I'm going on my second season with my 2002 Slayer, and I'm still loving every ride. Back when I was looking at bikes, I demoed a ETS-X (no 30-50-70 back then) and thought it rode sweetly, esp. on climbs. I was swayed away from it and toward the Slayer due to my size ( 6 foot 1 and 210 lbs) and riding style. The shop said with me on it the ETS wouldn't hold up to the very technical and rocky terrain around (Lynn Woods, MA), with the occaisional 2-3 foot drops I used to do. With the Slayer, I now ride way faster, more confidently, almost always try the tougher lines going up or down, pull off stuff I used to be scared of, and have picked the drops up to the 4-5 foot range, and try jumps now and again. No regrets. So I ask you ETS folks, was it good advice, or can the ETS take the punishment of a determined hyperactive clydesdale, 5 ft drops to flat granite, and some good natured bashing?

I have a pimped out etsx bike and weigh 180 pounds and would not feel comfortable dropping it off 4-5 foot drops unless there was a nice transition landing. the bike is great in rock gardens but I think the slayer is better for the big stuff.I heard a rummor that RM is brining out a more freeridish version of the bike soon. Just hear say at this point though.

I have a pimped out etsx bike and weigh 180 pounds and would not feel comfortable dropping it off 4-5 foot drops unless there was a nice transition landing. the bike is great in rock gardens but I think the slayer is better for the big stuff.I heard a rummor that RM is brining out a more freeridish version of the bike soon. Just hear say at this point though.

Sounds like a great idea, but where would it fit in I wonder? I know they just reorganized their lineup, with ETS joining the crew, Edge becoming the Slayer 30 etc. so maybe in between the Slayer & Switch, or alternative to Slayer. A beefed up ETS would be a serious bike though.
One other selling point for me was the design of the Slayer. It seemed to be the most double-triangle, tried and true bicycle frame design out there, to me anyway. Then again, my friends and I debate how much is great design, and how much is just getting used a good design and maximizing it's capabilities.
There is actually an ETS-X 30 for sale locally, at a really good price left over from last year. I have been seriously temped to pick it up and start working the super lightweight style mods on it. After my cranking my 31 pound Slayer around for the last 1 1/2 years, I'd probably be able to climb trees on that rig.

If you have been climbing hills on your slayer you will fly up them on an etsx. Mine is specked with crossmax xl wheels and sram drivtrain and it rides like like a bike that is 2 pound lighter then it actually is.

If you have been climbing hills on your slayer you will fly up them on an etsx. Mine is specked with crossmax xl wheels and sram drivtrain and it rides like like a bike that is 2 pound lighter then it actually is.

Do you know the weight of your ETSX? Just curious, as I've read some pretty crazy postings about flyweight ETSXs.

Here are the details fox talus fork ,race face dues stem and cranks ,easton monkylite xc carbon bars, crosmax xl wheels, roll-x tires with stans, time carbon pedals,x-9 shifters ,xo der, holowpin chian,9.0 casset,stock seat and post,shimano 555 disk brake(or should I say boat ancors), It wheighs just over 26 pounds but like I said it feels like a 24 pound bike.

Maybe not a featherweight but trim for sure.

Any other opinions about the ETS - Slayer comparison?

The ETSX is a great trail bike, plenty capable of plowing through rock gardens. That being said, I would say no way to doing any drop over 3 feet, especially at your weight. If you want to do 4-5 foot drops buy a freeride bke and do it right. Why risk it on a $2500+ bike?

On a side note i have, or had, an original 2002 etsx70, large, I think 19". I weigh 185 and it broke on a climb. I don't do ANY drops. As for the wiehgt, I think it was 27-28lbs. Last I heard it was shipped out to B.C. and is scheduled for replacement.

In a perfect world I would have a lightweigh hardtail, an ETSX70, and a freeride bike. Think of the ETSX as a bridge between the other two bikes, a compromise, that in no way is capable of what the two other bikes can do.

Hope this helps.

Thank you Managuense for the input. Perhaps if I had opted for the ETS I would have evolved into more of an XC type and not have even tried getting into bigger stuff if it had not been for the Slayer. Not a freeride bike for sure, but I think it has handled everything so far very competently. Not sure what you may think of the Slayer, if you even considered it when you looked at your ETS. But here's another question - what freeride bike would you choose to compliment your ETS?

I have hopped on a slayer briefly in the shop, felt a little too beefy for my needs. From an ETSX owner's p.o.v i think your shop did you a big favor in steering you away from an ETSX.

As for a freeride bike, I haven't put much thought into it. First I would need some more disposible income. But if, and when, I would buy one I would decide based on observation. What I see around here are a lot of Stinkees and Intense Uzzis(forget the model, the longer travel one). There are a few groups around here that do some pretty amazing stunts. I suppose it is probably a function of rider skill and well built bikes that allow them to make it look so easy. Those two bikes would be at the top of my list.

M wife & I travelled to Chicago to visit her grandmother, and decided to try and go biking at a place we had seen in a magazine. We met up with some guys from a group called Team Sally, an unofficial bunch of freeride enthusiasts. I guess living on the flats of America's heartland started to get to them, and they began building Northshore style stunts. The evolution of the risk and danger proceeded quickly, and when we got there in April, they were launching 12-13 foot drops from ladder bridges they had built up in the trees, elaborately networked by an impressive assortment of other creative structures (including a really cool corkscrew ramp going around a huge old oak tree). They let us borrow some bikes for the day and ride around (a Giant AC1 and Stinky DeLux). We pretty much stayed on the tamer/beginner stuff, but after riding those cushy freeride machines, I now understand a little bit better how they get up the guts to launch that crazy stuff. You don't have to stick every landing, the bike can definitely save your a$$ in a pinch, not to take away from these guys though. They have really built up some skills. What really got me was the hardtail part of their crew. They were doing just about everything the full suss. guys were doing, and I was impressed, if not amazed.

the shop definitely steered you in the right direction. the slayer is definitely more able to take the agressive stuff. you might consider getting a platform shock on the slayer. that would greatly increase it's performance on climbs. having ridden both, i don't think there is that much difference in climbing ability when you have the ETSX in the longest travel setting versus the slayer. since i wouldn't really adjust the travel, the slayer just made more sense to me.

Actually I cant tell the difrence in climbing ability in the etsx from the 3 and 4.5 inch setings even in the long setting it out climbs most short travel bikes.

I have thought about getting the Float RL pushed on the Slayer. I like the way it climbs, but I am a believer of it being a lot about the rider, and some about the bike, to a certain extent. I really believe 90% of biking is mental.

here's the thing about a pushed slayer. it climbs better but the Push'ed shock works a ton better on the descents. it is amzing how much better my slayer tracks on the descents. i don't think most people even think about that aspect of the shock work.

I have thought about getting the Float RL pushed on the Slayer. I like the way it climbs, but I am a believer of it being a lot about the rider, and some about the bike, to a certain extent. I really believe 90% of biking is mental.

Help me out here and explain this "pushed" concept for me, would you? :confused:

Help me out here and explain this "pushed" concept for me, would you? :confused:
Push industries is a company that will rebuild revalve any fox shock with platform shock technology.
http://www.pushindustries.com/

Phat_Head,
This actually works? One thing i've wanted to do is increase the rear travel on my '02 Slayer. I thinking that "pushing" my Fox RL wouldn't do this correct? It sounds like it only adds "dampening" or "lock-out" or "platform" stability to the shock?

Funny thing with my RL is that I hardly ever use the "RL". Only on long, non-tech trails will I find myself using this option.

Phat_Head,
This actually works? One thing i've wanted to do is increase the rear travel on my '02 Slayer. I thinking that "pushing" my Fox RL wouldn't do this correct? It sounds like it only adds "dampening" or "lock-out" or "platform" stability to the shock?

Funny thing with my RL is that I hardly ever use the "RL". Only on long, non-tech trails will I find myself using this option.
it will not increase the travel, but it will definitelyoncrease the performance of your bike. if you have never serviced your shock, you should anyway. the charge for rebuilding the shock is around $90. for $50 more you can add platform technology. you will lose the lock-out but you don't use it anyway. it is just amazing how much better my bike rides now as compared to before i got the shock work.

it will not increase the travel, but it will definitelyoncrease the performance of your bike. if you have never serviced your shock, you should anyway. the charge for rebuilding the shock is around $90. for $50 more you can add platform technology. you will lose the lock-out but you don't use it anyway. it is just amazing how much better my bike rides now as compared to before i got the shock work.

Damn! I'm such a sucker for new technology. Seems like a pretty good price, (cheaper than new) but I'm still sceptical. Is it something I really need? Probably not. Yet, I'm sure the shock will soon need servicing and actually finding a LBS that knows wtf they're doing is impossible. Push seems legit. Thanks for the info.

Hey Phat Head, have you ever ridden any other platform shock before? Anything I could compare with?

I only use that feature once in a while, on long twisty non-technical stuff that I only get to a couple times a year. I guess what you are saying is we wouldn't miss not having it, since we don't use it too often. The '02 is needing a truly complete overhaul soon, so maybe that would be worth looking into. I have only heard good things about the PUSH people, which also helps.

I only use that feature once in a while, on long twisty non-technical stuff that I only get to a couple times a year. I guess what you are saying is we wouldn't miss not having it, since we don't use it too often. The '02 is needing a truly complete overhaul soon, so maybe that would be worth looking into. I have only heard good things about the PUSH people, which also helps.

$138.00 is nothing. I'll be sending in my RL next week. This completely makes sense to me. However, I thought my Slayer climbed well to begin with. It'll be interesting to note the changes. I'll post my feedback/

02Slayer, how have the creaks been on your frame? Anything noticable? Seems like the only one I have is in the headset. BTW, I ditched my large chain ring and added a bash guard. SFSG! Love the clearance!

I can't wait to hear your feedback RuLz. For the record though, I do love the way this bike rides and I'm assuming you do to. I hesitate to mess with it too much, but there does seem to be a good case for the PUSH. I wonder if the bigger hits will be a factor.
As for the creaks, I've heard people talk about that, even ***** about it, but I've put this bike through some serious paces and either I just don't hear it, or it just doesn't happen. I have never heard anything, aside from the shock bolt cracking, and that was an easy fix.
I have to admit, I just use my well worn, now toothless big ring as a rockring. I too think the clearance on the Slayer is a great feature.

The Slayer's definitely been a set-it & forget-it ride. As for big hits, we shall see how the Pushed Fox works. It looks like they can set it/build it to whatever riding style you're accustomed to. I'm leaning towards aggressive trail riding. I'll be talking to PUSH before I decide.

I don't understand the issue with doing larger drops on bikes less than a slayer. My previous bike (stolen) was a CAAD 3 cannondale hardtail on Spinergy Spox. It was NOT a DH or FR bike in any sense. Yet I did countless 3-4 foot drops and plenty of occasional 5-6 foot drops, all to flats, without it ever breaking. I'm trying to understand why everyone worrys about elements or ETSs etc breaking. All I ever owned has been hardtails so maybe that made me smoother on landings etc? Do I really need a Slayer-level bike to keep from breaking it on normal (sub 6ft) drops?

BTW this is an honest question and I'm looking for honest answers.

I don't understand the issue with doing larger drops on bikes less than a slayer. My previous bike (stolen) was a CAAD 3 cannondale hardtail on Spinergy Spox. It was NOT a DH or FR bike in any sense. Yet I did countless 3-4 foot drops and plenty of occasional 5-6 foot drops, all to flats, without it ever breaking. I'm trying to understand why everyone worrys about elements or ETSs etc breaking. All I ever owned has been hardtails so maybe that made me smoother on landings etc? Do I really need a Slayer-level bike to keep from breaking it on normal (sub 6ft) drops?

BTW this is an honest question and I'm looking for honest answers.

It probably did make you smoother, but I beleive this to be true -
The more linkage elements in the design, the more likely something will break during large impacts.
This is just from personal experience. I have seen quite a few full suss bikes that were supposedly on the beefy side break somehow, fixable breaks, but breaks nonetheless, during drops/jumps etc. I have not seen as many hardtails break, and everything I've seen done on FS I've seen someone do on HT. FS just makes things a little smother, but its not a neccessity. I'm sure if everyone were forced to ride HT for a few years we'd all have to learn how to ride smoother, but since that aint gonna happen, finesse can be compensated for with suss travel, but the catch is the mechanical parts that take the abuse break down instead of your body. However, most HT diehards are for the most part (huge generalization) smoother riders than FS riders comparitively. I ride with a group and there is only 1 HT guy amongst us and he gets huge respect for ripping guys on Bullits and other bikes like that. I am also a huge believer in its the rider and not so much the bike.

However, most HT diehards are for the most part (huge generalization) smoother riders than FS riders comparitively. I ride with a group and there is only 1 HT guy amongst us and he gets huge respect for ripping guys on Bullits and other bikes like that. I am also a huge believer in its the rider and not so much the bike.

Thanks for the great reply. I may look a little more into the ETS now as I'd prefer a lighter bike (who wouldn't?). It will be interesting to see if anyone else has a similar experience as well. I'm definitely not the worlds smoothest rider but like I said before I never had an issue with 6ft and under drops on the HT, even to flat (most of them). I definitely understand that the "smaller" bikes aren't meant to huck but I was really having a hard time believing a relatively smooth normal drop out on the trails would break these things. If I screw up royally and break the frame I know it's my fault. It's great when the frame bails you out then but anything will break if abused enough.

Thanks for the great reply. I may look a little more into the ETS now as I'd prefer a lighter bike (who wouldn't?). It will be interesting to see if anyone else has a similar experience as well. I'm definitely not the worlds smoothest rider but like I said before I never had an issue with 6ft and under drops on the HT, even to flat (most of them). I definitely understand that the "smaller" bikes aren't meant to huck but I was really having a hard time believing a relatively smooth normal drop out on the trails would break these things. If I screw up royally and break the frame I know it's my fault. It's great when the frame bails you out then but anything will break if abused enough.

See the Pop goes the Slayer's pivot bolt!! thread in this forum for the next chapter in my RM bike choice saga. The ETS was just not designed for drops and stuff like that, but it will climb like a champ and handle rock gardens with ease. When companies say XC, they pretty much mean it. Make sure you get something that will not crumble when you hit the flat. May not be the first or second drop, but just when you get comfortable and think "Hell this rig can take anything" you'll hit the 6 footer and snap crackle and pop. Just hope its the bike and not you that pops.