Results 1 to 25 of 33
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12-02-2021, 10:15 AM #1
I love my Tracer, but I need a new bike to slay them all... which?
I have only one bike, a 2017 Intense Tracer 275 with a Diamond D1 170mm on the front and DPX2 on the rear, well outfitted for weight with OneUp dropper, Sramano drivetrain, Magura brakes, and Nobl wheels with Huck Norris.
Riding:
1/3 park (Keystone, Whistler, Trestle, and Angelfire are the top 4 parks I ride)
2/3 trail with a bias towards up-then-down climb to techy descents and partial shuttles (think Lenawee, Lunch Loops, Vitamin B, Monarch Crest, Moab stuff)
The bike needs to be playful on flow trails and big Whistler jump lines while also eating up the double black drops and steepest tight tech so well I won't miss a DH sled, and still fun and efficient to climb. That means I don't really want any less than 165mm of the back, 170mm sounds nicer still as long as it doesn't get too heavy and tough to climb. So an all around enduro machine is what I need... I've ridden Tracers since 2014 and sold my DH bike (M9) because the Tracer is so sick on the down. I did briefly do a GG and a Banshee Rune several years ago and went back to the Tracer. I think my only real complaint is that Tracer doesn't have bolts for a water bottle mount. I'm on a Large frame though I'm only 70in tall.
Short List:
Squeeze another season out of the current frame (I did just get some nice new rims)
Tracer 279 or Tracer 29 (supposedly these are coming out, anyone got dets?)
Megatower
Enduro
Other?
I'm not a racer, except with myself, but I'm still breaking my PRs up and down, so I'm not old enough for a battery yet, as tempting as the self-shuttle feature is (air transport is important, even a tricked out Levo SL is >50lbs once in a bike bag).Originally Posted by blurred
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12-02-2021, 10:23 AM #2
Just ideas to throw on the list, off the top of my head:
Patrol
Spire
Firebird
SB165
I like my Patrol a lot but have never ridden a Tracer. And I guess the Patrol is only 160mm in the back so slightly less than you want, but I've done some pretty dumb stuff on mine and haven't run out yet. The Cascade link would bump it to 168mm.
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12-02-2021, 11:01 AM #3
I'm kind of, maybe, sort of, in the market for something similar. Stuff I've been looking at (29ers only. I'm not all that excited about 27.5's these days):
Propain spindrift
GT force (160mm, but high pivot so probably comparable)
Devinci spartan (similar considerations as the GT)
Norco range
YT capra
Other options that I'm not really considering, for one reason or another:
Transition spire
Evil wreckoning
Rocky mountain Slayer
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12-02-2021, 11:16 AM #4Registered User
- Join Date
- Feb 2014
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- NorCal coast
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I'd scratch the Megatower off since it's got somewhat dated geometry and is almost certainly going to be updated (65 HT is more trail bike now than enduro plow, even the Bronson is slacker).
Take a look at the Propain Spindrift. 180mm (either 29, 27.5, or MX) without crazy slack geo, supposedly pedals well.
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12-02-2021, 11:23 AM #5
I also ride a Tracer 275 and my idea is for you to stay with the Tracer. Freakin love that bike.
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12-02-2021, 01:47 PM #6www.dpsskis.com
www.point6.com
formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
Fukt: a very small amount of snow.
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12-02-2021, 02:31 PM #7
Interesting. I had a 2015 t275c which I absolutely loved - amazing climber, better descender. Got a 2017 tracer as a crash replacement, but it was a dog climbing and I sold it quickly. Got to think any modern enduro frames will be a better climber. Our riding styles are different (i'm not into park riding), but I like the chunky stuff and digging my Ripmo v1.
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12-02-2021, 06:12 PM #8
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12-02-2021, 06:54 PM #9
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12-02-2021, 06:57 PM #10
That Spindrift looks like it would be so amazing for ripping double black tech at Keystone or Whistler. And there is this one gap at Angelfire that you can use all the squishy forgiveness that you can get.
Originally Posted by blurred
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12-02-2021, 07:02 PM #11
This kinda makes me want a spindrift more. I'm looking for overkill.
I kinda miss having a proper downhill bike. The enduro bikes are great and they're super capable, but they're not dh bikes. But not being to pedal back to the top really cuts down on the utility of a dh bike. So I want to get as close as possible to a dh bike, but pedal-able.
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12-02-2021, 07:20 PM #12
Makes total sense... the Spindrift seems like it’s the most “pedalable” near-DH bike out there. And the price is crazy good.
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12-02-2021, 07:35 PM #13Hucked to flat once
- Join Date
- Oct 2005
- Location
- Idaho
- Posts
- 11,000
Put a coil on your Tracer and make it even better on the down and ride a little dehydrated?
I have been looking at Wreckonings but I really still dig every ride on my 275.
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12-02-2021, 10:51 PM #14
Nice ride!
I ran a CC DB Inline Coil for the first two years until it broke. I actually have the new warranty db inline coil sitting in my garage... I never put it on after rocking the DPX2. With the leverage curve on the Tracer, and it being used as a DH role by a rider who can land tail heavy, a progressive air shock is just great. I figured I'd swap back and forth, air and coil, since it is so super easy on the Tracer, but I've never felt the desire.
I also have a CC Helm on right now while my Diamond D1 gets the factory loving. I prefer the air and the DVO OTT makes it coil plush. Especially since I am between coils on the Helm.Originally Posted by blurred
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12-02-2021, 11:32 PM #15
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12-03-2021, 09:28 AM #16
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12-03-2021, 10:00 AM #17
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12-03-2021, 12:06 PM #18www.dpsskis.com
www.point6.com
formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
Fukt: a very small amount of snow.
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12-03-2021, 12:11 PM #19
I don't want to give up much pedalbility vs my Tracer...
I have ridden a Bronson and an Arktos and boy do they climb nicer than the Tracer (the Arktos in particular).Originally Posted by blurred
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12-03-2021, 12:30 PM #20
The Arktos only has 140mm travel. So yeah, it's safe to say it climbs better than pretty much every 160+mm bike out there.
But there are a lot 160-170mm bikes that'll pedal at least as well as your Tracer, if not better. And descend better too. The easy answer is in your original post - Enduro. Specialized is the evil empire, but they do make some really nice bikes.
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12-03-2021, 12:36 PM #21
I think you guys are talking about different things when you say pedalabilty.
I took Toast to mean, is it actually possible to pedal this bike up a hill. DH bike, no, Norco Range, yes.
I think Summit is thinking of pedaling efficiency, in which case, yes a Range can climb a hill, but almost every other bike out there is going to do it faster/more efficiently.
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12-03-2021, 12:52 PM #22
For sure - we're definitely talking about different things. I kind of hijacked Summit's thread because I'm looking for something vaguely similar, but we definitely have different priorities.
I own an Enduro. It's a great bike, and it pedals really well (as far as 170mm bikes go). For what I'm looking for, it actually pedals a little too well - I want something that's even more DH focused. I actually just pulled the trigger on a Range frame (meaning, I threw money into the void on the vague promise that frames will be available sometime mid-winter).
But for what (I think) Summit is looking for, the Enduro would be an awesome option. And if anyone's interested in an S3 S-works Enduro frame that will be for sale if / when the Range shows up, shoot me a PM.
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12-03-2021, 01:11 PM #23
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12-03-2021, 01:31 PM #24
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12-03-2021, 01:44 PM #25
Nice! Hope it comes thru for you. The Optic I ordered last fall ended up getting delivered mid summer, but that was two months after the shop had been told it wasn’t going to come at all and refunded my deposit, and a month after I’d bought a used Optic instead….
Very different bike than the Range, but I love my Optic.
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