20% shuttles-chairs / 80% pedal power - Another reco

[klauss]

My current bike is a hard tail santa cruz chameleon I built in 2001-ish and rode hard for 5 or so years XC style, but I would say hard and enjoyed and was aggressive on the downhills more than most. v-brakes, etc. Haven't really been MTB for the last decade while I've been procreating. Have some friends who I ski with who are much more into mountain biking convincing me I should get back in the game based on my ski style (fast as possible and as much air as possible for the conditions). Recommending larger travel bikes than I would have considered on my own. I was a decent biker. Probably could still bunny hop up a two stair on my hard tail but nothing like what I see the dad bods doing these days on the trails. Little to no manualing skills or bigger than 5 foot drop comfort ability, or steep lip jump capabilities currently I would say. I'd like to believe I'll be hucking 10+ drops and 30 foot gaps soon, but...

QUESTION 1:
recommended so far by this particular group who I would likely be riding with more often. what does the collective think?

Santa Cruz Nomad
Yeti SB6
Pivot Mach 6

gotta say I like the look of the nomad. That ugly tan speaks to me.

QUESTION 2:
For a guy around 200 pounds, do I need to make important decisions on carbon/aluminum, build level and most importantly suspension due to my weight?

then I saw some threads on cheaper options like the YT brand and got me thinking. Price tags for pedal bikes seam absurd to me, but I realize they can be a lot of fun.

danke

[evdog]

What sort of terrain do you expect to ride? IMO Nomad/SB6/Mach 6 are for rowdier high speed descents. Fun bikes but if you have to climb a lot you might be better off with something a bit more balanced. Most of the current bikes are very capable. Used bikes are a definite option. I'd look for quality suspension and bomber wheels over frame material and other components.

[mntlion]

all the bikes you posted are a BIT different, but SO much newer more-better then what you have that the changes from that are minimal.

You are going from a K2 modX to a modern 100mm ski

[jm2e]

Lotta variables to work out here.

On one hand, if your last bike experience was a V-Brake hard tail, any FS bike should feel amazing. On the other hand, if you secretly loved crushing uphill and tech ratcheting through flat rock gardens, then you'll spend your first 1-2 years of return to biking thinking you can find that elusive magical bike that climbs like a hard tail and descends like a DH bike. The bikes your buddies recommend are all amazing rigs. They also all fall in the category of making people think that their magic suspension platforms can do both things really well. For some people it works and for some people it doesn't, but it definitely comes at a premium.

Are you planning on heading to Black Rock or up to WA/BC? If so, a 6" bike might suit you very well. If not, then everything else in OR might be better served by a 130-140ish 29er. You really would do well to budget a few hundred bucks for demoning 2-3 bikes. If you ride something and it feels amazing, you've helped your search. If you ride something and it leaves you wishing it did something better, you've really really helped your search.

Like evdog said, at the end of the day you'll be better served by focusing more on the suspension and wheels than on the frame. You fall in love with one of the above mentioned frames and buy them with budget suspension and wheels just to get the bike that sounds awesome, and you'll spend a year or more wondering why it feels so shitty. Conversely, you buy just about any frame from the last 3-4 years with i9 wheels, Fox 36 fork and X2 shock on it, and you'll have the foundations of a sweet rig.

[plugboots]

Which bike you get probably doesn’t matter because you’re going to break that shit after a dozen rides. After I’ve watched you ski in the videos I would say make sure you get as much body protection as you can, then buy the bike.


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[Banh Mi]

If you want to get better at jumping 30 feet and 10 foot drops, the bike you buy for that wont be spectacular at climbing. That said, the new enduro bikes will climb decently, and will winch you up pretty much any trail.

Do you like more poppy bikes or more glued to the ground?

From gluiest to poppiest:
Giant Reign
Devinci Spartan
Rocky Mountain Slayer
YT Capra
Santa Cruz Nomad
(According to reviews)

You might also be able to get away with a 150mm bike, which will pedal better, but be prepared for more wear and tear if you plan on jumping a ton.


My suggestion is get a cheap new 150mm bike that can still jump well, like YT Jeffsy 27. And then a used FR/DH bike for getting sendy. 10 foot drops and 30 foot jumps feel much better on DH bikes.





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[mtngirl79]

if you secretly loved crushing uphill and tech ratcheting through flat rock gardens, then you'll spend your first 1-2 years of return to biking thinking you can find that elusive magical bike that climbs like a hard tail and descends like a DH bike.

If this is the case, get a honzo or a rootdown... IMO, most people on full suspension bikes are over squished. You have to work through all that suspension to pump the terrain...

Riding styles and trails were different back in the day of your chameleon so keep that in mind.

The modern full squish bikes are so good you can really just ride a long like a passenger through a lot of stuff. A hardtail makes you actually ride the trail and rewards your efforts. Modern geo makes hardtails decend without being sketchy. It's sort of rad.

[plugboots]

It's sort of rad.

Or boring.

Oh I totally agree with what you’re saying. It’s just there is a satisfaction about cleaning stuff and the trend toward smooth curved trails so that people can just sit down and ride their squishy bikes is not the greatest trend in the world.


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[klauss]

Thanks all. Good feedback. I already reached out to a local bike shop regarding a demo on the nomad to see how it feels. I can’t even remember the last time I sat on a full suspension bike (I recall I questioned how people could pop these but it was a long time ago) so it definitely could be overkill, but I have a vision like I’m sure most Jerry’s do that may not align with reality.

I reckon I’d be frequenting sandy ridge and post canyon vicinity areas with occasional trips to central Oregon, black rock and maybe every other year to the far north. I like chunkier trails for sure but the smoother flow trails have been fun when I’ve had the opportunity to ride them.

I like a long slow climb as well, but as long as I can go slow in a granny gear and the bike doesn’t bob a shit ton I’d like to think I don’t want to place a priority on climbing efficiency. My touring rigs for example are all way heavy and I get along with them better than my lighter options.

[mtngirl79]

Or boring.

Oh I totally agree with what you’re saying. It’s just there is a satisfaction about cleaning stuff and the trend toward smooth curved trails so that people can just sit down and ride their squishy bikes is not the greatest trend in the world.


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That's kinda my point. I started on a hardtail from 2002. Then i had my process and I advanced way faster than the people I started with.

After a year on the process I ended up on a honzo for a while and it's a zillion times more fun and being forced to actually ride the terrain is so rewarding.

I never would have thought. It would be sweet to ride my process after 3 weeks of honzo but I don't think that's in the cards.

[lifelinksplit]

I got nothing to add other than my new nomad ships on April 6th and headed down to Moab end if that month for a break in.

I also got into mtn biking with a 08 or so heckler that I beat the shit out of till last year. So I'm looking forward to rallying big sky/Montana with a bit more capable rig.

Lots of people, here and irl, were throwing out the YT recommendation as well. No matter what you get you will have a blast!

[jm2e]

http://enduro-mtb.com/en/nine-high-e...18-comparison/
Worth a read.

[gramboh]

I'd get a YT Capra, top two specs with the 36/Float X2 probably. They are light enough and have lockout to grind up climbs, have one of the more progressive linkage designs (poppy, good for heavy dudes of which I am one). I own the Jeffsy 27, it's an awesome trail bike but at 210lbs I am not going to ever ride it in the bike park or on really rough shuttle trails.

[klauss]

Ha. I have been glued to the products page of the capra for the last 48 hours. The builds I like are all back ordered but some only till mid may.

[klauss]

Now that I’ve got a new whip what’s the value of the Santa Cruz chameleon hard tail with v brakes. Can I get anything for something like this?



New cycle

[toast2266]

Nice capra!

I'd say that chameleon is worth... not a whole lot. $200? It's bordering on the type of bike you could keep for another 10 years and it'll be worth more to collectors.

Best option: put a short stem on it, slam the seat, single speed it and call it a dirt jumper.

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[mmmm...pow!]

Old bike ain't worth shit. As long as you don't live in a tiny apartment, I'd put a rack and some lights on it and rally it around town. I'm envious of the new rig, that's on my short list, but not happening any time soon.

[plugboots]

I’ll take that rear wheel off the Chameleon for the price of shipping to Issaquah, WA.


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[Jonny Snow]

Nice capra!

I'd say that chameleon is worth... not a whole lot. $200? It's bordering on the type of bike you could keep for another 10 years and it'll be worth more to collectors.

Best option: put a short stem on it, slam the seat, single speed it and call it a dirt jumper.

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Old bike ain't worth shit. As long as you don't live in a tiny apartment, I'd put a rack and some lights on it and rally it around town. I'm envious of the new rig, that's on my short list, but not happening any time soon.

Pure Bullshit. That's worth a solid $400 locally on Craigslist, more on ebay. It's a boutique brand, vintage (20 years old), well known desirable frame, USA made frame, pretty good build with a few really nice parts. Condition looks to be excellent. In particular the frame ($300+), fork ($150 - $200), headset ($60 - $80) and crank ($80 - $100) can fetch good money if parted out.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Santa-Cruz-...-/263665557513

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Santa-Cruz-...-/173275329363

For f's sake, here's a frame that sold for over $400 shipped, granted it does have disc tabs:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/santa-cruz-...L/232696737630

This is a known, desirable vintage bike.

[klauss]

Thanks for the commentary and links. The chameleon looks quite a bit better in the pictures than in reality. I would likely keep if the garage didn't already have 3 bikes for me (cross, chameleon, capra), 3 kids bikes and wife's bike.

thanks for the offer to help me rid myself of gear, but I think I keep it all together plugboots. The rear wheel is a mammoth rim laced to a LX hub with a lot of miles.

Off to go hurt myself on the capra now.

[SchralphMacchio]

Nice Capra!

You gonna get that thing up Ski Bowl anytime this summer? Here’s an idea ... Do yourself a favor and plan a trip with wife and kids to Ashland. About 5 hours drive ... stay in a nice boutique hotel, offer the wife a full weekend of kiddie care in trade for you to take a day shuttling that rig up Mount A while she hangs in town with the kids (plenty to do with the kids in Ashland). Ashland Mountain Adventures is a great operation and the trails are super duper fun ... not really rowdy (other than the big jumps on Marty’s) but FUN. Nothing like 4500’ of descending each lap to put a smile on your face

Hit me up if you ever make it Oakridge way! I’m still new to the area and don’t have any local riding buds yet, and I’ve got a rig that can shuttle 3 bikes.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

That YT is sexy as fuck.

[XXX-er]

https://nsmb.com/forum/forum/gear-4/...rience-130363/

I supose YMMV but I been reading/hearing the YT are hard as fuck to actualy get between your legs after you order one ?

Another guy on NSMB ran one for a season and blogged his expericance, sounded to me like you wana be comfortable dealing with yer own shit like bleeding brakes have spares for warranty issues yada yada and not whine like a little girl if/when something goes sideways ... the cost of getting a great internet deal vs a shop

[forty]

Off to go hurt myself on the capra now.

400ish value for the old whip seems legit, good market for retro mtb in these parts, cool frame for sure

enjoy the new bling!
where ya taking it for first dirt on the tires?

Nice Capra!

Hit me up if you ever make it Oakridge way! I’m still new to the area and don’t have any local riding buds yet, and I’ve got a rig that can shuttle 3 bikes.

no riding buds??? get involved with the local bike group, your in eugene right, DOD is good peeps

both of ya know about alsea falls shuttle next weekend? i was there yesterday cleaning trails up for it
may be full but if ya voly you get to ride a bit as well... i will be there both days

[mtngirl79]

Show up at build days to make riding buddies