What to buy

[mickbelch]

Been shown two bikes a specialised rockhopper comp and a giant talon 3 that are within my price range. Just looking to ride around with the kids and do some off-road tracks. Which bike is better and looking to spend around $800-$900 any suggestions

[10speedsemiracer]

Been shown two bikes a specialised rockhopper comp and a giant talon 3 that are within my price range. Just looking to ride around with the kids and do some off-road tracks. Which bike is better and looking to spend around $800-$900 any suggestions

Both fairly similar in spec, with 8sp 11-34 however the Specialized has Shimano braking versus Tektro on the Giant. The only real difference is in the wheelset, with the Specialized running 29s and the Giant 27.5. The overall preference is more to do with what sort of ride you're wanting from the bike, and the environment you'll ride in. A 27.5 is supposedly more responsive with a tighter turn radius, where the Specialized will have more of a flowing feel on quick descents and be slightly more predictable/forgiving. Both are alloy, both have hydraulic discs, both have a good mix of components for the price and are cross-country type bikes. That being said, I don't know anything about Specialized warranty experience, but have heard that Giant has an excellent attitude and responsiveness to customer issues, with numerous anecdotal tales of good experiences both within this forum and elsewhere.

It mostly gets down to preference, and a test ride of each (preferably same day) is a good idea.

[ValleyForge]

Between the two, the big difference is wheelsize. The 27.5 will feel more nimble especially at speed, but the 29er will soak up bumps and just keep rolling.
It's really a personal preference. Warranty performance is about equal knowing what my friends have been through.