29er hardtail

[AM]

Hi all,
Been looking at purchasing a new MTB, specialized have a 29er hardrock and a rockhopper models. Any comments on these bikes ,i am not a serious rider more for fitness and fun , would do 30% tracks 70% road never owned a speclized before.

Regards AM

[maybolem]

Go with Giant, the 2013 range has had a huge amount of revisions made to them and rate awesomely on sites such as bikeradar. They are the #1 brand in the world for a reason. Unlike specialized, they make all of their own frames; apart from the carbon models, specialized gets merida to build all their welded tubed frames.

[Mugglechops]

He should buy a Merida then

[AM]

Thanks for the insight , will look in to Gaint. Are the 29ers that much better than 26?


Regards AM

[silentbutdeadly]

Thanks for the insight , will look in to Gaint. Are the 29ers that much better than 26?

No. And I own two 29ers.

Honestly...there's naff all difference in the qualities of frames from any of the major manufacturers. Big difference is how they fit you. Go for that first rather that blather on about which factory it might've come from.

After that, they all run relatively similar groupset specifications in the various price brackets but there's big variation between the content of those groups...essentially look for the better specced bikes for the best price. These days, Giant don't always have the edge that they used to in this regard.

The universal weakness for virtually all MTB in the budget you are looking at is wheels - they are all ordinary quality, sometimes very ordinary. The less said about the Formula/Maddux wheels that Dorel sees fit to install on their Cannondale Trail 29ers the better....

[AM]

Sounds like a test ride of a few brands is coming up,thanks