Help Selecting a High-End Full-Suspension Mountain Bike
Robertus
Posts: 558 Member
Hi, all.
I already have what I consider to be the perfect road/hybrid bike for me (two sets of wheels/tires), without any suspension. My n+1 next bike is a full-suspension trail/mountain bike, but I really know nothing about mountain biking. I want to start doing more aggressive trail riding, starting modestly as I increase my skill-set, but I don't want a beginners bike that I will want to upgrade in a year or so. Some of the trails around me include some 'mountain' riding so I want something very light-weight that can handle climbing on the trail and getting to the trail. Thus, I think I can rule out any heavier down-hill bikes, 'though I love the look of the Saracen Myst Pro. I suspect this is on the heavy side because people speak of it as a 'downhill' bike.
Because money is tight now I will take my time to budget and save for a high-end bike which corresponds to the fact that I need to learn more about this kind of bike/biking before I'm satisfied that I'm making a wise purchase. That also gives me time to wait and look around for a good deal on a used bike if one becomes available.
Any helpful suggestions?
I already have what I consider to be the perfect road/hybrid bike for me (two sets of wheels/tires), without any suspension. My n+1 next bike is a full-suspension trail/mountain bike, but I really know nothing about mountain biking. I want to start doing more aggressive trail riding, starting modestly as I increase my skill-set, but I don't want a beginners bike that I will want to upgrade in a year or so. Some of the trails around me include some 'mountain' riding so I want something very light-weight that can handle climbing on the trail and getting to the trail. Thus, I think I can rule out any heavier down-hill bikes, 'though I love the look of the Saracen Myst Pro. I suspect this is on the heavy side because people speak of it as a 'downhill' bike.
Because money is tight now I will take my time to budget and save for a high-end bike which corresponds to the fact that I need to learn more about this kind of bike/biking before I'm satisfied that I'm making a wise purchase. That also gives me time to wait and look around for a good deal on a used bike if one becomes available.
Any helpful suggestions?
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A suspension is going to add weight, there's no getting around that, so the goals of a very light and full suspension bike are somewhat at odds. Give some thought to how important each is. Mountain bikes tend to have much lower gearing than road bikes to make climbing easier.0
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Hard for us to say without knowing what the trails are like near you. Do you have a decent LBS in town? Any local riding clubs? Get input from them on what is well suited to your terrain. Being on the east coast, I'm going to assume the trails are similar to what I've seen in NY/PA. I'd suggest 120-150mm travel front and rear, 2.35-3.0 tires depending on needs/priorities. Fortunately, almost everyone makes a good, all-around trailbike... so unless you want something really geared towards racing, then your options are almost endless.0
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Thanks, guys. Trails around me vary from very easy to very difficult.
Here's an example of a trail that I pass by on my daily commute:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnvywdJL16Q
When I'm not commuting on my road bike, I would love to stop and ride for an hour or so on my way home. It looks like a full-suspension is probably best for this and similar trails around me. Agreed? If I recall correctly, my LBS has recommended a full suspension bike for this particular trail. I do belong to a road-bike club but don't have time to join other clubs.
I do not intend to race, just want to explore some of the more out-of-the-way scenery and have some fun. I realize suspensions add weight, but I don't want to add any more weight than I have to, which means I'm prepared to buy a high-end bike, but don't think I want a downhill bike.0 -
I have a 2013 Scott Spark 910 that I really like but it's more of a light weight XC bike. If you want something that will handle more technical stuff you could consider the Scott Genius. The good thing about Scotts is that they each come in many different versions and price point, plus two wheel sizes. The lower the number, the more expensive but higher end the bike is (and lighter). I think anything lower than a 930, or 730 will be carbon, higher is aluminum allow, although the cheaper carbon ones have an aluminum rear triangle (which can be a good thing). The redesigned the rear geometry on the Spark last year, and the Genius for 2018. You can usually find some closeouts on previous years though for decent prices.
http://www.bikemag.com/gear/mountain-bikes/first-look-2018-scott-genius/
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Is there a reason you're so hung up on weight?0
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Nice looking bikes. I'll see if anyone near me sells them so I can test ride. Thanks!BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »I have a 2013 Scott Spark 910 that I really like but it's more of a light weight XC bike. If you want something that will handle more technical stuff you could consider the Scott Genius. The good thing about Scotts is that they each come in many different versions and price point, plus two wheel sizes. The lower the number, the more expensive but higher end the bike is (and lighter). I think anything lower than a 930, or 730 will be carbon, higher is aluminum allow, although the cheaper carbon ones have an aluminum rear triangle (which can be a good thing). The redesigned the rear geometry on the Spark last year, and the Genius for 2018. You can usually find some closeouts on previous years though for decent prices.
http://www.bikemag.com/gear/mountain-bikes/first-look-2018-scott-genius/
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Well, if you are focused on weight but still want full suspension, you may want to look at carbon frames and a 1x11 gear setup.
I had a very light Giant Anthem, aluminum frame. I thought it was relatively light anyway; felt just a tad heavier than a friend's carbon. It was a 3x11 or 3x10. The whole thing was probably about 27-28 pounds I'm guessing.
Had to sell it for reasons having to do with fit, and bought a Specialized Camber (not carbon) on sale, and my LBS owner recommended I go from the Camber's standard 2x10 (or 11) gear to a 1x11. Full suspension, weighs about 30 pounds. It was obviously at least a couple pounds heavier than my Giant (I never had the Giant weighed), I could feel it.
I like the Camber and don't really feel like the extra poundage impedes my riding ability.
I truly believe that you get what you pay for with bikes as with other things. Between myself and the riders in my bike club, we've not had issues with Specialized, Trek, and Giant; all seem to be the favorites. Other folks who have less expensive brands almost always have gear shift issues, horrible brakes, heavy bikes, etc.
Of course there are higher end bikes than those, but for general riding, these may be good brands to check out. Good luck!!!1 -
Unless you ride a superlight, then immediately get on a behemoth and ride the exact same trails, you probably won't notice it.
Find out the types of bikes well suited to your trails, then buy the lightest of those you can/want to afford. Don't buy the wrong bike simply because it's lighter.
And going back to my original post, pretty much everyone makes mid-travel trail bikes, so your options are endless. Find a decent LBS, see what they have, ask if you can demo anything or if they have any kind of demo/rental program. Try out some bikes and see what you think.
Specs only go so far... fit and feel matter too, and only you can evaluate fit and feel.
If you're really looking for recommendations then I'll recommend what I like, even though what I like is probably mostly irrelevant. My next bike will likely be either another Yeti, an Ibis, a Turner, or a Specialized, depending on how much I want to spend and what LBS I want to support.1
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