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New vs Old

1682 Views 34 Replies 17 Participants Last post by  Tidybeard
So if you were building a new bike and the choice was between:

A new DW 5 Spot with a 36, and XT/LX level components, and a semi budget wheelset,

or

A 2005 6 Pack with Cane Creek DB, a Fox 36 and XTR components and a nice set of King wheels.

All of the components will be new.

Which would you choose? I know this is a budget question that most people will say I should answer myself, but the bikes will be within dollars of each other. Newer frame and cheaper components or a time proven older design?

Oh and if I am way off on the similarities between these two, on paper, both of them wearing a Fox 36 at 160mm look to be very similiar.

Thanks,
Ryan.
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I'd buy the Sultan.
If you have to ask, you'll probably like the 5spot better.
I know I'm walking into this one,...but I have always liked the 6pack frames.

Heck, even the name is cool. I least I would know, given the amount of beer I drink, and the resulting ponch, I could still somehow have a six pack.
dw 5 spot, you will be much happier with the performance even with the cheaper components...
I am currently the proud owner of a DW 5 spot having converted over from a 08 rfx. both bikes performed excellent and i have found that the 5-spot certainly gets uphill alot easier than the RFX and have heard others talking how when descending/jumping the old HL/TNT link is better but personally i didnt notice the difference. i know the 5 spot feels more laterally stiff so maybe that makes up for it. just my opinion. cheers.:thumbsup:
Downhilly,

This is the kind of information I wanted to know. I know a lot of the 6 Pack guys are using the 5.5 rockers so the travel would be the same.

Is your Spot built up with the same components off of your RFX?

So the 5 Spot is the old RFX replacement? or at least for the later RFX's that went a little more towards the light side.

downhilly said:
I am currently the proud owner of a DW 5 spot having converted over from a 08 rfx. both bikes performed excellent and i have found that the 5-spot certainly gets uphill alot easier than the RFX and have heard others talking how when descending/jumping the old HL/TNT link is better but personally i didnt notice the difference. i know the 5 spot feels more laterally stiff so maybe that makes up for it. just my opinion. cheers.:thumbsup:
Depends what you want to do and how you ride so asking us is like when your woman asks, "does my ass look fat?", there's no right answer.
Mtn. Biker123 said:
If you have to ask, you'll probably like the 5spot better.
I think you are right, he sounds like he is just asking for confirmation to justify a choice already made.

electricsnail said:
dw 5 spot, you will be much happier with the performance even with the cheaper components...
LMAO. That is classic. This revelation should save people zillions on components.
Wow, Lidar and 123 join forces... What's next dogs and cats living together?

That being said, I fully support Ryan's decision to buy a DW Spot.
Haven't made a decision yet, but it is forthcoming. I really wanted to wait for the new RFX, but after talking to DT the first week of Dec, he told me that it was a year away.

So I am faced with an older RFX/Pack or a DW Sport which on paper look quite similar. Within 1/2 pound of each other if using the same shock. Both have 68 degree headtube angles and 14" bottom brackets when using a 160mm fork.

So the question is save some money on the older frame and buy nicer components and hope that they are compatible with the new RFX frame, but probably won't be, or bite the bullet and go with the 5 Spot frame if it is a good replacement for the older RFX.

lidarman said:
I think you are right, he sounds like he is just asking for confirmation to justify a choice already made.
scottryana said:
So the question is save some money on the older frame and buy nicer components and hope that they are compatible with the new RFX frame, but probably won't be, or bite the bullet and go with the 5 Spot frame if it is a good replacement for the older RFX.
You hit the nail on the head, some of your nicer components will not be compatible so the money spent on them is short term although it's not like everythng from a Spot will go right over either. Whatever you decide you'll be getting a good bike so you're covered.
scottryana said:
So the 5 Spot is the old RFX replacement? or at least for the later RFX's that went a little more towards the light side.
Nope.

The spot will not handle near as much on the downs, nor will it be as comfortable and forgiving. I'd say that it depends a lot where and how you ride.
I don't know if this will help, but I went from a 6 pack to an 07 RFX. Noticeably better climber, smoother descender with the different shock ratio. Depending on what shock I run and what tires I run, the weight is between 31 to 34 pounds.

I've been looking to get a bit lighter, upper 20's, so I got mtb123's panties in a bunch by asking if the DW spot is as capable as my RFX. I asked because it seemed like alot of homers were selling RFX's and getting the new spot, and they really liked it.

I don't remember DT's exact response, but he said something to the effect: yes the new spot is nearly as capable (I read: not as capable descender, but close) as the 07/08 RFX (Obviously depends on setup as well). It just climbs alot better.

So if I had the choice you presented. DW spot.

Good Luck!

P.S. I'd put an adjustable Lyrik or a Talas 36 up front.
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S-Works said:
I don't know if this will help, but I went from a 6 pack to an 07 RFX. Noticeably better climber, smoother descender with the different shock ratio. Depending on what shock I run and what tires I run, the weight is between 31 to 34 pounds.

I've been looking to get a bit lighter, upper 20's, so I got mtb123's panties in a bunch by asking if the DW spot is as capable as my RFX. I asked because it seemed like alot of homers were selling RFX's and getting the new spot, and they really liked it.

I don't remember DT's exact response, but he said something to the effect: yes the new spot is nearly as capable (I read: not as capable descender, but close) as the 07/08 RFX (Obviously depends on setup as well). It just climbs alot better.

So if I had the choice you presented. DW spot.

Good Luck!
Does this mean that your new deedub is on order?

Sounds more like there were too many people on RFX's that should have been on 5spots to begin with. Typical for MTBR...
Sounds more like there were too many people on RFX's that should have been on 5spots to begin with. Typical for MTBR...[/QUOTE]::eek:
I still like the look and feel of the old 6 pack and would be very happy with one with nice parts.
Mr Pink said:
Sounds more like there were too many people on RFX's that should have been on 5spots to begin with. Typical for MTBR...
::eek:[/QUOTE]
yeah, i'll admit that im one of them.
Mtn. Biker123 said:
Sounds more like there were too many people on RFX's that should have been on 5spots to begin with. Typical for MTBR...
I'll bite - do you know the terrain that everyone rides intimately? do you know their bike set up preferences? their riding style? their geometry preferences? You can not make sweeping generalizations like that IMO. As I have said I have been on two older 5 Spots an 06 RFX and an 08 RFX before swapping the 08 RFX parts (minus the seat post) onto a 2010 DW Spot. The terrain I ride is extremely rocky, technical, slow rolling with very short but steep ups and downs. I lked the extra travel of the 08 RFX and the steeper seat angle for climbing. I also liked the slacker head angle for descending over the older 5 Spots. On the 08 RFX I would rarely go off anything higher than the top of my seat. I used it like a long legged trail bike. I enjoyed the bike a great deal - does it mean I was on the wrong bike because I wasn't hucking it the way you would? despite the fact it matched my riding style and terrain well? Don't forget the 09/10 DW Spot's are the first ones designed for 160mm forks. Maybe if the DW Spot had come out in 06/07 I might have skipped an RFX but the 09/10 Spot is very, very similar to an 09/10 5 Spot with 150mm fork - I give the edge to the DW on climbing and efficiency and the RFX the edge on descending but it's close. The fact they are so closely matched is precisely why the DW RFX will be beefier and longer in it's travel and is taking 2 years to produce - in order to get the right line up separation. If the man who designed all these bikes thinks there is little to chose between an 07/08 RFX and an 09/10 5 Spot why do you find it so hard to accept?
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