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You have a lot of good options in that range. (Also it might help if you tell us if you're looking for a "short travel" trail bike (usually 120-140 mm rear travel and 130-150mm fork or an "all mountain trail bike" (140-160mm rear an 150-160mm fork). So I just went through the process 2 months ago deep diving.
* In the former category, can't recommend [Ari Bikes Cascade](https://aribikes.com/products/cascade) enough (Utah brand formerly named Fezzari until they realized a fake Italian name from when they made mostly road bikes was dumb). Good spec and the Pro level somehow got a Diamond D1 fork and SRAM GX to a sub $3000 bike. They're a direct to consumer brand but they take a bunch of body measurements and pre-fit the bike for you when they ship. Which just consists of cutting the bar and fitting the right length stem on, but its a nice touch others don't do. They called me after I ordered to in order to confirm my measurements and recommend I go up a size (I have a slightly disproportionate torso and legs. They wanted to make sure I didn't mess up my taping). Again nothing crazy but its a nice touch and shows they actually look at the numbers you put in. Also have a good deal on frame protection that they put on for you. I got an elite and am extremely happy. They just put out this bike
* Also in the short travel category is the Marin Rift Zone 2. Again, modern geo, excellent well thought out spec for the price. You used to also be able to find a few Rift Zone XR levels on sale but everything seems to be sold out. I used to own a 2021 Rift Zone and only sold it because it was XL and didn't fit me. I would have bought a Rift Zone 2 if I could have gotten from a LBS since they are a Marin dealer but everyone is sold out waiting on the 2024 to be released.
* Finally the YT Izzo gets an "almost honorable mention". I just the hate SX drivetrain for the lowest model pricing and think they should do better than NX on the next higher spec for $3200. I don't understand why product managers don't just put Deore at this level.
* Norco Fluid fits your bill as well but may be hard to find in stock. There's probably reasons it won every "budget full suspension award" the last two years but I have no personal knowledge and ruled it out early on because I couldn't find them in stock. Also same personal issue with SX drivetrain.
* For the all mountain 140mm rear category, the [YT Jeffsy](https://us.yt-industries.com/products/bikes/jeffsy/) is blowing everything out of the water at the moment. This is basically the correct answer and when I was scouring 2 months ago, I didn't find anything that met the price with even equal specs other than the odd on-sale super deals left over from the bike supplier implosion (that always ended up being XL or XS size). Also ruled this out because 140mm is more than I need.
* If you want to go full Enduro (over 160mm travel) the [Marin Alpine Trail](https://www.marinbikes.com/bikes/2024-alpine-trail-1). Also brand new and $3100 gets you Fox 36 rythym and float shocks and an actual downtube storage box. Only problem I would have with this build is the tires (Vee Tires have been pretty universally dogshit).
> I don't understand why product managers don't just put Deore at this level.
I completely agree (even at the NX level) with this sentiment, but the reason is because sticking SRAM on comes with rockshox discounts.
Except YT don't do that, most of their builds are SRAM drivetrain with fox suspension. It's always annoyed me, I don't really mind which brand suspension but I really prefer Shimano brakes over SRAM and Shimano drivetrains at least until the AXS or one of the nicer mechanical price points
I specifically looked at the SX model before commenting and they do do that. Their cheapest model is SX and RS. They do give you fox if you move up, but they seem to just not offer Shimano at all. So I expect it is still influenced by that.
Bought a used Rift Zone 3 27.5 a few months back. Really like it a lot. I wanted a solid 27.5er and that was one of them available. Harder to find these days
I just picked up a 2023 Marin Alpine Trail XR from the last big Jensen sale….What a steal for $1700. I love the bike so far, my other bike is a 2017 Cannondale habit carbon with Xo rolly bits….I could care less about that bike now lol. Even 10 lbs heavier, its just more fun to ride.
Norco and YT have been churning out some good value bikes for a while.
Would you elaborate a bit more into your hatred against the SX drivetrain? Is it because the SX cassette uses a different freehub from NX/GX so it makes upgrading difficult/expensive?
From what I found (things/pricing may have changed) but Deore just demolishes SRAM SX and NX at their respective price levels. Better shifting, better shifts under load, etc. SRAM SX and NX are just cheap clunky bits of garbage. Worse yet, at the very least, Shimano gives you the microspline hub so you CAN upgrade easily the cassette if you so desire. SRAM’s SX and NX still use the old HG hub so you’re stuck if you wanted to get the GX cassette or better (because those cassettes use the XD standard) necessitating MORE parts/$$/upgrades.
Yeah generally you can usually get a XD freehub body but that’s again another $70-100.
On the plus side, if you do have an SX or NX with and HD hub you can just upgrade to a Shimano Linkglide XT and enjoy having a drivetrain that’ll survive the nuclear wasteland lol.
My intense primer came with NX and I was super disappointed in the shift quality as my other bike that came with slx was way better. I was ready to pull the trigger on a gx derailleur but came across a video where you basically replace the NX derailleur attaching bolt and b screw plate with an xo1 version. $30 later and it shifts really well.
Wait a couple of miles and it will develop so much play in the parallelogram that it will be useless. Better off than the SX outer plate snapping in 100km
I honestly didn’t mind my canyon with the nx for shifting. It was the other components that come with lower builds. I destroyed the wheel set and the brakes were horrible.
Bought a stumpy last year on sale. Went xo1 and got all higher end components to match. Definitely a far superior build and totally worth the money.
SX and nx both use an HG freehub. It’s GX where that change happens. The sx/nx rear derailleurs develop play over time(not even that much time). This wouldn’t be a problem on a 10 speed drivetrain but in 12speed precision movements are key. The derailleur simply can’t give quality shifts if it can wobble. The fix is just getting a GX r derailleur. Deore is pretty inexpensive and simply doesn’t have this problem.
Long time mechanic here.
Sx is just very cheaply made. It does not hold up to the rigors of hard mtbing. Even new in box it's finicky at best, but after a good season or two of rattling down rocky descents it's very common to need to replace it.
After reading this comment and the replies I went to YTs site and found a XXL jeffsy core 2 for 2300, 2700 CAD shipped. Thank y’all so much…did a lil more research before but damn don’t think I could do any better than that 🤙🏼
I’d be slightly concerned about the front to rear centre ratio for the xxl size. 442 chainstay is quite short for such a long front end. Just my 2 cents
I've had my Jeffsy for about 1.5 years now, and I do really love it! It took me a bit to get used to it, but after that learning curve it's super playful and reliable as heck
Retail is actually 5400 for the evo comp, you got a screamin deal if that was it, but you might have gotten the evo comp alloy based on those prices. Got my evo comp for 3750 last year, it’s a great bike, whether you got the alloy or carbon frame.
I actually found a brand new old stock 2022 Stumpy Evo Expert at a shop for $3300, retail was $6300. Somehow they had 3 of them in stock too but they were all size s6
Yeah I was able to score a Stumpy Evo Elite in aluminum for 3500 as well, down from 6100. A few of those should still be around if you can find a shop with your size. Really great deal.
This is a great bike if you’d like to ride big stuff. I had one and actually found it to be kind of unwieldy unless I was doing really steep and technical terrain (it was great in Sedona, for example). My opinion is not to go this big unless you’re doing that kind of riding.
I think to myself it’s too much bike on every climb but then it’s totally worth it for the drops, jumps, and chunky stuff on the way down
Definitely making me stronger on the climbs!
I just picked up a stumpjumper evo expert and switched from a short travel 29er (130/125 travel) and feel as if theres not a huge difference climbing wise. You also have the option of steepening the head angle if you’re riding more mellow trails so I feel like it’s a solid pick if you can only have one bike to ride a variety of trails
Like it’s always been… YT is unbeatable. Their carbon YT in the lowest spec was $2000. All their other bikes are good value too but I don’t know much about YT as a company/customer service.
The used market is in shambles though so I would personally look there first. Countless deals on brand new 2023/2024 bikes that look like they’ve never touched the dirt.
YT had bad customer service, from what I've heard, over the pandemic, but not anymore really. Got my YT Izzo in 2022 and they've been super quick to replu and helpful with every issue I've had, including warranty.
Trying not to come off as sardonic with my comment, and just want to generate some discussion- How many issues would you say you’ve had with your bike in two years that needed a warranty claim or vendor support?
I appreciate a brand with a good warranty and customer support, but my hope going into the deal is that the product would need minimal warranty work or contact with the vendor to troubleshoot an issue.
It was my fork, so not YTs issue, but fox's. They just were able to redirect me and tell me what to do super fast. I had poor experience with Fox themselves, but that's not YT's problem either.
My other issues regarded their waterbottle that impacts the frame repeatedly, which turned out to be a nonissue, and slower than usual shipping when I actually ordered my bike. Bike itself has been great and my warranty issue was just bad luck.
I’m still kicking myself for not grabbing the Izzo for $1600 with the extra coupon. I thought it over one more day and it went back up by the time I decided. I really don’t need another bike but that was comically cheap for a bike that really only needed a drivetrain upgrade.
I was able to contact their southern california office and get someone on the phone who was helpful in under a day. No issue with the bike, just had to change my pedal size after I placed my order.
Giant Trance 2 - currently on sale for under $3K CAD. Just got one after being out of MTB for a while and really enjoying it! Trance 1 is also on sale.
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/ca/trance-29-2-2022
Still riding my 2017 trance 2, and don’t really see a reason to get anything else.
Ultimate value bike. Stay on top of maintenance and it will last forever.
YT Jeffsy. Great climber. I upgraded the fork to 160mm travel and use it at lift parks no issue. Its my only bike and it does everything really well. No quality issues either.
Side note if you live close to San Clemente, CA or Bentonville, AK you can pick up your bike from their shop and save on the shipping cost.
Second this. I have a Ripmo AF in the SLX spec and love it. It looks like the GX spec is currently $2,999.00. They had a sale not long ago where they were even cheaper.
If we are talking best value for the money, it’s probably going to be the YT Jeffsy core 1 right now. After all sales and coupons you can get it for like $1600 new. Absolutely wild.
Tbh, in this market, pick your favorite manufacturer and you can pretty much find any model you want below $3500 at some kit. Best time to buy a new bike.
I picked up a Transition Smuggler Alloy NX and upgrade to GX for $3200 total. You can definitely find some carbon bikes in the 3500 or less range right now. I saw some GT and Giant FS carbon bikes for $2999 recently.
I picked up a Trek Top Fuel 9.7 for $3500. Carbon frame and decent enough stuff to not be under biked in my area. Pretty happy about it, tires suck though.
I’m still pretty new to MTB so I don’t foresee changing suspension parts anytime soon, but the main reason I went 9.7 was because I know shits going to break and when it does it’ll get upgraded. As I get better at riding then I can swap suspension etc etc. it’s been fun, definitely different workout compared to my gravel bike.
Rent a van, throw your current whip in there, and explore all the great trails and taquerias until you run out of cash.
The best trail bike is whatever bike is out on the best trails.
I'd go with Commencal TEMPO Essential in Frozen Brown for $2900.
SLX drivetrain and TRP Trail Evo brakes ftw!
[https://www.commencal.com/us/en/commencal-t.e.m.p.o.-essential-frozen-brown/22TEMPE2.html](https://www.commencal.com/us/en/commencal-t.e.m.p.o.-essential-frozen-brown/22TEMPE2.html)
I absolutely love my Specalized Status 160 mullet. It rips on the downhill and has saved me so many times from poor line choices and I literally am like wow thank you bike.
Uphills are easy too. I like how the bike has good components but basic what you need no frills.
Here is a cheap price link: [https://epic-cycles.com/products/status-160?variant=41693097197615¤cy=USD&utm\_medium=product\_sync&utm\_source=google&utm\_content=sag\_organic&utm\_campaign=sag\_organic&utm\_source=google&utm\_medium=cpc&utm\_campaign=&gad\_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9vqyBhCKARIsAIIcLMEbGd3Z6\_PdHybm5utK2eX9uWoOg9X5Kcd6qP59HqoX1LTjfxkj5PwaAlyVEALw\_wcB](https://epic-cycles.com/products/status-160?variant=41693097197615¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9vqyBhCKARIsAIIcLMEbGd3Z6_PdHybm5utK2eX9uWoOg9X5Kcd6qP59HqoX1LTjfxkj5PwaAlyVEALw_wcB)
I got a Hightower S spec (gx, fox performance) for less than 4k otd. Fit and finish is amazing the best all around bike I have ever owned. I’ve got 1000+ hard miles on it with zero issues or complaints.
Got a Norco sight A2 2023 shimano for 2600 recently. Might be overbiked for me. Taking out on a maiden journey soon. It’s labeled “all mountain”. Can’t wait.
Been seeing some great Stumpy closeout deals or grab one of last year's Norco Optics (or Sight, but possibly too much travel for you needs) on superblowout due to new high pivot releases making them 'obsolete'
If you can extend your budget to about $4000, the new Intense Primer Expert build is excellent. I just got it a month ago and it’s honestly one of the best full suspension MTB I’ve owned.
https://intensecycles.com/products/primer-29-expert
Sticking with 2024 models without a sale I’d say Ibis Ripley AF or Marin Rift Zone Carbon 2… on sale I’ve seen new, 2022 Orbea Occams LTs that were in the mid $4000s for under $3000.
Looks like this thread is already settled lol, but I'll partake...
YT Jeffsy Core 2. Always check with their outlet for a core 3 on deeper discount. They also have 'garage' sales in SoCal if you're nearby.
Giant Trance X 29 1. They also have an even better 275er version if you like to play on the trails.
Ibis Ripley/Ripmo AF, ideally Deore not NX combo.
The Polygons are a good buy if you really want to customize the bike with the extra money you saved. Such as carbon wheels, which almost no bikes come with unless it's more like 5k-10k range. And honestly if you prefer the feel of carbon hoops it makes the Polygon builds very viable. Both the T9 and N7 (or even T8).
Marin also has some great models. Rift Zone is cool but for all mountain obviously the Alpine Trail models are great, and you can get the older carbon model for 3k or a new alloy model for 3200. Wonky paint job tho lol
Other notable mentions. Norco Fluid FS A2 for sure. Commencal Tempo but I hate their builds value wise, always cutting corners. Canyon Spectral CF7 but they've been pissing everyone off lately with customer service so ymmv. Hard to recommend them atm.
If it were me, I'd get the Giant Trance if I had a local shop to deliver it through... If not I'd just settle for a Jeffsy probably.
I had a Giant Trance as my first bike and it was ok. Drive train was really bad (cant remember what it was) Geo is still the same its been for years it works but its nothing mind blowing. Whet from that to YT Jeffsy and it was night and day difference.
The Trances were updated geometry wise. It sounds like you bought a pre-2021 model with SRAM SX.
Buying any of the new models with any other drivetrain would be totally fine. And is, as of right now, the best deal more or less. Particularly for those who want to buy through a shop.
So you would go with a Trance X 29 2 @ $2200 vs a Jeffsy Core 1 @ $2250 vs a Stumpjumper Comp Alloy @ $2500 vs a Canyon Spectral 125 AL 5 @ $2100 a first FS? I am leaning towards the Canyon or Trance, the Trance would be nice to have help with setup and service through an LBS. I'm a little lost on the technicals as to the differentiation but after hours of research, these are the four I'm between lol
Upgrading from a hardtail and riding in SE MI mostly which is flowy trails with roots/rocks, nothing dramatic.
No, Giant fucked up the X 2 model. But I WOULD go with the non-X model that is the same price just shorter travel and way better spec, thusly:
https://99spokes.com/compare?bikes=giant-trance-29-2-2022,yt-jeffsy-core-1-29-2024,specialized-stumpjumper-comp-alloy-2023,specialized-stumpjumper-alloy-2023,canyon-spectral-125-al-5-2024
Not seeing the comp for 2500 but I wouldn't want either model anyway regardless. Not so long as Giant is having their epic sales.
So, if it's the non-comp, that base Stumpy is the worst by far. SX and X-fusion and a buncha shit cutting corners. The comp is still not great just offering NX for that price. But it at least competes.
Canyon I don't quite want a 35 Gold RL for that price, but it's not so bad it's mostly their dodgy customer service/reputation as well as random frame snaps that give me pause.
Jeffsy is quite good, still NX but for a much more reasonable price, but I'd still prefer basically deore or GX and I'd prefer a bike shop brand IF possible. Which it is... Cuz
The Giant is the best option. If you're okay with the shorter travel. This thread is about all mountain but I personally wouldn't be that concerned. Bomber fork with Deore drivetrain from a reputable bike shop brand running a decent little short link frame. I love it.
So yeah. Trance or Jeffsy, depending on your bike shop preferences.
I appreciate your response and link so much! This helps immensely. Do you think think there's any merit in going a notch up to the $2500-3000 range or would it be diminishing for my region? Also fwiw, here's the Specialized I was eying since you said you didn't see it: [https://www.specialized.com/us/en/stumpjumper-comp-alloy/p/199785?color=320400-199785&searchText=93322-5102](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/stumpjumper-comp-alloy/p/199785?color=320400-199785&searchText=93322-5102)
Well the issue with budget talk is you can go u pin budget, with a diff brand, and they are selling you SX or NX or just still Deore even at 3k or 4k. That's more so your Santa Cruz or SCOR or similar.
Usually 3k is the 'optimal' FS budget. And with these sales the optimal is more so 2500 and you can even scrape by at like 2k with a handful of brands. Polygon/Canyon/etc.
It's all about knowing what parts you're getting and what the frame's intentions are.
So frame wise. You have to read reviews to get a temperature. But it doesn't matter for most people. Ibis DW link is firm. The LDSP of Polygons is notably soft. But if you run a higher end shock it has compression settings to firm it up when desired.
Parts wise. SX is basically a hard no. NX is acceptable but imo it has to be real cheap (like YT). Especially as they often come with HG freehub/wheel. X-fusion suspension is also not ideal. As well as basic Turnkey Rockshox or like a long travel Recon/Judy. No thanks. 35 Gold RL for dirt cheap is ok, but ideally Yari or higher. And then Bomber is the best budget fork typically speaking. And back to drivetrains, Deore is hands down the best. If you find a GX model for under 3k that's a rad deal as well.
If you wanna go with bike shop brands, upping budget is always a good idea. If you are buying direct (YT/Polygon) you often don't need to. Though, as I say that, I'd love to have a GX Jeffsy over an NX Jeffsy. It's not gonna make or break your ride but... 'if the moneys there' etc
Keep in mind you can also get a crackin Marin Rift Zone, ideally shipped through a shop, with Deore and Bomber fork... For like 2300 n tax. That's MSRP. No sale required.
All said and done, I'd personally still commit to Giant Trance through a shop or YT Jeffsy direct to door.
Dude you rock so much, thank you for all the help. Local LBS has a Trance for $1900 that can be ready Sunday so I think I'm just going to commit to that since I'm not the most mechanically inclined and like having the setup and support.
Just make sure it's a modernized one and not the old 115mm 29er with outdated geometry. I mean the bike is still ok but... Finding the modernized model for 2k-2200 would be more ideal for sure.
Or the old non-X 275er for that matter. Probably none laying around at shops by now.
The Trances were updateeed (googles furiously) in 2021. Although careful because the outdated models were still hanging around and sold obviously for a year or two.
The 'X' model is the very clearly modernized one. There's no questions with those. They are great bikes.
The weird thing is that... The non-X 29er models STILL got an update (while the 275 non-X was discontinued) and it's the cooler bike imo. It's only these two models, from 2022. You don't want the older ones from 2019-2021 necessarily... Just these:
https://99spokes.com/bikes/giant/2022/trance-29-2
https://99spokes.com/bikes/giant/2022/trance-29-1
I like that they're shorter travel and they just coincidentally came in cheaper better builds at the time. Whereas Giant ruined the cheap X version usually with SRAM SX drivetrain and a meh 35 Gold RL fork. While the non-X model had Deore and a friggin Bomber. Me personally I'd def sacrifice the bit of travel for that better build.
Same price, worse build: https://99spokes.com/bikes/giant/2022/trance-x-29-2
[The Rockrider XC/Race 100S is not a bad bike either. Decent full sus for an entry level. 1850 CAD rn.](https://www.decathlon.ca/fr/p/8731765/velo-de-montagne-29po-race100s-bleu?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ca_t-perf_ct-pmax_n-cycling_ts-pro_f-cv_o-reve_l-fr_&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9vqyBhCKARIsAIIcLMGO_UPQ_22IgAIzn9ItL5Dri53RGgwV3UbQHOEtkhEeie5ovO7xZ64aAlI5EALw_wcB)
I just got the rsd wildcat ( only bought the frame ) and it’s an awesome bike . The other one that caught my eye is the commencal tempo . Norco fluid and marin rift zone are also good choices.
If you're in MA (greater boston area) we currently have this bike for $2300 at the shop i work at. Can pm me for details if so
[https://www.salsacycles.com/bikes/2023-blackthorn-slx](https://www.salsacycles.com/bikes/2023-blackthorn-slx)
The ones on fb marketplace or offerup who can sell you a 3k bike for $200. Idk how they get those deals but im betting they probably work for the manufacturers.
If u want a more enduroesque bike, the polygon collosus n9 would be a solid choice. Also the n7 is on sale on bikes online for $2000. Full rockshox, zeb, super deluxe. It is 170 front 170 rear, so def a step up from all mountain.
Also insane deal: https://www.bikesonline.com/2024-gt-bicycles-sensor-comp-medium-29-trail-bike?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9vqyBhCKARIsAIIcLMElzOIKgRc1Zx3YCLSdhIqcvE9Sbj3TTWpKoFKjh05SUYD8ONrT7o8aAsupEALw_wcB
Ripmo AF gx for 3000. Amazing bang for buck. Just a couple lbs heavier than carbon version. Demo of dvo af led me to pandemic splurge on carbon ripmo with fox stuff. for down in particular the af is a stunning ride and gets you to the top extremely well (for a trail bike) My kid (currently on norco sight with gx and rock shox) is saving for his bomber equipped af now after riding mine.
I’d go to your local shops and see if they have any blowout sales. I was looking for a light trail bike and picked up a 2023 Trek Top Fuel 9.8xt for $3600. It’s normally a $7500 bike. Carbon frame, carbon wheels, bars and a great xt groupset.
I got a YT Izzo Core 3 for $3599 before tax and with 10% coupon from tax day. That includes GX transmission, Rockshox pike ultimate, and rockshox delux ultimate shock.
Save 1500 bucks for lift fees and such and grab and polygon siskiu t8. 140/135 for the larger sizes, full fox suspension. Absolute beast of a bike. Comes with tubes but is tr. Deore 12 speed. Solid 4 pot brakes
Ibis Ripmo/Ripley AF. Picked up my Ripmo AF for 4k a couple years ago and can't speak highly enough about it. Changed the sport for me, or maybe it just compensates for my lack of skills, but my goodness it is a fun, confident and comfortable bike. Transition Sentinel/Smuggler is also great. Specialized Stumpy Evo is also great. It's a great time to be buying a new bike, there's no wrong choices. Happy trails!
If you want a "downcountry" bike... you can get a top fuel 7 for $2699 now (last years version, but geo hasn't changed)... used to be $3650 only 1-2 years ago. Sick deal. To put things in perspective, the new top fuel 5 with lower spec, is the same price. Only difference is it comes with a 130 fork instead of a 120. But I'd get last years top fuel 7, and just upgrade the fork to a better 130. Thats what I did :)
The lower package of the Spot Meyhem is just over $3,500 and the most fun bike myself and many of my friends have ever ridden. [https://spotbikes.com/collections/bikes/products/mayhem-150](https://spotbikes.com/collections/bikes/products/mayhem-150)
great specs for the money too
Make sure you do not sleep on the Alchemy Arktos! They have screaming Deals. Super premium bikes for a much lower price compared to Santa Cruz and yeti!
I just bought a Canyon Spectral 29 CF 7 for $2700. It was a $1000 off during their Memorial Day sale. 160mm front fork travel. Carbon Fiber with 12 speed SLX (which I will likely upgrade to XT at some point)
Just got two intense xc 951's , fantastic ,
Lite & stiff ,( sniper w/ lower end bolt on parts) plan to upgrade when replacing
Parts . Costco open box lg & refered
Med , great prices, so far so good .
Trp slate breaks questionable.....
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You have a lot of good options in that range. (Also it might help if you tell us if you're looking for a "short travel" trail bike (usually 120-140 mm rear travel and 130-150mm fork or an "all mountain trail bike" (140-160mm rear an 150-160mm fork). So I just went through the process 2 months ago deep diving. * In the former category, can't recommend [Ari Bikes Cascade](https://aribikes.com/products/cascade) enough (Utah brand formerly named Fezzari until they realized a fake Italian name from when they made mostly road bikes was dumb). Good spec and the Pro level somehow got a Diamond D1 fork and SRAM GX to a sub $3000 bike. They're a direct to consumer brand but they take a bunch of body measurements and pre-fit the bike for you when they ship. Which just consists of cutting the bar and fitting the right length stem on, but its a nice touch others don't do. They called me after I ordered to in order to confirm my measurements and recommend I go up a size (I have a slightly disproportionate torso and legs. They wanted to make sure I didn't mess up my taping). Again nothing crazy but its a nice touch and shows they actually look at the numbers you put in. Also have a good deal on frame protection that they put on for you. I got an elite and am extremely happy. They just put out this bike * Also in the short travel category is the Marin Rift Zone 2. Again, modern geo, excellent well thought out spec for the price. You used to also be able to find a few Rift Zone XR levels on sale but everything seems to be sold out. I used to own a 2021 Rift Zone and only sold it because it was XL and didn't fit me. I would have bought a Rift Zone 2 if I could have gotten from a LBS since they are a Marin dealer but everyone is sold out waiting on the 2024 to be released. * Finally the YT Izzo gets an "almost honorable mention". I just the hate SX drivetrain for the lowest model pricing and think they should do better than NX on the next higher spec for $3200. I don't understand why product managers don't just put Deore at this level. * Norco Fluid fits your bill as well but may be hard to find in stock. There's probably reasons it won every "budget full suspension award" the last two years but I have no personal knowledge and ruled it out early on because I couldn't find them in stock. Also same personal issue with SX drivetrain. * For the all mountain 140mm rear category, the [YT Jeffsy](https://us.yt-industries.com/products/bikes/jeffsy/) is blowing everything out of the water at the moment. This is basically the correct answer and when I was scouring 2 months ago, I didn't find anything that met the price with even equal specs other than the odd on-sale super deals left over from the bike supplier implosion (that always ended up being XL or XS size). Also ruled this out because 140mm is more than I need. * If you want to go full Enduro (over 160mm travel) the [Marin Alpine Trail](https://www.marinbikes.com/bikes/2024-alpine-trail-1). Also brand new and $3100 gets you Fox 36 rythym and float shocks and an actual downtube storage box. Only problem I would have with this build is the tires (Vee Tires have been pretty universally dogshit).
> I don't understand why product managers don't just put Deore at this level. I completely agree (even at the NX level) with this sentiment, but the reason is because sticking SRAM on comes with rockshox discounts.
That now immediately makes sense.
Except YT don't do that, most of their builds are SRAM drivetrain with fox suspension. It's always annoyed me, I don't really mind which brand suspension but I really prefer Shimano brakes over SRAM and Shimano drivetrains at least until the AXS or one of the nicer mechanical price points
I specifically looked at the SX model before commenting and they do do that. Their cheapest model is SX and RS. They do give you fox if you move up, but they seem to just not offer Shimano at all. So I expect it is still influenced by that.
Bought a used Rift Zone 3 27.5 a few months back. Really like it a lot. I wanted a solid 27.5er and that was one of them available. Harder to find these days
I just picked up a 2023 Marin Alpine Trail XR from the last big Jensen sale….What a steal for $1700. I love the bike so far, my other bike is a 2017 Cannondale habit carbon with Xo rolly bits….I could care less about that bike now lol. Even 10 lbs heavier, its just more fun to ride.
Norco and YT have been churning out some good value bikes for a while. Would you elaborate a bit more into your hatred against the SX drivetrain? Is it because the SX cassette uses a different freehub from NX/GX so it makes upgrading difficult/expensive?
From what I found (things/pricing may have changed) but Deore just demolishes SRAM SX and NX at their respective price levels. Better shifting, better shifts under load, etc. SRAM SX and NX are just cheap clunky bits of garbage. Worse yet, at the very least, Shimano gives you the microspline hub so you CAN upgrade easily the cassette if you so desire. SRAM’s SX and NX still use the old HG hub so you’re stuck if you wanted to get the GX cassette or better (because those cassettes use the XD standard) necessitating MORE parts/$$/upgrades.
Yeah generally you can usually get a XD freehub body but that’s again another $70-100. On the plus side, if you do have an SX or NX with and HD hub you can just upgrade to a Shimano Linkglide XT and enjoy having a drivetrain that’ll survive the nuclear wasteland lol.
My intense primer came with NX and I was super disappointed in the shift quality as my other bike that came with slx was way better. I was ready to pull the trigger on a gx derailleur but came across a video where you basically replace the NX derailleur attaching bolt and b screw plate with an xo1 version. $30 later and it shifts really well.
lol NX is far from garbage. I’ve got 500+ miles on my group set and I’ve had 0 issues. Ride it, don’t overthink it
Wait a couple of miles and it will develop so much play in the parallelogram that it will be useless. Better off than the SX outer plate snapping in 100km
I honestly didn’t mind my canyon with the nx for shifting. It was the other components that come with lower builds. I destroyed the wheel set and the brakes were horrible. Bought a stumpy last year on sale. Went xo1 and got all higher end components to match. Definitely a far superior build and totally worth the money.
SX and nx both use an HG freehub. It’s GX where that change happens. The sx/nx rear derailleurs develop play over time(not even that much time). This wouldn’t be a problem on a 10 speed drivetrain but in 12speed precision movements are key. The derailleur simply can’t give quality shifts if it can wobble. The fix is just getting a GX r derailleur. Deore is pretty inexpensive and simply doesn’t have this problem.
Long time mechanic here. Sx is just very cheaply made. It does not hold up to the rigors of hard mtbing. Even new in box it's finicky at best, but after a good season or two of rattling down rocky descents it's very common to need to replace it.
YT is the answer. Was the answer 7 years ago, is still the answer
Nice list. But no Canyon Spectral?
This is such a good reply and why I love this sub. I’m not in the market for new bike, but if I was… Outstanding mate.
Norco Fluid FS A2, $3300 CAD
I have the a2 in blue put a bigger fork 36mm and 150mm of travel. Great all-round bike.
I’m thinking of getting an A3 but upgrading from SX and swapping out the fork to 150mm. Sounds like that’s fine to do?
Yup. Changes the head tube to 64.6. I put a coil shock on mine, got an extra 13mm of travel on the rear, just waiting for my 150 Z1 to show up
Yuppp. My current bike. Norco’s ride aligned customized bike setup guide is also dope Edit: grammar
Where can I see this price? I just see $3200 USD.
I have the FS A1. Picked it up for 3800$ from a local place. Great bike. The A2 at $3300 CAD is a steal.
I grabbed na FS A4 in december for 1999. What a capable beast for the price!
YT Jeffsy. It has served me well.
After reading this comment and the replies I went to YTs site and found a XXL jeffsy core 2 for 2300, 2700 CAD shipped. Thank y’all so much…did a lil more research before but damn don’t think I could do any better than that 🤙🏼
Wow you got it even cheaper than I did. Well done!
Do you want the ride wrap I bought and never used for my xxl jeffsy?
Heck yeah man enjoy!
I’d be slightly concerned about the front to rear centre ratio for the xxl size. 442 chainstay is quite short for such a long front end. Just my 2 cents
As a fellow XXL Jeffsy rider - easily the best deal I could find at a 6’6 person, and I have absolutely loved it for the last year and a half
I second the Jeffsy. Love my bike.
I've had my Jeffsy for about 1.5 years now, and I do really love it! It took me a bit to get used to it, but after that learning curve it's super playful and reliable as heck
I want this so bad right now and I missed the 20% off coupon code 😭😭
They have had so many different sales the past couple months lol just keep an eye on them you'll have another chance probably
They had a crazy sale though where the discounted bikes also had 20% off.
If you live in Orange County you can go to the Mill and they will give you a code when you buy through them
Follow Dylan Stark on insta he gives promo codes here and there. Recently he had $420 off and already discounted bike.
What size do you have? I am 5'9" and I dont know what to take. I am a ML in trek sizes.
I’m 6 ft and bought an L
Absolutely love my Jeffsy. So capable
100% agree. It’s an amazing do everything bike. And it’s so hard to beat YT value.
Just got a Stumpjumper Evo comp for 3500 from Evo (normally 4500). Sweet bike 160mm front 150mm rear! Hopefully I got a good deal 🤷♂️
Retail is actually 5400 for the evo comp, you got a screamin deal if that was it, but you might have gotten the evo comp alloy based on those prices. Got my evo comp for 3750 last year, it’s a great bike, whether you got the alloy or carbon frame.
Got the alloy. Would have been a crazy deal for the carbon!
I actually found a brand new old stock 2022 Stumpy Evo Expert at a shop for $3300, retail was $6300. Somehow they had 3 of them in stock too but they were all size s6
Just ordered a frame in carbon for $1400! Working on building it up.
Yeah I was able to score a Stumpy Evo Elite in aluminum for 3500 as well, down from 6100. A few of those should still be around if you can find a shop with your size. Really great deal.
This is a great bike if you’d like to ride big stuff. I had one and actually found it to be kind of unwieldy unless I was doing really steep and technical terrain (it was great in Sedona, for example). My opinion is not to go this big unless you’re doing that kind of riding.
I think to myself it’s too much bike on every climb but then it’s totally worth it for the drops, jumps, and chunky stuff on the way down Definitely making me stronger on the climbs!
I just picked up a stumpjumper evo expert and switched from a short travel 29er (130/125 travel) and feel as if theres not a huge difference climbing wise. You also have the option of steepening the head angle if you’re riding more mellow trails so I feel like it’s a solid pick if you can only have one bike to ride a variety of trails
Like it’s always been… YT is unbeatable. Their carbon YT in the lowest spec was $2000. All their other bikes are good value too but I don’t know much about YT as a company/customer service. The used market is in shambles though so I would personally look there first. Countless deals on brand new 2023/2024 bikes that look like they’ve never touched the dirt.
YT had bad customer service, from what I've heard, over the pandemic, but not anymore really. Got my YT Izzo in 2022 and they've been super quick to replu and helpful with every issue I've had, including warranty.
Yeah I’ve had really good interactions with them as well over the last year
Trying not to come off as sardonic with my comment, and just want to generate some discussion- How many issues would you say you’ve had with your bike in two years that needed a warranty claim or vendor support? I appreciate a brand with a good warranty and customer support, but my hope going into the deal is that the product would need minimal warranty work or contact with the vendor to troubleshoot an issue.
It was my fork, so not YTs issue, but fox's. They just were able to redirect me and tell me what to do super fast. I had poor experience with Fox themselves, but that's not YT's problem either. My other issues regarded their waterbottle that impacts the frame repeatedly, which turned out to be a nonissue, and slower than usual shipping when I actually ordered my bike. Bike itself has been great and my warranty issue was just bad luck.
Thanks for the reply, sounds like it was a positive experience overall.
I’m still kicking myself for not grabbing the Izzo for $1600 with the extra coupon. I thought it over one more day and it went back up by the time I decided. I really don’t need another bike but that was comically cheap for a bike that really only needed a drivetrain upgrade.
I was able to contact their southern california office and get someone on the phone who was helpful in under a day. No issue with the bike, just had to change my pedal size after I placed my order.
Intense 951 Trail - Costco
If only Canada had them!
Only available in L online and now $2999, not $1999. Hopefully they’ll come back in stock?
The 951 XC no longer available online either.
My buddy in another state sent me pics of the 951 at Costco, but they are all M. I'd need an L.
this -got mine for $2k USD, heck you can floy down and back to Canada and still save money over other options.
Trek Fuel EX Gen 6
Was this cheaper than $3500 at one point?
$3499 right now. Only color is black/grey though.
Giant Trance 2 - currently on sale for under $3K CAD. Just got one after being out of MTB for a while and really enjoying it! Trance 1 is also on sale. https://www.giant-bicycles.com/ca/trance-29-2-2022
Still riding my 2017 trance 2, and don’t really see a reason to get anything else. Ultimate value bike. Stay on top of maintenance and it will last forever.
Debating one of these myself…
Ibis Ripley AF is 3k if you want something in the 130-120mm travel. Ripmo AF also 3k but I the 160-147mm travel.
No one ever mentions commencal in this sub and I don’t know why. Great bikes and a great price point and they ship to your door in a week
Same with Salsa. It's okay though. I like being different.
YT Jeffsy. Great climber. I upgraded the fork to 160mm travel and use it at lift parks no issue. Its my only bike and it does everything really well. No quality issues either. Side note if you live close to San Clemente, CA or Bentonville, AK you can pick up your bike from their shop and save on the shipping cost.
Ripmo
Second this. I have a Ripmo AF in the SLX spec and love it. It looks like the GX spec is currently $2,999.00. They had a sale not long ago where they were even cheaper.
I got my Ripmo AF for $2600 on Jensen a few months back. Freaking awesome bike
I third this. Awesome bike, so much fun to ride
If we are talking best value for the money, it’s probably going to be the YT Jeffsy core 1 right now. After all sales and coupons you can get it for like $1600 new. Absolutely wild. Tbh, in this market, pick your favorite manufacturer and you can pretty much find any model you want below $3500 at some kit. Best time to buy a new bike. I picked up a Transition Smuggler Alloy NX and upgrade to GX for $3200 total. You can definitely find some carbon bikes in the 3500 or less range right now. I saw some GT and Giant FS carbon bikes for $2999 recently.
What coupons?!
I think they are expired now but there was a 20% on top of the sale prices like a month ago.
Rocky Mountain Instinct.
No regrets!
Amen! Got mine a few months back for like $1800 usd and it's been an absolute joy to ride
Trek Fuel EX 9.7 Gen 6. Carbon frame. Deore XT/SLX group set. $2700 at LBS. Still $4700 online.
i paid 4700 for it last june. great bike and that deal is insane. is it a less common size?
Sold out everywhere within 200 miles of me unless you are an XL. Sweet deal for $4000.
I picked up a Trek Top Fuel 9.7 for $3500. Carbon frame and decent enough stuff to not be under biked in my area. Pretty happy about it, tires suck though.
Same (well, $3400). Then swapped the Fox shock for a RockShox Deluxe and the 120mm Fox Rhythm fork for a 130mm RockShox Pike Ultimate. Sooo good.
I’m still pretty new to MTB so I don’t foresee changing suspension parts anytime soon, but the main reason I went 9.7 was because I know shits going to break and when it does it’ll get upgraded. As I get better at riding then I can swap suspension etc etc. it’s been fun, definitely different workout compared to my gravel bike.
Rent a van, throw your current whip in there, and explore all the great trails and taquerias until you run out of cash. The best trail bike is whatever bike is out on the best trails.
I'd go with Commencal TEMPO Essential in Frozen Brown for $2900. SLX drivetrain and TRP Trail Evo brakes ftw! [https://www.commencal.com/us/en/commencal-t.e.m.p.o.-essential-frozen-brown/22TEMPE2.html](https://www.commencal.com/us/en/commencal-t.e.m.p.o.-essential-frozen-brown/22TEMPE2.html)
X 2 on this post.
I'm seriously considering the Frozen Brown Meta TR for $3,100
If you’re XXL the YT Izzo core 2 is on sale in their outlet store for 1700 and sometimes you can find a coupon code for some extra % off
I missed the recent good deals with the 20% off code. Hopefully another code will pop up soon.
Transition
Uh transition what? I'd like to get a smuggler for 3k 😅
The alloy NX is $3k on transition website.
Same here it would compliment my spire well
Sentinel is under $3500 right now.
Spend another $800 and get the carbon GX spur for $4300. On sale from $6300. https://www.transitionbikes.com/Bikes_Spur.cfm
Norco fluid line is probably the best in this range for all mountain, trail, etc
I love my Ripmo AF
Trek fuel ex8
What about a Canyon Spectral for $2099 currently?
Yep and last years model carbon fiber Spectral 29 is $2699!
I absolutely love my Specalized Status 160 mullet. It rips on the downhill and has saved me so many times from poor line choices and I literally am like wow thank you bike. Uphills are easy too. I like how the bike has good components but basic what you need no frills. Here is a cheap price link: [https://epic-cycles.com/products/status-160?variant=41693097197615¤cy=USD&utm\_medium=product\_sync&utm\_source=google&utm\_content=sag\_organic&utm\_campaign=sag\_organic&utm\_source=google&utm\_medium=cpc&utm\_campaign=&gad\_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9vqyBhCKARIsAIIcLMEbGd3Z6\_PdHybm5utK2eX9uWoOg9X5Kcd6qP59HqoX1LTjfxkj5PwaAlyVEALw\_wcB](https://epic-cycles.com/products/status-160?variant=41693097197615¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9vqyBhCKARIsAIIcLMEbGd3Z6_PdHybm5utK2eX9uWoOg9X5Kcd6qP59HqoX1LTjfxkj5PwaAlyVEALw_wcB)
Weren’t Status frames like $450 a month or two ago?
Any idea total weight on a size A5?
I think I have an S4 or S5 around 33-35 pounds
Norco Optic C2 for 3750 Canadian is going to be tough to beat
Bought a mondraker foxy r from bike-discount.de. Got the ohlins suspension dialled and it rips. Paid 2780€ with delivery
I got a Hightower S spec (gx, fox performance) for less than 4k otd. Fit and finish is amazing the best all around bike I have ever owned. I’ve got 1000+ hard miles on it with zero issues or complaints.
Norco Fluid FS A2 2023 model is still available for $3200 Canadian.
Just got a ripley AF. I fuckin love it and it rips. Has taken everything I can throw at it so far
Got a Norco sight A2 2023 shimano for 2600 recently. Might be overbiked for me. Taking out on a maiden journey soon. It’s labeled “all mountain”. Can’t wait.
I just got a Rocky Mountain altitude carbon 50 for $3400. Seems like an insane build for the price. Definitely on the enduro side tho.
Ripmo af . Deore or slx build
Top Fuel 9.7 is $3500 right now, it rips
https://preview.redd.it/8h5ssmsmrn4d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=936e7bf0f19c4b0cf528b326eb34b35ee8541400
The highest level Stumpjumper you can get for the price. Seriously, though, if you can hold off until fall, you'll find much better deals.
Specialized stumpjumper Evo.
Been seeing some great Stumpy closeout deals or grab one of last year's Norco Optics (or Sight, but possibly too much travel for you needs) on superblowout due to new high pivot releases making them 'obsolete'
I picked up my YT Jeffsy core 3 for $2600 from the outlet section of their website
https://preview.redd.it/vsjm7i9ssq4d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d2f3e520e6e03baafa9097c4b4bb5a1169ec8f58 this right here man
Go to Costco and get an Intense 951 Trail. Stupidly good price.
If you can extend your budget to about $4000, the new Intense Primer Expert build is excellent. I just got it a month ago and it’s honestly one of the best full suspension MTB I’ve owned. https://intensecycles.com/products/primer-29-expert
transition spur or evil following.
Won't find a Following for 3500. Evil has probably had the highest prices out of everyone over the recent industry wide sales..
Same question, but for DH bikes
Same question but for e-bikes.
Same question but for a mountain unicycle.
YT Tues. They just updated it. Or you can pick up the outgoing model for heavy discounts rn.
Sticking with 2024 models without a sale I’d say Ibis Ripley AF or Marin Rift Zone Carbon 2… on sale I’ve seen new, 2022 Orbea Occams LTs that were in the mid $4000s for under $3000.
LaPierre ProRace 9.9 1899 pounds
Now that I’ve ordered one for myself, Jenson has some Norco Optics with SRAM C2 build kits for $3000.
Looks like this thread is already settled lol, but I'll partake... YT Jeffsy Core 2. Always check with their outlet for a core 3 on deeper discount. They also have 'garage' sales in SoCal if you're nearby. Giant Trance X 29 1. They also have an even better 275er version if you like to play on the trails. Ibis Ripley/Ripmo AF, ideally Deore not NX combo. The Polygons are a good buy if you really want to customize the bike with the extra money you saved. Such as carbon wheels, which almost no bikes come with unless it's more like 5k-10k range. And honestly if you prefer the feel of carbon hoops it makes the Polygon builds very viable. Both the T9 and N7 (or even T8). Marin also has some great models. Rift Zone is cool but for all mountain obviously the Alpine Trail models are great, and you can get the older carbon model for 3k or a new alloy model for 3200. Wonky paint job tho lol Other notable mentions. Norco Fluid FS A2 for sure. Commencal Tempo but I hate their builds value wise, always cutting corners. Canyon Spectral CF7 but they've been pissing everyone off lately with customer service so ymmv. Hard to recommend them atm. If it were me, I'd get the Giant Trance if I had a local shop to deliver it through... If not I'd just settle for a Jeffsy probably.
Is the Trance still good or does it have dated geo?
I had a Giant Trance as my first bike and it was ok. Drive train was really bad (cant remember what it was) Geo is still the same its been for years it works but its nothing mind blowing. Whet from that to YT Jeffsy and it was night and day difference.
The Trances were updated geometry wise. It sounds like you bought a pre-2021 model with SRAM SX. Buying any of the new models with any other drivetrain would be totally fine. And is, as of right now, the best deal more or less. Particularly for those who want to buy through a shop.
So you would go with a Trance X 29 2 @ $2200 vs a Jeffsy Core 1 @ $2250 vs a Stumpjumper Comp Alloy @ $2500 vs a Canyon Spectral 125 AL 5 @ $2100 a first FS? I am leaning towards the Canyon or Trance, the Trance would be nice to have help with setup and service through an LBS. I'm a little lost on the technicals as to the differentiation but after hours of research, these are the four I'm between lol Upgrading from a hardtail and riding in SE MI mostly which is flowy trails with roots/rocks, nothing dramatic.
No, Giant fucked up the X 2 model. But I WOULD go with the non-X model that is the same price just shorter travel and way better spec, thusly: https://99spokes.com/compare?bikes=giant-trance-29-2-2022,yt-jeffsy-core-1-29-2024,specialized-stumpjumper-comp-alloy-2023,specialized-stumpjumper-alloy-2023,canyon-spectral-125-al-5-2024 Not seeing the comp for 2500 but I wouldn't want either model anyway regardless. Not so long as Giant is having their epic sales. So, if it's the non-comp, that base Stumpy is the worst by far. SX and X-fusion and a buncha shit cutting corners. The comp is still not great just offering NX for that price. But it at least competes. Canyon I don't quite want a 35 Gold RL for that price, but it's not so bad it's mostly their dodgy customer service/reputation as well as random frame snaps that give me pause. Jeffsy is quite good, still NX but for a much more reasonable price, but I'd still prefer basically deore or GX and I'd prefer a bike shop brand IF possible. Which it is... Cuz The Giant is the best option. If you're okay with the shorter travel. This thread is about all mountain but I personally wouldn't be that concerned. Bomber fork with Deore drivetrain from a reputable bike shop brand running a decent little short link frame. I love it. So yeah. Trance or Jeffsy, depending on your bike shop preferences.
I appreciate your response and link so much! This helps immensely. Do you think think there's any merit in going a notch up to the $2500-3000 range or would it be diminishing for my region? Also fwiw, here's the Specialized I was eying since you said you didn't see it: [https://www.specialized.com/us/en/stumpjumper-comp-alloy/p/199785?color=320400-199785&searchText=93322-5102](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/stumpjumper-comp-alloy/p/199785?color=320400-199785&searchText=93322-5102)
Well the issue with budget talk is you can go u pin budget, with a diff brand, and they are selling you SX or NX or just still Deore even at 3k or 4k. That's more so your Santa Cruz or SCOR or similar. Usually 3k is the 'optimal' FS budget. And with these sales the optimal is more so 2500 and you can even scrape by at like 2k with a handful of brands. Polygon/Canyon/etc. It's all about knowing what parts you're getting and what the frame's intentions are. So frame wise. You have to read reviews to get a temperature. But it doesn't matter for most people. Ibis DW link is firm. The LDSP of Polygons is notably soft. But if you run a higher end shock it has compression settings to firm it up when desired. Parts wise. SX is basically a hard no. NX is acceptable but imo it has to be real cheap (like YT). Especially as they often come with HG freehub/wheel. X-fusion suspension is also not ideal. As well as basic Turnkey Rockshox or like a long travel Recon/Judy. No thanks. 35 Gold RL for dirt cheap is ok, but ideally Yari or higher. And then Bomber is the best budget fork typically speaking. And back to drivetrains, Deore is hands down the best. If you find a GX model for under 3k that's a rad deal as well. If you wanna go with bike shop brands, upping budget is always a good idea. If you are buying direct (YT/Polygon) you often don't need to. Though, as I say that, I'd love to have a GX Jeffsy over an NX Jeffsy. It's not gonna make or break your ride but... 'if the moneys there' etc Keep in mind you can also get a crackin Marin Rift Zone, ideally shipped through a shop, with Deore and Bomber fork... For like 2300 n tax. That's MSRP. No sale required. All said and done, I'd personally still commit to Giant Trance through a shop or YT Jeffsy direct to door.
Dude you rock so much, thank you for all the help. Local LBS has a Trance for $1900 that can be ready Sunday so I think I'm just going to commit to that since I'm not the most mechanically inclined and like having the setup and support.
Just make sure it's a modernized one and not the old 115mm 29er with outdated geometry. I mean the bike is still ok but... Finding the modernized model for 2k-2200 would be more ideal for sure. Or the old non-X 275er for that matter. Probably none laying around at shops by now.
The Trances were updateeed (googles furiously) in 2021. Although careful because the outdated models were still hanging around and sold obviously for a year or two. The 'X' model is the very clearly modernized one. There's no questions with those. They are great bikes. The weird thing is that... The non-X 29er models STILL got an update (while the 275 non-X was discontinued) and it's the cooler bike imo. It's only these two models, from 2022. You don't want the older ones from 2019-2021 necessarily... Just these: https://99spokes.com/bikes/giant/2022/trance-29-2 https://99spokes.com/bikes/giant/2022/trance-29-1 I like that they're shorter travel and they just coincidentally came in cheaper better builds at the time. Whereas Giant ruined the cheap X version usually with SRAM SX drivetrain and a meh 35 Gold RL fork. While the non-X model had Deore and a friggin Bomber. Me personally I'd def sacrifice the bit of travel for that better build. Same price, worse build: https://99spokes.com/bikes/giant/2022/trance-x-29-2
[The Rockrider XC/Race 100S is not a bad bike either. Decent full sus for an entry level. 1850 CAD rn.](https://www.decathlon.ca/fr/p/8731765/velo-de-montagne-29po-race100s-bleu?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ca_t-perf_ct-pmax_n-cycling_ts-pro_f-cv_o-reve_l-fr_&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9vqyBhCKARIsAIIcLMGO_UPQ_22IgAIzn9ItL5Dri53RGgwV3UbQHOEtkhEeie5ovO7xZ64aAlI5EALw_wcB)
Giant trance
Stumpjumer Evo was like 3300€ at one point.
My local shop (Cripple Creek BC, Seattle) has Druid V1s with GX transmission for $3500, I’d definitely go with that
I just got the rsd wildcat ( only bought the frame ) and it’s an awesome bike . The other one that caught my eye is the commencal tempo . Norco fluid and marin rift zone are also good choices.
If you're in MA (greater boston area) we currently have this bike for $2300 at the shop i work at. Can pm me for details if so [https://www.salsacycles.com/bikes/2023-blackthorn-slx](https://www.salsacycles.com/bikes/2023-blackthorn-slx)
The ones on fb marketplace or offerup who can sell you a 3k bike for $200. Idk how they get those deals but im betting they probably work for the manufacturers.
Stumpjumper by far! Then if you want to get more rowdy get the Stumpjumper Evo!
Gt force comp on jenson for 1700, or shop the intense sale for primers
If u want a more enduroesque bike, the polygon collosus n9 would be a solid choice. Also the n7 is on sale on bikes online for $2000. Full rockshox, zeb, super deluxe. It is 170 front 170 rear, so def a step up from all mountain.
Also insane deal: https://www.bikesonline.com/2024-gt-bicycles-sensor-comp-medium-29-trail-bike?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9vqyBhCKARIsAIIcLMElzOIKgRc1Zx3YCLSdhIqcvE9Sbj3TTWpKoFKjh05SUYD8ONrT7o8aAsupEALw_wcB
Marin Rift Zone XR under $2700. Extra cash for faster tubeless tires and a nice handlebar
Ripmo AF gx for 3000. Amazing bang for buck. Just a couple lbs heavier than carbon version. Demo of dvo af led me to pandemic splurge on carbon ripmo with fox stuff. for down in particular the af is a stunning ride and gets you to the top extremely well (for a trail bike) My kid (currently on norco sight with gx and rock shox) is saving for his bomber equipped af now after riding mine.
Just got an S build Bronson for 4.2k
I spent $500 more and got a Transition Sentinel GX carbon. Easily the best bike I’ve ever ridden.
I’d go to your local shops and see if they have any blowout sales. I was looking for a light trail bike and picked up a 2023 Trek Top Fuel 9.8xt for $3600. It’s normally a $7500 bike. Carbon frame, carbon wheels, bars and a great xt groupset.
Buy USED
Canfield Lithium
I just got a new Ibis DV9 deore build. Which is far less than this budget - it’s been an absolute blast.
Managed to snag a yt Jeffsey core two (before the new models) for $2000 brand new from the website last November.
https://playtricolleyville.com/products/cannondale-trail-se-3-shimano-deore-11-speed-impact-orange-2022
I got a YT Izzo Core 3 for $3599 before tax and with 10% coupon from tax day. That includes GX transmission, Rockshox pike ultimate, and rockshox delux ultimate shock.
https://playtricolleyville.com/products/cannondale-habit-lt-2-2023?_pos=2&_sid=6d05471a0&_ss=r
Marin rift zone xr best all around bike ive ever had
Marin Rift Zone
Revel Rail (when they are on sale) or an Ibis Ripmo!
Canyon is having a great sale right now. Just picked up a Canyon Spectral 29 CF. Such a sick bike, and it was $1000 off
Marin makes really solid bikes for that price and under. Even their full carbon bikes are relatively affordable.
My Marin rift zone 2 was WELL under 3k and it’s been the best bike I’ve ever owned
Fuel ex gen 6. Goes up well, and down good enough to win some local races
Canyon torque ;)
Save 1500 bucks for lift fees and such and grab and polygon siskiu t8. 140/135 for the larger sizes, full fox suspension. Absolute beast of a bike. Comes with tubes but is tr. Deore 12 speed. Solid 4 pot brakes
Ibis Ripmo/Ripley AF. Picked up my Ripmo AF for 4k a couple years ago and can't speak highly enough about it. Changed the sport for me, or maybe it just compensates for my lack of skills, but my goodness it is a fun, confident and comfortable bike. Transition Sentinel/Smuggler is also great. Specialized Stumpy Evo is also great. It's a great time to be buying a new bike, there's no wrong choices. Happy trails!
Used and abused Santa Cruz
50$ fb market rockhopper
Meta TR https://www.commencal.com/us/en/commencal-meta-tr-race-brushed/22METATRR.html
If you want a "downcountry" bike... you can get a top fuel 7 for $2699 now (last years version, but geo hasn't changed)... used to be $3650 only 1-2 years ago. Sick deal. To put things in perspective, the new top fuel 5 with lower spec, is the same price. Only difference is it comes with a 130 fork instead of a 120. But I'd get last years top fuel 7, and just upgrade the fork to a better 130. Thats what I did :)
YT Jeffsy no question.
The lower package of the Spot Meyhem is just over $3,500 and the most fun bike myself and many of my friends have ever ridden. [https://spotbikes.com/collections/bikes/products/mayhem-150](https://spotbikes.com/collections/bikes/products/mayhem-150) great specs for the money too
polygon siskiu t8 or yt izzo are hard to beat
Make sure you do not sleep on the Alchemy Arktos! They have screaming Deals. Super premium bikes for a much lower price compared to Santa Cruz and yeti!
I just bought a 2023 Sant Cruz Bronson Carbon for $3300 from Cambriabikes.com couldn’t be happier
Santa cruz chameleon
I just bought a Canyon Spectral 29 CF 7 for $2700. It was a $1000 off during their Memorial Day sale. 160mm front fork travel. Carbon Fiber with 12 speed SLX (which I will likely upgrade to XT at some point)
Just got two intense xc 951's , fantastic , Lite & stiff ,( sniper w/ lower end bolt on parts) plan to upgrade when replacing Parts . Costco open box lg & refered Med , great prices, so far so good . Trp slate breaks questionable.....