[SuperJETT]

I currently have a 99 Fisher hardtail 1x9 setup. The components that would be usable on a Fantom DS frame are completely usable but older. I'd have to get a new fork and disc brakes/wheels for sure.

A frame is $300 on Ebay, so add on fork/disc brakes/wheels and I'm sure other stuff and I'd be at $900+ using components off my old bike, plus I'd have to buy some more tools since I really only have a cassette socket, chain whip and pin remover.

If I were to buy the mid-level DS from bikesdirect for $1000, I could sell my bike as-is for probably $250 to offset a new saddle/tires.

Which way to go?

 

[AZ]

Buy a complete bike IMHO .

 

[SuperJETT]

I did buy a complete bike, but a KHS XC-604 that a local guy had just built, for a little under $1000.

 

[MTBERMISS]

I bought the complete bike from sportymamabikes.com. The only downside is the crankset sucks including the gravity pedals. The ritchey bars, stems, and seatpost are extremely heavy. The RS fork is good, the hydraullic brakes are good, the panaracer tires are great in the mud, loose terrain, and the wheelset is decent but a little heavy and the gravity hubs loosen and need to be retightened after a couple of uses. The rear RS float is Ok but not as good as the RS Monarch. The rest of the componets work well, but may need upgraded depending on usage.