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  1. #1
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    Knolly warden vs SC nomad

    Picking up a new bike soon and think I have it down to a warden or a nomad. Cracked my frame on my old heckler so anything new is gonna blow my mind. I've ridden nomad but not the knolly. Pretty sure I would get a large in either. I'm 6'2" but like my bike a touch small for flicking around. I'm more inclined to compromise on uphill for somethi ng that can eat up the chunk. Mostly ride Montana with occasional desert trip and really like Rocky tech trails. Not really a bike park guy but do hit big sky every so often. Anyone have any time on both or either and have any advice? Also not sure on carbon vs alum. Looking at spending round 3 grand so looking used. Open to advice, suggestions, and ridicule.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by lifelinksplit View Post
    Picking up a new bike soon and think I have it down to a warden or a nomad. Cracked my frame on my old heckler so anything new is gonna blow my mind. I've ridden nomad but not the knolly. Pretty sure I would get a large in either. I'm 6'2" but like my bike a touch small for flicking around. I'm more inclined to compromise on uphill for somethi ng that can eat up the chunk. Mostly ride Montana with occasional desert trip and really like Rocky tech trails. Not really a bike park guy but do hit big sky every so often. Anyone have any time on both or either and have any advice? Also not sure on carbon vs alum. Looking at spending round 3 grand so looking used. Open to advice, suggestions, and ridicule.
    Haven't ridden Nomad3 but pedaled my buddies around the parking lot and own a WardenC - if you get a Warden you should get a WardenC, Large. But you won't likely get that for $3k. But you if you are cracking frames then plastic might not be the best thing for you Also, if you are primarily riding rocky technical trails and not hitting features or the bike park you might want to re-think 27.5 / 160-170mm travel and look at one of the more modern/slack 29 rigs like a Ripley LS or a Evil Following. Those bikes will carry more speed and ride over a lot of the noise that the other 2 bikes will hang up on more. Probably depends on how chunky but I threw my leg over another buddies Ripley LS recently and was very pleasantly surprised by the slack/comfortable/playful feel. 3yrs ago 27.5 was a huge stretch for me and up until I threw my leg over that Ripley, 29 was blasphemy. That same buddies normal rig is an Evil Insurgent so we both, like you, in general favor descending capability over pedaling/climbing capability.

  3. #3
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    Yeah I have kinda ruled out 29ers and am pretty set on 160ish travel. I hear ya though since a buddy who was firmly against 29 now raves about his Ripley as well. I come from a bmx youth and like being able to toss the bike around a bit. And my cracked frame was a well used/abused 09ish heckler. I've been seeing carbon wardens pop up for around mid 3's here and there. And prob could stretch up to 4 but trying not to. I bought my old bike for 800 and beat the living shit out it for 4 yrs so I'm not the typical mtn bike consumer that's dropping 5gs on the latest and greatest every 2 yrs.

  4. #4
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    Warden is 150 mm so might compare to the sc Bronson . The nomad is now 170 so probably compares closer to the knolls delirium. All four a great bikes. Tough call

  5. #5
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    Friends shop is selling a leftover brand new 2017 large warden frame for 1800.

  6. #6
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    I think you'll probably be more comfortable on an XL Warden. But don't hesitate to email Knolly and let them know more about your inseam, reach, riding style and current bike. They can be very helpful.
    The VPP will probably feel more efficient on long climbs and pedaly xc stuff, but will also take some more fiddling to dial in the suspension for downhilling.
    The Knolly will probably feel less efficient on long climbs (unless locked out) and pedaly xc stuff, but will stick like glue on techy climbs. The suspension will feel dialed in right away.
    However many are in a shit ton.

  7. #7
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    Knolly warden vs SC nomad

    The suspension on the new Nomad is a pretty significant departure from previous iterations and every other VPP trail bike they’ve ever made. Something to consider when comparing.
    Remind me. We'll send him a red cap and a Speedo.

  8. #8
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    OP - my friend has a large carbon Warden frame for sale. I've ridden it, it's mint and in excellent condition.
    I think you could build it up within your budget.

    https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2300566/

  9. #9
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    A nomad is probably my next bike. The new ones are so good and the mid to upper end builds are pretty damn light.

    I haven't ridden a newer warden but I've never ridden a knolly that I thought pedaled worth a damn.
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by N1CK. View Post
    OP - my friend has a large carbon Warden frame for sale. I've ridden it, it's mint and in excellent condition.
    I think you could build it up within your budget.

    https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2300566/
    Damn that is tempting.

    Thanks for the responses guys. I was pretty set on a Nomad but don't think I can swing the new one and have been hearing/reading nothing but good things about that longer link. I think i can get a bit more money outta a knolly. I know one of our local shops is a knolly rep so I should prob go talk to them as well.

  11. #11
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    The brand new frame I posted above includes a 2018 fox float 2x.

    Not sure he hasn't sold it yet.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by mtngirl79 View Post
    The brand new frame I posted above includes a 2018 fox float 2x.

    Not sure he hasn't sold it yet.
    What shop? Pretty sure I want a coil rear. Saw a 2017 carbon warden with a 170mm fox 36 and db coil for 2300.

    Again thanks for the responses.

  13. #13
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    Alleycat in bham. I'm not sure if he still has it. He was going to build it up if nobody bought it, but I doubt he has had time for that.

    http://alleycatbikeshop.com

    I can ask about it when I see him if you want.

  14. #14
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    Nov 2007
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    Let me know if you end up with a WardenC and want an 11/6, I would probably part with mine for fairly cheap.

    EDIT: a couple other things on the Warden - WardenC is actually increased to 155mm travel. At 6'2" you could definitely ride either a L or an XL, but if you want to maintain more of the smaller, more playful, BMX feeling then you should size down slightly to the L. I'm 6' and coming from my L Endorphin26 and being my first 27.5 bike, the geometry on the Large Warden felt significantly longer/lower to me. I prefer a more playful/slack feel and I actually increased travel on my Lyrik from 160 to 170mm and with a 40mm stem it feels dialed. Point being on all previous Knolly's and other 26" bikes I was a large but the longer wheelbase changes things.

  15. #15
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    Oct 2015
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    Honestly, the only reason I can think of for going for the Warden is if owning something far less common is important to you (which is a legit desire for a number of riders.)

    Quote Originally Posted by sierraskier View Post
    Haven't ridden Nomad3 but pedaled my buddies around the parking lot and own a WardenC
    The current Nomad is V4, not V3.

    Quote Originally Posted by bagtagley View Post
    The suspension on the new Nomad is a pretty significant departure from previous iterations and every other VPP trail bike they’ve ever made. Something to consider when comparing.
    This is 100% true. The suspension curve is much more progressive and V-10-like (as evidenced by the shock being driven by the lower link.)

  16. #16
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    Like others have mentioned, the Nomad 4 and Warden aren't particularly comparable bikes. Nomad is a good bit more bike.

    But if you're looking used and your budget is $3k, maybe you're talking about prior generations of Nomad?

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by One (+) Sentence View Post

    The current Nomad is V4, not V3.

    I know. At ~$3k budget, a Nomad4 is not even within the realm of possibility.

  18. #18
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    Yeah kinda thought mentioning 3k (maybe 4 at most) budget would rule out v4 nomad. Honestly I keep waffling back and forth. Mostly seeing 2017's coming up with similar builds and pretty similar pricing. Might come down to what shocks etc I really want. So far a 2017 wardenC with fox 36 and db coil and a set of I9s for around 3200 is leading the pack.

    Shitty thing is trying to actually get seat time on either bike this time of year might be tough. Need to drop by a couple shops and see. Not in a hurry though since not planning on getting some riding in till at least april.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by sierraskier View Post
    I know. At ~$3k budget, a Nomad4 is not even within the realm of possibility.
    Sure it is. There is an alloy version of the V4 Nomad that has the exact same kinematics as the carbon version. The R build kit has a 1X drivetrain and dropper post and can be found in LBS’s for like $3300.

    Just pointing out that riding your friends V3 Nomad around a parking lot doesn’t have much bearing on what the V4 may be like out on the trail.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by One (+) Sentence View Post
    Sure it is. There is an alloy version of the V4 Nomad that has the exact same kinematics as the carbon version. The R build kit has a 1X drivetrain and dropper post and can be found in LBS’s for like $3300.

    Just pointing out that riding your friends V3 Nomad around a parking lot doesn’t have much bearing on what the V4 may be like out on the trail.
    While you may be able to get “a 1x” and “a dropper post” obviously, the two bikes will come with radically different build specs. Like opposite ends of the spectrum.

    And I did not claim to even know what a Nomad3 is like to ride or even mention a v4, but if the OP has read ANY of the SC media blitz, and I’m sure he has cuz he seems like he’s done some research, he would already know that the v3 and v4 are different bikes.

  21. #21
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    The alloy R kit V4 Nomad looks like a nice bike to me.
    Last edited by One (+) Sentence; 01-16-2018 at 07:24 AM.

  22. #22
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    Aug 2012
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    58

    Knolly warden vs SC nomad

    Lifelinksplit I have a large 2015 Devinci spartan for sale if you are interested. I replaced it with a Evil Wreckoning. I would second the earlier comment suggesting a 29er. The wagon wheels are freaking amazing and for the riding you are describing you’ll definitely see an advantage.

    Here is the Devinci sale post if interested:
    https://m.pinkbike.com/buysell/2248616/

    It is a really nice bike, I enjoyed it while I was riding it. I just had an opportunity to get on a 12speed Wreckoning that I couldn’t pass up

  23. #23
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    I have about 2 months on a Nomad V4 coil after two years on the V3.
    New strava best on every dh trail and it might pedal better too. Like one reviewer said, "this bike might not need brakes"
    The key is, do you have terrain worthy of 170mm? Here in northern NM, we do.
    Quote Originally Posted by Jer View Post
    After the first three seconds, Corbet's is really pretty average.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ian Malcolm View Post
    I mean, it's not your fault. They say talent skips a generation.
    But hey, I'm sure your kids will be sharp as tacks.

  24. #24
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    A heads up if you're looking at the Nomad3, the XL is not a big bike. Many people I know wished for or switched to a bigger frame after it originally came out. I think you should seriously consider XL over L. As far as Wardens go, I'm not familiar on their sizing.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by One (+) Sentence View Post
    Honestly, the only reason I can think of for going for the Warden is if owning something far less common is important to you
    Curious to hear your rationale as it pertains to the OP.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    However many are in a shit ton.

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