Hey guys. I'm trying to decide between these two bikes. I currently have a 2003 Rocky Mountain ETSX 70 which I grew out of years ago. I'm now about 6'2" with a 37 inch true inseam. I'm mostly looking for a bike that fits me, climbs well, and is good for an occasional fast descent. Right now I do a lot of rooty, rocky, pretty technical, but slower trails. No big drops or descents. However, in the future, I might try some bigger things. I know that the Mach 5 is more XC oriented, and the FTM is better on downhills. However, is the FTM close enough to the Mach 5 in XC, but more versatile overall? Does anyone who has ridden these two have a favorite? EDIT: Also, any opinions on DW vs. Horst linkage?
Also, I used Competitive Cyclist's fit calculator and it gave me an XC horizontal top tube of 25". Is the FTM's 24.25" top tube of the Large (the biggest size) long enough? I'm pretty tall, but I would hardly consider myself out of Titus' range of heights they selected geometry for. Does a rider want a shorter top tube on an all mountain bike because of the slacker angles? Is it OK to correct half an inch with a slightly longer stem and adjustment of the seat rails? My Rocky Mountain currently is at 23.43", by the way.
Thanks in advance.
Also, I used Competitive Cyclist's fit calculator and it gave me an XC horizontal top tube of 25". Is the FTM's 24.25" top tube of the Large (the biggest size) long enough? I'm pretty tall, but I would hardly consider myself out of Titus' range of heights they selected geometry for. Does a rider want a shorter top tube on an all mountain bike because of the slacker angles? Is it OK to correct half an inch with a slightly longer stem and adjustment of the seat rails? My Rocky Mountain currently is at 23.43", by the way.
Thanks in advance.