29erOnline has been saying for a while that 29ers are not just for big people. Niner Bikes apparently agrees – they are releasing a new XS frame size in the EMD 9 that fits people between 5′ and 5’5″ tall. Here are some bits from their press release, or check out Niner’s website for more information.

22.5″ TOP TUBE
(over 1/2″ shorter than size small)

14″ SEAT TUBE
(1-1/2″ shorter than size small)

3.9″ HEADTUBE
(3/32″ shorter than size small)

RECOMMENDED HEIGHT RANGE OF 5’0″ TO 5’5″

27″ STANDOVER
(1-1/4″ lower than size small)

Here’s what you WON’T find on the smallest E.M.D. 9:

NO TOE OVERLAP

NO SEATSTAY BRIDGE
Improves comfort on a smaller frame and maintains the tire clearance we demand.

NO PROBLEM WITH BOTTLE FIT
A large waterbottle (270mm, 24oz Polar brand) will fit inside the main triangle.

Can’t decide if you want a hard tail or full suspension? I have been rotating back and forth between my hard tail and full suspension bike lately. I enjoy riding both and have been pondering the phrase “pedals like a hard tail”. The inference and conventional wisdom is that hard tails pedal more efficiently than full suspension bikes, and, therefore, the best. It seems pretty intuitive that, yes, a hard tail is more efficient – nothing moving besides the drive train. That said, rather than debating the relative pedaling efficiency of hard tails vs full suspension, I think “rides like a hard tail” is more a more useful way of looking at things when comparing the the two types of bikes.

Full suspension with all the complexity of pivots and shock

The elegant simplicity of a hard tail

Why do I say “rides like a hard tail” is more useful? As far efficiency goes, I honestly wonder if the average rider will notice any downside to riding a quality full suspension bike – by quality I mean a bike in the general league of full suspension bikes most major manufacturers list for more than $2,000. I guess there are two caveats to this statement.

First, it has to be set up correctly. If sag, rebound, etc are not at least in the ballpark, all bets are off on how it will perform. Second, is that I am not fortunate enough to live where there are the types of long, steep, smooth climbs where I alternate between pedaling out out of the saddle and spinning at a high cadence while seated. When I have slogged up a hill for an hour straight, I confess, I have resented even the thought of any energy being wasted by the suspension moving around due to pedaling forces. But really, it’s not like climbing for an hour is fun – no matter what you are riding. (I have also felt like locking out the front shock had more impact on long climbs – but that’s another article.)

So, back to the idea of riding like a hard tail. Compared to riding a full suspension bike, riding a hard tail is a much more active experience – you stand to absorb impacts and you choose your line more carefully to keep the back end from bouncing around too much and popping you off the seat. You are much more in touch with every nuance of the trail. On the full suspension, you probably do those same things, but to a lesser degree. You are more likely to just choose a line and let the suspension do its thing while you stay seated, which can save some abuse on the body. This ability to just point it down and go fast with full suspension definitely adds to the grin factor on the downhills.

I suppose one way to look at it is that, since the level of engagement required on the hard tail is greater, spending time on a hard tail probably makes you a sharper rider, and, therefore, a better rider. Alternately, riding smoother and feeling less beat up means you’ll ride longer and more, which makes you a better rider.

Keeping all components equal, hard tails are cheaper and lighter, since they lack things like linkages and rear shocks. A Specialized Stumpjumper Comp Carbon hard tail is $900 cheaper than a Specialized Camber Comp Carbon with largely the same component kit and weighs several pounds less. A lighter bike can have snappier handling and feel quicker. Lighter bikes are great and handle a bit differently, but see Death of a Weight Weenie on why I am not hung up on the weight issue more. Plus, with $900 in your pocket, you could put the extra money towards a higher component spec, snazzy outfits and a decent biking trip.

So, is there a winner in this discussion? For me, as in most of life, there is no clear cut, one size fits all answer. If I could only have one bike, but had a good sized budget, full suspension is my choice. On a rough, rooty trail, my achy back says yes, and, on a big old downhill, the grin on my face leaves little question that the extra money is worth it. Start bringing more variables into the equation, and the decision is less clear. It really depends on how and what you ride and how deep your wallet is. On a smoother trails with a limited budget, the racy, active feel of a hard tail would be nothing to complain about – racy with money in your pocket might just be something to cheer about.

Bottom line is you can have a ton of fun on both on any type of trail. Just don’t feel like you need to choose based on perceived efficiency – choose based on how you want to ride and what best fits your budget. Of course, if you can swing both, then you can set the bikes up differently and choose which one to ride based on your mood.

Light wheels can make a huge difference in performance – more so than any other component on your bike. With many companies making all sorts of claims as they clamour for their wheels to get a spot on your bike, the choices can be difficult. Add in cost and things can get overwhelming.

700 grams for a front wheel, quick release, tubeless tape and valve core

880 grams for a rear wheel, quick release, rim tape and valve core

Stan’s No Tubes, out of Elmira New York, was one of the first companies to offer a 29er rim that could be run tubeless and was light enough to compete with 26 inch wheels, or at least bridge the gap. In my mind, they were instrumental in making 29ers a viable option at a key point in the history of the 29er. They did not stop with a light, tubeless rim; their line included mid weight and heavier duty rims to provide the entire range of wheel types for the big wheel enthusiasts. While being one of the first to really invest in 29ers, and having a broad lineup is nice, in today’s competitive 29er wheel market, they have to perform in order to earn our thumbs up.

The wheelset we have is a Crest 29er Stock Wheelset. The internal rim width is 21mm. It is a laced 3 across with a light gauge 2.0 to 1.7 spokes (14/16 gauge). This appears to be a double butted spoke. Double butted spokes are well suited to disc brake wheels, as the ends are thicker than the center. The thicker section (2.0 or 14 gauge) is in the area most prone to breaking and the thinner section (1.7 or 16 gauge) has better elasticity, so the spokes won’t get brittle as easily from repeated flex from braking force.

Since they are called No Tubes, not surprisingly, the rims are tubeless ready. You will still need to run sealant, but almost any tire can be converted to tubeless using this system. Please be sure to read the tire manufacturers material with regards to tubeless use, and remember, this is always done at your own risk.

Without listing every tire we have run on them, Stan’s tubeless system works well across a wide range of tires except UST standard tires which are very tight and borderline impossible to get on. Of course, we have burped every tire we have run, on every tubeless combination. Typically, this is due to failing to keep enough air in the tires and leaning hard and pumping through a turn. I still feel that tubeless set ups are more reliable then a tube set up. Usually, if you burp a tire, you would more then likely have pinch flatted a tube anyway.

Our Stan’s Crest rims are fairly narrow, so we chose not to run more then a 2.1 tire. There is still a slight balloon shape even at this width. You have to keep in mind its intended use, XC. These are very light weight wheels, so the emphasis is on low weight, not on keeping a square profile on a tire. It is an appropriate width rim for its intended use, and on par with other XC rated wheels. If you plan on running a really wide set of tires, look at the Arch or Flow rims by Stan’s.

The 3.30 Stan’s branded hubs are, to me, a real focal point of these wheels. They really stand out as a great value. They can easily be converted between 15 qr and standard drop outs without any special tools. The rear can also be converted to 12×142 without any special tools. To do this, I prefer using a vice with soft grips very gently pressed onto the end caps. Then, gently rock the wheel back and forth while pulling up gently. The end cap pops out and you can replace it with the adapter caps. Or, as in the pictures below, you can use vice grips, which I am absolutely sure Stan’s doesn’t advocate but it still works, if you don’t have access to proper tools. Again, the key here is be gentle! You don’t need much force and you definitely don’t need lots of clamping force. On a good day, I have even done it with my fingers and it probably should be tried this way first. If you have any doubts, please go to your local shop. If you bought them online, don’t forget the six pack for the mechanics

Back to the hub’s performance and why they are such a good value. The bearings roll very smoothly and the tight ratchets react well to quick bursts and pedal kicks. Overall, they are responsive and very smooth, especially for the money. In my mind, they are an excellent value and the real selling point of this wheelset.

With some caveats, unfortunately, this is where the good ends. These wheels are recommended for riders that weigh up to 190 pounds. I am 20 pounds over that recommendation and our other testers that spent time on them are under that number. One 20 pounds under, the other 55 pounds under that number. Riding in an aggressive XC style, literally, every other ride, the spokes completely de-tensioned, and were flopping around in the wind. I had as many as 8 spokes loosen up to this degree during one ride. We got the wheel re-tensioned 3 times and thread lock designed for spoke nipples put on. That improved things from 8 loose spokes to 4 at a time. After going through this process, I threw in the towel on these wheels. In my opinion, I was asking nothing out of these wheels that that they should not have been able to deliver on – wheels should not de-tension regardless of rider weight.

To be fair, our 135 pound rider thought nothing bad about them. Myself and the 170 pound rider couldn’t get past the wiggle felt in the back from the wheel flexing. It is our opinion that the weight penalty of 100 grams or so on similar wheels offered by other companies is worth the stiffness and reliability gained. Best case scenario is that the wheels were poorly built or manufacturing tolerances are not great. Either way, they can’t really get our recommendation until they prove more reliable.

So the verdict: if you are a light rider with a finess riding style, these wheels may work fine. I would recommend riding them for a couple of days, then bringing them into a shop with an excellent wheel builder and having them re-tension the wheel. Another option is to use them as a dedicated race day wheelset on smooth race courses. Everyone else, look elsewhere.

The Marin Alpine Trail 29 is the third bike in our $1,000 bike test. It comes in below our $1,000 limit at $899. There isn’t a whole lot of marketing hype around this bike. No catchy phrases describing why the Alpine trail will change your life. Instead, Marin provides straight forward information about what the Alpine trail is, a 6061 aluminium 29er hardtail that has a spec like more expensive bikes but a price $100 cheaper. Understated as the Marin is, the spec is solid.

Marin Bikes, located in Marin County, California, has a storied history that matches its location. In fact, Marin County is considered by many to be “the birth place of mountain biking”. Some big names in the industry like Joe Murray and Steve “gravy” Gravinites did/do work for Marin Bikes. Lesser known, but pretty cool, is the fact that Marin’s offices moved from a Coca-Cola bottling facility to the Grateful Dead’s recording studio. Maybe this is why they are subtle in their approach. With roots like those, I guess you don’t need to overstate yourself.

As with the other bikes in our test, hydraulic brakes are a must. The Alpine Trail uses Tektro Draco hydraulic brakes with 160mm rotors. So far, so good. Primarily, we prefer hydraulic brakes for their combination of power and modulation. The added power helps you control your bike without taxing your forearm muscles and, because they are hydraulic, they are easier to control.

The Marin comes with a Rock Shox XC 28 Tk mag 29. It has a lockout, preload and rebound. Lockout keeps the shock stiff, preload sets sag, and rebound controls the rate the fork returns to it’s starting position. It is nice to see the rebound feature on a bike at this price point. From our initial rides on these forks, they all need rebound damping.

The Alpine Trail 29 has a Marin OEM handlebar, seat post and stem. The seat post is a 27.2 variety, with 2 bolts that make adjusting the tilt of the saddle easy. Marin Bikes opted for a smaller seat post diameter for comfort reasons. The smaller diameter seat posts offer a small amount of flex that some riders believe adds comfort. Realistically, an aluminium post is stiff. If you really want to benefit from some flex in your seat post, you need to look at titanium or carbon fiber. Still, it is a nice feature.  WTB handles the seating area with a Silverado saddle.

The handlebars have a 31.8 diameter and are 680 mm wide. The stem is very short for our 19″ frame, which contributes to the fact that the positioning is upright on this bike. More advanced riders may want a longer stem with less rise so they can weight the front end a little more, and to allow for stretching out.

Marin uses a much shorter top tube than many other bikes with the same seat tube height. Again, they do this because they want the rider to be more upright and their bikes nimble enough for trail riding. Their bikes are designed to handle switchbacks and the tight, twisty terrain that characterizes the trails in Marin County, California.

The wheels are a sealed hub variety laced 32 hole 3 cross on Alex double wall alloy  rims. I can’t find any information about this rim, so we will be paying close attention to them during testing. The Geax Saguaro tires are fairly knobby tires rated as an all around tire, which is fitting for a bike that needs to be able to handle whatever its rider wants to try.

The cranks are by Truvative and called Blaze 3.0. It is a triple ring crank set with a splined bottom bracket. The 44/32/22 chain rings, combined with the 34 tooth 9 speed Shimano cassette, should provide plenty of gearing for every type of trail.

Speaking of gearing, the drive train, primarily Shimano Alivio, has a Shimano Deore rear derailleur. So far, these parts have been reliable workhorses. No, they won’t wow you, but they work well, and are affordable to replace, when the time comes.

In short, the Marin Alpine Trail 29 is an understated bike. From the subdued grey color, to the black components with low key graphics, it is a functional bike with very good value for your dollar. Stay tuned to our testing to learn more about how it performs.

Rocky Mountain Bikes released the Element 970 as their second 29er, new for 2012. While the Element platform has been around since 1996, this is its first year offered as a 29er. Since its inception, it has been a XC (Cross Country) bike with its roots in racing. What is XC ? Typically, it refers to a race oriented bike with an emphasis on light weight and efficiency. Rocky Mountain knows that, to most of us, XC still means light and efficient but that we expect a lot more from a XC bike than just a race and training bike. The Element still has its roots in racing but it can also be a fast, efficient trail bike.

The Element 29er platform comes in 3 parts levels. The 970 for $4299.00 , 950 for $3300 and 930 for $2600

The 970 comes with a more XC oriented group which includes a 100mm (3.9 inch) RockShox Sid fork, and light weight, speed oriented Maxxis tires (Aspen rear and Ikon front). The 950 comes with a longer travel 120mm fork, heavier duty 20mm axle and a wind down feature that can change the travel from 90mm to 120mm on the front shock. In addition, it has less expensive hubs and X9 cranks instead of the carbon variety found on the Element 970. Other then these differences, they are pretty close in spec. The 930 is a more budget oriented package. Cool thing is they all share the same frame, so you can upgrade over time.

Rocky Mountain designs their bikes in British Columbia, Canada. In recent years, they have out sourced production overseas. The coolest thing about Rocky Mountain has always been the small batch, custom FEEL that they have. Even though this bike is manufactured in Asia, it is not a catalog spec’ed bike. Every nook and cranny is engineered to achieve a purpose.

Lets look at some of these frame features that are truly unique to rocky Mountain Bikes. One of the first things I noticed is the use of bushings on the pivots, instead of bearings. Since I first rode Rocky Mountain Bikes and sold them at a shop I worked at, this has truly been a selling point. Bushings are lighter and require very little maintenance. They spread the load of the pivot over a greater surface area. Lighter and easier to maintain; why are we using bearings? Taking it a step further, this is no ordinary bushing. Rocky Mountain uses their ABC bushings (angular concept bushings). Yay, more acronyms ! Check out this video for the details. Put simply, lighter, stiffer easier to maintain – all good things in 29erOnline’s book.

Rocky Mountain Bicycles – ABC™ Pivots from Rocky Mountain Bicycles on Vimeo.

Rocky Mountain’s Smooth Link is another feature of the Element series. No, it is not a variation of the Horst Link. Check out the video below for Rocky Mountains take:

Rocky Mountain Bicycles – SmoothLink™ Suspension System from Rocky Mountain Bicycles on Vimeo.

Included in the frame is a direct mount front derailleur mounted to the chainstay, tapered steer tube, and internal cable routing with really well executed seals where the cables exit the frame. A 30.9 seat post with a rubber seal at the seat clamp to keep out the elements (no pun intended). The bottom bracket type is a BB92 variety. Basically, it has a press-in bearing and adapter. You use an integrated spindle crank set that is readily available. Here is a good write up on it that gives the basics without making you want to pass out or take a nap.

The fit is much different then other maker’s geometry. We will post test rider’s dimensions, so you can get an idea of how to size the Element. Our test model is a large 18.5 inch seat tube. Rocky Mountain Bikes dubs this Race Tuned Compact. The goal is to diminish the handling differences between a 26er and a 29er.

I have to say, when production was outsourced, I was very skeptical that they would be able to keep the same feel as those bikes that were hand built in Canada by welders who signed off on the bikes they welded. This sort of small, dedicated, soulful, roots company is what drew me to Rocky Mountain in the first place. Admittedly, there is still a part of me that misses that. The good news is, that everything was engineered and designed in British Columbia down to the smallest detail and, by doing so, they have kept the feel of their bikes true to Rocky Mountain’s heritage.

The Element 970 shows its purpose right out of the box. It is not loaded with the lightest parts, but rather a smart, well rounded parts kit. the DT rims are not the lightest rims but they are stiff, have welded seams, and are tubeless ready. Would you sacrifice stiffness for weight ? I would not, especially for a bike that can do daily duty as a one bike for most occasions. The hubs are 15qr variety with a 12 x 142 rear. This is a welcomed trend, even on bikes that emphasize light weight. The extra stiffness in both wheel and frame is worth the very small weight penalty compared to the older open drop style. The other wheel components are very straight forward. The DT Swiss hubs are laced 3x with 32 spokes Combined, they are reliable, a very competitive weight for the money, and easy to service…smart!. We have said it before and will continue to emphasize the importance of wheels that are easy to maintain, with a tried and true balance between strength and weight. This wheel set should be easily serviced by any decent shop anywhere in the developed world. Convert it to tubeless and ride them into the ground.

The fork is new to us, and is a new model for 2012. Rocky Mountain spec’ed the Element 970 with the Rock Shox Sid RL model. RL refers to rebound control and lock out. The Sid RL is a dual air model with positive and negative air chambers. Spend the time setting it up correctly and it can go head to head with any other fork on the market. As stated above, it has a 15qr front axle and a tapered steer tube. Once again, we see Rocky Mountain focusing on stiffness and not micro managing weight. Big thumbs up here!

The Element 970 handlebar, seat post, and stem are all aluminum Easton models. The standout to me is the nice wide 685 mm bars that have a 9 degree sweep. For the record, I would still like to see bars that are wider and with an upwards flair. Wider bars can always be cut down. Again, I will also state that preferences are huge, even within the 29erOnline testers, so this really isn’t that big of a deal, as most people will be fine with the bars that are provided. That said, manufacturers could allow people the option of trying a wider set up by spec’ing the bike with a wider bar and allowing them to cut them to the desired width. The short time I spent on the bike, I ran a 70mm stem and a 710 mm wide low rise bar. With this setup, this is the sharpest handling 29er dual suspension bike I have ridden to date. With the stock setup which is longer, lower, and narrower, it didn’t have nearly the same level of playfulness.

Braking duty is handled by the very light and extremely powerful Formula R1 Brakes. The 180mm rotors used both front and rear should provide plenty of power. A neat detail is the Canadian Maple leaf engraved in the caliper’s piston.

The drivetrain is a mix of SRAM parts. X7 front derailluer, X9 shifters, XO rear derailluer, and a SRAM 1070, X9 level cassette. This is a very good setup and really has nothing one can complain about. We run X9 on our 29erOnline built kits, and have had no problems or complaints, even from riders coming from a much higher end product on their personal rides.

The Element 970 promises to be a smart versatile Cross Country oriented bike, with the ability to be used day in and day out as a trail bike as well. Our testing will be focused on this versatility. The testing has just begun!

Just in time for our 29erOnline road trip to Georgia, Dustan Sept from Norco got us a 2012 Norco Revolver 2 bike to test. This is Norco’s very capable 4 inch front and rear travel cross country/trail bike. The Norco Revolver 2 is, as Norco puts it, an “un-race bike that can be raced.” It is light enough to be competative and stiff enough to be fun. “Norco says it is “a 29er for the people ..the faster people.”

The Revolver 2 has a suggested retail price of $3,350 US dollars. It is offered in two additional kits, the Revolver 1 for $5,375 and the lower priced Revolver 3 for $2,425. For those of us who like to custom spec our bikes or who have a bunch of parts lying around that we want to use, Norco has a frame set for $2100 US. At first glance you may think that for $325 US you can get the complete Revolver 3. However the frame kit comes with a Fox rp23 boost valve rear shock. Also included in the price is a seat post , headset and seat clamp.

It seems that most people I talk to locally are unfamiliar with Norco Bicycles. Norco was founded in 1964 and their headquarters are in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. It seems that its first mountain bike was made in 1984 and they introduced a 29er full suspension bike as a 2011 model called the Shinobi. The Revolver is their second 29er dual suspension bike. Both models are based on the FSR link. Norco’s specific version of this suspension is called A.R.T.- Advanced Ride Technology. It is claims to increase square edge bump compliance, increase pedaling efficiency, improve braking performance, and have an improved leverage ratio curve. For Norco’s explanation follow this link to their website.

We are testing a size medium bike. It has a 18 inch seat tube and a theoretical top tube length of 23.6 inches. This is a fairly short top tube compared to other 29ers with the same height seat tube. As usual, we will not be speculating on pros and cons of specific parts of a bike’s geometry because we feel like bike is the sum of all its parts. We’ll just say that, for fit reasons, the Revolver’s top tube is a little shorter then others in its category.

The Revolver comes with a very interesting parts spec. that I believe reflects its intended purpose nearly perfectly. It has a tapered steer tube Rock Shox Recon Fork. The Recon has a positive air spring with no negative air chamber like the pricier Rock Shox Reba. While having the positive and negative air adjustments allows you to fine tune the Reba, it does take more time to balance the chambers to your perfect ride feel. Right from the first time we set the Recon up, we noticed how much easier this is to set up. The Recon comes with external rebound adjustment, which is mandatory for mountain bike suspension. It also comes with a lock out that has a remote actuation lever.

One of our favorite features of this bike (it’s true, it’s not just me that is excited about this) is the 20mm Maxle axle that comes on this fork. This makes a huge difference in stiffness and is easy to use. This is a 4 inch travel bike with over sized front and rear axles. Nice! Combine a tapered steer tube and a beefy hydroformed frame and the front end promises to be super stiff and responsive. Just remember that flipping the Maxle lever up does not tighten the axle. All the tightening is done by locking the lever into the depression in the axle flange and screwing it down.

The rear shock is a Rock Shox Ario RL. It has an external rebound adjuster and a lock out lever. This is a fairly new shock to me, but, so far, we have no complaints. It does seem to be a hair over-sprung but it can easily be tuned by controlling the rebound. The Horst Link allows the Revolver to have nice active suspension that is affected very little by brake forces. Spend time figuring out the rebound damping or you will get the dreaded pedal bob. This is not uncommon with Horst link suspension bikes. We started out with sag measurements at 25%. It will take time to get the tune to where we like it, so stay tuned to our final review to get any tips we have come up with through our testing.

Speaking of the rear of the bike, the Norco has a 142 x 12 rear axle. This is a little different than what I have been seeing because it is a bolt on rear axle instead of a quick release or ratcheting style. You will need to carry a hex head key with you if you plan on being able to service a rear flat. Typically, I am not a fan of this, as tool free options are readily available that work really well. Still, seeing a 142 x 12 rear axle on a cross country bike is a great thing and recognition for this smart spec has to be noted.

Around the over sized axles of the Norco Revolver is a set of sealed bearing Formula hubs. While the Formula hubs don’t have the wow factor of higher end hubs, they seem to be reliable with a reasonable weight. Our first few rides on them were in very adverse conditions. They spent about 72 hours soaking wet and are no worse for the wear. As this is our first experience with these hubs, we will be watching how they hold up.

Since we are on the subject of wheel parts, Norco spec’ed the Revolver 2 with DT-Swiss X470 rims. While not the lightest rims at 470 grams each, they are nice and stiff for the price and they come with Dt Swiss’ excellent reputation for making products that last. The wheels have stainless spokes and there are 32 of them laced 3 cross. This is easy to get worked on; 32 holed 3 cross wheels are very common and parts should be readily available.

Norco uses their own brand handle bars, seat post, and stem. Deviating from this theme they used a WTB brand saddle with a green graphic and Norco logo that matches the green on the frame. All these components look and feel like products that cost a lot more than should be on a bike of this price. Admittedly, there are lighter parts out there but I wouldn’t touch them for this bike. A nice added touch is the color co-ordinated green graphics. The green is vibrant and looks sharp spread tastefully throughout the bike.

My only suggestion to Norco on components is to spec a wider bar. The bars that are provided are 680mm wide. While far from a narrow bar, it is not quite as wide as many people would like. Wider bars can always be cut down for those who want them narrower. As it is, people who want them wider, will have to purchase new bars. For the record, bar width preferences are extremely varied among the testers at 29erOnline, so this can’t be counted against the bike. Most people will be perfectly happy with the 680mm wide stock set up. Just a friendly suggestion to make sure the bike can accommodate the widest group of users possible.

The Revolver 2 comes with SRAM’s X7 kit with a X9 rear derailleur. The cranks are a 3×10 set up instead of the trendier 2×10 set ups we see lots of now. The gear range is large and really reflects the intent of this bike; a nice broad range of gearing for a bike made to cover a variety of riding styles. What the test crew is finding is that you get used to the different gear ranges quickly, so we don’t really have a strong opinion on 3×10 or 2×10. Ride what you have.

Norco uses Avid Elixer 5 Hydraulic disc brakes with SRAMs match maker clamp. This allows the brakes and shifters to share the same bar clamp. It makes for a nice clean looking set up. Interestingly Norco chose to use 160mm rotors front and rear instead of using the larger 180 mm rotors we have been seeing lately.

Yet another interesting feature, that The Revolver boasts is Chainguide mounts. Wrapped around the bottom bracket shell are 3 bolt tabs. If you decide to ride one by ten or decide to use a chain guide there are many compatible units.

Unfortunately, early on, we have one legitimate complaint – the tires. For a bike that promises to be so versatile, the Kenda Slant Six tires seem completely under gunned. It is our wet season here in North Carolina and these tires are just not up to the task. They seem to do well in dirt with a light layer of pinestraw, but, in any type of mud or wet leaves, these tires are scary. We will revisit them if we get dry weather, but are scrambling trying to find an acceptable replacement that will not offend Norco, as we know they spend a ton of time piecing together their bikes and are rightfully proud of what they put out.

Our initial impression of the Norco Revolver 2 is that it is a well thought out, impressive bike that is packed with the latest features and is a good value. It feels light and is easy to ride. That is all I can tell you for now. We are well into our testing, so keep following us as we ride the rubber off the Norco Revolver 2 and report back on what we find.

weight with pedals 29 LBS 8 OZ Shown in metric

weight with pedals

The Specialized RockHopper 29 is the second bike we would like to introduce as part of our $1,000 bike test. It comes in just under the limit with an MSRP of $960. According to Specialized, the RockHopper 29er is “a time tested xc hard tail built for cruising fire roads and slicing singletrack”. They add that, “the RockHopper 29 combines performance with value in a package every rider will appreciate”. A tall order for a bike that retails for $960? We’ll find out.

The RockHopper 29 has an aluminum, hydroformed frame that uses an alloy that Specialized calls “fully butted m4 alloy”. What we are finding is that each brand uses their own proprietary, specially treated aluminum for their bikes. What does it mean in practical terms? It is aluminium with 4 additional elements similar to 6061 alloy. Add hydoforming and you get what Specialized feels is a durable frame with a ride quality that they feel is right.

The first first thing that stands out on this bike is the Tecktro Draco hydraulic disc brakes. We consider hydraulic brakes to be a mandatory feature for any mountain bike we ride or recommend. With hydraulics you get excellent power, but more importantly they are easy to modulate and take less hand strength to operate. This helps prevent arm pump – when your forearms get over-worked and so sore it is hard to hold on to your bars. In bad cases, your forearm can cramp and can lock up your fingers.

The fork is a SR Suntour with 80 mm of travel, or roughly 3 inches. It is a coil sprung fork and seems to be maxed out in its ability to perform well at about a 180 pound rider without getting a heavier spring. The only adjustment you can make to this fork is pre-load which affects the sag and firmness of the fork. This is done by screwing down the dial on the left hand leg of the fork. While there is is a lock-out (good), there is no rebound adjustment to change the speed at which the fork reacts, which is a real negative. The bad news is the rebound dial is much more necessary for the fork to perform at its best than a lock-out.

Cockpit parts are Specialized branded pieces. They are a bit heavy, but, realistically, at this price point, they are just fine. Aluminium parts that work – not much more you can ask for then that. Something that really separates the Specialized RockHopper 29 from other bikes in this price point is the bars. They are flat bars with 10 degrees of sweep (bend toward the rider) and 4 degrees of flair (slight bend upwards) as opposed to just having sweep back. They are wide; size medium and up are 700 mm wide (small are 680mm). These bars feel comfortable like riser bars but give you the benefits of being low and wide more common to flat bars. Wide bars are especially important because they add leverage which, in turn, increases ease of control.My only gripe with the cockpit is the stem, which has 2 separate parts instead of a solid face plate. It’s not really a huge deal, but, for some reason, it bugs me. It is a tank of a part so this design certainly isn’t for weight reasons!

The saddle is a very comfortable Specialized RockHopper model with a 143 mm width. The majority of 29erOnline riders are using 143mnm width saddles. Specialized saddles have been a favorite for us for since before this website even started. It is well padded, but fairly streamlined, so it does a nice job of staying out of the way.

The grips are a comfort style that has an extended section where your palms meet the grip. This supports your palm and is a style of grip that many riders like. It is a nice addition to a bike at this price point.

The drive train, made up of Alivio and Acera grade parts, is a 9 speed rear with 3 chain rings up front that provides plenty of gear options for real mountain biking. These are recreational level parts rather than a performance package, but it works well enough and is affordable to replace when necessary. Upgrade as you break or wear out parts.

The tires are Specialized brand Captain Sport front and a FastTrack Sport rear. The sport casing is a heavier casing with a wire bead. While adding weight to the wheels is not the most desirable thing, the durability of these heavier casings is a good thing, especially if you ride in rocky terrain. We are seeing a trend on bikes of all types and price ranges in which companies put a faster tire on the rear and a more aggressive tire on front. I subscribe to this trend; aggressive front tires keep the front from breaking loose and grabs better for steering while faster tires in back make the rear end of a bike easier to accelerate and by the nature of the rear end of a bike, it is easier to correct when traction is broken.

The crank set is an SR Suntour variety. Our test model is white, unlike the black ones pictured on the company website. They are an octalink variety so the bottom bracket is housed inside the bottom bracket shell. It has 8 splines on the bottom bracket spindle, which provides much more surface area for the cranks to hold onto. These systems are reliable, and affordable to replace when the time comes. While not having the brand recognition others may have, the SR Suntour cranks do have all the features needed to make them a contender among our other $1,000 bikes.

The wheels are Alex Rims with 32 holes laced 3 cross to Formula Hubs. This is an easy to maintain reliable wheel spec. The Alex rims are a nice, wide 28mm and are alloy. They are pinned instead of welded. A pinned rim means that the seam of the rim is pressed together using exactly what it sounds like; pins. This is normal for the price point, but, given no budgetary constraints, a welded rim is typically much more durable and reliable. Specialized seems to use a nice wide rim on all the 29 inch wheel mountain bikes they make. This is a plus because the wide rims allow for a more square tire profile which, in turn, makes for a tire that performs better and is less likely to pinch flat. We don’t know much about the hubs but they seem competitive with what other companies are offering.

Overall, the RockHopper 29 is, as expected, a competitively priced bike with all the features that make a bike truly off road capable. Please read our $1,000 29er article for the test set up and objectives. Check back soon to see how it measures up on trail.

The first bike we will be profiling for our $1,000 mountain bike review is the Giant Talon 0. The Talon 0 is listed by Giant as “Men’s Off-road sport”. Giant’s website tells us it is:

“Engineered to give you more control and increased comfort on the trail, Talon 29 lets you sit back and enjoy the ride. The lightweight, responsive AluxX aluminium frame is designed with geometry that’s optimized for it’s 29-inch wheels. These larger diameter hoops roll over obstacles with greater ease, improve your traction and help you keep your momentum.”

AluxX is the lower end of two aluminium technologies Giant uses. It is manufactured in-house at Giant’s own factory. Essentially, it is 6061 aluminium that Giant processes in their special way, which includes hydroforming.

6061 Aluminium is an excellent alloy and is easy to work with, strong, and reasonably light. Add hydro-forming, and this should be a frame you can keep for a long time.

The Giant Talon 0 is a very well equipped bike for the money. It has a Sram X5 drive train, except for the front derailleur. The front derailleur is a Shimano Deore top pull, bottom swing with a 34.9mm clamp, should you ever decide to upgrade. Another interesting note is that the cassette is a Sram 950 series. This is more in line with Sram X7 in terms of quality. Overall, this is a smartly spec’ed bike, as it spreads your money out through the entire bike and does not compromise any one part in favor of a rear derailleur.

Handlebar, stem, seat post, and saddle are all Giant branded components. The seat post is a 30.9mm, so it is possible to get a large selection of dropping seat posts, which I highly recommend. Handlebars are 31.8mm diameter with a rise. Again, this is a common size, if for some reason, down the road, you want to upgrade. In truth, I don’t see a reason to upgrade, unless for a dropper post or for fit reasons.

The fork is a coil sprung Rock Shox tk28. This is branded as a beginner model fork. The “28″ stands for 28mm uppers on the fork. You can wind down a preload adjuster to make for a firmer feeling fork in addition to a rebound adjuster. The rebound adjuster makes dramatic changes in the return rate of the compressed suspension and time should be taken to dial this in. I don’t want a fork that does not have rebound adjustment, so this is a notable feature of this fork.

The Giant Talon 0 is equipped with Avid Elixer 1 brakes. This is a hydraulic brake as opposed to a cable actuated, disc brake. There is a huge difference in performance between the two systems. For newer readers, this means there is actually fluid in the brake lines. Hydraulic brakes offer much more controllable power then any other brake system out there for bicycles. This is a must for a truly trail worthy mountain bike. There are good cable actuated brakes, but really, hydraulics are the way to go, if given a choice. Fortunately, Giant gives you that choice.

The wheels are also Giant branded. The hubs are 32 hole laced 3 cross. Maintaining these wheels should be easy, as this is the most common method of building wheels and parts are, typically, readily available.
The Talon 0 comes with Kenda Small Block Eight tires. These are a fast rolling tire with closely spaced knobs. From the Kenda Tires website; ”ultimate XC racing tire with lots of speed and grip. Well suited for a variety of riding conditions”. Underneath this description it continues to say that this is a fast rolling, dry condition XC tire. For some, this may be perfect for your applications. Try them out and find out. They really do roll very fast. Unfortunately, for our winter riding conditions, we will probably have to switch these as the first tester, Jamie, is having problems due to the leaf and pine straw that litters our trails. This is not a knock on the bike as tires are such an area specific spec and as a manufacturer you have to start somewhere. Being that it really is a race tire, I have to wonder what and who the bike was targeted at or if this was motivated by the sales floor. Fast rolling bikes sell better when most test rides are on relatively smooth surfaces.

Overall then, the Gaint Talon 0 looks to be a worthy entry in our test group. We’ve just started to get some miles on it and will report back soon with our individual riders reviews as we get them..

Here is another impression from our time in France….

I (Mrs.29erOnline) rode the S Works version of the Stumpjumper FSR for the first time in France. Now, granted, it was so cool just to be in France that, probably, a Huffy would have been fine. But I wasn’t on a Huffy, I was on the top of the line S-Works Stumpjumper FSR and it was very impressive.

First, I will say, that while I am no authority on bikes, I have been riding mountain bikes for more than a few years and 29 inch mountain bikes for the last four. When I initially switched to the 29er, I was perfectly happy with the 26 inch bike I had. It was light, fast, and, very easy to control. I always felt like, “Well, why change what works and I’m not anywhere near being a pro, so will I even notice a difference anyway?” That said, what I really liked immediately about the 29er was the confidence it gave me. So, I have learned that, the more I ride, the more I do notice differences.

I am 5′ 4″ with a 28 inch inseam. I rode the size small Stumpjumper. As a woman, I think we all worry about the size, the comfort and, for me, stand over height is a pretty important thing. You want to be able to get off easily without slamming yourself against the bar because the bike is too tall. I noticed right away that this bike, even though it was a 130mm travel bike, was a great fit for a short girl. Also, as a short, woman rider, I sometimes have to adjust my bike mid ride because either my back or neck starts to ache. This is usually because the bike I am on is too long for me. With the Stumpjumper, I didn’t have that problem, which was really nice because I could focus on the ride and not constantly be distracted and uncomfortable. So, this was really nice, and a welcome surprise. To sum it up, the stand over was great, I was not over extended and it was really comfortable. This bike is a great fit for a shorter woman rider. You will be amazed.

Aside from fit, I noticed that the Stumpjumper is a great looking, meaty bike. Initially, I thought it might be cumbersome, but, surprisingly, as plush as it was to ride, it wasn’t heavy on the climbs. It was grippy, and took tight turns with ease. The best part though, was the downhill. The Command Post was a feature I hadn’t tried before and it was really cool. I love to go fast on the downhill and it’s nice not to worry about a high seat.

I will also say that I noticed how light the wheels felt and how quickly they reacted when pedalling. The only real negative about the bike, for me, is that it gave me more confidence descending than I am actually qualified to have. I thought I was a rock star on it until I ate dirt. Overall, it’ s an awesome bike – super comfy, but also fast and easy to handle.

As a final note, if I had to choose one part of the bike, what would I choose to buy? I would have to say, the wheels and tires. Word on the street is that they are Roval Control Trail SL 29 with carbon rims. The tires are Specialized Purgatory 2.2 with S-Works casing and a 2.1 Ground Control rear. I recently rode the Ground Control with a Captain Control rear at home on another brand’s bike and noticed that I like Specialized tires even though they are heavier then the Schwable tires that are on my personal bike.

Now, let me just say, this bike is not inexpensive, so it’s no wonder it feels like butter. My next objective is to see if one of their ” budget friendlier” bikes works as well on the terrain back at home and the style of riding I do. I will keep in mind that this is a lower end bike which may add weight. Let’s face it, it would be sweet to have a Porsche, but hey, a Saab is nothing to be embarrassed about. Ok, let’s see how the Saab a.k.a. Stumpjumper Comp 29er measures up. Do I have you on the edge of your seat yet ?

Here is a more official photo from Specialized…

One of the most common questions 29erOnline gets is, “I have a $1,000. What is the best bike I can get?” To be honest, it’s been a while since most folks around 29erOnline rode a $1,000 bike. We tend to test full suspension, which are inherently more expensive and, because we are certifiable bike nuts, we tend to ride and test stuff that is more expensive. We wondered – can a $1,000 bike handle what we throw at bikes every day? What compromises, if any, do you make with a $1,000 bike.

We called around and, so far, we’ve received several bikes that meet the $1,000 budget and are considered trail capable by their manufacturer. Regardless of price-point, so much in choosing a bike depends on terrain, style of rider, and just plain old opinions based on personal likes and dislikes. So, while it is unlikely that we will be able to state definitively that “this bike is the best $1,000 bike”, we can help point out each bike’s strengths and weaknesses and give an opinion based on a perspective informed by time spent riding a wide variety of bikes.

So really, at its core, testing $1,000 bikes is just like testing any other bike for us – we’ll ride them and tell you what we think about how they perform. Obviously, comparing these bikes to more expensive bikes would not be fair. However, we do feel like we can look at similar bikes and draw some conclusions about how well they perform in general and tell you what their relative strengths are.

It would be a mistake to think this is a beginner test. The truth is, for most people, $1,000 is a good amount of money for anything and mountain biking is about having fun not going broke on equipment. Every bike we are testing was designed to be capable of doing the things we will ask of it. We expect a lot out of a bike no matter the price – watch our test videos, we’ll be riding these bikes on the same trails we ride all our test bikes on.

Since we are also testing a category, so to speak, we will have additional things in mind as we test. Our goals in this test are:

1) See if these bikes can withstand the type of riding a beginner and enthusiast rider will subject them to. These bikes will be ridden multiple times a week in all conditions. We want to accelerate the wear cycle that most riders will put these bikes through, with a special eye on how things like components hold up. We will not be trading parts out. These bikes will remain stock unless their is a failure of a part, in which case we will replace it with an equivalent part.

2) See what each bike’s strengths and weaknesses are. Which bikes excel in what conditions? Are there parts that were universally liked or disliked? Did any parts fail? Where is your money best spent – the bike with the best shock, the best shifters, or something else? Do some favor tight terrain, slow speed tech, or wide open speed? Are they balanced between climbing or descending or do they have leanings toward specializing in one area?

3) If you are new to Mountain Biking, is there other gear you should budget in? For example, do clipless pedals or a quality hydration pack make any ride so much better that it is worth sacrificing on a better speced bike in favor of something else.

We have looked at this review process from the eyes of a fairly experienced bunch and I, for one, am excited to see what you can get for your hard earned cash. We have two endurance racers, 2 dedicated enthusiasts who periodically race, a rider transitioning from road riding to the mountains, and two women. This should give a wide array of experience and backgrounds to represent most user groups.

In no way are we trying to be critical or to nit pick a company. These bikes are sweated over just like the high end bikes. The kind of devotion the product managers and employees put into these bikes deserves our respect. Please read these reviews with that concept in mind.

This is the first time we’ve attempted this type of test with lots of similar bikes at once. Phone calls have been made, commitments made, commitments broken, dates quoted and dates absolutely shattered. Our original intent was to receive all the bikes in a close time frame then very methodically rotate through bikes, documenting rider’s feedback at set intervals not giving any advantage to one bike over the other. We had also cooked up a surprise format to really bring out what these companies are capable of putting out at this competitive price range.

In the end, after many hours of phone calls and follow ups, we have half of the bikes that were committed to us – best laid plans and all that. So, as bikes keep trickling in, we will build and report on them, getting them out to testers as fast as possible. We will still collect data and attempt to find out what these bikes can really handle, there will just be a lag in the testing schedule compared to what we had hoped for. Don’t worry, we will get you results in plenty of time to decide what you want before the spring riding season.

As usual please feel free to ask questions. I will ask that you post questions in the Comments section under each individual bike’s write up.

Giant Talon 0

Specialized RockHopper 29 MSRP $960

More Bikes to be added as we receive them