Options for hardtale SS 29er
 

I seriously want a new hardtail 29er and have thought long and hard about Spot bikes, but the belt drive, no matter what they say, makes me nervous. I also REALLY don't like that the right side chain stay was cut to make belt replacement possible. I haven't been able to find a SS 29er with a squishy front end at my local shop and they are not that keen on building one up for me.

I have been online, but other than a custom build, I haven't found anything but rigid 29ers. I like my disc breaks and front end travel. What or the hardtail options right now? Opinions on them?

Gary Fisher Rig is a very sweet SS 29er, fox RL up front, tubeless ready tires and wheels.

29er SS
 

What's the deal with single speeds these days? I am seeing more and more of them in articles and on the trails. I need all the gears I can get so what am I missing with a single speed?

Off topic alittle but my local bike shop has a Fuji 29er 27 speed with remote lockout Reba Rock Shock for $625. The shock alone is almost worth this price. Components are pretty good and with 29 inch wheels it's a nice package. Had I not found a deal on a Trek I was tempted to go this route. +2 on Gary Fisher bikes very sweet.

Bianchi has a nice looking single speed w/ a REBA fork, it's listed on JensonUSA.com right now.

Europe seems to be catching on to niner's slowly, and forget single speed! I'm currently in Italy, and get more than a couple looks at my Niner S.I.R. 9.

Are you an american living overseas? Your best bet would be to get in touch with a bike shop in the states that will send you a bike, but you won't get to fit or test drive the bike that way.

Yep, I am a US Expat in Germany. Hence my local's reluctance to to build a SS for me - I have been here a while and find that it is a big deal if you want a German business to think outside the box and do something custom. I built up my SS commuter/traffic dodger myself, buying parts here and there from them because they "couldn't" build on up. Don't get me wrong, they are superb mechs and their prices are great, just don't ask for custom. SMD3 is right, I have seen one SS in the Altesland near Hamburg Hartz Mountains down south in the last 2 years. As that is the case I was going to find a dealer in the States that would sell me one, crate it up and ship it over.

I looked at the Fisher site and didn't see where they would put a FOX on... I will look harder. As for the Bianchi, we have a hate/hate relationship. I have had two of their road bikes. The carbon fork on the first one just went away at 35mph, breaking me and the bike. I was given a replacement and shortly after my collarbone healed and I could ride I snapped a lug weld while hopping over broken glass on a group ride. I managed not to bleed that time, but I switched to Specialized Carbon.

For the poster that asked, 'Why are Single speeds so popular...' There is a whole other forum page here that can answer that, but to put it in the simplest terms: Do you remember cruising after school and on weekends with your buds on your BMX bike in the 4th Grade? You could go all day, cover serious ground, get into mischief, race, jump ramps made from found plywood and a brick, and do it all on a candy bay, a PB&J sandwich mom made and a Capri-Sun/bottle of DP. You never had a derailer snap off, your chain almost never skipped, your bike was light, and you NEVER forgot what gear you were in. Very low Maint and lots of fun!

Another vote for the Gary Fisher Rig:

http://fisherbikes.com/bike/model/rig

After the two recommendations, I have looked into the Gary Fisher and it has all that I want and the price is great. But... there seems to be a bunch of online posts concerning frame weakness. That is one of my concerns with the Spot bike - the other being the belt. Does anyone have an '08 or '09 model that they have thoroughly abused? What is your experience? My roommate in college had a Fisher and he cracked the top tube weld doing something stupid (In the Arkansas woods, late at night, ramp of pallets, cheap beer, warm Jim Beam, a bonfire - let your mind wonder...) and they fixed it without a problem, but he was bike-less for a month and the bike was never the same. I am of the school that a bombproof frame is better than a warrantee.

Please let me know what you have found good or bad as I would like to pick up a new stead before Christmas while my lovely wife is feeling generous and hopeful for a big gift of her own...

I am pretty sure the 09 is going to be bombproof. It looks significantly stronger. Plus the brown rims.

Jamis has a SS niner version out of the Exile. You could grab a cheap one of JensonUSA last I checked. And it has a strong (if slightly heavy) steel frame.

Felt.
The new Exile has a Tora.
You could get a redline and add a suspension fork.

What about about getting a complete Surly Karate Monkey you could always add a suspension fork. They are really sweet frames.

That is very very nice.... I take it you are talking about the maroon/dark red one?

I've been looking at getting a 29r as well, don't know if you are looking for steel or alum. Personally a suspension fork isn't a big deal(and I like steel) for me so two bikes I've been looking at for '09 are are the Kona Unit and the Surly Karate Monkey( i like the new red). I'm trying to keep cost at about $1000, so this seems to really rule out front suspension anyway. Bike I was just looking at though that has gotten my interst is the Marin Pine Mountain, seems to be pretty decent set up out of the box and has good reviews. I like the Gary Fisher Ferrous alot in this price range (above 1k) it comes geared but has an eccentric bottom bracket, have heard tale of alot of frame failures though from the reviews of the 07-08's and problems with the Rock Shock. Think the 09 is spec'd with a Fox front. Another interesting option in the budget range is the new offering from IRO cycles'(model 12 i think it's called)...pretty bare bones singlespeed but the guy sells a pretty decent fixed gear road bike. Don't know if this bike will take a suspension fork though, it comes with a rigid. Voodoo cycles also has some decent looking offerings. I got a Jamis dealer local and I'm waiting on the 09's to come in there to try out, the 09 Exile looks pretty decent. In an ideal world and if I was to win a lotto, I'd get a niner bikes s.i.r. 9.