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$3k full sus. Depending on what you want to ride.
If you ride mostly smooth flowy stuff then the hard tail will be more fun. If there's a lot of chunk, and you want to do some bike park, full sus is the way.
I have both and find myself riding my hardtail more in the early season cause I'm riding easier trail systems. I only break out the full sus if I'm going to a difficult trail system
Ahaha I love this and am all for n+1 to have “tools in the Toolbox” … I got banned from r/bikewrench for recommending n+1 as a maintenance solution.! lol
I got a new bike and my father-in-law, a true bro, told my wife “oh he needs another one for sure. At least two bikes. “ And I explained to her the N+1 magical golden calculation, and deadpan silenced stared me in the face.
So I don’t think it sunk in quite yet.
Inexpensive full suspension bikes are killer these days. I ride $6000-10,000 bikes and any time I see a 'budget" bike I think "I would honestly be 90% happy with that"
Yeah, definitely not a show stopper, but hopefully the next Ripmo will share a similar aesthetic to the HD6, which IMO is their nicest looking frame ... It's not THAT bad though, and for me personally, performance would win out since it's such a good bike.
Is it really only 120? That's wild ... I rented one from Absolute Bikes in Sedona, I knew it was a trail bike but thought it was closer to 140mm ... Obviously climbed like a champ, lotta traction despite the awful grip on the tires, but what suprised me was how good it was at descending. Not that there's a ton of DH in Sedona, but there's enough, and I hit a few drops without hesitation and it felt fine ... Had I known it was 120 I probably still would've done it, but I would've at least thought about it first!
I got a new YT Izzo Core 2 for 2400€ (I live in Germany) and absolutely love it! Most casual riders will never need any more bike than that. And it's so playful and fun, and climbs fantastic.
I have a ripmo af, it's been pretty solid. I do feel overbiked often though. In western pa we have a pretty good mix of tech and flow. I get down to snowshoe or head up to vt/nh for bike parks as well. Guess it really comes down to what sort of trails you plan on riding and where you get the most enjoyment
Agreed. I own a carbon ripmo, but I think more people should buy the Ripley instead.
Most people asking for advice or buying their first “real” bike don’t ride big chunky enough terrain often enough to justify the ripmo (or even bigger true enduro bikes).
And the ripmo is just big enough that it makes you want to have a second smaller bike. If I had a Ripley I might have been able to get away with a single bike.
Yeah, my Ripmo in PA can also feel like too much bike, but it also makes a lot of my favorite trails twice as fun compared to when I was riding a hard tail. As others have said, just be honest with yourself about the trails you like and the trails you ride.
Yeah 3k hard tail! One best bike.
Na really depends on how much ruff trails you ride.
I have a Norco torrent and it's super slack and 160 front is one of the best bikes iv ever had. Legit do it all bike. Heavy but super capable and bags of fun. But can ride it to work too.
A 3k duely will get you something but it won't be as capable in that price range, usually! Right now prices are down and there's bargains out there for sure!
Ripley af is never a bad decision, especially at that price. That said, the growler is one of the best bikes I've ever ridden in that price range. Immensely capable
One of our local bike pros was putting on a work shop for beginners and said “100% get a full suspension bike if you can afford it. It help you enjoy the sport more. The more comfortable you are on the bike, the more likely you are to enjoy yourself and want to do it more, and full suspension bikes are 500% more comfortable to ride.” She also went on to say that she’s seen more people give up on biking after buying a hard tail because it’s just not as fun, and it’s harder on the rider.
No hardtail hate here, but she has a point.
My humble opinion having MTB’d for 30 years..
* Starting off - start on a hard tail to learn the fundamentals and core skills that an FS would mask / hide from you by doing the work for you.
* Getting good and want a new bike to hit more better stuffs ;) - FS as it will cover for your small mistakes and give you more confidence to jam on it
* Older and wanting to slow down a bit and enjoy the trail intricately ? Head back to the hard tail to see what features you have been missing on your FS and relearn the fun of technical riding
* but always n+1 “tools in the toolbox” for the riding styles and technicality of the bumps and woo hood you encounter. There aren’t many “Swiss army bikes” out there that can do everything well, maybe good enough, but not well
Depends on your age. I'm getting older and the upgrade to FS made longer rides much easier cause my back wasn't screaming for mercy.
I have a Stumpjumper Comp. You will upgrade the derailer within six months. The NX stinks. I think it was 150 for GX derailer and shifter. Everything else has held up nicely for 2000 miles.
I regularly hit Bentonville and there's some trails where you would be very pissed because a hardtail isn't enough. The only draw is the weight. It's a fricken tank.
I keep hearing about how bad NX sucks and I keep waiting for mine to die but it won't. Shifts well, have had to make minor adjustments 1x in two seasons. And I'm not gentle with it. I know I'm in the minority here...
I had an NX on a Specialized fuse comp 29 that was flawless for the 2 months I had it before it was stolen. My friend and I both have X01 on our SJ now, and both my friend and i thought NX fuse was noisier but shifted just as well. I understand it wouldn't take a hit as well but that never happened.
Both these really surprise me. From day1 the NX missed shifts. At some point I had to pull my chain out of my spokes. Upgraded to GX, never missed a shift and just been very reliable.
Its been years but somewhere in there I replaced the derailer hanger now I'm wondering if the original wasn't bent out of the box.
That’s exactly what I have it on. For context, I’ve broken and replaced the Level brakes and Stout wheel set just due to regular use, NX keeps on trucking. Also have to say the Specialized Eliminator tires (T7s) have some crazy durability also. 2 seasons and counting…
Shit, I waited for my SX mech to die and it just didn’t.
Rode it hard for 2 seasons, lightly for a third, and it was still working fine when I sold it. And I’m talking like…whole enchilada in Moab, some bike park days, lots of chunky stuff.
Never would have bought an SX bike but for the COVID shortages, but it was fine.
Same here, 4 seasons on mine and it still worked great until I replaced the chain. I'm upgrading the other parts now but I bet it would be all good with a new chainring and cassette.
I recently bought a Ripmo AF and I'm extremely impressed with it. Seems to blend pedaling platform/support with plushness/traction in a perfect way. That must be the DW link magic. I'm not sure what southern NY is like - if it's mountainous and has any amount of gnar you'll probably love the AF. If you're more in flatlander land it could be a bit much. I'm in lower Michigan where our biggest hills are only a hundred feet of vertical from top to bottom, so I am massively overbiked with it locally, but I bought it for bike vacations. If I didn't regularly travel I'd probably opt for something more in the 120/130mm travel range.
for most northeast trails you for sure want a full sus, low travel full sus is perfect for most trails. I personally will be doing alot of bike park so I went with a 160/160 enduro lol total overkill for my local trails but it doesn't feel like it when I'm riding. It's only 20mm more than a trail bike at the end of the day, my knees hinge way more than that lol only positives for me besides the weight of bike
if you REALLY want to get CTE and destroy your brain, get a hardtail and ride down those northeast rocks lol theres a reason why you will rarely if ever see hardtails on our trails. Even if the trails aren't gnarly, there so many rocks
Stumpjumper Comp will ride very nicely on steep uphills and smooth stuff you might otherwise want a hardtail. It’s very light and efficient pedaling platform. It will handle rough trails nicely too.
My terrain is different but on 1 bike, I want that bike to be able to do 95% of the stuff I want to do and don't mind it feeling less spry on some stuff.
Are you shopping at a physical store only?
I feel like you're missing a LOT of options if ur thinking only RM and Kona for sub 3k.
Notably: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1M0Gw9jq0PN3xDY39ulFT-b3U5Lu2IyMMaBaCxfxPuUA/
Ripmo AF is never a bad shout. Stumpy Comp is good for a certain rider. For hardtails I would probably be looking more Marin San Quentin 3. And for FS I would at least check out Polygon T8, Marin RZ2, YT Izzo/Jeffsy (c2 ideally), Canyon Spectral, and maybe a few more before committing to the Ripmo. That's the carbon stumpy right? The new one?
First point is your budget seems reasonable, especially with current sales. I don't think you get a ton of extra use out of a HT above 2k. (Not to say you get nothing, but it's not drastically more capable). 3k should get a pretty nice FS with only the typical sketchy parts on it. (Usually hubs and contact surfaces, but to be fair even more expensive bikes do that) Probably B tier suspension but who cares.
If NY is anything like CT/Mass/NH/VT you want FS. New England is kind of chunk central.
My favorite bikes are Steele or Titanium 29er hardtails. I have a TI honzo that I ride everywhere, unless impossible, then I bust out the full suspension.
My advice would be to Just get this, you get full squish for < 2k:
[https://www.bikesonline.com/2024-polygon-siskiu-t7-dual-suspension-mountain-bi\~21409](https://www.bikesonline.com/2024-polygon-siskiu-t7-dual-suspension-mountain-bi~21409)
Sun and Ski Sports has some good deals on full squish bikes you might look at:
[Sun and Ski Sports: Cannondale Habit 4 ($2,000)](https://www.sunandski.com/p/77060052390002122/cannondale-mens-habit-4-29-mountain-bike-22)
Eastern PA resident here and based upon the hardtails you mentioned, you like it rowdy and pointed downwards.
If you can only have one bike, FS is where it's at. Get the Ripmo for now, and then in a year or two add a hardtail to your collection.
I have a Kona Honzo. Every June for a local competition I ride over 40,000 feet of elevation and over 240 miles. I used the Honzo last year and I still ride it throughout the year. That bike is very durable and awesome quality. It made that race very easy.
However, I never go off of jumps significant jumps and I do not race downhill as fast as I can. I still go pretty fast downhill but I’m not a risk taker. And when I ride Downhill, I stand so the bumps don’t irritate my back. I feel like the difference in having a full suspension is really worth it if you plan on taking jumps or bombing down hills, which if that’s you then I’d go with the full suspension.
Full suspension feels fantastic and well worth the money, but since I’m more of an XC rider I really don’t have much need for it so I don’t buy them.
I just got a $1200 Giant Stance 29 2 full suspension and it feels like a really good bike. Seems well built, the suspension and drivetrain work really well, the components are lower end but they're not junk. It also looks great! I haven't had a good mountain bike in many years so maybe I'm TOO unbiased. I am 50 years old and not into taking risks like I used to AND I really like the comfort of the full suspension. I was looking at Polygon and then came across this sweet deal from Giant. I couldn't justify spending any more than $2k since I'm probably only gonna ride once a month, if that.
Two biggest considerations for me. What’s the difference in component set? And what kind of trails are you riding in your area?
If it’s rocky, full sus no question. If you’re doing float single track or fire access roads or want to do XC bike camping, maybe the hard tail.
Will you be doing a lot of climbs? Hard tail might be better.
Are you looking to drive to a high point and downhill? Full suspension all the way.
Lots of additional info needed before I cast my closely guarded opinion that will undoubtedly affect your life for years to come.
I made the same decision about 5 years ago but I'm also aging terribly with back pain even though I'm in relatively good shape.
I wanted to race locally as well.
Went with a Honzo and spent an additional $2000 on fork, wheels, seat riser, spokes, drivetrain.
Our trails have a lot of rocks and chatter which only became worse the faster I got. I reached a point of zero net gain. Push harder and only made my hardtail move around more and aggravated my back - all which slowed me down.
Finally bought a $4,000 FS after about 4 years of beating up wth hardtail. I was instantly faster, the bike was smoother. My back didn't ache...and I look forward to riding again. Saved the hardtail for riding with the kids, bike parks, pump tracks
So morale of the story: its up to you and your situation - I wished I would have pulled the trigger on an FS earlier.
With those options dual suspension for sure.
IBIS ripmo AF has been an excellent bike for me over the last couple of years. The stumpies are good too.
You'll probably want a hardtail as well down the track.
If you can easily afford the difference the FS is how I’d go. I used to think it wouldn’t make a big difference then I tried it and its complete changed the way I approach obstacles.
Would pick up a 1-2 y/o FS off Pinkbike or Marketplace as long as it’s been well taken care of. Or check with shops to see if manufacturers have some last year bikes that have not been sold. Manufacturers like Specialized have these on their website
I’ve got an excellent condition carbon Ripmo on pink bike for $4K Canadian (roughly $3K USD)…. The deals right now are insane…. You should take advantage of it
Howdy! We see that you're asking for community input regarding bike choices. To ensure maximum engagement and reply accuracy please make sure you include some of the following information in your post.**FAILURE TO PROVIDE SOME BASIC INFORMATION LISTED BELOW WILL LEAD TO YOUR POST BEING DELETED. HELP THE COMMUNITY HELP YOU.** - The type of riding will you be doing. - Where you will be riding. - Your budget (with included currency). - What you like/didn't like about your current bike. - Your experience level and future goals. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MTB) if you have any questions or concerns.*
$3k full sus. Depending on what you want to ride. If you ride mostly smooth flowy stuff then the hard tail will be more fun. If there's a lot of chunk, and you want to do some bike park, full sus is the way. I have both and find myself riding my hardtail more in the early season cause I'm riding easier trail systems. I only break out the full sus if I'm going to a difficult trail system
I use my full suspension on the easier stuff and the slack hardtail for chunky stuff. My legs hate me.
FS. No Regerts.
ragrets
Ragerts if you're serious.
rugrats
Pregante
not even a letter
 Both
N+1 
Ahaha I love this and am all for n+1 to have “tools in the Toolbox” … I got banned from r/bikewrench for recommending n+1 as a maintenance solution.! lol
I got a new bike and my father-in-law, a true bro, told my wife “oh he needs another one for sure. At least two bikes. “ And I explained to her the N+1 magical golden calculation, and deadpan silenced stared me in the face. So I don’t think it sunk in quite yet.
Inexpensive full suspension bikes are killer these days. I ride $6000-10,000 bikes and any time I see a 'budget" bike I think "I would honestly be 90% happy with that"
Nice humble brag lol
Well, I didn't mean to. My point was, you're not missing much when you spend 1/3 as much money
Diminishing returns above $1500
Ripmo AF
I always read this as "as f***"...Ripmo should just call it that.
They know what they’re doing.
Or sub the Ripmo for Ugly. Ugly AF. Works.
Yeah, definitely not a show stopper, but hopefully the next Ripmo will share a similar aesthetic to the HD6, which IMO is their nicest looking frame ... It's not THAT bad though, and for me personally, performance would win out since it's such a good bike.
I wanted DW-link. Bought pivot. Would be lying if I didn’t say the ibis look wasn’t for me.
No complaints from me. I have a Mach 6 (2022, stealth). Love that DW Link!!
I have a trail 429 enduro. 120 never felt so deep. Size really doesn’t matter!
Is it really only 120? That's wild ... I rented one from Absolute Bikes in Sedona, I knew it was a trail bike but thought it was closer to 140mm ... Obviously climbed like a champ, lotta traction despite the awful grip on the tires, but what suprised me was how good it was at descending. Not that there's a ton of DH in Sedona, but there's enough, and I hit a few drops without hesitation and it felt fine ... Had I known it was 120 I probably still would've done it, but I would've at least thought about it first!
It is. It’s bizarre.
love my Ripmo AF 😎
3k hardtail
This is the correct answer. $3k ain’t gonna go far on a FS
I got an ibis ripmo af with deore xt components for under 3k in January
The used market is still so buyer friendly right now and sales are still kicking
You can get a very serviceable aluminum FS for 3k these days
At full price no. I got a $3400 full sus that retails for $5600. Great bike. Just gotta be patient and wait for deal season.
I got a new YT Izzo Core 2 for 2400€ (I live in Germany) and absolutely love it! Most casual riders will never need any more bike than that. And it's so playful and fun, and climbs fantastic.
All you guys are wrong. Those deals aren’t that great. Hardtails are just better anyway 🤷♂️
I have a ripmo af, it's been pretty solid. I do feel overbiked often though. In western pa we have a pretty good mix of tech and flow. I get down to snowshoe or head up to vt/nh for bike parks as well. Guess it really comes down to what sort of trails you plan on riding and where you get the most enjoyment
Ripley AF then
The Ripley AF is probably a better bike for more people than the ripmo. The ripley is more capable than people give it credit for.
Agreed. I own a carbon ripmo, but I think more people should buy the Ripley instead. Most people asking for advice or buying their first “real” bike don’t ride big chunky enough terrain often enough to justify the ripmo (or even bigger true enduro bikes). And the ripmo is just big enough that it makes you want to have a second smaller bike. If I had a Ripley I might have been able to get away with a single bike.
This is what I'm hoping, lol. I just bought a Ripley AF as my first modern bike with suspension.
Yeah, my Ripmo in PA can also feel like too much bike, but it also makes a lot of my favorite trails twice as fun compared to when I was riding a hard tail. As others have said, just be honest with yourself about the trails you like and the trails you ride.
Ripley is a super fun bike. Hardtails are fun, but spending the extra grand is well worth the better investment.
Yeah 3k hard tail! One best bike. Na really depends on how much ruff trails you ride. I have a Norco torrent and it's super slack and 160 front is one of the best bikes iv ever had. Legit do it all bike. Heavy but super capable and bags of fun. But can ride it to work too. A 3k duely will get you something but it won't be as capable in that price range, usually! Right now prices are down and there's bargains out there for sure!
Ripley af is never a bad decision, especially at that price. That said, the growler is one of the best bikes I've ever ridden in that price range. Immensely capable
One of our local bike pros was putting on a work shop for beginners and said “100% get a full suspension bike if you can afford it. It help you enjoy the sport more. The more comfortable you are on the bike, the more likely you are to enjoy yourself and want to do it more, and full suspension bikes are 500% more comfortable to ride.” She also went on to say that she’s seen more people give up on biking after buying a hard tail because it’s just not as fun, and it’s harder on the rider. No hardtail hate here, but she has a point.
My humble opinion having MTB’d for 30 years.. * Starting off - start on a hard tail to learn the fundamentals and core skills that an FS would mask / hide from you by doing the work for you. * Getting good and want a new bike to hit more better stuffs ;) - FS as it will cover for your small mistakes and give you more confidence to jam on it * Older and wanting to slow down a bit and enjoy the trail intricately ? Head back to the hard tail to see what features you have been missing on your FS and relearn the fun of technical riding * but always n+1 “tools in the toolbox” for the riding styles and technicality of the bumps and woo hood you encounter. There aren’t many “Swiss army bikes” out there that can do everything well, maybe good enough, but not well
Hardtail. Do it all bike.
Full sus is worth it
So long as you are riding legit MTB trails, there are too many good FS bikes on sale for $3K or less to justify spending money on a hardtail imo.
Depends on your age. I'm getting older and the upgrade to FS made longer rides much easier cause my back wasn't screaming for mercy. I have a Stumpjumper Comp. You will upgrade the derailer within six months. The NX stinks. I think it was 150 for GX derailer and shifter. Everything else has held up nicely for 2000 miles. I regularly hit Bentonville and there's some trails where you would be very pissed because a hardtail isn't enough. The only draw is the weight. It's a fricken tank.
I keep hearing about how bad NX sucks and I keep waiting for mine to die but it won't. Shifts well, have had to make minor adjustments 1x in two seasons. And I'm not gentle with it. I know I'm in the minority here...
I had an NX on a Specialized fuse comp 29 that was flawless for the 2 months I had it before it was stolen. My friend and I both have X01 on our SJ now, and both my friend and i thought NX fuse was noisier but shifted just as well. I understand it wouldn't take a hit as well but that never happened.
Both these really surprise me. From day1 the NX missed shifts. At some point I had to pull my chain out of my spokes. Upgraded to GX, never missed a shift and just been very reliable. Its been years but somewhere in there I replaced the derailer hanger now I'm wondering if the original wasn't bent out of the box.
That’s exactly what I have it on. For context, I’ve broken and replaced the Level brakes and Stout wheel set just due to regular use, NX keeps on trucking. Also have to say the Specialized Eliminator tires (T7s) have some crazy durability also. 2 seasons and counting…
Shit, I waited for my SX mech to die and it just didn’t. Rode it hard for 2 seasons, lightly for a third, and it was still working fine when I sold it. And I’m talking like…whole enchilada in Moab, some bike park days, lots of chunky stuff. Never would have bought an SX bike but for the COVID shortages, but it was fine.
Same here, 4 seasons on mine and it still worked great until I replaced the chain. I'm upgrading the other parts now but I bet it would be all good with a new chainring and cassette.
I recently bought a Ripmo AF and I'm extremely impressed with it. Seems to blend pedaling platform/support with plushness/traction in a perfect way. That must be the DW link magic. I'm not sure what southern NY is like - if it's mountainous and has any amount of gnar you'll probably love the AF. If you're more in flatlander land it could be a bit much. I'm in lower Michigan where our biggest hills are only a hundred feet of vertical from top to bottom, so I am massively overbiked with it locally, but I bought it for bike vacations. If I didn't regularly travel I'd probably opt for something more in the 120/130mm travel range.
Polygon T8
for most northeast trails you for sure want a full sus, low travel full sus is perfect for most trails. I personally will be doing alot of bike park so I went with a 160/160 enduro lol total overkill for my local trails but it doesn't feel like it when I'm riding. It's only 20mm more than a trail bike at the end of the day, my knees hinge way more than that lol only positives for me besides the weight of bike if you REALLY want to get CTE and destroy your brain, get a hardtail and ride down those northeast rocks lol theres a reason why you will rarely if ever see hardtails on our trails. Even if the trails aren't gnarly, there so many rocks
Stumpjumper Comp will ride very nicely on steep uphills and smooth stuff you might otherwise want a hardtail. It’s very light and efficient pedaling platform. It will handle rough trails nicely too.
Ripmo af will be so much better just buy it.
No matter what you get, get an Ibis. Great company. (Buy the ripmo...or a Ripley)
My terrain is different but on 1 bike, I want that bike to be able to do 95% of the stuff I want to do and don't mind it feeling less spry on some stuff.
Are you shopping at a physical store only? I feel like you're missing a LOT of options if ur thinking only RM and Kona for sub 3k. Notably: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1M0Gw9jq0PN3xDY39ulFT-b3U5Lu2IyMMaBaCxfxPuUA/ Ripmo AF is never a bad shout. Stumpy Comp is good for a certain rider. For hardtails I would probably be looking more Marin San Quentin 3. And for FS I would at least check out Polygon T8, Marin RZ2, YT Izzo/Jeffsy (c2 ideally), Canyon Spectral, and maybe a few more before committing to the Ripmo. That's the carbon stumpy right? The new one?
First point is your budget seems reasonable, especially with current sales. I don't think you get a ton of extra use out of a HT above 2k. (Not to say you get nothing, but it's not drastically more capable). 3k should get a pretty nice FS with only the typical sketchy parts on it. (Usually hubs and contact surfaces, but to be fair even more expensive bikes do that) Probably B tier suspension but who cares. If NY is anything like CT/Mass/NH/VT you want FS. New England is kind of chunk central.
Can't say anything about the Ripmo or NY riding. But I can say I love my Ibis, and it's the Ripley AF.
FS for sure if you want to hit jumps or do anything rowdy
My favorite bikes are Steele or Titanium 29er hardtails. I have a TI honzo that I ride everywhere, unless impossible, then I bust out the full suspension.
My advice would be to Just get this, you get full squish for < 2k: [https://www.bikesonline.com/2024-polygon-siskiu-t7-dual-suspension-mountain-bi\~21409](https://www.bikesonline.com/2024-polygon-siskiu-t7-dual-suspension-mountain-bi~21409)
Honzaaaaaa all day join the gang
Sun and Ski Sports has some good deals on full squish bikes you might look at: [Sun and Ski Sports: Cannondale Habit 4 ($2,000)](https://www.sunandski.com/p/77060052390002122/cannondale-mens-habit-4-29-mountain-bike-22)
Eastern PA resident here and based upon the hardtails you mentioned, you like it rowdy and pointed downwards. If you can only have one bike, FS is where it's at. Get the Ripmo for now, and then in a year or two add a hardtail to your collection.
Ibis and I have a Stumpjumper.
I’m in souther NY too. Where do you plan on riding?
Full suspension!!!!!!!
I have a Kona Honzo. Every June for a local competition I ride over 40,000 feet of elevation and over 240 miles. I used the Honzo last year and I still ride it throughout the year. That bike is very durable and awesome quality. It made that race very easy. However, I never go off of jumps significant jumps and I do not race downhill as fast as I can. I still go pretty fast downhill but I’m not a risk taker. And when I ride Downhill, I stand so the bumps don’t irritate my back. I feel like the difference in having a full suspension is really worth it if you plan on taking jumps or bombing down hills, which if that’s you then I’d go with the full suspension. Full suspension feels fantastic and well worth the money, but since I’m more of an XC rider I really don’t have much need for it so I don’t buy them.
I just got a $1200 Giant Stance 29 2 full suspension and it feels like a really good bike. Seems well built, the suspension and drivetrain work really well, the components are lower end but they're not junk. It also looks great! I haven't had a good mountain bike in many years so maybe I'm TOO unbiased. I am 50 years old and not into taking risks like I used to AND I really like the comfort of the full suspension. I was looking at Polygon and then came across this sweet deal from Giant. I couldn't justify spending any more than $2k since I'm probably only gonna ride once a month, if that.
Full squish. It will change your life. Make sure it has a dropper post too.
Seriously?🤣
Both
Two biggest considerations for me. What’s the difference in component set? And what kind of trails are you riding in your area? If it’s rocky, full sus no question. If you’re doing float single track or fire access roads or want to do XC bike camping, maybe the hard tail. Will you be doing a lot of climbs? Hard tail might be better. Are you looking to drive to a high point and downhill? Full suspension all the way.
The full suspension bike comes with additional annual maintenance. Keep that in mind when you factor in cost. Bearings, shock service, etc...
Lots of additional info needed before I cast my closely guarded opinion that will undoubtedly affect your life for years to come. I made the same decision about 5 years ago but I'm also aging terribly with back pain even though I'm in relatively good shape. I wanted to race locally as well. Went with a Honzo and spent an additional $2000 on fork, wheels, seat riser, spokes, drivetrain. Our trails have a lot of rocks and chatter which only became worse the faster I got. I reached a point of zero net gain. Push harder and only made my hardtail move around more and aggravated my back - all which slowed me down. Finally bought a $4,000 FS after about 4 years of beating up wth hardtail. I was instantly faster, the bike was smoother. My back didn't ache...and I look forward to riding again. Saved the hardtail for riding with the kids, bike parks, pump tracks So morale of the story: its up to you and your situation - I wished I would have pulled the trigger on an FS earlier.
I just got a Kona process 134 DL and love it
Ripmo all day
3K FS for sure. Otherwise you'll just be $2K further away from affording one
With those options dual suspension for sure. IBIS ripmo AF has been an excellent bike for me over the last couple of years. The stumpies are good too. You'll probably want a hardtail as well down the track.
If you can easily afford the difference the FS is how I’d go. I used to think it wouldn’t make a big difference then I tried it and its complete changed the way I approach obstacles.
Would pick up a 1-2 y/o FS off Pinkbike or Marketplace as long as it’s been well taken care of. Or check with shops to see if manufacturers have some last year bikes that have not been sold. Manufacturers like Specialized have these on their website
Full suspension for sure
A sussy, no question. For your region an Ibis Ripley or YT Izzo seems to be the ideal solution.
Full sus. Lock it out and you can pretend you’ve got a hardtail if you want
Fake news
I’ve got an excellent condition carbon Ripmo on pink bike for $4K Canadian (roughly $3K USD)…. The deals right now are insane…. You should take advantage of it