slowride454

FS all the way. I have over $2K into my freshly built hardtail. I've recently ridden a few bottom end FS bikes in the $2K price range. Yes the forks could use an upgrade, but there really is no comparison. I am second guessing my decision now and looking really hard at either selling the HT or finding an appropriate FS frame.

garciawork

I would go hard tail, but I didn't really like FS when I had it a few years ago. Everything I ride now is either on a rigid 29er, a front sus 29er, or a rigid fatbike. I can honestly say that I haven't tried any new FS designs in recent years though, nor do I have a desire to at the moment.

Spectraldust

I think I decided to hold off and save a little more and go with a Giant Anthem SX. From everyone that I have talked that has ridden one said its a great bike. I want to try and stay away from hardtails if I can since I will be going to multiple trails some being really technical and some nice and smooth.

Canker

The Maestro rear suspension is suppose to be the best or damn close to the best out there so good choice.

osco53

My Rear suspension helps me keep my back tire on the ground more, so I can pedal harder and get more power on the ground and that,,,Is faster for me.

I used to get light on my hard tail and pedal when I could in the roots ,, hopefully holding the speed I needed to get past that section.

I can now motor along steady with full rear tire contact and traction right through the roots n rock, and sand with Hidden roots n rocks oh my

roccobike

Good choice. With lock out rear shocks, the only real penalty you pay with a rear suspension is weight. You can lock out the rear sus and make it dang close to a HT. BUT, there's no way your going to make a HT have a rear sus. Giant makes great bikes, you'll be pleased.

Spectraldust

Yeah I'm hoping I'll enjoy the bike. I ride a giant road bike now and absolutely love it. I just worry that with a hard tail I'll find trails where I absolutely will hate it. Have a buddy who won't ride some trails around here because he doesn't have FS.

osco53

My current full squish is one pound lighter than my previous hard tail.....

Things have changed, Full squish is no longer bouncy and are starting to show up on race day with the hard tails because of very efficient power to the ground ratio's...

Yeah things have changed..

donn12

I like endurance events and I am 45 years old. My cannondale flash alloy 29er was as comfortable as night in jail! After 4 hours on it I was done. I replaced it with a carbon epic expert, still a very racy bike but way more comfortable at the 3+ hour mark.

Spectraldust

So I think I finally decided I want to do some XC racing with whatever bike I go with. The two I am seriously looking at are the Giant XTC Advanced 1 XTC Advanced 29er 1 (2015) | Giant Bicycles | United States or a Trek Superfly (undecide on which version I would go with) Has anyone raced with the xtc? I like the price point and the components as well as being a carbon fiber frame.

ColinL

I would not suggest a carbon frame for a new MTB rider, let alone new XC racer.

I met a guy over the weekend while visiting family in Ohio, who loves endurance MTB races and does singlespeed XC (Niner One9). His wife races too, and she has an aluminum XTC 27.5.

His road and CX bikes are carbon. When I asked him why his MTBs were aluminum, he said "out of all the races I've done, the only frames I have ever seen leaving an event in 2 pieces are ALWAYS carbon." He's seen aluminum dented severely enough to retire/replace the frame, but they finished the event on 2 wheels at least.

You're going to crash. If you repair small scuffs and cracks in the carbon properly, it'll be ok. But if you ignore issues, and treat it like aluminum (where people ignore small dents), the cracks will worsen and moisture will intrude.