130mm vs 150mm (a.k.a. YT Jeffsy vs Izzo) for North Jersey

nj6964 said:
After a few year hiatus from mtb and another lovely daughter 🙂, I got the bug again this year. First things first, my 2014 Scott spark that I’ve modded and upgraded to hell doesn’t feel like it’s cutting it any more.

I ride mostly rocky stuff typical of north NJ, high mtn, Ringwood, alpine etc. I’m between the YT Izzo and Jeffsy and can’t determine if 130mm up front is enough or would I be wishing I just got the 150mm Jeffsy. Trails I ride have plenty of climbing, often techy climbs but there’s something appealing about having more travel too. Currently my spark is 120mm fork/100 rear. I don’t and will never race, just out having fun.

Honest opinions? Will I miss having the better climber 130mm bike, will I have any more fun with the 150mm Jeffsy? Thanks and see you out there on the trails!
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I say always go longer travel. You have way more flexibility and less fatigue on the descents, especially some of the longer ones in Ringwood and you can comfortably hit all the drops on something like 6 bridges with speed, travel gives you a little margin for error, it’s really a no brainer. Let’s also face it, suspension has gotten so good the climbing is almost identical. And what’s the weight difference, like 1-1.5 pounds? Unless your a gram weenie is 1 pound really going to move the needle that far?
 
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There's been a convergence over the last several years. 120ish bikes can handle some pretty rough terrain at speed and 170ish bikes climb and do slow tech stuff well when properly setup. Don't be afraid to use the compression knobs. Unless you're hitting the extremes and need to eek out the last few seconds on a climb or descent, it's going to come down to feel. All else equal, do you want something poppy/racy or more of a monster truck?

Also, don't underestimate the difference that tires make. Race tires vs enduro bro tires will make a bike feel and perform very different.
 
Just reread your first post, married and kids…. Time to get a e bike. There are tons of them on sale. Pre dad bod legs FTW! You can still get killer workouts with an e bike but not get limited by reduced workout times…..just a thought
 
scott62 said:
Just reread your first post, married and kids…. Time to get a e bike. There are tons of them on sale. Pre dad bod legs FTW! You can still get killer workouts with an e bike but not get limited by reduced workout times…..just a thought
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This may be the first post where being a dad = getting an e bike and also that you can get a more intense work out on an ebike in a shorter period of time.
 
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GASGAS G ENDURO 2.0

If red is a little loud for your trails, then our black and white livery G Enduro 2.0 is a touch more low key in the looks department. Sharing the same frame design, geometry, suspension travel and...
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How about this?
 
stb222 said:
This may be the first post where being a dad = getting an e bike and also that you can get a more intense work out on an ebike in a shorter period of time.
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Let me try to explain. When your fitness level isn’t World Cup level, you tend limit your rides in such a way so you do not “blow up” in the woods ( unless you are that guy that goes on group rides with a bunch of racers and pops every ride). With an e bike, you can plan big rides and start out on eco mode, as you tire, you can up the amount of motor assist to finish the ride and not blowing up and walking out of the woods feeding all the bugs. E bikes also come in handy if you have to end a ride early for some dad reason, just hit the turbo mode and you are out. And hey, you want a real workout? Turn the motor off and you have a 50 lb bike to peddle 😎
 
scott62 said:
Let me try to explain. When your fitness level isn’t World Cup level, you tend limit your rides in such a way so you do not “blow up” in the woods ( unless you are that guy that goes on group rides with a bunch of racers and pops every ride). With an e bike, you can plan big rides and start out on eco mode, as you tire, you can up the amount of motor assist to finish the ride and not blowing up and walking out of the woods feeding all the bugs. E bikes also come in handy if you have to end a ride early for some dad reason, just hit the turbo mode and you are out. And hey, you want a real workout? Turn the motor off and you have a 50 lb bike to peddle 😎
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scott62 said:
Let me try to explain. When your fitness level isn’t World Cup level, you tend limit your rides in such a way so you do not “blow up” in the woods ( unless you are that guy that goes on group rides with a bunch of racers and pops every ride). With an e bike, you can plan big rides and start out on eco mode, as you tire, you can up the amount of motor assist to finish the ride and not blowing up and walking out of the woods feeding all the bugs. E bikes also come in handy if you have to end a ride early for some dad reason, just hit the turbo mode and you are out. And hey, you want a real workout? Turn the motor off and you have a 50 lb bike to peddle 😎
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Do this if you also want to cultivate and keep your dad bod.
 
Orbea has no customer service centers in the US. If you need something, you have to wait for the people in Spain to decide and ship the parts.
Just a fyi…
 
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