[Wedgy]

I was at a LBS yesterday and found that they have the Stumpy FSR expert and the Epic elite test bikes (the green frames). So i picked up the FSR so I can take it for a real off road ride today after work. I did ride it around in a field next to my house yesterday, and I realy like it. the things that I like most about it are the ProPedal on the rear fox shock and the Juicey 7 disks. I also plan on taking the Epic for a spin some time soon as well.
If I do decide to get the Stumpy, It will probly be the Comp and not the expert due to my price range (max of $2000). that being said, one of the main differances of the two are the juicy 5 VS. the 7s. What makes the 7's better than the 5's?

Another Bike I was looking at is the 07' Ibex Asta Pro mainly for all the nice parts on it and the price ($1700 on a pre order). Can anyone atest to the ride quality of the Ibex compaired to the Stumpy? also can some one tell me what the SPV technology is on the Manitou S-Type rear shock. Is that something like the ProPedal on the Fox?

So far the pros and cons of each bike as i understand them are...

stumpy...
I can buy the stumpy when ever Im ready
I can take a real off road test ride on the stumpy
I can get the stumpy Comp for the same price as the asta pro
con...
not as nice of parts for the price, but still good

Asta...
Price VS parts is awsome
nothing but good things about them as far as net research
con...
Not even a parking lot test ride, but there is a 30day 100% return policy.
I cant get the bike for 4 to 5 months. But I dont plan on getting anything for 2 or 3 months anyway.

O'ya and here is a little about me and how I ride.

Im 5' 11" and 200LBS (down from 220 when I started riding again 2 months ago an still dropping)
I would say Im a novice rider, lots of single track, and I like to keep my bike on the ground as much a I can, maybe a 1 to 2 foot drop once in a blue moon. but I did ride Sawpit At Demo on my old Stumpy hard tale and I only went over the bars one time :thumbsup:

Help me pick!!

 

[Vulcan]

Okay, I'll try to answer some ofyour questions for you...

Juicy 5s vs Juicy 7s, no experience with either, but I thuink the 5s lack the contact point adjustment knob. So no biggie there.

The SPV vs ProPedal... Both are out to do the same type of thign and you could probably get the two to ride very similarly out on the trail with some tunnning. Not sure of any specific differences.

As far as what bike to get... It sounds like you have a really good local shop. That is something I and many others do not really have. I think you will be happy with either bike, but having a good local shop would sway me in the direction of buying locally. I have dealt with Ibex before and they are great. That, plus the tempting parts spec on the Asta makes this a hard decision.

Edit:
Out of curiosity, do you have any local giant dealers? If you do I'd try to test a Giant Trance. I tested one for a few hours and loved it.

 

[Hardtails Are Better]

Your local shop sounds like it rocks. Support them and buy the Stumpy. The Ibex is nice too, but you'll need to wait for it, and your LBS deserves some love. They'll treat you well right back, from the sound of things. I think spending a little extra to buy a bike from a quality LBS is totally worth it because of the service you'll get.