XC.... kind of....... racing focus............
The Specialized Epic looks hot = Full Squish, Brain Shock
The Trek 9.8, its a hard tail, but its Carbon
Trance X0 -- 5 inches of travel, 26 pounds, List $3700
Trance X1 -- 5 inches of travel, 28 pounds, List $2700
Carbon's cool, but east coast rocks are the enemy of carbon fiber. A buddy of mine has a Trek Fuel Carbon -- he took one hard shot from a rock and his rear triangle started to delaminate. That was a costly replacement.
5" is to much travel for me
I have an aluminum S-works Epic. The bike rips, but not nearly as much as my new ride.
http://www.ellsworthbikes.com/BIKE-ellsworth-truth.php
Briarcliff Bike Works in Briarcliff Manor, NY is the closest northern NJ dealer. Go take a test ride at Blue with one. The thing rides like a couch compared to the Epic, its also super light.
CycleCraft isn't a Ells dealer anymore?
Nimrod's a LI guy anyhow...
There are alot of choices.
I leave LI and the big butt easties start buying carbon hardtails? What is going on out there anyway?!
stands to reason you'd be faster. then again, you may be slower. that whole feeling no pain thing.
anyway, are you only looking @ 26" or are 29ers an option?
5" is to much travel for me
IH Azure baby. 3.5", DW-Link, full squish race bike but not crazy steep angles like the Anthem. Like the Epic but cheaper. Also the RacerX sounds about right.