[steve76t]

Hi All,

After several years of not riding I've begun again. I've been out several times now over the last few weeks and thinking that it may be time to get an updated ride. Here's some info about me... I'm mid-50's, 6'-3, 240 lbs, and I'm currently riding an '96 Specialized Stumpjumper FS M2.
It's pretty loaded with mix of XT & XTR components, custom springs in the Judy XC fork, etc. Handles great for what it is, but damn is it a harsh & stiff ride. I live in the Reno NV. area so my riding is at 5000+ ft, nearly all rocky xc singletrack stuff, just as much climbing as descending. I'm not racing anymore & don't care about keeping up with younger riders. A little speed here & there hell yes, but don't big jumps, gaps or drops. Especially on my current bike.

So I think I'm ready to get something new. Think I'd like a full squish bike, but also wondering about another hardtail but with 27.5+ wheel/tire set up. Done some shopping around and some research & I think I have an idea on what looks good to me.

#1 - Canyon Neuron 7.0 - Like the bike from what I've read, videos I've seen, etc. However, at $2500 it's about 500 more than I wanted to spend. It does however have all the components that I think I'd want. NX 1x12 drivetrain, Fox Shock + Fox 34 Rhythm Forks, dropper post, etc.

#2 - Canyon Neuron 6.0 - Also a great looking bike online. Not sure about the 2x11 Shimano SLX drive train though. I like the idea of a 1x gear set. The RockShox Recon fork gets more mixed reviews too. Currently on sale at $1800 & $700 less than the 7.0. Is the 7.0 worth the extra coin over this one?

#3 - Marin Rift Zone 2 - This one has a mix of the Canyon choices. Has a 1x12 NX drive train of the Neuron 7.0 with the same shock & fork set of the 6.0. Price is also just under $2,000. So a little more than the 6.0 but well under the 7.0's price. AND I'd get some LBS support instead of ordering it online.

#4 - Marin Pine Mountain Hardtail? 27.5+ tire & wheel set up, cromo frame which would be more forgiving than aluminum, sim. RockShox Recon fork to the full-squish bikes. Price is quite a bit lower too at under $1300. 1x11 SLX drivetrain? Hmmm, like the idea SRAM NX more. Also haven't looked at too many other HT 27.5+ bikes yet so I'm sure there are other options out there to consider too.

What do you folks think? I've got no idea where I'll end up and the choices listed above are just starting points for me right now.

 

[fredcook]

Can't go wrong with anything you listed, I think. Since you're considering the Canyon, I assume you may be open to other consumer direct bikes. I'll throw in a plug for Whyte. I looked at Canyon a little over a year ago. Great bikes. My main focus at that time was their Spectral, and was close to buying one. I also considered YT's Jeffsy. However, I went with Whyte's T-130. Although I looked at Canyon's Spectral, the T-130 is closer to the current Neuron I think, geo wise.

Most of my daily riding is XC/trail, getting in a good share of short techy steep stuff with rocks, roots, etc. in North and Central Texas. Its (only) 130mm eats up the rock gardens we have here in North Texas (North Shore West, Isle du Bois, etc.). It feels more like 150mm bikes I've ridden. I also take the T-130 on the road to Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Arkansas, Nevada, California, etc. Nimble and quick on steep techy rocks and roots (up and down). Stable and confident on fast flow and sketchy down hill (even when I'm not on the right line ). And on those few occasions I get off the ground, it really likes to get air, feeling lighter than it is. It's a great all 'round trail bike that is at home wherever I take it. Great build quality too.

The only downside to Whyte... they sell out fast in the U.S.

 

[steve76t]

Thanks for the suggestion. I checked out the WhyteUSA website and the bikes look pretty nice. Might have to consider one of them. However, like you mentioned, they are currently sold out of most everything right now.

 

[Shredmonkey]

Not a bike suggestion but something to consider. Generally speaking most modern bikes are all pretty capable and although the online only retailers ( Whyte, YT, Commencal, etc) are fantastic values I wouldn’t overlook the shop support/relationship aspect.
A good shop should hook you up on pricing to get your business plus come with perks such as discounted gear and a free tune after the bike gets broken in. Modern components are complex and absolutely increasingly robust but things will eventually fail or wear out. Even if your initial purchase is more expensive it’s nice to have a place, hopefully close by, when your rig needs some love that will get you back on the trail ASAP. This is especially true for warranty issues.
And of course I’ll give the obligatory advice to try to demo some bikes before purchasing.
Good luck.

 

[steve76t]

Good points on the use of a local shop. I’ll definitely consider it. Gotta find the right shop though with the right products. Of the shops I’ve stopped by, one is definitely in the running as they carry Marin, Niner, and a couple other brands. They’re a little shop that has tons of bikes customer bikes the wrenches are working on or upgrading. A couple others are definitely out though as I didn’t get the feel I’d expect. Both appear to be shops that are there to sell bikes but don’t appear do much work on customer bikes as there are none to few in the shops.
I’m also not afraid of building something either. For most of my college years I was a wrench for a local shop and know how to turn a wrench. So finding a local shop that’ll do everything for me isn’t at the top of my priority list.
In the end I’ll be looking to get the best bang for the buck and keep my costs down.

 

[eb1888]

Don't expect much out of a Recon fork. The Motion Control damper is minimally capable and easily overwhelmed.
Pinkbike has a good used listing range. A used 29+ Stache would be a ht choice.