Best Full Suspension XC Bikes Around $4,000?

[Tso]

What would be the best Full Suspension XC bike for around $4000? 29 inch wheels please.

[Live2rideUtah]

Two weeks ago I got my superfly 100 elite for 4199. Pretty damn good price and I love the bike. Can't go wrong with a scalpel, or a niner in that price range or even a aluminum talboy

[Tso]

do you know its weight?

[argibson]

Santa Cruz highball or Tallboy. I have both and love them.

[argibson]

My Tallboy is 24.5 with a dropper post, and the highball is just under 20. Both size large.

[cmg71]

Rumblefish? for that money I guess you can get the Pro

mine weighs in at 13.5kgs

[brentos]

I've ridden the Anthem, Spark, and Scalpel 29.

My favorite is the Spark Pro at $4,000, by quite a bit, it's the most race oriented of the bunch, but is a very capable descender with the shock in the full open mode. Not too many weaknesses in the spec either.

The Scalpel was a pretty amazing bike, but unfortunately, their models jump from $3,000 to $4,800.

The Anthem and I just didn't get along. Good bike though.

[gsteitz]

Rocky mountain Element.

[rockyuphill]

Rocky mountain Element.

+1 super fast handling and responsive to pedal input.

and the Element 29 RSL have been announced

2013 Rocky Mountain Element 29 RSL – New Carbon Race Bike, First Rides & Actual Weights! - Bike Rumor

[RetroS]

If you can get the same price as above on the Superfly 100 elite buy it. All the latest tech that the more expensive bikes don't have. Axle, ABP rear, mountain carbon, etc. Rocky element 950 good riding bike but heavy, rode on for two hours in Sedona, AZ. Jet 9 RDO awesome but looking at way down spec at that price. Tallboy fits like a glove with handling to match, but lacks some updated features and the VPP is not for me over constant small bumps.

[RiotMTB]

Specialized Epic Comp or Expert.

[BushwackerinPA]

I have an anthem, and rode it back back to with a carbon tallboy, Superfly Elite before buying it.

here is my take.

tallboy felt the most nimble pedal as well as the anthem and held its line well for lack of a better word it jsut did not feel as fast on open sections of trails

anthem had the best climbing traction, matched the tallboy's pedaling, was alittle less nimble but felt way more planted going fast down various trails.

Superfly either pedaled great and rode harsh, or pedal shitty and rode decent the suspension kinda of sucks, also did not track well but I am sure having a thru axle vs the QR would help.

I think the Niner RDO should be on your price list as well. The normal Jet IMO is too heavy for the cost.

[BruceBrown]

I think the Niner RDO should be on your price list as well. The normal Jet IMO is too heavy for the cost.

Too heavy? I'm riding the size XL aluminum JET with a 25 pound (24 and change if I go with the weight weenie XC race tires when course and conditions warrant) build that meets the OP's budget.

My XL JET 9 "heavy" aluminum build at 24.42 pounds...



Of course, it jumps up to 25 and change with heavier tires.

It's going to be difficult to build a JET RDO at $4K without hanging a lot of heavy and less expensive parts on it - mainly due to the $2600 price tag for the frame alone. Bump it up to the $4700 - $5000 budget and you can end up with a 26 pound RDO. You'll have to spend a lot more to trim the weight down to 25 and below simply due to the higher cost of components that will get you there. A more realistic budget for getting one of the carbon framed XC 29"er fullies sub 25 (down to the 22-23 weight) would be in the $6-9K range. No way at $4k.

In addition to other bikes mentioned in the thread, 3 cost effective frames/bikes worthy of 29 FS XC race consideration...

JET 9
Rocky Mountain Element
Spearfish

All shorter travel XC full suspension bikes that work well for racing and meet the budget criteria.

BB

[C-Dawg]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Pivot Mach429. It is #1 on my shortlist of fullies to try out. I am only speaking from internet surfing experience (no one locally carries them), but with the DW link suspension, it is said to be one of the best pedalers around. I REALLY want one. I don't think it is the lightest frame, but that doesn't concern me. I only care about light rotating components. Static weight isn't near as big of a deal to me.

[CB2]

Two weeks ago I got my superfly 100 elite for 4199. Pretty damn good price and I love the bike. Can't go wrong with a scalpel, or a niner in that price range or even a aluminum talboy

A friend of mine has one of those. He rides it like an All Mountain bike. He did swap the wheels for Easton Haven Carbons though.

[cajer]

I have to second the pivot mach 429 suggestion. I currently have a pivot mach 4 and I can safely says its the best cc race bike I have ridden even after demoing almost all the other cc race bikes at dirtfest.

The mach 429 just feels like the mach 4 with bigger wheels same handling and steering.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[carlostruco]

26'': Pivot Mach 4 or Specialized Epic...

29'': Same as above...

Why those? I've have raced a few FS bikes, including those two bikes for a bunch of races, and those two suspension platforms are a bit above everything else IMO. dw-link anti-squat and Brain both work magically!!!

But you have two ride everything and judge for yourself...