Hard tail MTB options

Triathlon Forum
1

I am considering buying a hard tail MTB. I am fairly ignorant of mountain bikes though. What are the best options under $2000?

Thanks in advance for your help.

2

Can you wrench? Pick up a Chinese carbon frame and components off forums/ebay and build it yourself. Or get a Kona/Salsa scandium frame and build up a sweet lightweight racer.

I know a guy selling a carbon chinese carbon hardtail running as single speed (but has derailleur hanger) for $400 complete. Frame alone will cost that much, if you can find a deal.

Then you also have the whole 26" vs. 29" debate. I have both, but I’m not finished building my 29er yet, so no real opinion there.

3

I’m a big fan of the Specialized Stumpjumper 29er (I’ve had two). It looks like the Comp model lists for $2200. I like the looks of the satin black model:

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/sjht/stumpjumpercomp29

This time of year I like to go to shops or call and ask about 2011, 2012 stock since the 2013s are coming out. They usually want to move those older bikes. The shops can call Specialized too and check to see what they have for older model years as well. I bought my current bike (2010 S-Works) on eBay for about $3k which is about half of what it went for new a couple of years ago.

4

I went through the whole process of what to get for my 1st MTB, and i settled on a full suspension 29’er. The way i looked at it, i could lock out the shock and virtually make a hard tail if i needed it, but you cannot go the other way around. And the 29’er allows me to get over stuff that i do not have the skills for at the moment, so that is a nice perk too.

Dan has an orbea 29’er hard tail and he likes it, but most of his rides are made for it. My rides need all the travel i can get…

5

Pricing and options totally depend on whether you gotta buy stock from a shop or web order (or buy lightly used complete from a 3rd party), or if you can build something up yourself… Personally, someone can have my old Ti Litespeed hardtail when they pry it from my cold, dead hands. I’ve been shopping eBay for an older Ti road/CX frame I can use as a winter training bike and occasionally see similar Ti MTB frames listed which seem to go for around $500-700 these days.

Toss in maybe ~$400 for a decent wheelset and that leaves roughly half your $2K target for a parts group and cockpit, which should be cake; again, IF you’re willing/able to cobble it together on your own. Otherwise, having to pay a shop for assembly will be steep (don’t expect a break if you didn’t buy the parts from them).

6

As I recall, once you are over about $1200 you really get pretty solid parts on mountain bikes from the big manufacturers like Trek, Cannondale, Specialized, etc.

For instance, Trek’s Cobia gives you 29" wheels, Rockshox Recon Air fork, Avid hyro disc brakes and 10 speed components for $1200. None of it will turn heads at the trailhead but for a first time mountain biker it should be plenty good for a few years of riding.

I’d go try and find a few bikes to ride. I’d save a little bit of money since its your first mtn bike and shop more in the $1200-1500 range.

7

$2100 for a hardtail Ti 29" with Sram XO brand new. I’ve ridden the 26" team fly Ti. Really fast bike, great components.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/fly_TeamTI_29_xo_20.htm

8

How do SLX components compare to Road components?

Equal to or better than 105? Ultegra? Worse than 105?

9

XTR —> Dura Ace
XT —> Ultegra
SLX —> 105
.

10

SLX is what I consider 105 level. XT = Ultegra and XTR = Dura Ace…though I prefer SRAM.

11

Which leads me to… what would be a similar breakdown for SRAM?

Apologies, again my knowledge on MTB is very limited.

12

More so than road, what are you going to be riding? Mostly cross country? Downhill?

I would look at a 29" hard tail for most cross country stuff and any xterra you might be thinking of.

For me , the best money spent will be on the front shocks, though at your price point that shouldn’t be too big of an issue.

If Devinci MTB’s are available anywhere near you, they are pretty nice (I know Performance Bikes carries some models, they are a Canadian bike).

13

X7 = 105, X9 = Ultegra, XO = Dura Ace, XX better than anything by Shimano (again my opinion).

14

I guess that would be:

XX
X0
X9

They have X7 and X5 below that as well. I was told that X9 is functionally the same as X0, but not as light. XX rules!!!

15

Cross country.

Trails in and around Durham Region, Southern Ontario.

16

Thanks for all the info guys.

Thanks as well for not pointing me to google for the answers. I’d rather hear from people who have used the stuff.

17

$300 over budget, but it is a VERY solid bike and would leave a ton of room for rider improvement before the need to upgrade.

http://www.speedgoat.com/Catalog.aspx/Browse?Cat=C186&Mfg=1148&Prod=24114&Root=Cat

.

18

I’m a big fan of the Specialized Stumpjumper 29er (I’ve had two). It looks like the Comp model lists for $2200. I like the looks of the satin black model:

http://www.specialized.com/...ht/stumpjumpercomp29

This time of year I like to go to shops or call and ask about 2011, 2012 stock since the 2013s are coming out. They usually want to move those older bikes. The shops can call Specialized too and check to see what they have for older model years as well. I bought my current bike (2010 S-Works) on eBay for about $3k which is about half of what it went for new a couple of years ago.

I just bought the stumpjumper 29er comp about 5 weeks ago…love it so far.

19

For a hardtail.

grab a Kona Honzo. Steel 29er with outstanding geometry. They absolutely nailed it

20

Just about all of the big name 29ers are going to be sweet at that price point. I have the Giant XTC 29er aluminum and love it. Monty makes a good point. However, you’ll get better components on a hard tail for 2g and even better if you go with AL. It a compromise. I’d lean toward AL FS since you are gonna crash your MTB and not sure how carbon will hold up to abuse.