 w/free king headset on pricepoint)
2) Rockshox Pike w/poploc
3) Marz z1
4) Manitou Sherman firefly


I think the fox and pike are the front runners right now because of price and what they offer. Not as much travel as the bottom two, but they both have lockout...pike looks stronger and more durable but that means almost another pound compared to the fox.

 

[TURNERob]

The main thing to consider between the Pike and the Vanilla is the 20mm axle. The Pike is very stiff, just as stiff as my Z1's (both '03 and '05)....and feels more plush to me. I wouldn't opt for the poploc myself, as it just adds weight and could get broken/damaged in a crash. Using the lockout is quite easy without the poploc, and once you set the floodgate to where you want it you won't need to mess with it. I have the Pike Team and got it for $380.....so shop around. You won't really feel the difference of a less than a pound, so don't worry about that. I have a Foes FXR which I use almost all the time with the Pike on it and couldn't be happier. With the Pike in front and a Fox DXH in the back the bike feels incredible! My bike weighs probably about 30 or 31 lbs and climbs very well with virtually no bobbing......just if they weren't so damn expensive ](*,)

 

[moochy]

YA, i'd be a little worried about the poploc braking cuz its just a little plastic lever.  I'm not worried about the weight of the poploc because whats another 1/2 ounce when you're sacrificing a pound over the fox.  Where'd you get the pike team from? 380's a damn good price. was it on clearance?

Got some other questions for you guys:

If I get the heckler, what color should i get?

I want some hydros...which are best value? Juicy 7's?

 

[LBmtb]

I like their orange or black.

 

[TURNERob]

Go search for a guy named RideRed on mtbr.com He is the guy I bought mine from, not sure if he can still get that deal for you, but worth a try.

 

[ArrrKelly]

31 to 32 pounds is realistic for your new rig. You can get it lighter but not without spending lots of $$. Get some kenda blue grooves or some mutanowrapter 2.4 tires. My favorite tires and they are light. Stay away from heavy maxxis tires.

Nobody is complaining about the Pike. Get that fork and spend the extra money you saved on the best custom wheelset you can get.

My buddy has Juicy 7's and he likes them but wishes he got the juicy 5's. The 7's have a red adjuster nob on the levers that adjust the pads or reach or something. It seems pretty pointless and the nob is ugly. So get Juicy 5's. Or get Avid Mechanicals (even better).

These are just my opinions. I might catch some sh!t for what I just said about Maxxis and Brakes. If i do then I am right and they are wrong rotest:

 

[TURNERob]

I'll agree with you on all but the Maxxis tires. I've been running a 2.35 Mobster super tacky in the front of my Cove and a 2.7 on my BigHit and love em. They are slightly heavier than the Blue Groove, however the sidewalls are a bit beefier (even in the singleply) and they are a wirebead so you'll have to expect some more weight. Between the Blue Groove and the Mobster those are the 2 best front tires I've used, awesome grip. I got the Mobster's on clearance at Superblow for $18....can't beat that.

They also take to Stan's tubeless much better than the Kendas....I had a hell of a time getting my Kendas to seal up with Stan's due to the porous sidewalls.

 

[moochy]

I had avid mechs on my old bike and they weren't nearly as good as my friends hayes. I even got the full metal jacket but that only helped out the front brake a tiny bit. I think the efficiency of the hydro compared to the cables is the biggest difference...similar pads and same rotors but there is a big difference in my opinion...either way you still stop though so i guess its not a huge deal.


Its amazing how important good tires are for mountain biking. Out of all the different components i've tried on bikes the biggest difference i've noticed was switching between tires. It can improve or worsen handling braking and just the over all control of the bike.

I think weight tends to be a bigger issue with tires though because of the whole inertia thing. It's one things to have fork thats 1/5 lb heavier but if you but that weight on the outside of a wheel or cranks then it makes accelerating and decelerating alot harder.

 

[moochy]

Ok, so i went to a couple bike shops today and I think i'm even more confused than when i started.

Went to switchback cyclery on chapman ave.  There's a nice lady named sherry who helped me out...they had a lrg heckler with some pretty decent components that i test rode but i didnt like it at all.  Apparently there was something wrong with the rear shock (progressive) so they tightened the spring all the way down before i road it.  I think this is the reason why i didn't like the bike because i basically couldn't feel the suspension at all.  I didn't like the fox talas they had on it either.  I'm pretty sure this was due to the fact that they didn't maintain or set it up properly.  I also felt that the large frame was a little too small for me...so hopefully i can find a place with an xl frame and that knows how to assemble a bike correctly, so i can get a good feel for the heckler.

I then went to the bike path a couple streets down.  I'm sure most of you have been here but if you haven't its an awesome shop.  A little small, but a good selection and AWESOME employees (i talked with mondo).  First test ride here was a kona dawg.  Great fit (large) for me and a good feeling suspension.  A little soft but I enjoyed the bike.  Pretty cheap too at around 1800.  I then test rode an intense 5.5 and it was Awesome!!!!! Mondo warned me beforehand by saying "This bike is like having sex" (he was right).  I loved this bike.  It was super light and had an awesome suspenion, not to mention it fit me perfectly.  I was going full speed over some speed bumps and off curbs and i was loving it.  I did some pretty high bunny hops with it too.  Unfortunately,  it is 3500     ....I really liked this bike and would've bought it in a second if it was cheaper.  On the ride home I tried to conjure up a way to pay for it but I dont think i can justify get a bike this expensive.


I stopped at supergo (on alicia) on the way home and dealt with their horrible customer service.  I swear they have no idea what is going on.  Their employees dont know anything about bikes and while i was there i walked by:
1) a 5-spot with beach cruiser tires and crappy vbrakes (are you serious?)
2) About 30 identical specialized stumpjumpers
3)an employee who asked if I needed help.  I replied ya i'm looking for a  5 inch all around-type mountain bike.  To which he turned around and asked another customer the same question.  (uh, i dont even know what he was thinking...whatever)

Anyway...they had the same 5.5 frame there but with some crappy components.  I took it for a quick 35 yards ride down the aisle and did the usual compression, brake, shifting checks...it was nothing like the one at path.  

Hopefully, i'll go shopping some more and maybe talk some financial things with my dad about borrowing money and stuff.  I really like that intense but my friend made a good point when he said, "the only way you could really justify getting a 3500 bike like that would be if you were a racer.  If you're just having fun out on the trails then you don't need a bike like that and a heavier cheaper bike will make you stronger anyway" (not exact words but something like that).

 

[jinks]

well, you could always get the frame from the Path and have them build it up with cheaper parts. That way you can get the frame and save some cash, or you could just ebay the parts and build it yourself or have them build it. I'm a non-racer type and I dropped three grand at the Path for my new steel hardtail. I only buy bikes like once every 7-10 years, so I figure I can just get my dream bike and ride it for years, rather than get a mid range one and ride it a few years then buy a new one. But to each their own. Most importantly, it depends on how much cash you can throw down for a bike. To be honest, most of the friends I ride with think I'm insane for spending so much money on a bike, hehe.

 

[mtnbikej]

Went to switchback cyclery on chapman ave. There's a nice lady named sherry who helped me out...they had a lrg heckler with some pretty decent components that i test rode but i didnt like it at all. Apparently there was something wrong with the rear shock (progressive) so they tightened the spring all the way down before i road it. I think this is the reason why i didn't like the bike because i basically couldn't feel the suspension at all. I didn't like the fox talas they had on it either. I'm pretty sure this was due to the fact that they didn't maintain or set it up properly. I also felt that the large frame was a little too small for me...so hopefully i can find a place with an xl frame and that knows how to assemble a bike correctly, so i can get a good feel for the heckler..

Go back to Switchback. Tim, the owner rides a XL Heckler. They should let you take it for a spin.

They do know how to properly assemble a bike correctly. P

Plus it is not an issue with the shock being not set up correctly or well maintained. Most of the 5th Elem. shocks require a bite of break in before they start to feel better. Tim the owner who is also the head mechanic was out doing the Vision Quest yesterday or he would have set the shock up properly for you before your test ride.

Switchback sells alot of Santa Cruz bikes, plus Sherry will work with you to build the bike that you want. I know the one they have built up is the lighter XC build, but that may not necessarily be the build kit/application you were looking for.

Don't base the bike you tested on the compenents. Those are personal prefferences. You need to see how the frame felt.

I have known several people who bought thier Hecklers and did not like them at first. However once the rear shock broke in, they are extremely happy with them.

Call them up and give them a days notice that you would like to try the fit on a XL frame, and they will bring Tim's by the shop. Plus you can get a good look and the Orange powdercoat.

mtnbikej


.[/quote]

 

[mtnbikej]

Ok, so i went to a couple bike shops today and I think i'm even more confused than when i started.

Went to switchback cyclery on chapman ave. There's a nice lady named sherry who helped me out...they had a lrg heckler with some pretty decent components that i test rode but i didnt like it at all. Apparently there was something wrong with the rear shock (progressive) so they tightened the spring all the way down before i road it. I think this is the reason why i didn't like the bike because i basically couldn't feel the suspension at all. I didn't like the fox talas they had on it either. I'm pretty sure this was due to the fact that they didn't maintain or set it up properly. I also felt that the large frame was a little too small for me...so hopefully i can find a place with an xl frame and that knows how to assemble a bike correctly, so i can get a good feel for the heckler.

Plus Switchback Cyclery offers 12 months interest free financing.

mtnbikej