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Lunchbox 29 vs. Nomad2

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TrailNut

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Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
Which of these two only frame and fork setups would be a more desireable, FASTER, as a main AM-FR bike, Primiarily as a "Cali" light DH race bike, that can pedal up, and secondarily as an "All Mountain" racer?

Santa Cruz Nomad 2 with Fox Vans fork
-or-
Lenz Sport Lunchbox 29er with White Brothers 150mm coil fork?

Costs are about the same.
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
tires

scottzg said:
Is there a good 2 ply 29er tire on the market yet? That'd kill the lunchbox, i'd think.
Click to expand...
are the (lack of) choices in FR tires what's limiting long-travel 29ers from becoming more popular?
 
#5 ·
wow...i just looked at the numbers for both. i'm really impressed with the lenz. the angles are pretty dang close to each other. i'm someone that would go for the lenz just to try it out but i go through quite a few bikes.

as far as tires...i swear i must be the only one that loves nevegals. I ran nevegal dtc 2.35 all season on my tr450 and loved it. i switched to minions for the end of the season and started having flats and they weren't gripping that well. you can get the nevegals in 2.2, which is a great size for nevegals. they kinda feel like a 2.4 maxxis.

the only thing that would hold me back is that i don't love white brothers forks. I kinda feel if you're not running a lyrik/36/vengeance for a 160mm fork, then you're running the wrong fork. so yeah, i think i'd end up going with a nomad just because i don't like the fork selection.
 
#10 ·
LeeL said:
I wrote about the Lenz Lunchbox on a thread on the 29er forum. I thought the White Bros 150 fork was a limiter. Let me dig it up

Here goes http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=654631
Click to expand...
I agree.... Although I absolutely love my Lunchbox/WB150 for techie trails with lots of chunk, ups and downs, and some steeps (like South Mountain in Phx), it sucked royally for me on the super steep DH trails of Whistler and the North Shore due to its tall stand over and whimpy fork. I was really hoping that the Lunchbox would be my do-all FR/DH rig, but I now also own a 26er DH-specific bike for those types of trails. There are decent burly 29er tires now, but the big-travel fork choice for 29ers is minimal. Not all of us want to drop the $$$ for a Dorado - besides, I wouldn't want a double crown on the 'box anyway. WB guys have been great at helping me out with repeated service and free parts for my WB150, but I'd sure love a durable 150mm+ 29er fork that doesn't need service every couple of rides.
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
Nomad2 Fox 40 180mm

Jim311 said:
As a dude who loves 29ers I'd go for the Nomad.
Click to expand...
Nomad2 can handle Fox Vans 180mm or Fox 40 180mm dual-crown fork, appears have the edge on DHs.
 
#12 ·
I have been lovin' 29ers. I ride a DW Sultan with a 140mm fork. Its a fun bike.
However, I have been doubting my wholesale choice of a 29er lately, I jumped on the bandwagon wholeheartedly sometime ago. The fork options just aren't there, and there are some problems in squeezing big wheels into a longer travel bike. Even with the tight geo of the lenz they get kinda lopey feeling. In shorter travel xc bikes I think 29ers have a lot of advantages, but once the travel starts going up I think the 29er platform starts to get frustrating in certain areas.
We'll see what pans out in the next few years for longer travel 29ers.
I'd probably go Nomad, even though I haven't riden a 26er in sometime.
 
#13 ·
Cant go wrong either way. Just came off of a Nomad with Zoke 180 forks and was a blast to ride, now I have a Box and I only have two rides on it but it also is a blast. Its set up with a Fox talus 180 thats been modded and tubless TLR tires and weighs 33 on the money. Ive ridden the hell out of this thing on South Mountain on the roughest trails there and not a single flat or problem with the fork. I swear im riding twice as fast as I used to but who knows. As far as climbing I think the Box is a little better just because 29ers climb better. I do agree that 29ers start feeling a little bulky but it doesnt bother me because I ride the thing like a freight train and to me thats fun! Cant wait to try my new PBJ that thing should just rail down the side of a mountain but I do worry about the tires choices for that one.
 
#14 ·
Someone mentioned the 29er Nevegal. It's too wimpy. I had one on the front of my hardtail earlier this year for a few rides, but it needed too much air pressure to keep from pinch flatting. With that much pressure the traction wasn't very good. I switched to a WTB Stout and been happy with it.

Forks are the main problem for 29ers right now. Nothing available for a reliable 5-6 inch coil with tapered steerer.
 
#16 ·
i'd definitely go Nomad. I don't like the extra bit of lateral flex that the bigger 29er wheels get when blowing through chop or landing slightly sideways. Since the spokes are longer, they aren't typically quite as rigid as a 26er set. It's not like 29er wheels are all going to destroy themselves the first rock garden you pound through with some speed, but I'd bet they wouldn't hold up as long over time, nor provide you with the tighter, more accurate feeling that 26er wheels would offer.

The Nomad is an absolute beast at climbing, and an even bigger beast at going down. Amazing bike. Go that direction if you want to ride the rough stuff. But don't take my word for it. Just look at what all the pro Super D and light FR guys are riding. If 29ers were as good as 26ers in that arena, they'd be riding them.
 
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#17 ·
charging_rhinos said:
i'd definitely go Nomad. I don't like the extra bit of lateral flex that the bigger 29er wheels get when blowing through chop or landing slightly sideways. Since the spokes are longer, they aren't typically quite as rigid as a 26er set. It's not like 29er wheels are all going to destroy themselves the first rock garden you pound through with some speed, but I'd bet they wouldn't hold up as long over time, nor provide you with the tighter, more accurate feeling that 26er wheels would offer.

The Nomad is an absolute beast at climbing, and an even bigger beast at going down. Amazing bike. Go that direction if you want to ride the rough stuff. But don't take my word for it. Just look at what all the pro Super D and light FR guys are riding. If 29ers were as good as 26ers in that arena, they'd be riding them.
Click to expand...
Maybe... or maybe they just haven't discovered them yet. There's a few cool new 29ers coming out for Northshore trails.
North Shore Wade Simmons article

New Banshee Prime Link to Prime Story
 
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