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RFX to a 29er ?

2K views 35 replies 15 participants last post by  jncarpenter 
#1 ·
Been on an 08' RFX for a good part of the season. Coming off a string of 5-7" bikes it has proved to be the most versitile bike I have owned to date. My build is on the milder side - Pike Dual Air up front and 2" stroked rear shock to match the front travel. I have found myself riding less aggressively as of late and w/o being able to leave well enough alone the thought of 29er has set in (I am 6"4"). My concern is that a 29er would have that XC feel ??? I have always ridden longer travel bikes even on mellow XC rides. I like sitting in a bike rahter than riding atop like some short travel XC bikes. If I built a 29er i'd run a 120mm Manitou Minute fork. Thoughts ?
 
#3 ·
The Sultan is no RFX - The idea that a 29er adds an inch or so to its stated travel is a myth too IMO. You can dress it up like an AM bike, but it is still basically a 4" XC oriented trail bike - great for its intended use, plenty of capability in the rough chunk, but much closer to the Spot than the RFX. Now that I have an RFX and the Sultan I feel like I can preach.:p
 
#4 ·
In the past I wouldn't consider a 29er because there were no 6" forks or 2.5" tires. Like I mentioned my riding is beginning to mellow out I could probably get away w/ 4-5" of travel. I just don't know what I would actually gain . My foremost thought is it will roll over things better w/ less travel and @ 6'4" I won't look like a circus bear on a 29er like I do on my 26er. Neg's - more weight, slower to accelerate, some cost ???
 
#5 ·
After spending several years on an RFX, I made the leap to the Sultan. The RFX is absolutely the more "comfortable" bike to ride in the chunk/ tech...hands down. However, that comes at a cost. Last year I tried to add the 08 RFX back to my quiver, yet every time I took it out I realized that in spite of the added "cush/ comfort" it added, it didn't add any additional stability/ traction/ control...yet the trade off on the climbs was rediculous. The RFX just feels like a pig going up regardless of what the homers would have you believe.

If you want a trail bike that is going to see alot of big hit abuse, then the RFX is the no-brainer. If you want an all day bike that will sacrifice some comfort in the rough for superior climbing prowess, traction and overall stability, seriously consider getting some saddle time on the Sultan.
 
#6 ·
I didn't mean to discourage you from checking out a Sultan - mine has become my mainstay ride for pretty much every type of terrain. Just don't have an expectation of RFX type performance out of a Sultan - they're totally different creatures. There's plenty here to review about the Sultan if you search- suffice it to say that for someone your size, a Sultan would be a great ride capable of 90% of the typical terrain you might ride (assuming going big isn't your main style). There is only a modest weight penalty - my 5 Spot was at about 28lbs, the Sultan is 28.5 for a very similar build.
 
#7 ·
My riding as of late would suffice on a 4-5" travel bike. For some reason I like the way a longer travel bike rides deeper in its travel. Didn't matter how much fork I put on my 4-5" travel bikes they still felt sketchy even on mild terrain. I came from a long line of SC frames - Heckler, Bullit, Blur LT , VP Free & a Nomad. The RFX is closest to the Nomad in terms of geometry & travel feel. I have a 2" stoke shock on my RFX giving 140mm of travel. Smooth steep climbing is fair / sluggish @ best , my Blur LT climbed like a goat w/ the same fork (Pike).
 
#8 ·
keen said:
I like sitting in a bike rahter than riding atop
Between that and your height you sound like a prime candidate for big wheels. Because of the generally longer wheelbase and higher axles (relative to the bottom bracket, and in turn your COG) 29"ers are all about being "in the bike".

can't get right is another name that comes to mind as a RFX rider that switched to a FS 29"er, and I think for him, at least, it was due in part due to scaling back the aggresiveness of his riding.
 
#9 ·
jncarpenter said:
After spending several years on an RFX, I made the leap to the Sultan. The RFX is absolutely the more "comfortable" bike to ride in the chunk/ tech...hands down. However, that comes at a cost. Last year I tried to add the 08 RFX back to my quiver, yet every time I took it out I realized that in spite of the added "cush/ comfort" it added, it didn't add any additional stability/ traction/ control...yet the trade off on the climbs was rediculous. The RFX just feels like a pig going up regardless of what the homers would have you believe.

If you want a trail bike that is going to see alot of big hit abuse, then the RFX is the no-brainer. If you want an all day bike that will sacrifice some comfort in the rough for superior climbing prowess, traction and overall stability, seriously consider getting some saddle time on the Sultan.
Agree. I started on a Sultan, and now ride an RFX. For the chunk and steeps the RFX is the clear winner, but for an all day comfy trailbike the Sultan is the clear winner. If you want a bike that climbs well, the Sultan is the way to go. Granted, the RFX does climb, just not as efficiently, and out of the saddle climbing is a chore. But if you prefer a more compact frame and like dropping the saddle, def have a look at the RFX. I ride the RFX mostly because the fit is much better (for me) than the fit was on the Sultan.
 
#10 ·
I'm with JNC on this subject having had a 6 Pack and a 5.5 Spot before the Sultan. The Sultan is very 5 spotish. I ride it on the same trail I rode the Spot in and the Sultan is the winner for me. I carry more speed through the chunk, climb better and corner faster.

Great change for me!
 
#11 ·
Dude add a real fork to that RFX and you'll find ya got yourself a new bike, it may put you closer to harms way or make you safer depends if you're glass is half empty or half full type I go with the latter but I'm the last one to give advice there since I've been terminated!

However then it may seem like a big enough gap between the XC Sultan:D and RFX to add a Sultan to the stable which is the Homer thing to do, more is better right:thumbsup:
 
#12 ·
trailadvent said:
Dude add a real fork to that RFX and you'll find ya got yourself a new bike, it may put you closer to harms way or make you safer depends if you're glass is half empty or half full type I go with the latter but I'm the last one to give advice there since I've been terminated!

However then it may seem like a big enough gap between the XC Sultan:D and RFX to add a Sultan to the stable which is the Homer thing to do, more is better right:thumbsup:
"Dude add a real fork to that RFX " I disagree with that statement. I have owned quite a few 5-7" travel forks. In terms of tune-ability and trail riding worthiness the Pike really shines. If you hadn't hadn't read my post my RFX is scaled down 140mm Pike / 2" stroke rear shock for 5.6" rear travel. A 36, 55, Lyrik would all be a step in the wrong direction. My stable is only big enough for one bike and the RFX has been perfect but as always UGI sets in and I have always wondered if a 29er may fit me and my riding style better. I never considered a 29er until FS , bigger tires and 4"+ forks hit the scene.
 
#13 · (Edited)
really good thread. i'm 6'4" and didn't want the "circus bear on 26" look. i went straight for the sultan as my first "real" mountain bike. had it since early 2007 and after few thousand km i'd say that cutthroats comments are spot on. the sultan is a great XC bike as are the big wheels for big guys. where do i tense up and have a tough time? in the more technical, ledgy, chunky stuff going up or down. as i still consider myself a beginner, i thought it was a matter of my skills, but then i had just recently a brief ride on a SC nomad. i took a nice techy, downhill single and the nomad just flattened everything out. it was like riding on a cruiser motorcycle and i felt safer doing it. i attribute this to the very slack head angle of the nomad (67degrees) and wonder if the RFX rides the same. it also left me wondering about bicycle weight - i mean my XL sultan dressed in a standard XT build with rampage/flow tire/rim comes in at 31+ pounds, maybe a 31-32 lbs nomad/RFX is a better all round bike for my needs which seems to include ever increasing doses of AM stuff. or maybe we need both types of bikes? i can say that i would NOT trade in my sultan for less than 6 inches of travel. i had a brief ride on a nicely built 575 yeti and it was sketchy at best in the tougher stuff and no comparison to the sultan doing regular XC.
 
#14 ·
My switch to a Sultan sounds like it came at the same "time" in my riding progression that you're at now. The RFX was getting ridden, sure, but not really used to anywhere near it's potential. I was backing down a notch, for sure.

I ended up loving the Sultan, but was never going to sell the RFX. After very infrequent use during the first year of Sultan ownership, I finally got comfortable with the fact that I no longer had any use for a real freeride bike, and sold the beloved RFX.

I just wish I'd kept the CCDB shock when I sold the RFX, since it will fit the new version of the Sultan. Dang!
 
#15 ·
starre said:
really good thread. i'm 6'4" and didn't want the "circus bear on 26" look. i went straight for the sultan as my first "real" mountain bike. had it since early 2007 and after few thousand km i'd say that cutthroats comments are spot on. the sultan is a great XC bike as are the big wheels for big guys. where do i tense up and have a tough time? in the more technical, ledgy, chunky stuff going up or down. as i still consider myself a beginner, i thought it was a matter of my skills, but then i had just recently a brief ride on a SC nomad. i took a nice techy, downhill single and the nomad just flattened everything out. it was like riding on a cruiser motorcycle and i felt safer doing it. i attribute this to the very slack head angle of the nomad (67degrees) and wonder if the RFX rides the same. it also left me wondering about bicycle weight - i mean my XL sultan dressed in a standard XT build with rampage/flow tire/rim comes in at 31+ pounds, maybe a 31-32 lbs nomad/RFX is a better all round bike for my needs which seems to include ever increasing doses of AM stuff. or maybe we need both types of bikes? i can say that i would NOT trade in my sultan for less than 6 inches of travel. i had a brief ride on a nicely built 575 yeti and it was sketchy at best in the tougher stuff and no comparison to the sultan doing regular XC.
What fork are you running? I would suggest slapping a 120mm on the front if you're not currently running one. That will add some more control up front and slack the head angle some for the steeper tech stuff. I personally found the steering to be a bit on the quick side with the stock 100mm fork.
 
#16 ·
After trail riding an RFX for a few years the Sultan blows it away overall, but doing big climbs at altitude sucks on a heavy bike so maybe that's why I feel the way I do. I do however feel the Sultan is as capable as the RFX was when it comes to chunky or rough descents, you don't need 6+" of travel on a trail ride unless your hucking the bike and the bigger wheels more than make up for the slacker geo on the RFX.

Techno rock crawling stuff was a little better on the RFX but overall the Sultan is also very capable here, and the lighter weight and steeper angles help to get up stuff too.

The OP is an ideal cand, especially at his height.
 
#17 ·
rroeder said:
After trail riding an RFX for a few years the Sultan blows it away overall, but doing big climbs at altitude sucks on a heavy bike so maybe that's why I feel the way I do. I do however feel the Sultan is as capable as the RFX was when it comes to chunky or rough descents, you don't need 6+" of travel on a trail ride unless your hucking the bike and the bigger wheels more than make up for the slacker geo on the RFX.

Techno rock crawling stuff was a little better on the RFX but overall the Sultan is also very capable here, and the lighter weight and steeper angles help to get up stuff too.

The OP is an ideal cand, especially at his height.
you should move to St George so you wouldnt have to climb
 
#21 ·
starre said:
really good thread. i'm 6'4" and didn't want the "circus bear on 26" look. i went straight for the sultan as my first "real" mountain bike. had it since early 2007 and after few thousand km i'd say that cutthroats comments are spot on. the sultan is a great XC bike as are the big wheels for big guys. where do i tense up and have a tough time? in the more technical, ledgy, chunky stuff going up or down. as i still consider myself a beginner, i thought it was a matter of my skills, but then i had just recently a brief ride on a SC nomad. i took a nice techy, downhill single and the nomad just flattened everything out. it was like riding on a cruiser motorcycle and i felt safer doing it. i attribute this to the very slack head angle of the nomad (67degrees) and wonder if the RFX rides the same. it also left me wondering about bicycle weight - i mean my XL sultan dressed in a standard XT build with rampage/flow tire/rim comes in at 31+ pounds, maybe a 31-32 lbs nomad/RFX is a better all round bike for my needs which seems to include ever increasing doses of AM stuff. or maybe we need both types of bikes? i can say that i would NOT trade in my sultan for less than 6 inches of travel. i had a brief ride on a nicely built 575 yeti and it was sketchy at best in the tougher stuff and no comparison to the sultan doing regular XC.
I had a Nomad and the RFX is very comparable. My 08'' RFX is more trail freindly and could handle a rear air shock. The Nomad just begged for a 7" fork and rear coil. I like lot's of rear travel for descending and not just jumps or hucks - seems to place you center of gravity lower and rear biased.
 
#22 ·
keen, are your contemplating an 08 or an 09 Sultan in your question?

big difference.

the extra travel & frame weight of the 09 sultan is pushing it more in the trailbike direction.
 
#23 ·
thanx jncarpenter for making the important point about the fork for the sultan. i do feel that if i went from my present 100mm reba to 120mm, my confidence going down the tougher stuff and my ability to climb chunky would improve. with the kind of noodly feeling i get from the reba (all this front/back vibration-movement coming through the head tube when going fast and rocky and it's installed properly), i think a reba maxel would be better than the fox 120 fork for stiffness. what fork do you ride jncarpenter? keen with regard to the nomad, i didn't have a chance to really test it's climbing ability, but on regular climbs my sultan is pretty fast in the group except when i get stuck on ledges (still trying to work on my technique). enjoy!
 
#24 ·
starre said:
thanx jncarpenter for making the important point about the fork for the sultan. i do feel that if i went from my present 100mm reba to 120mm, my confidence going down the tougher stuff and my ability to climb chunky would improve. with the kind of noodly feeling i get from the reba (all this front/back vibration-movement coming through the head tube when going fast and rocky and it's installed properly), i think a reba maxel would be better than the fox 120 fork for stiffness. what fork do you ride jncarpenter? keen with regard to the nomad, i didn't have a chance to really test it's climbing ability, but on regular climbs my sultan is pretty fast in the group except when i get stuck on ledges (still trying to work on my technique). enjoy!
I have used the 100mm Reba (old model QR), the 120mm Manipoo & currently the 120mm Maxle Reba. Of those, the latter is, imho, the preferred choice.
 
#25 ·
starre said:
thanx jncarpenter for making the important point about the fork for the sultan. i do feel that if i went from my present 100mm reba to 120mm, my confidence going down the tougher stuff and my ability to climb chunky would improve. with the kind of noodly feeling i get from the reba (all this front/back vibration-movement coming through the head tube when going fast and rocky and it's installed properly), i think a reba maxel would be better than the fox 120 fork for stiffness. what fork do you ride jncarpenter? keen with regard to the nomad, i didn't have a chance to really test it's climbing ability, but on regular climbs my sultan is pretty fast in the group except when i get stuck on ledges (still trying to work on my technique). enjoy!
but please note that Jay's skills are pretty marginal at best so he needs all the handicap he can get
 
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