Looking for advice on which bike is right for me, as I cannot find anywhere near by to test these. I do a lot of X country riding with some technical descents with the occasional strictly downhill ride. Wondering if someone has experience with one or both in relation to the kind of riding I do? I'm worried the Coil Air might be too much bike, too bulky for a lot of X country? I'd appreciate any help...
The Coilair, I don't really get. To me it's a FR bike with alot of extra linkages to maintain (break), whatever. 6" that can jump to 7.4" is a little strange to me, since even at 6" it's not going to be the most agile climber.
The Cadabra is a good pick for someone that spends most of their time XC/Trail, with a few FR excursions.
You can yell marketing hype! 'till your blue in the face, but the proof is in the pudding. I think you'll be hard pressed to find a 6.5" bike that can scurry up the steep stuff like a Cadabra can.
I've also hammered my 2010 through some pretty good rock gardens and drops without any discomfort. The wheelset is the only thing I'd think about, my 2010 Cadabra has questionable Crossride Disc's, but I think the 2011 Abra has Haven's on there....
I love it when someone posts as this, then doesn't offer a suggestion. Thanks:thumbsup:
Can't say I've ridden an Abra, but they sure gave it a good review in a recent issue of DirtRag, I believe.
Burlington Skagit Cycle here in Washington has a nice demo for sale for just over 1900 dollars (19in, 2010 model). If I hadn't found my Enduro earlier I'd definitely consider it. Give 'em a ring if you're interested; 360-757-7910. Really cool shop.
Looking for advice on which bike is right for me, as I cannot find anywhere near by to test these. I do a lot of X country riding with some technical descents with the occasional strictly downhill ride. Wondering if someone has experience with one or both in relation to the kind of riding I do? I'm worried the Coil Air might be too much bike, too bulky for a lot of X country? I'd appreciate any help...
Given the choice between the two for your style of riding, I'd say Abra. It'll handle anything you throw at it, and still be light enough to ride all day. Even an occasional DH day should be fine.
I love it when someone posts as this, then doesn't offer a suggestion. Thanks:thumbsup:
Can't say I've ridden an Abra, but they sure gave it a good review in a recent issue of DirtRag, I believe.
Burlington Skagit Cycle here in Washington has a nice demo for sale for just over 1900 dollars (19in, 2010 model). If I hadn't found my Enduro earlier I'd definitely consider it. Give 'em a ring if you're interested; 360-757-7910. Really cool shop.
I appreciate everyone's advice. Sounds like the Abra Cadabra is the bike, hopefully I can find it to ride it somewhere before purchasing. (I'm limited to those 2 because I'm getting a proform through Kona, and those seemed the 2 most appropriate options, btw)
I test rode the Abra, and it felt snappy, which I liked. I didn't get it because I'm skeptical of the Magic Link (as in it has more points of failure) and because it was prohibitively expensive for me. But hey, if you like it, go for it.
Pro form just means that I'm getting it through a connection at a dealer for a reduced price and that deal is only possible for Kona. Again, appreciate your feedback
Hey, just an FYI, I took a few minutes to look for that article. Google led me to Konaworld's site, and under the Abra page there is lots of links to reviews. Not as good as riding it yourself, but might provide some insight nonetheless. Enjoy!
I'm riding a Coilair out here in the Northeast, and this is one hell of a sled. It's definitely heavier than the Abra I demoed, but it still keeps up just fine with the XC crew and at 35lbs with seat dropper, it's not much heavier than other 6"+ trail bikes (Guy Ford, we know, you're awesome and have the lightest most insane setup on some DW Link or VPP bike, and we're really proud of you for that. But, we have to separate ourselves from your awesomeness and as ordinary people, we have to talk averages, and we're not all nearly as awesome as you because we decided not to get a DW Link or VPP. We get it, we blew our opportunity to be like you. And, we're happy about it). Of course, the extra weight = extra fitness, I think . I went with the Coilair because it is heavier, and I liked the feeling of a heavier, stronger bike. Also because I wanted something to inspire me to step-it up. It rides everything very well, with great stability and capability, but it definitely shines on downhills, as do most bikes in this category.
Actually FWIW, I ride a 2007 Kona Coiler, which uses a simple 4bar system and personally one of the best bikes Kona ever made. Although there will be a DW bike in my future.
I rode a Kona Dawg, until I test rode another brand and found out how outdated their rear suspension is. It was a nice bike, superlight frame, plush going down, just didn't climb like a VPP or Horst Link. bike.
I hear ya! I had a Dawg for 3 years. great bike, but climbed like ****, and it just didn't ever feel "right." It was my first FS rig. But, after a couple different experiments, I came back to Kona, because I found the the magic link to be amazing after a few hours of demo riding and hitting things I'd never have hit before at speeds i wouldn't have even conceived. I like it as much as other designs I've owned or tried, VPP and DW included. They each have their own unique traits, which make them worthy and great. I happen to be a big fan of this particular bike, though. It works very well for the trails i ride and my style of riding. When Kona moved the pivot in front of the the seat tube, it actually made a hug difference in the handling of the bike. There is no comparison between this design and the older Dawg design. It is night and day between how the two bikes climb and handle.
Ultimately, it's personal preference - and how much $$$ you got to spend.
I ride a 2010 Cadabra and love it. It climbs very well and descends better. However, it is not perfect. The stock setup has a few weak spots, namely the brakes. I also managed to bend the rear derailleur, though that probably has more to do with slipping off a skinny than a poor design . The Abra Cadabra has a lighter frame and a better build spec. Plus with the 2011 bikes out you can probably get a good deal on one (in the event you didn't already buy something).
As far as the actual design goes the magic link suspension does take some patience to get right but is well worth it. As stated by others you know when it is working right because you can crest a big climb and bomb down the other side without having to change anything or feeling a "magic" sensation... it just works. Going over logs rocks and roots it feels tight and nimble, but hit a large drop and it soaks it up. Also, the Fox RP23 is HUGE bonus to have on the bike.... the pro-pedal not only helps with climbing but can also be a big help on more fast and flowy downhill sections of trail. It basically acts as a low speed compression setting, so turning the propedal on when going downhill can help keep the rear from soaking up jumps and berms, giving you some "pop" on the trail.
Overall I am very happy with the bike. The stock setup needed some upgrading for my taste (bash guard, new rear derailleur, new brakes, new grips, more aggressive tires for sloppy NW winters) but otherwise is very strong. The magic link works great when properly set up and the fox pro-pedal allows for quick changes in rear suspension characteristics. Try it before you buy it and good luck!
Argee, would be nice to hear what did he end up getting. I've had 2011 abracadabra for 4 months now, and It's amazing. I did 5 Enduro races with it, and as everyone is saying it climbs really well and descends even better. It's way better bike than Meta 5.5. I had before that. Magic link hasn't had any trouble, it might become squeaky after riding in dry and dusty surrounding, but cleaning it takes 5 minutes. I think Coilair is better if there riding involves more bikeparks, or as confidence boost if you are generally careful with descends.
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