Re-Thinking My Obsession w/Fisher HiFi 29

I rode a FS Kona The King (26er) and went from a Trek carbon HT, and while the Trek felt a little snappier, the Kona was way better if it got rough. (the Kona just got stolen, dammit...) The thing I really noticed was that when I got off the bike, I didnt feel as beat up. I'm 36 now (also 6'0" and about 185) and I'm not as fast-twitch as I used to be, so FS is definitely the ticket for me. About 5 yrs ago, I'd have said screw FS, but anymore, it really works well and combine that with great forks and disc brakes, and you can push further and more comfortably over more varying terrain than ever.

Now the 29er thing. I rode a buddies in Moab when I was there for the 24 hrs of Moab, and I loved it. So much so that it takes the sting off of my Kona getting stolen. And yup, it was a Fisher. The HiFi pro 29. It was sweet. And if you've looked around, I think you've noticed that from the price and the weight and all that, it's a lot of bang for the buck.

Also, something to think about -- I went into a bike shop over the Xmas break, and they're selling closeout 09 Pro's for around 2500.00 - even though they have to order them from Fisher (meaning all Fisher shops should have access...) You might be able to pull the trigger and get the next model up by getting an earlier year. (I even found a linky, but they only show 17.5" frames. I dunno if that's too small or not, just passing along the info.)

http://villagecycle.com/product/09-gary-fisher-hifi-pro-29er-49136-1.htm

I, too, live in Colorado, ride all kinds of stuff, and had only owned a hardtail (okay, Moots YBBeat softtail, but...) for years. Two seasons ago I got my first FS bikes. Ended up with two of them, one of which was the HiFi 29.

I think that bike was an excellent first choice for a guy who likes to hammer hard on trails as if I'm racing. The suspension was generally stiffer than most of the trail riders around here prefer. But for me, it was great. Kept me feeling fast on the climbs and flats. Sped me up on the downhills, too, since I could be forgiven for mistakes in a way that a hardtail wouldn't.

The big wheels are a good part of it. The general trail chatter that we often have in Colo is much smoother just because of the wheels. (Helps to run tubeless, I think.) And in bigger, chunkier stuff, the wheels bridge across and smooth that, too.

So I think you're on the right track. The 2010 HiFi 29 should be a definite improvement. The '08/'09 had some disadvantages, mostly related to rear-end flex. But that didn't keep it from being fast and fun to ride.

I was grateful for my FS introduction season and the HiFi. Now I've stepped a bit further up the food chain and have a Rumblefish. Not quite as snappy. But excellent for a wider range of stuff that I'm learning to ride. And heck, I've still got some hardtails if that's what I want.

There should be demo bikes available here in Colo -- as the weather and trail conditions permit. I know they're available in Grand Junction, at least for the Rumblefish, which should help you get the idea. Have fun!

--Greg

ps disclosure: Come March, I outa be back working for the GJ Fisher dealer.