29ers

At this time NEXT YEAR there will probably be 2x as many 29ers available ... including some F/S bikes in the sub-$3000 price range ... so, if you can get by for another season with your current ride, then I would suggest that you wait.

Alfeng, I'll agree with that. It's just that the ol' 26er just isn't doing it for me anymore. Guess I'll hit the road bike more this year!

I have a Jamis Dragon One steel frame hardtail and love this damn bike. Climbs like crazy and those fat tires and flexy frame suck up the bumps on the way down. Added 9 inch rotors for stopping power. I'm 200 lbs and have hit 40 MPH with that thing. Loads of fun and stable as a rock.
It comes as a single speed, however that killed my knees so I went to a 1x9 and that did the trick.

All that for $1500

Next bike will be a Niner Rip 9 but for now Steel is Real!!!

9911cycling said:

I'm looking for a f/s 29er. Rode the G.Fisher Superfly100 - very sweet (and pricey). HiFi (aluminum equivalent) is very nice too. Anyone know anything about Pivot Mach 429? $4000+ for an aluminum f/s 29er sounds kind of riduculous to me. . . and no lifetime frame warranty!

FYI. I got an e-mail notice [5/14/2010] that Cambria is having a sale on 29er frames ...

The SALSA Big Mama frame is only $1045 + shipping -- Salsa Big Mama Full Suspension Mountain Bike Frame 2009 at Cambriabike. Available sizes are Small, Medium, Large ... which, by my reckoning, equates to Medium, Large, X-Large on a regular/26" MTB.

Just add a fork, EITHER relace your hubs with some 622-17_or_wider rims OR buy a set of wheels (whichever makes the most sense), buy some 29er tires & tubes, move as many of your current parts over as you think are suitable OR buy some Shimano SLX components ... done!

I would think that you could easily make the changeover for less than $2500 ... maybe, only $2000!?!

I don't know what the difference is in the 2010 frames/shocks; but, if 'I' were in the market for a full-suspension 29er, I would probably buy one of the 2009 SALSA Big Mama frames!

Cambria has other (e.g., ELLSWORTH) full suspension 29er frames on sale but they are more expensive.