Mountain Biking - Looking for Advice/Justification :)

Hi everyone. Hopefully someone can help give me some advice. I currently ride a 2007 Rockhopper Disc. I have one season of racing under my belt and will be racing Cat 2 this year as well as competing in endurance events. The fork on my Rockhopper is an old Dart 3, and I have come to a crossroad on whether to upgrade the shock or just buy a new FS bike. I have my eye on a 2008 Anthem 2 with a Reba SL front shock for $1550.00 The only thing stopping me is that I would basically swap out all the components. My current ride has better components on it except for the brakes and front shock, but the Anthem is about a pound lighter than my current ride with crappier components. I would just buy a new frame and swap everything out but by the time I buy the fork its the same price as the Anthem.

So what would you do if you were getting more serious about racing. Spend 400-450.00 on a new lighter fork for the Rockhopper or spend 1500.00 on the Anthem 2 to get a lighter frame and fork, swap out the components and sell the old bike with the components from the anthem

It boils down to the HT vs Dually debate. For most of my local trails, I think a HT would be sufficient. If you're gonna be on extended rough stuff...get the Anthem.

I'm not sure if it's an option you're looking at, but what about a lighter hardtail? If you're going to be loosing a pound with a full suspension frame, then wouldn't you loose more going with a hardtail?


Unless you're convinced you need the full suspension (and there may be plenty of justification for it), you could spend less on the frame going with a lighter HT and get a nicer fork to go with. Not that I do any racing or have the same needs as you, but I've got a very light Giant XTC Team with a Recon Race Air which is doing really well for me. The fork is still a solid pound over the frame I figure.... the frame weighs nothing.

I have considered a hardtail frame. This will be my last bike purchase for sometime since my child will soon be going to daycare (215 a week) so I kinda want to get the best bang for my buck and anticipate my future needs since I will be racing more laps and for longer this year.. The trails around here do fine for hardtails except for a few which are very rooty to the point were I avoid them except to race on. My thinking is that once I switch my good components and wheelset over I can shave another 3 pounds off the Anthem and have a 24 pound bike. Just seeing what others would do in this situation

Have you upgraded the Rockhopper a ton since you bought it b/c the one listed has a lower spec.
http://bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?ItemID=16632&Type=bike

than the Anthem you're checking out:
http://bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?ItemID=24147&Type=bike

Yeah those are the two bikes. I have added Sram X-7 shifters and RD, a Deore crankset, Thompson stem, Crank Bros cobalt sl XC headset, Sram PG-970 casset, Race face Next SL carbon seatpost, and DT Swiss 4.2D Wheels to the rockhopper. I would transfer most of this over to the Anthem except for the crankset and headset.

You "may" be dissapointed in the final weight. It may come out to 24lbs...I'm not sure b/c I haven't researched the total weights of both bikes and all their components.

I doubt it though.

Never mind just purchased the Santa cruz Blur XC deal on Chainlove :) 1579.99 for a whole bike.

Funny, was just looking at that.

Very noice!:thumb:

I was looking at that too, nice choice.