How did you select your bike?

I'll expound a bit, not that anyone cares or that it makes sense to anyone else:

I bought the XTC mostly based on liking the way it looked, and it was carbon - to me, at the time in 2014, that was a humongous deal - and it was lighter than the Trek. It began life as a 2x10: 38/26 x 11-34. Then it morphed into a 1x10: 34 x 11-36. Then a 1x11: 34 and then 32 x 11-42.. Now a 2x11: 36/26 x 11-42. The original 100mm fork has been replaced with a 130mm fork purchased from @mtnbikej because I can count on something he's owned.

All of that with the original 135/5mm rear wheel. Can you say versatile?

I've looked at the newer XTC frames and they seem to be a be-all, do-all when it comes to adaptability. I'm not going to be in the mtb game for more than another 10 years - if I'm lucky - so it makes sense to optimize what I have for the riding I like to do. I'll never be a single-speeder, and I really enjoy riding XC. Why wouldn't I get a current XTC frame?

 

Knolly Endorphin December 2012 - Knolly Podium July 2013

The west coast Knolly rep mentioned something in an STR post about wanting brand ambassadors. I responded with a typical self-mocking "you need me as a brand ambassador. I got 2nd place in my age group in the Sport class at Fontana!" Well, Kevin was the same size as I, and he brought an Endorphin for me to try. I liked it. I also tried his Chilcotin. I liked it too, but it was harder to climb. Then he brought the Endorphin back for another test ride. The more I rode it, the more I smiled. So, when he got an XL frame in bright blue, I was in (for a very low price, I might add) and Poof - I'm a Knolly Ambassador! That summer, I tried his Podium DH bike up at Snow Summit and bought that off him before I got home.

Yeti 575 - 2007 and 2009

My first full suspension bike was a Jamis Dakar Comp that I built from the frame up. I think I got the frame at Supergo for like $400. Once I went full sus, I never went back. So pretty soon, I wanted to upgrade to a more modern full sus. My brother reminded me about Yeti. They were SOOOO lust-worthy in the 90s. I just said "Oh hell yes" and called up Adrenaline Cycles in Orange. Never rode it. Never even swung a leg over it. Just ordered it based on reputation and company philosophy. What a bike! I quickly upgraded the Fox 32 x 140mm non thru axle fork to a Fox TALAS 36 x 160 mm with thru axle and NEVER LOOKED BACK! Thru axles and burly forks for life!

When the frame got a refresh in 2009, I couldn't resist the new paint and improvements, so I ordered a frame from BikeCo. Awesome bike!

Yeti 303 RDH - August 2009

I got into DH mtb via my Yeti 575. I discovered that I was quite a bit faster and more confident than my fellow riders when it came to going downhill. I took a couple of private lessons down at a place in Poway that rhymes with Shmed Milliams. I then bought a used 2007 Santa Cruz V-10. After one trip to Whistler, I decided the V-10 was too much DH bike for me. A former Yeti pro Rich Houseman was my size and he occasionally posted on STR. He had just been dropped by Yeti, but he had a brand new, in the box Yeti 303 RDH. So he sold it to me for a ridiculous price. That was a great all-around DH bike, and is featured in my Avatar. BTW - it matched my 575.

 

Cough,herz,cough, cough

 

Haha! While @herzalot might seem to agonize over details I think that would be more on the suspension side, and he actually seems to know what he's doing and how minute changes affect the ride.

My comment was more aimed at all the keyboard warriors on MTBR who endlessly debate trivial differences. You really start to wonder if they actually ride bikes or do they just talk about riding bikes.

 

eMpTyBeeR is full of anger, whatever the cause.

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Why should I ride them first? That's just stupid!

 

Is MTBR still around? didn't know that. Haven't checked it since I used to look at their component reviews back in about 2002/3. I think they stopped that IIRC so had no reason to go to the site.

 

I pour over the offerings of PB & CL, of course!

 

Coffee? Beer?

 

I think it’s more like a thick sludge of lust.


Hey, David, those kicks you styled me are on the front line now, prolonging the life of my expensiver shoes. Thanks!

Hehe, MTBR...where buying, selling and dissecting bike minutiae is a sport separate from riding. I know you lurk here, Nurse Ben!


Now back to the why and how of your bike(s)...

 

I can go either way!

Excellent, glad they work for your philanges!

 

With the invention of the internet, you realize this phenomenon exists in every hobby. I honestly feel like a good chunk, at least half, of most 'hobbyists' for any given hobby really just enjoy the hobby to argue and debate and research minutiae. Cars, guns, photography, bikes, anything.

 

I will add that in addition to my brand loyalty, the adoption or resistance to certain standards was also a point of decision.

I stick with SC because they continue to stick with the tried and true BSA threaded BB’s.

 

Bike selection? Reading the comments above, it seems almost as personal as selecting underwear.

I definitely fall into the "don't need to ride it" camp, but there is some methodology behind that. I went to the Santa Cruz brand, because I saw them keep handing a certain single speeder frame after frame when he broke them. I was also single speeding when the el Mariachi broke, and single speed frames were few and far between at the time. Granted, it would be nice if they didn't break so frequently, but they do stand behind their products for original purchasers. I can attest to that on two separate frames (aluminum Highball and aluminum Chameleon). In the case of the Highball, I was upgraded to carbon at no extra cost. Compare that to Salsa, which wanted me to shell out another $700 to move into a frame that wasn't from the same planet as my steel el Mariachi ( drop bar carbon cutthroat). WTF? They did eventually pay me for the frame, but I used the money to buy the Highball... When SC updated the Chameleon, it was an easy decision and I ordered one as soon as they were available. I saw it as a more aggressive Highball- better dropouts, burlier frame, slack front end, etc...

I knew the Hightower was a solid bike... When they were still on the novel side, the IMTB gang escorted a visitor from Texas around Whiting and Luge. He was on a rented Hightower, and I followed him for quite a ways on STT. I just liked the way the bike seemed to pedal and move. It was the only full suspension bike that caught my eye at the time. Fast forward to November 2018, and I had my heart set on a GG. The industrial look had me, and I had the opportunity to see @mike 's in person. I will own one some day... But with two college tuitions, two apartments, and all the trimmings, economics won out! Back Country + Active Junky had me on a brand new Hightower for $2300. Dream bike? Nope. I love what it's capable of, but it's a predictable dependable tool...

I also know that any shortcomings in my riding are not the bike, which makes purchases easier. @mtnbikej and I ride the same bike... If we compare our Motorway times on the Chameleon, the closest I ever got was 1 minute behind (12 minutes versus 13). That tells me that I'm not even close to the bike's potential. If we compare our Motorway times on similar Hightowers, my gap is 2 minutes (9 minutes versus 11 minutes). Again... I'm not at the end of the bike's potential. Would a different bike make me go faster? Maybe. But I'd rather keep plugging away with what I have. When I upgrade, it will be because I broke an0ther frame, or something really catches my eye. Or maybe geography will play a role...

 

And no e-bikes. Another reason I like Ibis, as well.

I have no other hobbies, so no.

 

My current bike chose me

I have a really cool relationship with the owner and crew of my LBS. Not only do they handle all the repairs in my bikes but they have a rather sizable choice of demo bikes.
My 2014 Enduro 29 was in need of a rear triangle and so in the meantime I demoed numerous bikes. I even rode a Yeti SB100 at last years Ride for Rwanda.
Everything I liked had a high sticker price so I tried to set money aside for my next bike purchase but things kept coming up that would derail my savings. Vehicle repairs, home repairs, appliance purchases etc.
One day I walked into my LBS and noticed that one of the shop owners had a blue and black carbon Enduro on the stand. Turns out it was his son’s bike and it was for sale. I took it home and rode it, fell in lust and bought it. Paid 1/3 of the price for the bikes I was trying to save up for.
2017 Spec Enduro Elite Carbon 29/6 Fattie
Currently rolling on 29” Carbon Roval Traverse wheels. Maybe one day I’ll buy a set of 27.5 fatties and give those a try.

 

I have a set of Arc 40's you're welcome to try. Boost spacing and SRAM XD driver.

 

Awesome!
Sounds like a plan

 

DHF/DHRII.

 

Had a SC Heckler (that my son inherited many years ago), so in "05" procured its descendant, a Superlight. Fourteen years, 1500 rides later everything is still intact (although the shock was rebuilt twice in the warranty period and once since).

 

Didn't the Superlight pre-date the Heckler?
If only there were a way to find out...

 

I'm taking the XXL Hightower out on my local trails tomorrow. Final shakedown cruise before I decide a course of action:
1.) Take my Firebird back and sell it outright.
2.) Trade my Firebird for the Hightower or something The Path sells.
3.) Quit mt biking altogether.

 

Nope, Heckler was first at 100 , SL came later as a lighter version of the Heckler. A Year later the Heckler got redesigned into a 130mm Trail bike, before going to 140mm before it got yanked.

 

Heckler was the all-mountain/all trail/"enduro" bike of its time (along with the Yeit 575). Do it all and ask for more. However none of the SC bikes save for the V-10 fit me at that time. What were they (and Ibis) thinking with their puny top tube reach on "XL" models?

 

It's the same for all Ibis sizes. Several people I know (myself included) fall in between sizes.

 

It was really bad from 2007-2016 ish. Like all other bike manufacturers, their bikes are now longer. A touch longer and I would probably be staring straight down the barrel of a Ripmo.

 

I agree..:I bought a ‘09 Heckler in large....it was great for riding Mammoth(which is why I built it)...but for everyday riding, it was too short. Sold it 2 moths later and bought a XL. Much better.

 

Seems like several of us have a set of plus wheel hanging out in the garage... wonder why that is?

 

The trend that never caught on.... Sometimes function overpowers trendiness.

 

I saw two sets of fat tires - more like moon bikes than just fat tires - climbing MTT today. Don't see much of that.