Posts
6
Joined
5/7/2016
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
US
Hey Y'all!
I am in a bit of a pickle with deciding on a new bike. Currently, I have an Intense Carbine 29er enduro rig. While this is an awesome bike, I feel it is a little overboard for the trails that I ride during the week after work that are mellow XC/Flow Trail type trails. On weekends I usually travel to much burlier trails where this bike shines. Instead of putting lighter tires and attempting to tame my enduro ride, I am thinking about purchasing a new bike, mainly a hardtail trail bike with a dropper post. The bike that I am mainly looking at is a Santa Cruz Chameleon in the Carbon "S" build group. Why Santa Cruz? The local bike shop that is run by riders and caters to the mountain bike group sells Santa Cruz and are awesome at customer service. Plus they discount new bikes. Side story, once brought in a wheel to have them true up with no intention of having it done that day. Was just dropping it off to them. Shop manager took the wheel to the truing stand and told me to go look at some sick bikes around the shop and that he would have it done in an hour so I could go ride. Pretty awesome right? All that being said, the other local shops sell Trek, Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, Norco, and Scott but cater to more of the roadies. Do you guys think this bike would fit the bill?
I am in a bit of a pickle with deciding on a new bike. Currently, I have an Intense Carbine 29er enduro rig. While this is an awesome bike, I feel it is a little overboard for the trails that I ride during the week after work that are mellow XC/Flow Trail type trails. On weekends I usually travel to much burlier trails where this bike shines. Instead of putting lighter tires and attempting to tame my enduro ride, I am thinking about purchasing a new bike, mainly a hardtail trail bike with a dropper post. The bike that I am mainly looking at is a Santa Cruz Chameleon in the Carbon "S" build group. Why Santa Cruz? The local bike shop that is run by riders and caters to the mountain bike group sells Santa Cruz and are awesome at customer service. Plus they discount new bikes. Side story, once brought in a wheel to have them true up with no intention of having it done that day. Was just dropping it off to them. Shop manager took the wheel to the truing stand and told me to go look at some sick bikes around the shop and that he would have it done in an hour so I could go ride. Pretty awesome right? All that being said, the other local shops sell Trek, Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, Norco, and Scott but cater to more of the roadies. Do you guys think this bike would fit the bill?
Your shop can probably order you a fun, small brand steel HT frame even if they don’t stock the brand, and then help you economically build it it they’re as cool as you say they are, and if you’re not too fussy about part details.
I’d really be into one of those Stantons if I wasn’t having a kid in five weeks.
Just stumbled upon this thread from 3 years ago and was super curious about what you ended up deciding. The Intense Carbine 29er is no joke, and the dilemma you had between that and possibly picking up a Santa Cruz Chameleon had me intrigued. Santa Cruz is stellar, and it sounds like your local shop knows how to treat their MTB riders well. If you were ever on the fence, I'd recommend flipping a heads or tails coin. There are websites that offer a quick and fun way to make decisions like these. You ever use anything like that? Anyway, hope you're enjoying whatever rig you chose and that it's been tearing up those trails. Would love to hear an update!
Post a reply to: Bike Decision Help - Hardtail Trail Rig