recommendations

rayder

Active Member
my fiance needs a new bike. wants a full susp., cross country bike for racing preferrably under 28lbs. and around 2 grand any suggestions?
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
my fiance needs a new bike. wants a full susp., cross country bike for racing preferrably under 28lbs. and around 2 grand any suggestions?

there is a cannondale rush with the fox fork (not the lefty) that is around $1700 that should come in around 28lbs.
 

clarkenstein

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
um whats the lefty?

that funkified fork with only one side to it.

cdale_leftspd_carbsl_07_f.jpg
 

NJ-XC-Justin

KY-DH-Freddy
The Rush 5z is $1700 and I would think come in over 30 lbs stock. Also that Fox is 120mm which isn't really a racing spec but more trail-ready. But the Rush 4 gets you the lefty and a nicer spec for $2300. Rushes also have a head tube angle of 69 which is perfect for trail riding but kinda slack for racing.

Cdale prices:
http://www.barrbike.com/Bikes and Accessories/cannondale_prices.htm

If she's serious about racing, a Giant Anthem 2 comes home for $1875. 72-degree HA and 80mm of travel mean this puppy is ready to race (and would therefore be less comfy and stable on the trails). But the Reba can be slacked out to 100mm which would probably roll back the HA to 71 degrees.

Trance 1 (not the Trance X) might be a great route. 70.5 HA means race-able, Giant gives the best spec for the money around, and it comes in a little over budget at $2400, though maybe a cash payment might knock a few hundy off. Probably around 28 pounds.

Lastly check Randall Scott for killer prices on an Azure (or find an IH dealer like Campmor in Paramus). I ride and race one and am happy with it. Check out this '05 closeout, formerly $4300, now $1900:
http://www.rscycle.com/s.nl/it.A/id.7609/.f?sc=7&category=531
 

rayder

Active Member
thank you for the suggestions

Justin, we just looked at the azure and the giant anthem actually has a women specific model. both look nice. what would you guess are the weights? pros and cons of each? and thank you for all the useful info so far. My fiance loves the price of the azure and says the girl who won all the beginner races last year rides an anthem.
 

MixMastaMM

Team Bulldog Rider
My fiance loves the price of the azure and says the girl who won all the beginner races last year rides an anthem.

Best thing to do is see what bikes are in your price range. Then go to local shops and take the bikes out on the trail for a ride. You would want your fiance to ride them for more than 5 minutes in the parking lot. Everything will feel great riding off of curbs in the lot. The better the bike fits from the start, the better time you guys will have out on the trail.
 

rayder

Active Member
definitely a good suggestion

do you think they would let her take the bike out on the trail without buying it?
 

NJ-XC-Justin

KY-DH-Freddy
Justin, we just looked at the azure and the giant anthem actually has a women specific model. both look nice. what would you guess are the weights? pros and cons of each? and thank you for all the useful info so far. My fiance loves the price of the azure and says the girl who won all the beginner races last year rides an anthem.

The Azure frame is a full pound more than the Anthem, but Ironhorses can be found for crazy discounts online like that '05 Team model which even though has a 6.5 lb frame probably comes in in the low 26s, so you can get killer components spec for the $$. I would think the Anthem 2 would come in around there as well, maybe 25. My Azure (17") is 26.5 lbs and my Stans and Hope wheelset probably weighs around the same as that Crossmax SL.
Choosing between the Anthem and Azure is easy -- If I had a trail bike already and wanted a pure race machine I'd get the Anthem. If I wanted a race-y bike that I could also ride with friends on the weekends as well I'd get the Azure (or Trance). The Anthem is an unquestionable XC race bike while the Azure is more "marathon" race bike. The Anthem can win races but isn't exactly forgiving (72-degree head angle!). But def. factor in the shop like MixMasta said -- great support goes a long way.
 

MixMastaMM

Team Bulldog Rider
do you think they would let her take the bike out on the trail without buying it?

I know specialized gives their shops demo bikes for that one reason. Talk to your local shop and see if they would let you demo the bike. Also check out the manufactures website to see if they will be having a demo day in the area. Trek just had a demo day this past Saturday at Wawayanda.
 

ChrisG

Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
my fiance needs a new bike. wants a full susp., cross country bike for racing preferrably under 28lbs. and around 2 grand any suggestions?
My wife has an 2007 Anthem 2, and while she is far from a racer, the bike will never slow her down if she develops in a more performance-minded directon. At the same time, it seems perfectly suited for her mellower cruising at Allaire, Huber, Clayton, and etc.
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Gary Fisher

The Gary Fisher Hi-Fi Deluxe GS (women's specific model)...It's a little over $2,000 but it's a sick bike...

hifi_dlx_gs.jpg


-Jim.
 

lawndart

Shop: Campmor
Shop Keep
Titus RX1?

How's about a Titus Racer X complete...i think its called the RX1. Should be around $2000. Pixy rides a Racer X. Nice thing about the Racer X is that it is a race bike that can be ridden on the trail. Oh and Campmor is a Titus dealer as well as IH as Justin explained.
 

pixychick

JORBA: Ringwood
JORBA.ORG
That is correct. I ride a racer-X and love it. The best FS bike I've ever raced.

I think the racer-x1 may retail for $2500. but it is a top notch bike with great components, fox fork, sram, etc. Well worth the money IMO. Campmor usually has the best deals.

I ride a small which has a (100mm fork), but the R-X1 comes in XS (80mm fork) also. The XS has a slightly slacker 70 head angle for a slightly more relaxed handling and extra toe clearance, which can be an issue with shorter top tubes. Hope some of this makes sense, and good luck. :)
 

tonyride

Don't piss off the red guy
My wife is no racer but she loves her Rocky Mountain Element Ladies Only. It retails for around $2100 and she loves it. The women specific geometry is key to a great fit. Town Cycle in West Milford carries Rocky Mountains.
 
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rayder

Active Member
so many bikes to try

thank you all once again. Titus seems to be getting alot of votes, but I think she wants to check them all out. Thank you to all who mentioned the head angles I think it does make sense to me as non-mechanical as I am. Jim, this is go-big, my girlfriend actually demo'd one of those gary fisher's and loved it. But I'm wondering if it weighs any less than her current bike(28 pounds)?
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Jim, this is go-big, my girlfriend actually demo'd one of those gary fisher's and loved it. But I'm wondering if it weighs any less than her current bike(28 pounds)?

GO BIG!! I have one of these in the guys version in the shop, I'll weigh it today when I go in:D

-Jim.
 

rayder

Active Member
thanks Jim and thanks for the cheering at wawayanda. unfortunately I didn't do too well. where is your shop?
 
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