What bike do I want?

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Currently on a 2019 Yeti SB150 (also have 2021 SB115). Looking to upgrade or replace the 150. This is my race bike. I do really love it and the Yeti fanbois are ravenous, but I know it's not the only good bike.

I have clapped this thing out with lots of miles, training, bike park laps, and 6 enduro races (felt like more than 6 haha). The bike works and had all the bearings replaced by Yeti sometime in the middle of the season. I am running a Push 11-6 now (after blowing up the X2 twice) and it runs well.......but upgraditis.

The obvious choice is to get a new bare 150 frame. Downside is that I heard the 150 will be overhauled for 2023 so kinda dumb to get a brand new frame now if they are gonna scrap that design.

I just want a fresh bike for the next race season.

Short list:

Orbea Rallon

Nukeproof Giga

Pivot Firebird

Any cool company that I can get any kind of deal from haha....

[BlueBison]

I’d add the Enduro to your list. I haven’t ridden one yet, but all my friends that have one rave about them. I have a sight and range (new design) and love them- they’re awesome, confidence inspiring, and put a smile on my face every time I ride them. I’m also bias to Norco.

The GG bikes look good too.

How do you ride, plow or hop over things? If I recall from other threads, you’re in the big sky area?

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Yes I ride SWMT and do the vast majority of my riding before and during race season at Big Sky bike park.....aka pile of rocks.....aka what's dirt?

I tend to plow more than I would like. Big focus with my training/coach this winter is building more upper body strength. I want to work on getting the bike over stuff more than just trying to go "through".

[SKIP IN7RO]

Scor 4060 and the Forbiddens were in some recommended videos this weekend. That Scor is super-clean looking in the grey, and the Druid/Dreadnaught get some great reviews. Dirt Merchant in Boulder has some discounts on Banshees.

[rideit]

Bit of a drift, WRG, but have you seen many Altitudes in your racing travels this year? They are slightly rare birds with the pandemic, but I’m curious how people are getting along with them at a high competitive level.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Bit of a drift, WRG, but have you seen many Altitudes in your racing travels this year? They are slightly rare birds with the pandemic, but I’m curious how people are getting along with them at a high competitive level.

Supposedly the dealer here sells the most Rocky Mountains in the entire USA....yet I almost never see them at races around here.

I know one really fast dude (used to live here and now in Bellingham) who has a full RM sponsorship and he was racing down at TSN on the Altitude.

[east or bust]

x2 on the Enduro. not saying it’s the end all be all but you owe it to yourself to at least demo one.

If you ever get the itch to ride around near teton county/pocatello area you’re welcome to take my S3 out for a day.


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[Andeh]

Enduro gets high marks for how it rides, but I keep seeing stuff online about them breaking. For instance, some pair of guys on YouTube who race broke 2 frames each and have since moved on to Transition Spire & Patrol.

If you mostly ride gnarly fast rocks, that sounds pretty much what high pivot idler bikes were designed for. Maybe Dreadnought or Norco Range?

I know Pivot bikes get pretty good reviews usually, but they refuse to sell frame only, which I'm guessing is an issue for you.

Vital's most recent test session had them loving the Rallon, but if you check the comments they said the Transition Spire was right behind it, mostly due to the shock tune on the Super Deluxe their build came with. Similar story on the Pinkbike test session this summer - they really liked the WAO bike but said the Spire was a close second.

I ride a GG and have tried most of the long travel versions at some point. It's a very durable, reliable horst-link bike. The seat angles aren't the steepest on the Gnarvana and Megatrail MX, and those two aren't super progressive in the longest travel modes (maybe 19% or so, like your SB-150) but enough that you can run coil if you'd like. They pedal well - I never use the climb switch. My other critique of them is that the bearings aren't as well sealed as, say, Santa Cruz, so if I wash my bike with soap often, I end up changing bearings every 6 months. The Gnarvana has a reputation for feeling long and plowy, but then again so does the SB-150, so maybe that's just right for you.

[Dantheman]

Isn't the answer still "The one you can actually get before next season?"

[Beaver]

I was going to suggest the Rallon. The Occam can come as a 150mm travel bike now so it could also work. I have a 140mm Occam and it outperforms my 160mm Reign in every situation.

[One (+) Sentence]

I’m sure the Rallon rides great (as do most high end bikes these days) but the aesthetics of those do not do it for me. Plus, what if someone confused you for a Pinkbike Academy competitor? What then?

Part of me has an interest in my next bike being made out of metal. If I was a seasoned enduro bicycle racer, and decided my next steed must be made of metal, I would take a good long look at a Canfield Lithium with EXT suspension. The fit and finish on the new Canfield’s is pretty damn good. A round top tube?? I haven’t had a round top tube since seemingly the 1900’s. I want one. Plus, it goes along with my current theme of Colorado based bike brands. CBF suspension is legit.

[gtdrew]

For what it's worth I've tried to break my Enduro for 2 seasons and it's been bomber. Rear hub is garbage but aside from that it's been super durable. A ton of days at JHMR's bike park combined with pass lap and the odd targhee day as well as a bunch of pedaling. I'd definitely try to ride one before making a decision. It sounds like it fits your riding style.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I do have some great parts on my bike as it is now. Reynolds on I9 hydras.....enves on warranty. Push in the rear and push coil converted 36 (although this is a weak point now. After the Oaxaca race I actually think I could use the 38 now. I am very happy with the Code RSC, but will go to the bigger rotors. 180 isn't enough for 4k descents really.

I guess I would like a frame only option because aside from the fork everything could be ported over and I would be pretty happy. Only like 10k bikes would come spec'd with components I would be happy with.

The Gnarvana is tempting because I do like the idea of the Revved carbon. They seem to have them available which is a good start. People seem to like the bike too. Made in USA. Their racer program is temping, but I have done the "ambassador" thing before so not sure I should go that route. That being said I don't think I have seen a single GG in Montana. They probably want to get more of a presence her.

[nickwm21]

Banshee Titan with a coil


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[Andeh]

Other food for thought: you can probably get your 11-6 rebuilt for some of these bikes but not others. Check with Push, but I'm guessing changing your 230x60 over to a 230x65 (for, say, Gnarvana) would probably cost around 300-400. And you can get a Gnarvana as a bare frame, so you're at like $2,600 for frame + shock then. Some of those will cost more than it's really worth to rebuild (anytime you're going from metric to trunnion, etc.), and Push has to support the frame too. You could even run your 230x60 temporarily short stroking and giving up some travel, but would need new eyelet hardware still.

I'm not sure what sort of dropper you're running, but that might require a new one too unless your model has conversion kits (Reverb, BikeYoke).

[Sandbox]

I know someone who was ambassador deal with spesh and broke their enduro ( rear chainstay) ride one…. Was warrantied and fixed in about a week but worth mentioning


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[toast2266]

Propain Spindrift frames are in stock, reasonably priced, and sexy looking.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Other food for thought: you can probably get your 11-6 rebuilt for some of these bikes but not others. Check with Push, but I'm guessing changing your 230x60 over to a 230x65 (for, say, Gnarvana) would probably cost around 300-400. And you can get a Gnarvana as a bare frame, so you're at like $2,600 for frame + shock then. Some of those will cost more than it's really worth to rebuild (anytime you're going from metric to trunnion, etc.), and Push has to support the frame too. You could even run your 230x60 temporarily short stroking and giving up some travel, but would need new eyelet hardware still.

I'm not sure what sort of dropper you're running, but that might require a new one too unless your model has conversion kits (Reverb, BikeYoke).

That was what I was thinking. I ended up filling out the GG ambassador thing anyway. If I got a complete rig from them I would swap over my wheels, drivetrain, possibly bar, etc from my 150 to the Gnarvana, then have a complete bike to sell. Selling just a used frame seems tough, but selling a complete bike in this market is no problem.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Propain Spindrift frames are in stock, reasonably priced, and sexy looking.

Ok yeah thats pretty sexy.

[evasive_MT]

That being said I don't think I have seen a single GG in Montana. They probably want to get more of a presence her.

Buddy of mine here has a Smash. It was at all the MES traces (under the photographer). He says nice things about it.

[XXX-er]

It is a good time to be selling a used bike but then its hard to find new product, at that level of bike you might want to try whatever you buy or you might be dissapointed

I've gone from Yeti fanboi to SC fanboi and the bikes at that level are pretty amazing

[toast2266]

Buddy of mine here has a Smash. It was at all the MES traces (under the photographer). He says nice things about it.

The Smash still might be my favourite bike in the "light duty enduro" category. That thing was a really fun bike. I might end up with another one at some point.

[grinch]

Vital is raving about the new devinci spartan today. Sounds like a great race bike and at the top of their enduro shootout

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[SKIP IN7RO]

Propain Spindrift frames are in stock, reasonably priced, and sexy looking.

Damn, that base build is only $1300 more than the frame option. That's a lot of good stuff to have as backups or sell-off.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

The high pivot/idler thing definitely have me interested. The main team here is on the new Jekyll. I was racing in MX with two people riding that bike and they fucking love it. Sounds like they are already going to have a tough time getting bikes by next season.

The Dreadnaught is interesting. What else is out there? I'm honestly kinda not up on many of the new bikes.