I'm riding an Airborne Goblin 29er as my sole bike. I'm planning to make the switch to 29plus though and currently have my sights on the Carver Gnarvster Ti. Both are HT but with the extra volume in the plus tire I doubt I'll miss FS even less.
Carbon SC Highball and a Stache 9.
After the brutalness of the Highball on my trails it got stuck on stationary trainer duty and I ride the Stache 9 exclusively.
With the setback seat post and plus sized tires it soaks up the chunks much better than I expected.
I've ridden a Black Sheep 29er for the past 11 years. I have two -- one multi-geared using a Rohloff speedhub (pictured below), the other a single-speed. I was "fully firm" until two years ago when I put a Lefty fork on the muluti-geared one, then promptly followed up with a Lefty on the single-speed.
On a visit to a local shop, I found myself counting linkages on full-suspension bikes -- the Giants in the last shop had five. Five! That's like 10 bushings or whatever! How can they stay creak or slop free for even a single riding season? Unlike the reasons given by others, I don't need a full suspension bike for comfort (I fit my hardtail and take care of my core), long distances, conquering more radical terrain, or for "more fun". I've flirted with the idea of full suspension as a XC race machine, but it's really not going to move me up many (if any) spots in races I do. So what would be the point?
Sold my Niner EMD9 and my WFO when I thought I was gonna quit riding. At 53 I just didnt have the time after getting laid off from my gravy train on biscuit wheels job. All I was doing was working, sleeping and eating. Now, at 55 I got a job in the oil patch and get a few weeks off at a time. Bought me a Niner Jet 9 and love it. Also have an old vintage rigid schwinn MTB for concrete trails around the house when all the trails are shutdown due to rain.
I have a hardtail and a full suspension Chinese open mold frames. The full suspension is nice and comfy, but I prefer the crisp handling of the hardtail. It's my go-to bike. Both are 650b.
Ok just made the change to a Hard-Tail. C'Dale FSI Carbon 2 is my only ride at this time. I Changed bars, tires, seat, seat post, grips and went tubeless. I race it and ride a variety of trail types, and it does really well for a race bike. I am adjusting to a hard-tail with clearly a different ride style and yet I really am having fun, riding 3-4 days a week and around 60 miles per week. Eventually I'll get another FS bike but I doubt I'll give up the HT. I am clearly faster on this bike than I was on the Epic S-Works.
I have a Scott Scale 710 that I built-up last year to replace a Ti 26er I'd been riding. Road a Niner Air 9 for 18 months and never fell in love with it...Too harsh.
The other version - that I spend a lot of time on - is a singlespeed Karate Monkey with wide rims and big cushy 2.35 tires, with a layback post which - when all combined - is a very supple ride for the old back...:thumbsup:
I turn 50 in a few weeks. My hard tail is ridden most frequently.
'11 Fuji Tahoe 29er aluminum hard tail (1500-2000 miles of pedaling each year)
'07 WaltWorks TwinSix custom steel 29er (rigid single speed;. most fun of all to ride)
'09 Turner Sultan full suspension aluminum 29er
I just discovered mtn biking last year. I wanted to keep the budget to about $1800.
I was looking at a lot of entry models when I came across the Niner EMD. I guess that's an entry model too, but is seemed to have a bit better components than the others.
I have about 1700 miles on it so far. It's been a good bike.
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