Hi - buying advice in a very limited marketplace would be appreciated!
A couple of years ago I got back into biking and bought my first gravel bike, a Trek Checkpoint ALR 5. I use this bike for commuting/weekend rides and really enjoy it. Having so much fun with it that it's made me partial to Trek (and my local Trek shop).
My kids (teens) have recently gotten more into biking too, mostly mountain/trail riding (cross-country style, nothing too hardcore) and beach/town rides.
So, I've decided to upgrade my 15 or 16 year old, well-used Gary Fisher Tassajara to something under $1k (preferably closer to $600-$700) with 29 inch wheels, disc brakes, and slightly better suspension.
Since everyone in the country seems to be biking these days, stock is very, very limited -- especially for an XL frame, which is what I need.
Craigslist/Facebook Marketplace has been slim pickings too, and I've settled on buying something new.
I'd like a versatile hardtail -- rides may get a little more adventurous, but will not be doing anything too technical. Lots of good bluff-top trails with some foothill climbs near us in Santa Barbara. Also want a bike that any member of the family (we're all pretty tall) can pick up and use.
Based on what's available near me, I've narrowed the selection down to either of these bikes
2020 Specialized Rockhopper Comp 1X
2020 Trek Marlin 6 (or, if I drive a little further and pay a little more, a Marlin 7)
I'd been planning to go with the Marlin 6, but I have to drive about 90 minutes to pick it up, and once I discovered the XL Rockhopper was available nearby, I started reading more about single ring bikes. I've never ridden one, but like the tough/simple concept.
I know there's a lot of criticism about the Suntour forks on these bikes. I think the Suntour model on the Rockhopper is slightly better than the Marlin? But I assume most serious riders would disapprove of both. Seems like I would need to climb above $1k, though, to get a bike with a standard fork of much better quality.
I've ridden a Marlin 5 before (we have a smaller one in the family); the Rockhopper 1X is being built by the shop and should be assembled later this week. Hope to try it out then, but only for a short ride around the parking lot.
Any advice on either would be welcomed. Would the more limited gear set on the Rockhopper be frustrating on street rides? Either bike more capable/durable while being knocked around on some fun, but not too technical bluff or foothill trails, with occasional climbs and downhill sections? Any other component or geometry comparisons I should consider?
Looking for a bike I can purchase relatively quickly (was a little too fast at putting the Gary Fisher on Craigslist -- sold within an afternoon!), so other suggestions are fine, but the market around here is very limited, and bike shops are telling me that new bike deliveries are looking like late summer or early fall.
A couple of years ago I got back into biking and bought my first gravel bike, a Trek Checkpoint ALR 5. I use this bike for commuting/weekend rides and really enjoy it. Having so much fun with it that it's made me partial to Trek (and my local Trek shop).
My kids (teens) have recently gotten more into biking too, mostly mountain/trail riding (cross-country style, nothing too hardcore) and beach/town rides.
So, I've decided to upgrade my 15 or 16 year old, well-used Gary Fisher Tassajara to something under $1k (preferably closer to $600-$700) with 29 inch wheels, disc brakes, and slightly better suspension.
Since everyone in the country seems to be biking these days, stock is very, very limited -- especially for an XL frame, which is what I need.
Craigslist/Facebook Marketplace has been slim pickings too, and I've settled on buying something new.
I'd like a versatile hardtail -- rides may get a little more adventurous, but will not be doing anything too technical. Lots of good bluff-top trails with some foothill climbs near us in Santa Barbara. Also want a bike that any member of the family (we're all pretty tall) can pick up and use.
Based on what's available near me, I've narrowed the selection down to either of these bikes
2020 Specialized Rockhopper Comp 1X
2020 Trek Marlin 6 (or, if I drive a little further and pay a little more, a Marlin 7)
I'd been planning to go with the Marlin 6, but I have to drive about 90 minutes to pick it up, and once I discovered the XL Rockhopper was available nearby, I started reading more about single ring bikes. I've never ridden one, but like the tough/simple concept.
I know there's a lot of criticism about the Suntour forks on these bikes. I think the Suntour model on the Rockhopper is slightly better than the Marlin? But I assume most serious riders would disapprove of both. Seems like I would need to climb above $1k, though, to get a bike with a standard fork of much better quality.
I've ridden a Marlin 5 before (we have a smaller one in the family); the Rockhopper 1X is being built by the shop and should be assembled later this week. Hope to try it out then, but only for a short ride around the parking lot.
Any advice on either would be welcomed. Would the more limited gear set on the Rockhopper be frustrating on street rides? Either bike more capable/durable while being knocked around on some fun, but not too technical bluff or foothill trails, with occasional climbs and downhill sections? Any other component or geometry comparisons I should consider?
Looking for a bike I can purchase relatively quickly (was a little too fast at putting the Gary Fisher on Craigslist -- sold within an afternoon!), so other suggestions are fine, but the market around here is very limited, and bike shops are telling me that new bike deliveries are looking like late summer or early fall.