I have been to the XC race threads and asked about wheel size and now I am in between HT or FS. I have chosen the 29 over the 27.5 which for me felt too much like my Salsa 26" in the real rocky areas.
I am 46 now, havent riden or raced in over 7 years and will be getting back into racing. So I am looking at the Giant bikes since my LBS sales them and they work with my sons high school team. So I want to support them if I can.
I am looking between the XTC Composite 29er and the Antham X 29er 1. Both have good components for what I am looking to start with and they are only 100.00 different in price from each other.
I would be ok with each bike really. But I need to make the decision. I will be racing XC and most races run about 45-60 minutes in length and I will race the longer 100k race in Terlinqua next Feb if they still race there. Its mostly desert sand and gravel single track but its a long ride and has a really long climb. I am in Texas so a lot of rocky areas on many courses we race on and I really do not like technical rock gardens. Never been really comfortable with them. But the 29er let me blast right over what I used to work through on my 26.
So, a heavier FS for comfort or lighter HT for speed? Unless the FS will keep up then its a no brainer. I would like to ride both of them to compare but the shop doesnt have them in stock and I dont know anyone riding them right now since I am just getting back into MTB riding.
I am 46 now, havent riden or raced in over 7 years and will be getting back into racing. So I am looking at the Giant bikes since my LBS sales them and they work with my sons high school team. So I want to support them if I can.
I am looking between the XTC Composite 29er and the Antham X 29er 1. Both have good components for what I am looking to start with and they are only 100.00 different in price from each other.
I would be ok with each bike really. But I need to make the decision. I will be racing XC and most races run about 45-60 minutes in length and I will race the longer 100k race in Terlinqua next Feb if they still race there. Its mostly desert sand and gravel single track but its a long ride and has a really long climb. I am in Texas so a lot of rocky areas on many courses we race on and I really do not like technical rock gardens. Never been really comfortable with them. But the 29er let me blast right over what I used to work through on my 26.
So, a heavier FS for comfort or lighter HT for speed? Unless the FS will keep up then its a no brainer. I would like to ride both of them to compare but the shop doesnt have them in stock and I dont know anyone riding them right now since I am just getting back into MTB riding.