Which MTB, XTC 29er or ROCKHOPPER 29er

[DRAD81]

Hi All,

I've been looking at getting a 29er for MTB biking and weekly riding for exercise. It will mostly be used for the latter which consists of about 12kms a day for 4-5days a week.
So far my research has brought me to the following.

Giant XTC 29er 2
Specialized ROCKHOPPER Expert 29er
(above are similarly priced at about $1500

and the Specialized ROCKHOPPER COMP 29er (priced at approx $1100)


Is it worth forking out the extra $400 and getting the XTC 29er 2 or ROCKHOPPER Expert 29er or will the Comp suffice?

I would like to stick as close to the $1000 mark but without missing out on any essentials a MTB bike should have.

Any reviews, feedback or other 29ers I may have missed are appreciated.

[ZepinAtor]

I have 4 mates with the XTC 29ers & all of them are extremely happy. They are all looking at upgrading their wheels, but only due to wanting a higher performance race style bike. There's nothing wrong with the Giant branded wheels that are supplied with the bike as they look tough. I'll get a couple of them on here a bit later for a thorough review as one of them has been testing the XTC since it's first release & is now playing with trying to lighten the current 29er Anthem below 11kg !!

IM they're a great value bike especially considering they have a Fox 29er fork which sells for around $1000 on it's own. How do they do it ?

[trailgumby]

XTC29er seems to be getting a good rep.

Rode a mates rockhopper 26er - wasn't impressed. Very budget.

[mitzikatzi]

I have 4 mates with the XTC 29ers & all of them are extremely happy. They are all looking at upgrading their wheels, but only due to wanting a higher performance race style bike. There's nothing wrong with the Giant branded wheels that are supplied with the bike as they look tough. I'll get a couple of them on here a bit later for a thorough review as one of them has been testing the XTC since it's first release & is now playing with trying to lighten the current 29er Anthem below 11kg !!

IM they're a great value bike especially considering they have a Fox 29er fork which sells for around $1000 on it's own. How do they do it ?

giant-2011-xtc-29er-2 this one on bike exchange has "Fork Marzocchi 44 TST2 Air w/15QR axle & tapered steerer, 4”/100mm "


The Giant has a 15mm front axle and a tapered steerer tube which should be stiffer.
I think you would be happy with either $1500 bike I would be.
If your a "newer" rider the shop you buy from can make all the difference to your riding. Does one shop offer free services or extras with the bike.

If you only want to spend $1000 get the cheaper bike but the brakes and fork are a step down IMHO. Both are $$ upgrades.

[ZepinAtor]

this one on bike exchange has "Fork Marzocchi 44 TST2 Air w/15QR axle & tapered steerer, 4”/100mm "

All the XTC's I've seen all have the RL F29

Specifications below.
The specifications chart below represents the MOST CURRENT information available, superseding any printed or PDF formatted information. Specifications and price are subject to change without notice.

FRAME
Sizes S:15.5, M:17.5, L:19.5, XL:20.5
Colors Black/Silver
Frame Fluidformedâ„¢ ALUXX SL butted alloy
Fork Fox 32 F29 RL w/15QR axle & tapered steerer, 4”/100mm
Shock NA
COMPONENTS
Handlebar Giant Contact oversize alloy 690mm 29’er flat bar
Stem Giant Connect SL oversize alloy, 4 bolt, 8 degree
Seatpost Giant Connect SL oversize alloy micro-adjust 30.9
Saddle Fi’zi:k Tundra
Pedals Shimano M520 SPD clipless
DRIVETRAIN
Shifters Shimano SLX rapid fire 30 sp.
Front Derailleur Shimano SLX 10 sp. 34.9
Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore XT Shadow 10 sp.
Brakes Shimano M445 hydraulic w/6” 6-bolt rotors*
Brake Levers Shimano M505 hydraulic
Cassette Shimano HG81 10 sp. 11-36T
Chain Shimano HG74 10 sp.
Crankset Shimano SLX 24x32x42T
Bottom Bracket Shimano SLX integrated, outboard
WHEELS
Rims Giant P-XC2 Performance 29er, eyeleted, double wall, alloy, 32H
Hubs Fr: Giant Tracker 15QR | Rr: Shimano M529 9sp 29’er disc
Spokes 14G stainless
Tires Maxxis Aspen 29 x 2.1” kevlar bead
OTHER
Weight How much does this bike weigh? It’s a common question, and rightly so. But the truth is, there are no industry standards for claiming bike weights—and this leads to a lot of misinformation. Variances exist based on size, frame material, finish and hardware. And as bikes get lighter, these differences become more critical. At Giant, we believe the only way to truly know the weight of any particular bike is to find out for yourself at your local retailer.

[mitzikatzi]

This thread has got me thinking about new bikes must resist. Again looking on bike exchange it seems 2011 XtC 29er 1 ($1800 to $2300) have Fox forks and the 2011 XtC 29er 2 ($1400) has the Marzocchi fork

[DRAD81]

But for someone like me who is moving from a 10 year old Mongoose mountain bike that cost $400 is it worth getting the cheaper Specialized ROCKHOPPER COMP 29er and upgrading the brakes and fork later on?

Not sure if someone like me would really notice the difference with the better brakes and forks

[mitzikatzi]

Price the forks and brakes that you plan to upgrade too. The parts you take off will be worth very little second hand IMHO.
I brought a bike rode it 300m then stripped it down for parts. It was the cheapest way to get disc brakes, a new drive chain and a set of tyres.
Buy the cheaper bike if you like or thats all you can afford. Ride it and replace stuff that wears out or breaks. Then buy a new bike when needed or wanted. Upgrades are expensive.

As noted the Fox fork on the XTC 29er 1 to buy on it's own is about half the total price of the bike.

The Specialized ROCKHOPPER COMP 29er is a good bike. Ride enjoy. I have no idea what you will like.
The Rockhopper will be a much better bike than your 10 year old bike.

[DansAvanti]

I was trying to make the same decision myself a month or 3 ago. Decided I wasn't really happy with either choice (they didn't suit my needs really well). I ended up buying a 2nd hand bike for $1000 from a friend.

Have you bought your bike yet? which way did you go?

Dan

[DRAD81]

I ended up getting a 2nd hand Apollo Giro road bike instead. It has Shimano 105 everything except pedals. It has a few other aftermarket bits and weighs only 9kg. A lot less than my previous bike. A 21Kg MTB.

Been using it every second day and am travelling about 90kms a week. I'm still interested in getting a MTB but my requirements have changed since I'll have the road bike for road riding and communting.

[idw]

might want to check our the jamis exile 29er too. it might be a more expensive though