Damn this melting snow!

[Squatch]

...As a result, spring/summer is upon us in Boulder and it's still Feburary.

All this warm weather has, sure as shit, reawakened my mountain biking jones. Right now I only have a road bike, trying to get into mountain biking. Back home I borrowed my brother's bike, so I have some experience. I'm curious which bike the maggots would recommend for the front range. Part of me thinks that a 29er would be good, in which case I think I'd go to Walt, but the other part--the same part that makes me think 130mm waists on skis are good--is telling me to sack up and buy a freeride bike.

What should I do? I could conceivably have about 1500-2k to spend on a bike...should I go for the bike stable, and get an XC or freeride bike and then maybe the other, or go the single bike route and get an all-mountain bike?

[marshalolson]

bikes that are "good for everything" are usually good at nothing.

walts are sweet - support the local (or contct jp @ jamesframes)

then get a lenz for FR

[Greguar]

Man I went from an xc NRS air to an all mountain type rigged out enduro with a maverick DUC 32 on the front last year. The bike is fun as hell on the downhill and really doesn't hold me up that much on the climbs. Right now riding in Golden is spectacular! We are heading to green mountain today. Sucks about the snowpack though

[mtnbikerskierchick]

I'm confused exactly what "the other" bike is? Are you thinking of getting a 29er. Everyone I know who has 29ers loves 'em, although it can be difficult to get tires and tubes at time for that sized wheel.

As for a bike good for the front range, I'd recommend a full suspension XC bike, not quite free ride. The hills are really steep here on the front range and if you have a heavy free ride bike you'll be sorry. But, things are rocky enough here that a nice 3-4 inches of travel will do you good. I recommend the NRS, the Gary Fisher Cake, the Yeti 575, the Trek Remedy, and several others..... There's so many good bikes out there these days you should just go to the store, try a few out, and see what floats your boat. Good luck!

[CS]

Get something with at least 5" of travel. No, I don't live on the front range nor have I ever ridden there, but that doesn't matter. Sure, it might be a bit more work going up, but the down is that much sweeter. Yeti 575, Turner 5-spot, Santa Cruz Blur LT or Heckler, to name a few.

[Squatch]

Probably gonna go with walt. I was ripping down the hill from my friend's house to my place tonight on my rigid frame MTB and I was having a lot of fun. It could have been the beer talking, but it seemed like a 80mm travel 29er would give me a close approximation to that feeling.