Mountain Biking - Ultimate FS All-mountain.......

I'm looking for recommendations for the best full suspension all-mountain/trail bike. I've been looking around and have some ideas but want to hear some outside input from someone who isn't a salesperson. Here are the limitations of what I'm looking for

No more than 5 inches of travel
Efficient climbing a absolute must
Frame only
Must be able to take all day abuse from a 210-250 lbs rider
Hopefully 30lbs or less built up, no more than 32lbs

I'm not looking for a more freeride styled bike, most of what I do is fast XC with some tough, fast downhill sections, and I tend to beat on parts, so I want somthing reliable. What do you think I should get?

Santa Cruz. Heckler or Blur. They are the best climbing fullys ever- the single pivot suspension is a proven performer. In your weight class, I'd probably say the Heckler, but if you're tall (over 6'2"), I hear the Blur has better geometry for you- but is less of an all-mountain kind of bike.

Turner 5-Spot. It's a Horst link bike and comes with a Fox RP3. You can also put a coil-over on it if you like. If I had 1900 for a frame, I'd own one......

Dean

This is the frame I plan to build up as an All Mountain Bike sometime in the next 4-6 months: Kona Dawg Primo (http://konaworld.com/shopping_cart/FrontEnd/Products/product_detail.aspx?productid=100&parentid=182). I think it would be a nice one to look into. The only thing I do know is how much the frame weights.

Other honorable mentions:

Intense 5.5
Yeti 575

Santa Cruz. Heckler or Blur. They are the best climbing fullys ever- the single pivot suspension is a proven performer.

Proven to brake-jack while descending and proven to be less supple on technical climbs than four bar bikes.

Exactly how many different types of bikes have you ridden anyway?

Proven to brake-jack while descending and proven to be less supple on technical climbs than four bar bikes.

My current bike jacks hard under braking, so it would be nice if it didn't. I would give up some plushness uphill for better climbing. I thought VPP (blur) bike were not prone to brake jack....the heckler I can see jacking because of the single pivot.


Exactly how many different types of bikes have you ridden anyway?

Are you asking me? If so, hardtails and right now I ride a Cannondale Jekyll, but looking for something new and getting tired of the constant bob....

Vpp is actually prone to jacking, not as bad as a single pivot but still not as good as fsr. A floating brake would fix the jacking though. Some people don't like vpp due to the amount of negative travel it uses. Really depends on your personal experience and what you want. Some love vpp and others hate it. It isn't that perfect solution thats for sure.

I think he is asking greg.

Some love vpp and others hate it. It isn't that perfect solution thats for sure.

I guess a test ride is in order sometime in the future. Hard to find shops that really let you test ride on the trail though.


I think he is asking greg.

I think you're right.

If you are used to fsr vpp will be noticable...(I noticed it), if you are used to single pivot, vpp will seem like a godsend. I didn't like vpp asa dh bike. Too much sag and felt...sluggish, I can't even describe it. As I am not a real racer I didn't appreciate the 40% sag it required...

What about Rocky Mountain Slayer or Element if I wanted to go more XC oriented? I know someone on this board has an element, any slayer riders out there? What do you think of the RM 3D link design?

foes fxr with curnutt shock. All other stable platforms untilize some but not all of the technology.

Fisher 293/292 (same frame).
- rear travel adjustable
- little to no bob on climb
- 29" wheels (roll, roll, roll)
- light(ish), stiff and sturdy

Fisher 293/292 (same frame).
- rear travel adjustable
- little to no bob on climb
- 29" wheels (roll, roll, roll)
- light(ish), stiff and sturdy

Doesn't really suit me. Not big on the 29" tech, even though some seem to like it, and adjustable rear travel isn't a draw, just means it doesn't do "everything" well set up one way. I haven't ridden a Sugar, but my bet is that it'll bob since it is very similar to a single pivot just like my current bike, and Genesis geometry doesn't suit me. Doesn't mean it isn't a nice ride, just don't think it would suit me.

I had not looked at Foes before, didn't/doesn't really fit what I am looking for. It's cool that they are making a trail bike, but it still just looks like a shorter travel freeride bike to me. I hate to hash up the terms trail vs. freeride, but a trailbike to me should just be a slightly longer travel, beefier XC bike. The geometry of the foes just looks to slack to me to climb well.

Top Selections:

Specialized Stumpjumper FSR 120 - Great bike, no brake jack, excellent all arond
Yeti 575 - More travel than you're looking for but doesn't feel like it. Very light bike.
Turner 5 Spot - A bit heavier than some of the others but a killer bike nonetheless.
Intense 5.5EVP - Lots of mixed reviews on the VPP which would lead me to look elsewhere for the price.
Foes FXR - Good bike that's built around a shock but you can definitely do better.
Tomac Eli - Great bike for the money but certainly not the best bike out there.
Rocky Mountain Slayer - I've never been impressed by their work but that's just me.

I dont know why but i like Rocky Mountain. I guess i just like the ride.

Foes makes a great bike-feels real stable, and yes it was designed around a shock-but it is the best shock out there. As far as weight goes, mine is in the 28-29 lb range without getting exotic (floact rlc, deore xt/xtr, mavic wheels, etc). When I got mine, I compared it to the yeti, moutain cycle, turner 5 spot, specialized, giant, tomac and intense....the Foes worked and works the best for me. JMHO

you might also want to check out the titus Motolite. Has adj 4 and 5 inch of rear travel and is an fsr suspension. You just cant put super fat tires on it. But Ill second the turner 5spot.

I dont know why but i like Rocky Mountain. I guess i just like the ride.

My reason for not liking them is pretty superficial: I think they're th butt-ugliest bikes made! :lol:

I hope that doesn't offend anyone (much at least) but geez, you'd think these guys could invest in some decent paint or even a passable decal to go with thei friggin funky looking square frames! Yikes.

you might also want to check out the titus Motolite. Has adj 4 and 5 inch of rear travel and is an fsr suspension. You just cant put super fat tires on it.

"super fat" in this case being some 2.1 tires and most 2.25 tires and above.

A design flaw in a frame that is touted as being an "all mountain" bike.

The 5spot also feels noticeably stiffer (laterally) in the rear.

"super fat" in this case being some 2.1 tires and most 2.25 tires and above.

A design flaw in a frame that is touted as being an "all mountain" bike.

The 5spot also feels noticeably stiffer (laterally) in the rear.
yeah... hopefully they will fix it for 2006. You can get the fr chainstays for bigger tire clearance but at a 300$ price. :( Which equals out to about the price of a 5 spot.

Exactly how many different types of bikes have you ridden anyway?

I just noticed that justsomeguy asked me a question. I have ridden many FS frames, Marins, Fishers, Konas, and the like. I have much more experience with a Specialized FSR, Titus Switchblade (same link), and an old unified rear triangle fully (don't recommend it). My favorite, and the one I have stuck with, is a Superlight. My only justification is my personal preference of its well-roundedness. It is definitely a less supple ride, especially on climbs, but the original poster required efficient climbing, not supple climbing.

It is definitely a less supple ride, especially on climbs, but the original poster required efficient climbing, not supple climbing.

A more supple ride is more efficient when climbing technical trails since the rear wheel tracks the terrain and maintains traction better than a bike that is less supple.

If folks are concerned with "efficient" climbing on smooth trails then a decent platform shock (or developing a decent spin) works quite well when riding four-bar bikes.

Lack of brake jack is just icing on the cake.

Do faux bar or also known as 4 bar single pivot bikes with v-brakes, brakejack? Or is it just a Disc brake problem?