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5 inchers that excel at climbing

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#23 ·
I've ridden them ALL and here is my list:

1) Cannondale Rize
2) Turner 5 Spot
3) Ibis Mojo
4) Giant Trance X
5) Intense 5.5 XVP
6) Yeti ASR
7) Pivot Mach 5
8) Rocky Mountain Slayer
9) Trek Remedy
10) Specialized Enduro
 
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#24 ·
Ride some 29'ers, the wheels alone help a lot in the chunky stuff.

I am on a '10 SJ FSR Expert 29'er this year, and it is awesome. I like it WAY better than the VPP to me, pedals better and climbs just as well. Contrary to what others may say, the Brain works and it works really well. It can be harsh, if you want it to be but it certainly doesn't have to be harsh to pedal well.

If I had the money I would be on a DW Link bike, they pedal great. The DW is the only thing I have ridden that pedals significantly better than my Brain SJ.
 
#26 ·
I just got a Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp and rode it for the first time yesterday, and I LOVED the way it climbed. It was my first ride, and afterwards I noticed that my tires were a bit overinflated and I needed to set the suspension a little different, but that's only going to make it better. Just my .02
 
#27 ·
herbn said:
100 dollars to demo,wow! thank you internet shoppers.
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Around here the shops do demo days, generally one in the spring and one in the fall. Good chance to test a bunch of bikes in one day. Nothing like riding a Nomad right before riding the Firebird to see what really works for you.

In any case a few shops around here also do bike rentals, in the order of $75-100/day, where you can buy the bike with that discount when you are done. If you just want to ride the bike around the parking lot for fit and stuff they don't charge you.
 
#28 ·
Another vote for the Mojo SL. 5.5" of rear wheel travel, 6" travel fork, and at 26lbs. This bike climbs like a goat and descends like a bat out of hell. I'm a true believer of DW suspension. I love not having to worry about the ProPedal switch!. Only time I hit my switch is pure fireroad or if I'm pedaling on a paved road.
 
#32 ·
Opinions are like a... Well, you know. Everyone has them.

Ride as many bikes as you can and find out what you like. It sounds like you plan on doing exactly that, so good on you! :thumbsup:

The FSR suspension system isn't out of date by any means. On the other side of the pond (and here, to an extent) there are tons of manufacturers that use their own take on the horst-link/FSR suspension with fantastic results (Like the Lapierre Zesty).

All suspension systems/linkages have their crutches, "band-aids" and quirks. And every manufacturer has their own idea of what the perfect rear suspension is. The trick is to find the bike that feels best to YOU. Not to anyone else.
 
#33 ·
Lenz Behemoth.

My Lunchbox @ 6"s climbs great. Propedal on, it's stiffer and less responsive, but still great. Propedal off, it eats everything in it's path, but is a bit softer (big surprise).

It's never the bikes fault if I don't make a climb.

Anyone who says otherwise, is trying to sell you some shyte you don't really need.

VPP/DW/FSR/ASR. whatever. :yawn:

Buy what feels good, you'll climb better, regardless of the acronym, or that it's made of the latest unobtanium of the month.....;)
 
#34 ·
Too many good bikes out there these days to just tell someone to buy "X", everyone is different and everyone will feel different on different bikes depending on their body make up.
I think that's an excellent plan, best thing you can do is actually demo a bike to see if it fits and suits you. That being said, having local support is also a good thing, so don't ignore this when choosing, find something that has local support from the local shop.

2wheelsnotfour said:
Thanks for the bike ideas. I'm going to try to make it to Outerbike and ride lots of 5-inchers. Any articles or threads I should read to educate myself on current suspension technology?
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#35 ·
Knolly Endorphin ... then rock the down hill. Yes, I am biased but I find all the limits so far have been rider issues. Sucks about the demo costs though. Damn :eek:
I've also heard some great stuff about the Santa Cruz Tall Boy
 
Discussion starter · #37 ·
I definitely appreciate that much of a rider's success in climbing is based on how much power a rider can generate along with his or her balance and stamina. However, I also adamantly believe that having a bike which is ill suited to climbing can be a significant liability on climbs. Its similar to a skilled carpenter wanting to use the right tool for the right job. It makes his or her work that much more effective. In my case, I'm hoping for good balance between climbing and descending. My current bike (4 inch ASR) climbs awesome but beats me up on rough descents.
 
#38 ·
MendonCycleSmith said:
Lenz Behemoth.

My Lunchbox @ 6"s climbs great.
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If by "great" you mean like a heavy wet sponge or that it bucks when you climb with propedal on, then yes, I agree. Otherwise that's one of the poorest suggestions so far, and there are some pretty poor ones in here. I can climb my 46lb highline about anywhere, I'm also stronger than most riders, it also pedals better than my FSR bike due to only having one ring and not as much "squat" under power when climbing, but to claim that it "climbs well" would be stupid, as it is for the lenz behemoth.

I'm sure it's a fun bike for you, and I'm sure you are ok with the tradeoff (as I am with mine), but it doesn't climb great.
 
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#39 ·
Jayem said:
If by "great" you mean like a heavy wet sponge or that it bucks when you climb with propedal on, then yes, I agree. Otherwise that's one of the poorest suggestions so far, and there are some pretty poor ones in here. I can climb my 46lb highline about anywhere, I'm also stronger than most riders, it also pedals better than my FSR bike due to only having one ring and not as much "squat" under power when climbing, but to claim that it "climbs well" would be stupid, as it is for the lenz behemoth.

I'm sure it's a fun bike for you, and I'm sure you are ok with the tradeoff (as I am with mine), but it doesn't climb great.
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I have a feeling more people would listen to you if rather than shoving your OPINIONS down people's throats, you worded them in a courteous and thoughtful manner.
 
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