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Arty50
05-24-2004, 07:29 PM
So I just went into a shop that sells Santa Cruz stuff. After talking to one of the guys there he was steering me away from the Heckler and towards a Blur. I mentioned that I like a combo of going down and climbing. One of his questions was whether I like to jump off of stuff. I don't yet. Hence the Blur I guess.

Here's the thing. I just started riding in Tahoe, and I know the Blur is great for the things I've been riding so far. But the upper trails haven't openned yet I guess. Toad's, etc. So for what I'm riding right now (Coral Loop & Tahoe Mtn.), I feel like the Blur is perfect. But I'm starting to get bored with that stuff and want to ride some harder trails. I don't see myself needing a downhill bike or anything either.

Shit. So at this point I'm thinking of a Blur instead of a Heckler. Opinions? And to throw another wrench into this, I still have to go to another shop and look at the Turner 5-spot. I'm guessing both the Heckler and 5-spot can be built to fit my weight needs (light enough to go up), but would the Blur still be better despite this.

After all that longwinded bs, I guess I'm really wondering what these bikes are built for. He seemed to think the Heckler and 5-spot were more freeride based. I thought they were all around. I assume he knows a lot more than I do. He definitely seemed to and was a cool guy.

Fuck, just shoot me. Or kill the bastard that forced me to make this damn decision. Arggggghhhhh!!!!

Telenater
05-24-2004, 07:37 PM
Originally posted by Arty50

Fuck, just shoot me. Or kill the bastard that forced me to make this damn decision. Arggggghhhhh!!!!

Never ridden any of the bikes in question, but I'd say go with your gutt. And, it's better to have an overbuilt bike than an underbuilt one.

freshies
05-24-2004, 07:40 PM
sounds like a good delima to me! hmmm, blur, heckler or turner?

i own a blur and love it. ride all over tahoe, marin and nevada city/downieville areas.....4.1/2 of travel in the rear and run a fox float 100rl up front, full xtr disc build.....its a killah ride.

i too like to climb, so for my $, the blur is the best all arounder, do everything, go everywhere FS bike out there.....there are lots of diff opinions and bikes built for DH, FR, etc, but for just an all around, every day, do everything bike, the blur is tough to beat.

you can't go wrong with any of your choices, really....good luck!

White Chocolate
05-24-2004, 07:42 PM
Buy a bike based on what kind of rider you want to be, not what kind of rider you are. I can tell you that the heckler definately covers more bases then the blur, especially with a lighter build. Read what you wrote again, because i think that you already know the answer :D

Oh yeah, the heckler in the gold or pumpkin colors is pimping big time

Mr. Altagirl
05-24-2004, 08:42 PM
Nice group to pick from. I went looking this weekend for a new ride and would have seriously looked at a heckler if it weren’t for the shitty Santa Cruz dealers in our area (they all SUCK). The heckler can be built very light if you like but I would seriously look at having parts that will last and that can take a bit of a beating. My brother races a Blur in Florida and brought it out to Moab to break it in last fall. I really liked it but it had its limitations. Even my brother said that if he lived out west, he would go with something a little stouter. Quite a few guys around here ride Blurs and love them (they all rip too) but I have noticed that they all are lightweight people, no heavy weights or really aggressive freeriders on Blurs for the most past. I know I'm biased but I would check out the 5-spot or the heckler very closely before you drop the money on a blur. (The Yeti 575 is REALLY impressive for a lightweight bike as well; A.G. is absolutely ripping up hill this year and it is partly due to that bike; I just bought an ASX and can't wait to get it). Good luck and I hope we run into you out in Tahoe this year, I would really like to go back there and show A.G. around.

Crinkle
05-24-2004, 08:43 PM
this is a nice dilema to have, my buddy has a Blur, and swears by it. Perfect for his needs, he can climb the crap out of it too. So as your climbing skills grow, this bike can keep up. He is a bigger than normal MTB'r (190#)

....this being said. I still go with ride everything you can, then make your decision. Go with what is the most fun/comfortatble/fast/whateverfloatsyourboat the most ride. You never know what you might be missing.

Yoda should be chiming in here "go with what you feel in your butt and in your soul"

...nah that sucks as a yoda quote.

Arty50
05-24-2004, 09:17 PM
Oh crap, since writing this I went over to the mtbr forums and did some digging. My mind is going insane! What should I get: the G4, iM85, or R:EX? :D

Actually it helped a lot. In only a few posts, you guys reinforced what I've been able to surmise so far. Thanks!

I'm gonna pass on the Blur. Someone over there emailed Scott from Santa Cruz about a friend who was a lumbering idiot like myself (230 lbs).

Scott wrote:
"The 2004 model Blur suggested weight limit is 240lbs. The suggested rider weight limit for the Blur frame is mostly there to let people know that this is a lightweight cross-country frame, and not a Freeride/DH frameset like our Bullit frame, or an Aggressive XC/Light Freeride frame like our Heckler model. For all-around XC riding for riders up to 240lbs the Blur should be fine. If he is a bigger rider, and/or are looking for something a little "more" than a XC oriented bike, you may want to have him look at our Heckler model."

That pretty much settled it for me. I was kinda thinking along White Chocolate's lines too; thanks mang. Sure the Blur is good for me know, but when I step it up (Toad's, Christmas Valley, etc.) I think I might break it. Prevailing opinion is that it's not for heavy riders. And I tend to muscle things a little bit too. So I'm gonna go a little burlier. Heckler, 5-spot, and Yeti.

Mr. AG. I'm gonna be in and out of town all summer. You definitely have to come out to Tahoe though. Even if I'm not around, lph, hardrider, Lego, freshies etc. all ride on a regular basis. Besides they'll be better guides. Except hardrider, he bitches about his sore ass too much. :D If I'm around, I'd love to ride with you two! Same goes for everyone esle!

Thanks everyone for your awesome advice! Once again the collective comes through. It seems like the Blur's a great bike, I'm just too fat for it. :D

Viva
05-24-2004, 09:35 PM
Arty, ya coming to the Hood mini? There's some great bike shops in the Portland and there's no sales tax here.;)

freshies
05-24-2004, 09:36 PM
like everyone here said, you can't go wrong between SC, Yeti and Turner....Ah, the whole weight issue via the Blur...didn't think about that...I weigh 160lbs, and as such, the Blur is perfect for me, no way I am gonna break it, and I have thrashed that thing on Toads, Hole, Downieville and Moab.....guess I am a skinny little punk :)

Yeah, if you are weighing in @ 230+, Heckler all the way.....or get reeally crazy ad checxk out that new VPFree they have just released....that thing looks sick!

trainnvain
05-24-2004, 09:43 PM
Arty, for an all-around Heckler build take a look at the Marzocchi forks with the ETC (ECC?summin' like that ) lock-down (versus simply locking out) for climbing. I rode a Z1 w/ the 5" travel and that option on the climbs was soo worth it. Heckler would definitely be a top 3 next all-around rig.

Hollywood
05-24-2004, 10:31 PM
You should look into the Intense 5.5, its built way better than a Blur, has the same travel as a Heckler and is 6lbs for the frame. Santa Cruz and Intense bought the VPP patent together, SC owns the name and Intense licenses it from SC. The Intense quality is hard to beat, not to knock SC at all as I have owned a Bullit and I have a VPFree frame waiting to be built, but I put all of my funds into this Intense thinking the VP Free wasn't going to show up for a while, oops it showed up on Friday. Oh well now I have two kick ass bikes to ride. The Turner is sweet too, I almost got one of those, but the VPP design has blown my mind. I used to think that the 4 bar design was the best and couldn't be beaten. The VPP climbs like a hardtail. If you come to Portland, check out Fat Tire Farm for your Intense, SC, Specialized, Kona, Rocky Mountain needs. If these guys don't have it, you don't want it.

Arty50
05-24-2004, 11:50 PM
Stop...giving...me...new...ideas... Bastard! As if it isn't hard enough already. Intense, eh? :D :D

Oh and the VPfree sounds sick as hell, but I hear it's not exactly great for climbing. In fact I just checked out the SC site. It has a great bike configuration section that lists the weight. VPFree - 40 lbs. Ugh!

Oh, and Viva that sounds awesome! Just one problem, gas money. I guess I could ride it back from Portland. ;) Then again, I do live right next to Nevada... Thanks, I didn't even consider that!

snow_slider
05-25-2004, 06:20 AM
If he is a bigger rider, and/or are looking for something a little "more" than a XC oriented bike, you may want to have him look at our Heckler model."

That's kind of funny when you consider that the first several generations of the Heckler had a rider weight limit of 230. Santa Cruz has DEFINITELY beefed the bike up since then though.

First of all, you can't go "wrong" with any of the bikes you mention. More like different degrees of "right".

If you are already getting bored with the trails you are riding and think you'll be pushing yourself to go bigger and badder, then I'd go with the Heckler over the Blur. However, Don't buy either till you ride the 5 Spot or the Intense 5.5 that Hollywood suggested. These are both GREAT bikes an you owe it to yourself to test them both before making your final decision.

Viva
05-25-2004, 08:47 AM
Originally posted by Arty50
Oh, and Viva that sounds awesome! Just one problem, gas money. I guess I could ride it back from Portland. ;) Then again, I do live right next to Nevada... Thanks, I didn't even consider that!

Can't ya ride up with someone? A few NoCals plan on attending the Mini. Also, I'll be in Tahoe in a little over a month and could bring it.

I know of one place in PDX and another in Hood River that sells Santa Cruz bikes, but I don't know whether or not they have the Heckler.

bagtagley
05-25-2004, 08:56 AM
little incentive to help you make the "right" decision ;)

http://www.pbase.com/image/28116911.jpg

Mr. Altagirl
05-25-2004, 01:08 PM
Blue Heckler with a Sherman and 8" Hayes = :D :D :D :D

Very nice!

Jiehkevarri
05-26-2004, 01:06 PM
Yeah...that Heckler...DROOLING!!!

Dream bike quiver for me: my current HT (as SS) for street and jumping (see: http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=153597#post153597), and some heavy-duty trail bike like that Heckler for everything else. Gotta start saving...

lph
05-26-2004, 05:40 PM
Arty, I climb better (not as fast, but better) on my 32 lb heckler than i did on my xc trek fuel 98 (probably 27-28lbs). I do very big rides on the heckler; 3000+ of vertical gain, much of it technical on the heckler. I don't jump off stuff, but i bought it because it was burly.

You are a big dude, get a burly bike.

plus, as you seem to realize, Mr. Toads and xmas valley can not even be compared to what you have ridden in the bay area and the lower rides in tahoe.

get the heckler or the 5 spot.

bagtagley
05-28-2004, 08:07 AM
I was waiting for you to chime in, lph.

I think we might head up to Speedgoat next weekend to do some drooling, want me to tell them you said hi? :D

watersnowdirt
05-28-2004, 09:23 AM
Heckler.

That is all.

lph
05-28-2004, 10:14 AM
Originally posted by bagtagley
I think we might head up to Speedgoat next weekend to do some drooling, want me to tell them you said hi? :D

Hell yeah! :D Tell 'em I said Hi and Thanks. They built a kick ass bike!