Pivot 429
I have ridden all three of these bikes and will weigh in on my thoughts. Being only a 170 lb rider , weight was a key factor in my choices, since most FS 29ers are around 28lbs. I ended up buying the Tallboy, but the best ride and value was the Pivot 429. Here is a summary.
Tallboy - Ultra light carbon frame, cost me 4100 for the XT build in a Large, weighed 26lbs as delivered. I swapped out the 10 speed stuff and went with a 2 x 9 setup to save about 200 grams, got rid of the Avids since they sucked, and got the Marta's which saved about 100g, converted the TN-719 to tubeless and swapped the tires to Specialized 2bliss Captains and saved another 200 g. Total now is a sub 25 lb FS 29er. Outstanding ride, super plush, super quiet. Fox is custom at 110 because 120 was too slow and 100 was a hair too fast in the steering. I have the Fox 23 on the rear but would have preferred the Monarch since the Fox pushes through the mid zone way too fast. It is not as progressive as the Monarch. Top tube a little short in my opinion for a Large.
Pivot - Could have bought 3 x 9 XT build for about 3500. Biggest cost factor was the wheelset / hubs, and the brakes. Weighed in at 28 lbs as built in a Large. Outstanding ride in quality, comfort, and speed. Climbs better than the Tallboy IMO. Steering geometry is very similar to the Tallboy, quick and agile in the 100 setting, quick and stable in the 120 setting. Was a better fit for me in reality because the top tube is longer on the Pivot Large vs the SC, which I prefer. Biggest reason I didn't buy was the 2 pound disadvantage, which was huge for a light rider, But at your size and weight this is definitely a great bike.
Specialized Epic / FSR - Expensive, I could not for the life of me get the BRAIN to a tuning that i liked. Also it is a set and forget, so if I set it firm, it rode like a rock and sucked, and if I set it softer it pogoed on the climbs, and if I set it soft it just sucked. Also the Specialized geometry sucks unless you never ride fast, feels like the bike wants to push in the corners, causing you to lean in more to compensate, which in turn causes tire gription issues, which cost you speed. Nuf said. On the other hand if money is a factor, look to their models without the BRAIN. These at least offer on the fly tuneability, and they ride nice for the money. Sub 2000.
Whatever your choice consider these things. The FOX fork with 15mm axle is a fantastic ride at 4lbs. The REBA is nice and lighter, but flexier @ 3.75 lbs as a standard QR. Specialized throws all kinds of loops into the picture with 20mm REBA's (outdated), and 9mm Thru REBA's (stiffer than QR, but it's a Specialized thing). Also the newer models of bikes are leaning toward the 142mm rear end standard (135 now) and are offering thru axle designs on the rear hubs also. Gearing - 29ers are by design 10 percent larger than a 26er, so the gearing should be reduced by 10 percent to match the design. That said, it the rear cassette remains the same (11-32/34/36) you don't need a 44 front crank ring on a mountain bike. So consider a front double crankset in the range of a 27 / 40. I ride a 26 / 36 with an 11 / 32. If you're a gear masher go with a 40, if your a spinning goat go with an
11 / 34 9 or an 11 / 36 10 speed rear.
Good Luck.
