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EX9 climbing?

802 views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  Benismo 
#1 ·
I been reading the boards for a couple of weeks now and I heard a lot about how well the EX9 decends, how good it is braking on the down hill, how it stay's planted and follows the terrain, what I haven't heard is how good a climber it is verse the competion. So here my question which bike climbs better the EX9, the Specialized Stumpjumper Expert, or the Trance XO? How do you like your EX9's climbing abilities? and how does it compare to other bikes you've own, ridden, or tested?
 
#2 ·
I've not ridden the specific bikes you mention but I did have an '07 Specialized SJ Pro.

IMO the EX9 blows it away in nearly every department, I very rarely lose traction unless I'm tired and not spinning the cranks well, but that happens on most bikes. :)

I do feel that the EX9 is a little nervous on the steep downs, but my other bike is a Nomad with a 66SL fork so it's only to be expected!
 
#3 ·
Posted this in the other forum where you asked the question, my apologies for double posting.

I have the EX9.0, so just slightly lighter I guess. Have only owned or riden a few mountain bikes over the years but I can say this bike has made a massive difference in my riding. The only bike I can compare the Fuel to is my Jamis Dakar XLT, so not really a fair comparison with the Jamis being more of an All Mountain type of bike. Before that I rode a GT Avalanche hardtail frame with just about everything else upgraded, a good bike but back then I didn't have a whole lot of fitness, so again, not a fair comparison. But the fuel is an amazing bike, I am overtaking riders on hills that used to leave me for dead on hills, it feels to me to climb extremely well. Drop the front forks and lock em out, let the RP23 pro pedal do its thing at the back and the Fuel charges up hills like.. well, like nothing I have ever had a go at. I can't imagine anything being much better. The Fuel in descent mode is something else, I am continually amazed at the level of control I have over this bike on hard 'brakes-on' descents and particularly descending, technical and bumpy turns. If you overcook a turn it doesn't wash out at the front and it doesn't suddenly snap at the rear, it pushes into a slight oversteer drift and stays stuck. I love this bike, I really really do. Keep in mind though that this might just be because this is my first top of the range (and carbon) bike. Maybe the bikes you mentioned are just as good as, or better than the Fuel. I would be surprised though.
 
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