Spy vs Spy
 

Remember those guys?! Anyway, my real question is 2014 Specialized Crave 29 vs 2014 Specialized Rockhopper Pro Evo?

After all six kids are now growing and out of diapers, bottles, high chairs, some are now driving, etc., it's finally time to get back into mtb. My last bike was a 2000-ish hardrock.

My wife and I are both athletic (okay so I USED to be, whatever!) and are set on getting decent bikes and spending some hard time on them. Realistically, much of day to day use will be paved or packed trails, but weekends and trips will be more hardcore. I am okay with having less of a bike on the road/trail day to day in order to have a better bike on the real trails on weekends/trips. Also, I am 48 and once I shed some weight and get back into shape, I want to start racing (XC is most interesting to me at this point) on the same bike I buy now.

Stuck on Specialized because of my past experience with them, the LBS Specialized dealer experience (near perfect) and there really isn't much else around for Trek, Giant (had one loved it), etc. Tried some of those other LBS and I was totally ignored at all of them, so those brands are out.

The local LBS has many locations around and I have been picking the knowledgeable staffs brains at a few of the locations and getting great input, but want to reach out to you all.

Thanks!!

I would spend another couple hundred for the Crave Comp 29 and get a lot better front shock in the Recon Gold as well as the Shimano brakes and SLX RD.

The two you asked about are close, but the Crave has the new frame, hair better fork and same slim edge in brakes and RD/cassette for the same money.

I realize a lot of people are not interested in doing mail order on bikes but there is a company called Cross Lake Sales that is selling brand new Marins on Ebay at really good prices. I just bought a Rock Springs Comp from them with SLX derailleurs and a Recon Silver fork for only $750. A Trek, Specialized or Giant would have been in the $1,300 range with similar features. I also bought the wife a Bear Valley for about $350 less than other brands similar models.
Don't get me wrong, I like Specialized and we have 3 in the family but the price of these Marins makes it very dificult not to at least consider. Also, the frame geometry's seem similar to the Specialized bikes you are looking at.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2012-Marin-R...item58aaf63745

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2012-Marin-R...item1e8650d3c7

I loved MAD Magazine. My mom is still in the dog house for throwing them away when I went to college.

My mom used to buy them for me. But she got in the doghouse for chucking all my early-'60s Rod & Custom mags that an older cousin handed down to me :notamused:.

Moms, its a good thing we are such forgiving and kindhearted souls, eh? :innocent::innocent: