[light3monkey]

It's raining, and I have couple of hours to kill before getting to a get-back-to-work mode.

Lately, I've been getting an urge to get a full-suspension xc frame. Recently purchased MB Fly Pro HT will become the donor bike, if I were to buy one. Pivot Mach 4 and Turner Flux has caught my eye, but Turner seems way out of my pay grade. I'll probably look into usual suspects, i.e. SC, Trek, Specialized, Giant, etc.. Being a tightwad, Sette Ace is on back of my mind as an option.

Something tells me that I should be much more careful with choosing FS bikes than a HT, hence the following questions.

Q1. Is the ride quality of a brand name bike, say Pivot Mach 4, "sufficiently" better than Sette Ace to warrant to spending a precious $$$? Feedback from anybody with personal experience with both Sette Ace and other "boutique" fs xc frame is much appreciated.

Q2. Is spending $$$ for full-suspension even really worth it for XC-type riding in South Bay?

P.S. I know there's bike and frame forum, but I want to hear from locals.

 

[gonzo]

Get a 29er HT

Riding in the South Bay.

You can get by with a hard tail since 98% of all the single track trails I've ridden in the SB are relitively groomed.

Getting a 29er HT makes a HUGE difference in terms of plushness.

 

[norton55]

I have a blur xc here at home and a sette ace, at my son's house, in Colorado.

For the money i think the ace is a great deal. The only thing i would change is the rear shock and the fork. Otherwise it handles the trials on the front range really well.

I hope this helps.

 

[older and slower]

I'm in the East Bay, and I ride a BLT2. Lately, I've been thinking of getting a HT, as the local trail (Redwood, Chabot) are pretty tame.

Same your money and ride more!

If you do it, sell my your HT frame if it's a small.

 

[light3monkey]

it's small, but

you wouldn't want mine. I got doored in July and got a concussion. Worse, my frame has a dent. It rides fine though, so I kept riding it.

I was secretly hoping to hear that HT is plenty good enough for South Bay. I'll move onto pining for 29er. I'll be debating with myself move getting a MB 29er or Niner Jet9.

From Fly Pro X

 

[urban turban]

You should check out this frame or the Inbred if you decide to go with a 29er HT. http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROO29SCVD/on-one-scandal-29er-vertical-dropout-frame

 

[light3monkey]

On one hand I'd rather not spend any money getting new bikes. On the other, I feeling like I'm missing out by not riding FS 26er. On top of that, I'm hearing all this great things about 29ers. Not to mention having a serious urge to get hand-craft road frame. Does it ever stop?

I'm going back to grading papers; I need to keep my mind of bikes, especially when I can't be riding one.