Which Bike?

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
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Jul 2, 2016
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Alaska
I have a moots titanium 29er. It's my only mountain bike and I've been using it for nearly 10 years now. It's got a full XT build and a fox fork.

For me, I can't imagine another 29er being better.

I used to have a niner single speed 29er which weighed less than 20lbs if I remember, I used to race it in th single speed division at lots of local endurance events. Great bike.

I also used to have a salsa Fargo 29er and I wish I still had it, it was basically a gravel road touring bike like a hybrid but a 29er with road type handlebars, I used to pull a trailer with it and camp out and stuff.
 

Boreal

WKR
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Nov 11, 2013
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356
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Anchorage, AK
I've got an older Salsa Spearfish, a full suspension 29er that I put 27.5+ wheels and tires on. Best thing I ever did. The extra width, combined with lower tire pressure result in bombproof traction and a very smooth and comfortable ride. I used mine to pull a trailer on a caribou hunt last year and the combination is unbeatable. It's not super fast on pavement, but I'm generally not looking for fast on pavement. It's also not as floaty as a fat bike, but again I don't ride on snow or really wet or sandy areas where that flotation is necessary. My opinion is that the plus sizes are not a compromise, but an improvement on both the 29ers and fat bikes.
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brocksw

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Feb 27, 2015
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North Dakota
Have to say I'm really liking the versatility and info I find on the krampus. Thought real hard about the Ecr but I heard a lot of people give negative feedback about the BB height. This was especially true when running any tire under a spec 3", and considering all of the cattle trails I'd ride I don't like the idea of more pedal strike than necessary. The krampus has all the big roller advantages of the 29+ tire in a slightly sportier feel with a lot of clearance and a lot of versatility for running a 2.3" tire for around town. Attachment points are a little more limited but there are work arounds for that. I think if I plan cross country trips where I'm on a bike for days at a time, all day long, for hundreds of miles, the Ecr would get my vote. I think the Krampus fits my needs better and offers more options and versatility.

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Poser

WKR
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Dec 27, 2013
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Durango CO
I have a moots titanium 29er. It's my only mountain bike and I've been using it for nearly 10 years now. It's got a full XT build and a fox fork.

For me, I can't imagine another 29er being better.

I used to have a niner single speed 29er which weighed less than 20lbs if I remember, I used to race it in th single speed division at lots of local endurance events. Great bike.

I also used to have a salsa Fargo 29er and I wish I still had it, it was basically a gravel road touring bike like a hybrid but a 29er with road type handlebars, I used to pull a trailer with it and camp out and stuff.

You own a Moots? $$$$$$$

I do wonder how the titanium manufacturers will fare long term in the carbon age. In Durango, 9/10 Mtn bikes you see are carbon frames. Yeti and Santa Cruz are super popular.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
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Alaska
You own a Moots? $$$$$$$

I do wonder how the titanium manufacturers will fare long term in the carbon age. In Durango, 9/10 Mtn bikes you see are carbon frames. Yeti and Santa Cruz are super popular.

Back in ~ 2009 I worked in a bicycle shop during the summers since teachers have summers off, we could just call up most companies and get pro deals which were often below cost. So that's how I ended up with the moots.
 

Poser

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Dec 27, 2013
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Durango CO
Back in ~ 2009 I worked in a bicycle shop during the summers since teachers have summers off, we could just call up most companies and get pro deals which were often below cost. So that's how I ended up with the moots.

I think their base models start at $6k or so, but it's probably rare to see a Moots that someone doesn't have 10k invested in. For that matter, it probably rare to see a Moots at all. I'm not sure if I've actually seen one out and about before. Their Frosthammer fatbike looks sick!

One thing that always surprises me is seeing the amount of high priced generic brands: Trek, Speacilized, Giant etc. whenever I see a $4,000+ Trek or similar, I think that must be equivalent to spending $150,000+ on a GMC model vehicle.
 
Joined
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I do wonder how the titanium manufacturers will fare long term in the carbon age. In Durango, 9/10 Mtn bikes you see are carbon frames. Yeti and Santa Cruz are super popular.

I'd be willing to guess Moots doesn't care about the surge of carbon over the last couple years, chances are if someone is looking at a Moots, the already have 2 carbon trail bikes. Moots are not quiver killers, they're a status symbol more than anything. Hell, Salsa is even offering titanium frames again

Yeti and SC are the two most common brands here too, I was on a Bronson the last three years and jut recently switched to the new Yeti 5.5
 

Titan_Bow

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Dec 10, 2015
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Colorado
What do you guys think about the chinese carbon frames? I kind of like the idea of building a bike up from components, just so I can get a better understanding of how it all works. I saw alot of positive feedback on forums about this frame CS-496 27.5/29 PLUS Frameset | Carbon Speed Bikes You can build it with 29x3" or 27.5x3.25" Would a guy be crazy to invest the money into something like this? I figured with decent components, you could be out the door just under 2k.
 

Poser

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Durango CO
I'd be willing to guess Moots doesn't care about the surge of carbon over the last couple years, chances are if someone is looking at a Moots, the already have 2 carbon trail bikes. Moots are not quiver killers, they're a status symbol more than anything. Hell, Salsa is even offering titanium frames again

Yeti and SC are the two most common brands here too, I was on a Bronson the last three years and jut recently switched to the new Yeti 5.5

You're probably right. I saw that Salsa had a limited offering of titanium Timberjacks recently. It's definitely a frame that should last forever. I occasionally see Litespeed frames on CL that are 20+ years old and fetching $600+
 

Lukem

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Mar 1, 2012
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Nebraska
What do you guys think about the chinese carbon frames? I kind of like the idea of building a bike up from components, just so I can get a better understanding of how it all works. I saw alot of positive feedback on forums about this frame CS-496 27.5/29 PLUS Frameset | Carbon Speed Bikes You can build it with 29x3" or 27.5x3.25" Would a guy be crazy to invest the money into something like this? I figured with decent components, you could be out the door just under 2k.

I'd avoid any of the cheap Chinese carbon bike parts. I'm sure some will say they've had good luck, but I've seen too many broken parts to want to take that risk. Quality control doesn't seem to be there and the service/warranty can be difficult to nonexistent.

Open source molds (Like Framed et al) are a different story.

I'm not familiar enough with Carbon Speed to know where they fall.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
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I think their base models start at $6k or so, but it's probably rare to see a Moots that someone doesn't have 10k invested in. For that matter, it probably rare to see a Moots at all. I'm not sure if I've actually seen one out and about before. Their Frosthammer fatbike looks sick!

One thing that always surprises me is seeing the amount of high priced generic brands: Trek, Speacilized, Giant etc. whenever I see a $4,000+ Trek or similar, I think that must be equivalent to spending $150,000+ on a GMC model vehicle.


Moots must have gone upnin price over the years then, I think my frame was around 2k and if I remember right, I built the whole thing up for around 3500 dollars.

I remember it being expensive but not insanely expensive.
 

wildcat33

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Feb 17, 2015
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CO
I'm also looking at the Krampus

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That would be a sweet rig for what you're talking about. Plenty of versatility - add a trailer like Boreal and you will be stylin. Decide you want front suspension? Add it later. Lots of mounts for bottles and packs, etc. Surly has and continues to make quality bikes that last a long time with good customer service. I have a LHT with close to 10k miles on it and I just finished completely rebuilding it for the 4th time.
 

Mike7

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Feb 28, 2012
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Northern Idaho
Carbon seems like a great option for a road bike, but I would be really afraid of having this for a trail bike...maybe I am wrong though. On paper, it seems like steel and titanium are the best substances to build a trail bike out of?

There are some cheaper Ti frames now. Does anyone recommend any of these other cheaper Ti frames? I have only ever had aluminum frames because that is what I could afford. I have broken two aluminum frames over the years on mountain bikes, but only after some hard use.
 

wildcat33

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Feb 17, 2015
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CO
I always considered Ti more of a boutique thing. You find the folks that are into Ti bikes tend to be bikes nerds that geek out on "ride quality" and pride of ownership type stuff. Some of the manufacturers life Lynskey, Firefly, Mosaic, Moots, and others are truly building art. Ti takes more skill to work and weld, which is why they are typically more expensive. I am wary about a "cheap" Ti frame. Link?

With the whole bikepacking thing that's popular now, it tough to beat the steel frame options out there with all the braze-ons, attachment points for gear, interchangeability between hubs, etc.
 

elkguide

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Jan 26, 2016
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4,608
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Vermont
I'm a roadie and while I do ride carbon, I would never consider Carbon for a off road hunting/carrying type bike.
My current go to road bike is a Titanium model and even though I've ridden it over 8000 miles in two years, it is still like new in terms of feel, metal fatigue and reliability. I can't say that for some of my carbon bikes that I have ridden. Lots of good manufacturers out there along with lots of small shops. For a trail bike, having one custom fit to you isn't going to be of that much of an advantage to you in my opinion.

Get out there and enjoy the ride.
 

Poser

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Dec 27, 2013
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Durango CO
I was suspicious of carbon, but it's really made strides recently. I have a carbon Salsa Mukluk and love it. The frame has a 5 year warranty.


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Joined
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Southern CO
Watch the way Richie Rude rides his carbon Yeti bikes on the Enduro World Series if you have any concern about the durability of carbon. Santa Cruz put out a couple impressive videos a couple years ago testing carbon and aluminum frames in their shop. I'll see if I can find them easily


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