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Trying to decide on a new MTB... need advice pls!

1071 Views 12 Replies 6 Participants Last post by OttawaMTB, Jul 12, 2006

Canuckk

Discussion Starter · Jul 11, 2006

Hello all! A co-worker of mine pointed me to these forums... I enjoy them and have done a lot of research lately to try and find the proper bike for myself and narrowed it down to the following:
(in order of cheapest to most expensive)

1. 2005 Specialized Rockhopper Comp
2. 2004 Specialized FSR XC
3. 2005 Trek 6700 Disc
4. 2005 Specialized FSR XC
5. 2006 Specialized Rockhopper Comp Disc
6. 2005 GT IDXC 3.0

I see some other people considering a few of these bikes lately and thought perhaps you could help me from experience with any of them.

Riding style - well during the week most of the riding will be on pavement and hard dirt trails - mostly for exercise. During the weekends though, will be a mix of hills and cross-country riding. I need something that is still fun to ride on pavement though during the week but won't be trying to set any speed records - so if the bike is slower than others it doesn't really matter - extra weight on the bike is the least of my concerns

. I only really included the full-suspension bikes since they are in the same price range and seem like good bikes.

I am about 6'2 and 230-240 - so that might be a factor in my consideration as well.

Thank u for any advice you can provide!

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Hardtails Are Better

· #2 · Jul 11, 2006

Welcome to MTBR! As for bikes, Ibex has some nice offerings. Check them out. Not sure exactly what your budget is, but the Trophy Comp is a very nice bike at a good price. From the bikes you listed, I think the FSRs are the best component wise, though I'm having a hard time finding the exact builds for the years you listed. Certaily the '06 is a really good bike. Do you have the components on those? I would have thought that they'd be more expensive than the others though. It could be that the compnents aren't as nice as the '06. The Rockhopper Comp Disc is a pretty good value, thought the Ibex Trophy Comp is a better one for a hardtail. I think the Ibex will get you the most bang for your buck. Hope this helps.

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fsrxc

· #3 · Jul 11, 2006 (Edited)

Canuckk said:
Hello all! A co-worker of mine pointed me to these forums... I enjoy them and have done a lot of research lately to try and find the proper bike for myself and narrowed it down to the following:
(in order of cheapest to most expensive)

1. 2005 Specialized Rockhopper Comp
2. 2004 Specialized FSR XC
3. 2005 Trek 6700 Disc
4. 2005 Specialized FSR XC
5. 2006 Specialized Rockhopper Comp Disc
6. 2005 GT IDXC 3.0

I see some other people considering a few of these bikes lately and thought perhaps you could help me from experience with any of them.

Riding style - well during the week most of the riding will be on pavement and hard dirt trails - mostly for exercise. During the weekends though, will be a mix of hills and cross-country riding. I need something that is still fun to ride on pavement though during the week but won't be trying to set any speed records - so if the bike is slower than others it doesn't really matter - extra weight on the bike is the least of my concerns . I only really included the full-suspension bikes since they are in the same price range and seem like good bikes.

I am about 6'2 and 230-240 - so that might be a factor in my consideration as well.

Thank u for any advice you can provide!

I too like the FSR, but rather than XC bikes, you might consider "AM", which are a bit more beefy (especially frame and rims) and might hold up better under your weight.
Here's my LBS's website with some examples:
http://www.bowcycle.com/bc06/product/bikes/mtn_fsallmtn/mtnfsam_2000.shtml
The Norco Fluid 3 looks decent, has a real 4-bar suspension and a decent fork (Tora).

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OttawaMTB

· #4 · Jul 11, 2006

Hmmm interesting choices... here are some links for the FSR's...

The '04 FSR xc:

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBk...u.j27007?&arc=2004&spid=6764&bikeTab=techspec

(hope the link works!)

The '05 version (looks to be the same but diff rear shock and colour...):

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?arc=2005&spid=9675&bikeTab=techspec

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Hardtails Are Better

· #5 · Jul 12, 2006

I just realized that the Ibex Trophy Comp is all sold out. The Trek 6700 now has my vote.

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OttawaMTB

· #6 · Jul 12, 2006

Hmmm I'm leaning towards one of those FSR's myself now that I read about them!
Sure the components aren't the best (Deore/LX)... but would be a great frame to keep for a while and just upgrade the other components down the road as they break.

Personally... I find the Trek bikes a little steep in price for what you get... paying for name I guess.

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Hardtails Are Better

· #7 · Jul 12, 2006

The rear shocks on the FSRs are crapola. Can you say pogo stick?

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OttawaMTB

· #8 · Jul 12, 2006

On the 04 or 05? They changed from a no-name shock in 04 to a decent shock on the 05.
Either way... easy enough to change the rear shock I suppose isn't it?

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kylejohn4543

· #9 · Jul 12, 2006

Get the Trek. Or a 06 6500 disc

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Hardtails Are Better

· #10 · Jul 12, 2006

OttawaMTB said:
On the 04 or 05? They changed from a no-name shock in 04 to a decent shock on the 05.
Either way... easy enough to change the rear shock I suppose isn't it?

Well, yeah. The '05 shock is OK. It is easy enough to swap out rear shocks, but that's more $$$ to spend just to make the bike work well.

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OttawaMTB

· #11 · Jul 12, 2006

Hardtails Are Better said:
Well, yeah. The '05 shock is OK. It is easy enough to swap out rear shocks, but that's more $$$ to spend just to make the bike work well.

True enough... could just get the '04 then and save a few hundred... and use some of that for a new shock. Rest of it looks the same pretty much.

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Astroguy

· #12 · Jul 12, 2006

Go for the bike that has the best frame you can get for your money. Forget about the components, like you said you'll replace them when they break. All those bikes will have components that will work fine...is it worth it to get a bike that has a "lesser" frame because it comes with Deore LX components instead of plain Deore? No.

Keep an eye out for a bike that has a frame that is carried up into it's higher end bikes. For example, the $1000 Cannondale F600 has the same frame as the $2000 F1000, of course the difference is the components. You can slowly exchange the components to eventually get yourself a fantastic bike...with something like the FSR you're still left with the frame which is a lower end full suspension frame.

Personally I would stay away from the FSR and go for the higher quality hardtail in this price range. From your list so far the Trek 6700 Disc is the way to go. It will be lighter than the FSR and more enjoyable to ride on the hard dirt trails and pavement. Start looking at full suspension rides if you have $1200 or more to spend. Good luck!

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OttawaMTB

· #13 · Jul 12, 2006

I work with Canukk so I will have to ask him if he decided anything... haven't seen him for a few days since diff shifts.

In my mind the Trek is priced a little high because of the name... costs more than the Rockhopper Comp Disc for fairly even components.

I thought the FSR frame was supposed to be a good one? I mean change the rear shock and that's all you need to do for the frame. The frame on the base FSR is the same as on the Comp and Pro ones - which cost well over $1200 - but since they are previous model years they are discounted nicely. Same for the GT in his list (which I am unsure about myself since the lack of material around the BB concerns me).

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