[jdmsti04]

OK, so I am in the market for a new bike and I am sold on making the change to a 29er.

I am 5'11, 185lb, and medium build. I am going to go with a medium frame and have tested out bot the Trek X-Caliber and the Giant XTC 29er 2. The X-Cal feels a bit lighter to me than the XTC, though the XTC feels a bit more solid than the X-Cal.

I am torn on which bike will offer better performance based on the components:
Frame - X-cal vs. XTC
Forks - Rockshox Reba SL vs. Marzocchi Forty-Niner TST2
Disc Brakes - Avid Juicy 3's vs. Shimano Alivio
Shifters/Cassette - Sram X7 vs. Shimano Deore

I am on the fence on both and think they are both great 29er options for the $1,000 - $1,500 budget which I have set for my purchase.

Thoughts on the better of the two setups? I have been riding a specialized rockhopper for 5 years and looking for a change.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[roscoe1971]

i own a 2010 fisher and i cant say enough times get the giant hands down, the tapperd head tube and 15mm thru axle fork are more than enough to make it a better value plus the frame geo (in my opinion) is far better than fisher, the new xtc is just a hard bike to beat at any price range wether its 1300.00 or 2k youre spending. i was gonna go for a new cannondale flash2 but i found out the new owners of c'dale are the same as the ones that own gt/shcwinn and walgoose wich waved byebye to that idea, so im thinking im gonna trade my fisher in on a 2011 giant also. i will say the giant frames do run and feel smaller than alot of other frames so a test ride/fit is a must as i thought a 20 inch frame would be good but im gonna need a 22 inch instead. trust me when you said the giant felt more stout its cause of the 15mm thru axle and tapperd head tube that combo greatly stiffens the front end and makes for a very quik and nimble feel. 2010 was the best year for fisher frames and parts group and trek took that and trew it all away with 6061 frames and less parts groups. my 2010 xcaliber has a nice fox fork on it as the 2011 xcaliber has a lesser rockshox on it. in my eye's fisher is dead. go for the giant you wont be sorry

 

[jdmsti04]

Roscoe, thanks for the response. I have a great LBS that I have bought my last 2 bikes from and the mechanic there was really hyped on the XTC 29 2. After looking at many bikes, I told him I really liked the XTC and he informed me that is the same bike he rides and he has only changed the cranks out since he had a nice set from his previous setup. So, if it is a good setup for a local bike mechanic at a reputable shop that rides hard, it speaks volumes to the quality and rigidness of the Giant design and geometry.

Thanks!

 

[roscoe1971]

yea the drive train on the xtc2 isnt the greatest but its not the worst if i get one im gonna change it over to 10spd but hey giant had to cut a corner somewhere on the bike lol. the drive train will defintetly get ya started but an upgrade in my eyes is a must. somebody also said the giant wheels arent tubeless friendly its hard to get them sealed or something along that line. but i did hear they are pretty stiff but alittle heavy.

 

[pamt]

OK, so I am in the market for a new bike and I am sold on making the change to a 29er.

I am 5'11, 185lb, and medium build. I am going to go with a medium frame and have tested out bot the Trek X-Caliber and the Giant XTC 29er 2. The X-Cal feels a bit lighter to me than the XTC, though the XTC feels a bit more solid than the X-Cal.

I am torn on which bike will offer better performance based on the components:
Frame - X-cal vs. XTC
Forks - Rockshox Reba SL vs. Marzocchi Forty-Niner TST2
Disc Brakes - Avid Juicy 3's vs. Shimano Alivio
Shifters/Cassette - Sram X7 vs. Shimano Deore

I am on the fence on both and think they are both great 29er options for the $1,000 - $1,500 budget which I have set for my purchase.

Thoughts on the better of the two setups? I have been riding a specialized rockhopper for 5 years and looking for a change.

Thanks,
Dave

I got the 2010 XTC2 back in October (almost exact same spec's as 2011) I wanted the XTC1 but my LBS had no Med in stock but offered me one hell of a deal on the XTC2. So I thought what the hell as I upgrade everything on any bike I buy. My first thought was the Marz fork will have to go but to my surprise it is as plush and responsive as any Fox fork I have ever owned.

On paper and the scale this bike may seem like a tank but it rides like a sub 22lb race whip. You will be very pleased with this bike

 

[fastgtx]

I had the same question like 2 or 3 months ago- I was looking for a 29er- I looked at the Cobia (Gary Fisher), and did some reading on forums, and found a LBS that sold cannondale, specialized, Giant, gary Fisher and Trek. That store leaned towards the XTC (Giant) 29er 2, and I bought it- It's a great bike, and EVERYONE on the trail will notice the bike as ita a sharp looking bike. You will not go wrong with that bike, and after researching bikes, I found out that Giant builds gary fisher/ trek frames anyway.

 

[jdmsti04]

Decision made.

Thanks everyone for the input, I went to the LBS today and put a downpayment on a 2010 XTC 29 2 (brushed smoke and black) in Medium.

Last one that they had in the area...It is really a beautiful bike, I road it again today and hands down it feels so much more rigid than the Trek. The tapered head tube and 15mm thru axle fork really make a world of difference to the rigidity and the Marz fork really is great with the right amount of air! Only modification from the start is to trim down the handlebars....damn they are wide! I have carbon IRD flats which I may put on from my current ride, we'll see.

 

[pamt]

Thanks everyone for the input, I went to the LBS today and put a downpayment on a 2010 XTC 29 2 (brushed smoke and black) in Medium.

Last one that they had in the area...It is really a beautiful bike, I road it again today and hands down it feels so much more rigid than the Trek. The tapered head tube and 15mm thru axle fork really make a world of difference to the rigidity and the Marz fork really is great with the right amount of air! Only modification from the start is to trim down the handlebars....damn they are wide! I have carbon IRD flats which I may put on from my current ride, we'll see.

The bars are a bit wide but a wide bar is a good thing on any 9'er. I went with the Salsa Pro Moto carbon at 660mm and that width seems to be a good compromise.

The P29 wheels are a bit heavy but are very well built and look fantastic on the bike. I set mine up ghetto with Gorilla tape and a valve cut from a Q-tube with no problems.

When setting up the Marz fork use the factory recommendations only as a guide and set your air by sag as I needed to drop down to 40psi in order to achieve 25% and I weigh in at 175 with gear and I also found that running the rebound wide open seems to work best for me.

Keep us posted after you get a few miles under your belt and let us know how you like it