[2ndgen]

I feel like I was on my way to get married and met this incredible lady cab driver who made me reconsider everything I ever thought about the woman I was on my way to marry.

Wow...when I first saw the new Tracer VP, my mouth opened. I just stared.
It is so sexy that I don't even care that if it only came in that Ferrari-like Red.
It literally made me stop my purchase of a Roscoe I dead in it's tracks.

Damn that thing is beautiful!

But...how does it ride?

I'm going to have to get on one ASAP because I want to get a bike this winter to be ready for the Spring. It'll be my first Full Suspension bike and I was set either on a Gary Fisher HiFi Deluxe or the Roscoe I. Still will go with either of those two unless the Tracer can steal me away.

One of the main things that the '08 HiFi has me locked on is the styling (straight bars) VS the '09 HiFi and the fact that it was made in The USA. Plus, it being my first FS MTB, I appreciated the less technicalness of it (my word). I appreciated that it had less features so that I could have a purer experience on it and really learn almost from scratch. The Roscoe I is a tremendously packed MTB with great features and that for me would've been a natural progression from the HiFi (which I would've retired to my winter home in Puerto Rico for the winters).

And, what I love about the Roscoe is that it's ahead of it's time. I think that it represents the immediate future of MTB and where the bikes are going...full of proprietary designs that will begin to really separate the manufacturers (Trek literally bought out it's main competitor in this field). And, the Roscoe is definitely a builder and a bike I could keep for years (most I'd do to it is build it up to Roscoe III specs [fork, shock, brakes, wheelset], but I would'nt get an RIII because I love black and both prices come out to about the same...built/upgraded RI VS mildly upgraded RIII.

But gosh damn that Tracer!

It looks like it's chomping at the bit even when standing still!
It's top and down tubes look like their grappling on to the headtube for dear life!
I thought though that the Roscoe was my next purchase.
Now, I'm thinking HiFi for now, learn on it, then a Tracer build for the Spring.

The reason I might be blowing off the wedding...

Even the Tracer Hardtail is gorgeous!

I've been putting off this choice for a couple of reasons...
1. Waiting for manufactures to unveil their models.
2. Winter always (especially in this economy) yields better deals in the N.E..
3. Want to do as much research as I can "before" I put at least 3 grand on two wheels (which means, time "on" bikes).
4. Hoping to get a bike I can keep (the HiFi would definitely only be a transitional bike).
5. Want to be 100% sure at the time that I purchase that I've made the most educated choice.

I was stuck on Knollies (and still am blown away by their Hummeresque desigs), but I think the Tracer is my dream uber-bike now.

Wow...I feel like I need to go to confession after looking at it! :lol:

 

[ScottW]

Funny, the things you like about the Roscoe are the things I hate about certain brands,,,proprietary designs.

I've talked to some of the shop guys who liked the ABP bikes they rode at Interbike, don't know if the special Fox rear shock is good, bad or indifferent but having frame geometry that uses a special fork offset bugs me. I'll normally keep a frame for about 3 years but change shocks and forks more often. My 6.6 had 3 different forks and 2 rear shocks in 3 years.

I'm a big VPP fan, if I hadn't gone Intense again I was looking at something with a DW link. If you haven't seen a Tracer in person try to check one out, they are really nice. I wasn't sure if the tracer would be the bike to replace my 6.6 but after seeing one and test riding I was sold.

And you can get colors other than Ferrari red, if you meant that's all the shop had they only need to make a phone call to get you any other color.

 

[2ndgen]

Funny, the things you like about the Roscoe are the things I hate about certain brands,,,proprietary designs.

I've talked to some of the shop guys who liked the ABP bikes they rode at Interbike, don't know if the special Fox rear shock is good, bad or indifferent but having frame geometry that uses a special fork offset bugs me. I'll normally keep a frame for about 3 years but change shocks and forks more often. My 6.6 had 3 different forks and 2 rear shocks in 3 years.

I'm a big VPP fan, if I hadn't gone Intense again I was looking at something with a DW link. If you haven't seen a Tracer in person try to check one out, they are really nice. I wasn't sure if the tracer would be the bike to replace my 6.6 but after seeing one and test riding I was sold.

And you can get colors other than Ferrari red, if you meant that's all the shop had they only need to make a phone call to get you any other color.

I am definitely going to do my best to locate one.
If I can't reason buying one with an uber kit (meaning in the $5K range),
then maybe I'll just buy a frame and get myself an entry level kit (x7/9, LX/XT, etc...).
That might allow me to bring in the bike under $3,000.

 

[holybull]

They're real nice. I just bought a bike a few weeks ago, but a dealer told me that Intense is going to have a budget build for it based on the Shimano SLX component set so it's very tempting for a New Years gift to myself.

 

[2ndgen]

They're real nice. I just bought a bike a few weeks ago, but a dealer told me that Intense is going to have a budget build for it based on the Shimano SLX component set so it's very tempting for a New Years gift to myself.

Hey HB,

I saw a build for it with and SLX kit (which got great reviews in MBA I believe) for about $3,800.

I've been contemplating going with and XT/X.9 kit that sells for about $800. (with Alex wheelset, Marchozzi MZIII fork, Juicy 3 brakes, Kenda Kinetic tires). Not bad just to be able to put an Intense on the road and ride it until you break it then build it up the way you want it.

With a kit like that, one could be on the road for about $3,100. (maybe even less).

 

[rabidweasel999]

I would at least try to switch it out to a SLIGHTLY better fork, like a RockShox Tora or something. The MZIII is horrible. I had an old hartail with one for a while.

 

[2ndgen]

I would at least try to switch it out to a SLIGHTLY better fork, like a RockShox Tora or something. The MZIII is horrible. I had an old hartail with one for a while.

What's up RW!

That would just be like a really temporary kit of course.

That buys time for one to replace the parts as the money rolls in.

For me, there's a big difference between $3000. and a full bore $6-7000. build I'd like to do (with a full XTR grade drivetrain, Fox Fork, Bonty wheelset, etc...).

 

[rabidweasel999]

Fork first, please.

 

[2ndgen]

Fork first, please.

:lol:

Absolutely.

Then Crankset.

Then, wheelset/tire combo.

Then Drivetrain.

Then the Cockpit.

Brakes would be last.

 

[rabidweasel999]

Go brakeless, it's all the rage.

 

[buildyourown]

I'm not sure what you see in the Roscoe. I saw one today at my LBS and it looked fairly generic. Definitely not in the same league as a US made boutique bike.

Buy a bike the fits the best and has the best geometry. Many shops will do a dirt test ride for a refundable fee. Many bike companies are successful not because they innovate, but because they take simple, tried and true technology and package it nicely. Give me a simple single pivot bike with great handling over and over-engineered multi-link any day.

 

[epicriderat]

One of the main things that the '08 HiFi has me locked on is the styling (straight bars) VS the '09 HiFi and the fact that it was made in The USA.
:

Are Gary Fisher frames actually made in U.S.A. ?

I thought they were welded overseas and the bikes are assembled in U.S.A.

 

[holybull]

I'm pretty sure that the OCLV carbon frames are made in the USA