Taking my XC racing to the next level. 29" HT a must?

[chatton18]

It'll be different, but definitely faster on the up and 29ers do surprisingly well plowing through nj babyhead rock gardens. Just point it and go.

I kind of want a cheap one for after work rides at Lewis Morris where my remedy is just total overkill, but I dont think the woman would be too happy about it.

[Canada1]

My experience has been that when friends joined club teams they got much faster through proper spandex. A couple of them went pro and they got spandex that is really sweet and started to offer it to me. Unfortunately something about my upbringing prevents me from throwing on those suspender things without punching myself, so I continue to ride slow.

Lee Lau has drafted numerous articles on the proper spandex for 29" rims and xc racing and would have some good insight on this subject. Spandex selection with consideration for geographic terrain and rim size is something one of you tech guys should develop an Ap for. Dentist everywhere would buy this.

[flatlander#2]

My experience has been that when friends joined club teams they got much faster through proper spandex. A couple of them went pro and they got spandex that is really sweet and sarted to offer it to me. Unfortunately something about my upbringing prevents me from throwing on those suspender things without punching myself, so I continue to ride slow.

Lee Lau has drafted numerous aarticles on the proper spandex for 29" rims and xc racing and would have some good insight on this subject. Spandex selection with consideration for geographic terrain and rim size is something one of you tech guys should develop an Ap for. Dentist everywhere would buy this.

ESL.....

[stuckathuntermtn]

My experience has been that when friends joined club teams they got much faster through proper spandex. A couple of them went pro and they got spandex that is really sweet and sarted to offer it to me. Unfortunately something about my upbringing prevents me from throwing on those suspender things without punching myself, so I continue to ride slow.

Lee Lau has drafted numerous aarticles on the proper spandex for 29" rims and xc racing and would have some good insight on this subject. Spandex selection with consideration for geographic terrain and rim size is something one of you tech guys should develop an Ap for. Dentist everywhere would buy this.

Can you use the same spandex and bike for getting Stava KOM or should I at least have a set of racing wheels/tires and spandex and Strava wheels/tires and spandex? Which ceramic bottom bracket would you recommend?

[donutlynx]

This is not Enduro?

[Ksyrium]

Id rather have a 3-4" travel FS bike meant for XC over a 29'er HT, but i guess thats just me.

For all the racing i've done in the northeast id rather have a FS bike over a HT 90% of the time.

Having said that I did all my xc racing on a 26 HT, but that was more due to budget

[icelanticskier]

Cross max? Not exactly bang for your buck... Modestly light with shitty hubs for a lot of money.

Lace up some decent hubs to stainless steel spokes and a nice set of rims (stans, dt, mavic, etc)

Ha yer crazy. Crossmax wheels are the best combo of weight, stiffness, durability, serviceability, and price out there. Raced and beat the shit out of a pair of 1st gen crossmax 29 er wheels for 5 years riding year round and never even had to true them. And that was on a fully rigid bike so the wheels were taking the full abuse.

rog

[stuckathuntermtn]

This is not Enduro?

Not sure. How about now, am I enduroing now?

[Canada1]

you can't enduro on a 29r. Impossible. You've got to go 26 or 27.5 and it is a given that WR knows this.

I've peppered in my poor attempts at humor, but here is my real answer. By the bike you want.

Right now if I trade bikes with my friends, they will still beat me if they were faster before the trade, and I'll beat them if they were slower before the trade. It's not the bike, it's not the skis, it's not the clubs. You're doing something you love, so pick the arrow that makes it the most fun and kick it's ass.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Hmmmm. I mean I have a pretty freaking light 26" full squish that I do love. Maybe I could go even crazier and get some carbon wheels and better cranks. It weights in at just under 25 pounds right now.

I will be in Sedona in like 10 days and would love to try a 29er while I am there. I can rent an SC Tallboy from Bike and Bean. Any other shops that I should look into?

[stuckathuntermtn]

Under 25lbs?! Nice. Get some 27.5 wheels so you can be enduroing.

[toast2266]

Hmmmm. I mean I have a pretty freaking light 26" full squish that I do love. Maybe I could go even crazier and get some carbon wheels and better cranks. It weights in at just under 25 pounds right now.

I will be in Sedona in like 10 days and would love to try a 29er while I am there. I can rent an SC Tallboy from Bike and Bean. Any other shops that I should look into?

Like others have said, a 29er is what you want. A ~25lb bike is pretty heavy by xc standards, and 26" wheels are slower in most of the situations you're going to find on an xc course. Whether a hardtail or FS makes more sense depends on the course, the type of race, and your riding style. Most serious XC guys I know have one of each; they make the call based on roughness and length of the course.

Keep in mind that the point of an xc race bike isn't to be "fun," it's to go fast. I find most xc bikes to be twitchy and sketchy on any semi-technical terrain (at least compared to something like your LTc), but they're fucking rocket ships going uphill. So people in here might be saying "buy something fun," but that's not the point if you're looking for a serious racer.

As for the shops in Sedona, there's shitloads of them. Over the Edge has a location there, and Bike and Bean is a good one too.

[zion zig zag]

I'll throw in a vote for the carbon SC Highball. Seriously fast and fun. I bought one on the closeout sale last year and built it up SS. Doesn't feel twitchy on the down, either.

[Esses]

Gotta have goggles for enduro. If you're wearing goggles, but no full face you are enduroing, right?

[ColMan]

Hmmmm. I mean I have a pretty freaking light 26" full squish that I do love. Maybe I could go even crazier and get some carbon wheels and better cranks. It weights in at just under 25 pounds right now.

I'm guessing you're a CAT2 (sport)? If so, a sub 25lb bike will be just fine.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Yeah, I am CAT2.

So I had my first experience on a 29er last week in Sedona. Rented a Pivot Mach 429 Carbon. Having not been on a mountain bike in several months I think I did pretty well. Thing obviously climbed great. Bike was super stiff, quiet, and fun. I only had a tiny bit of trouble on really tight switchbacks.

Can someone explain to me what, if anything, makes that bike different from other F/S 29ers? Shorter wheelbase?

Unfortunately, living in NJ I have very little chance to demo bikes. I felt like the stand over on that bike was a bit high for me. It was a medium frame and I am only 5'7". Maybe I could have ridden a size small?

Really wish I could try something like a SC 5010 to see whats up with the 27.5.

[mntlion]

http://reviews.mtbr.com/the-angry-si...adox-of-choice

If you are going HT, go 29er,

if you are going full, either.

for size, just measure your toptube, and get something with a similar TT length. Ignore the standover

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Anyone in the NE wanna trade a carbon frame for a 1992 Volvo 240?