Experienced Opinion
 

The type of riding I do varries from free riding to downhill with lots of cross country uphill. The bike I am considering need to also be beefier than average due to the fact I am 6'5 250ish (depending on time of year). Here are the bikes I am considering...

1) Kona Stuff 1100$
2) Rocky Mountain Flow 1250$
3) Norco Sasquatch 1300$

These are canadian prices without taxes. I suppose I am looking for opinions and which is possibly the best value overall. I will be looking to upgrade later of course :D

As I am sure you can tell my limit is around 1500$ total price.

Right now my primary choice is the Flow but any arguments could sway me. :)

I'm sure you'd be happy with any of the 3 choices. All three are designed and built for Hardcore riding!

I'd have to agree with your choice. Comparing all the specs and components, The flow seems to be the best deal! You almost don't have to upgrade a thing! At least until something breaks! The ONLY thing I would consider upgrading would be the discs. See if the shop will switch those Shimano Mechanicals for some Avid's or some Shimano Hydraulics.

I tried getting my boss to become a RM dealer, but he didn't bite! I'd love to have the SWITCH!

L8R:beer:

i don't know much of anything about these three bikes - i bought a '02 Specialized FSR XC Comp but i was looking in the $2000 price class and for lightweight XC race bike.

i'm just commenting b/c something was said about changing the discs...

but i just don't see the need for Disc brakes on anything but hefty a downhill-only machine. they're heavier and more stuff to break and more expensive than V-brakes. and i've never had a time when i needed more stopping power than my V-brakes (maybe more tire grip but not brake and yes, i lived in the wet Northwest 3 years).

you didn't say you want to do major bombing downhills all day, so why Discs? to me it's just a cool tech thing the bike companies want to sell to you... it looks cool but it's a waste of money

i've also heard numerous stories of forks (like SID) breaking from the front disc force...

in my opinion, change the discs out for some decent Avid V-brakes and save some money and some weight and some future money on maintenance.

To be honest I am not a major downhiller. At any time it is a possiblity considering I live at the bottom of a few mountains. But most of the trails I ride are single track x-country. Uphill downhill straight, trick trails.

I suppose the bonus for discs for me may be my size. At 250 to 270 pnds I through a lot of weight on my bike.

I would love to hear some more opinions though?

I would buy the Kona Stuff. Nice bike. Nice model. Nice Shox. Amazing looking bike!I would go for Kona any way.

The major advantages to discs is when you ride in muddy conditions. With a typical rim brake, the mud cakes onto the rim and packs in and around the calipers. Plus, if you've got a long downhill, the heat cause by the high speeds is enough to wear through a set of rubber pads in no time! Any sand or grit on the rim surface and applying the brakes will wear though the braking surface over time. This is not pretty when you're going down hill fast and the side of your rim comes apart! (Don't ask me how I know. I still have the scars!)

Discs on the otherhand are by the hub (obviously) and tend to stay cleaner due to simple distance. If they do get mud on them, they are unaffected! Plus, if you wack your rim, you can field true it and still ride home with brakes. If you try this with regular rim brakes you have to true it pretty straight, or ride home with no brakes!

Granted, 95% of the people that have discs, don't REALLY need them (myself included). But if I were doing some freeriding in British Columbia, weight close to 250lbs, I'd demand discs on my bike!

Just my 2% of a $!
L8R

Something else great about discs that I've never seen anyone mention is if you remove your front wheel frequently it makes it much easier. Especially if you have big tires. A friend of mine has Tioga tires on his GT and besides releasing the V-brake cable, has to remove one of his brake pads to take his front wheel off. With discs you just loosen the skewer.

Being a big guy (6'3"-245#) I have had great success with Cannondale. I've heard the ride described as "harsh", but the test rider was probably a skinny guy...

C'dale also makes a XL frame and I would agree on the disc brakes. I never had discs before my current ride and after some initial skepticism I must approve. Discs are especially valuable when it is wet out and you need to stop! An object in motion, say a 250lb rider, tends to stay in motion...

Remember to keep the Tri-Flo and WD-40 away from the rotors. (OUCH!)

Thanx guys that is kind of what I thought. The flow still looks like a number one contender for me.

The other reason is the shock. The mazocchi exr are only 4 inches of travel without any stiffness adjustment. The Flow has the z1 Wedge which I belive has the adjustments and 5 inches travel...:)

I've got the Kona stuff and I've put it through hell and back. I think the kona is a bit stronger than the other two. It comes with good components and a good shock, and its suitible for all types of riding. I ride Freeride, urban assult, and trials all on a Stuff. It weighs a bit but if you set it up nice with some lighter components, it can do just about anything.

:beer: