Trek Top Fuel www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bi... Ibis Ripley www.ibiscycles.com/bikes/ripley Santa Cruz Tallboy www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-... Epic Evo www.specialized.com/us/en/epi...
Great overview! I'm a 2021 SJ EVO owner as well and live in Asheville NC and the guys around here are churning out climbing and descending KOM's on Epic Evos, Tallboys and other down country bikes. The better these DC bikes get the more down with down country I am getting. They can do all the things, maybe not as comfortably on the downs as long travel bikes but still...
Man I miss live-streaming, but I did turn off the chat (best part of a livestream) so I could hammer thru this video. I’m going to go back on tonight so I can chat with you guys and have a beer. Have your questions ready. How does 8:00pm sound?
Thanks for doing this, exactly the comparison I wanted to hear. Looking for a bike to pair with my Megatower and while I've never ridden the Tallboy, I've been afraid that it's not far enough from the Megatower. I'm on the East Coast like you and looking for more speed over the rolling terrain. I think the Trek is going to be it.
I'd be interested to see your thoughts on the new Rocky Mountain Element in comparison to the Epic Evo and Ripley if you ever get a chance to ride one!
I got a Transition Spur and it’s unreal what I can get away with with just 120mm front and rear. That top fuel looks like it could give it a run for its money though.
You are exactly right. The top fuel won’t climb steep climbs as well as an xc and won’t descend very steep trails at speed as an enduro, but it is better at everything in between which is what most people ride (including myself).
Great vid - I have one of the flex stay stumpjumpers, 140 front 130 rear, never weighed it, but I guess about 30lbs, it's a great bike, been thinking of going with one of these shorter travel bikes, just can't justify going with less travel and the same or heavier bike.
I demoed the tall boy at Kingdom trails and quickly went out and got one. I thought it felt very fast and just pops into the air so easily. It weighs around 28 lbs (medium) with lighter tires, CC X01 build. It definitely feels like less bike than my Switchblade, which I think is comparable to the Hightower. I'm loving the tall boy for smoother faster stuff and medium tech. For the big tech stuff, I'll ride the Switch Blade. The trails around here (upstate NY near VT) are about 50/50
Also side note (since JC mentioned Kingdom) the easiest way to fall in love with a bike is to Demo it at Kingdom trails. I wonder how the review would go if he rode the Tall Boy at Kingdom.
Thanks. Catching this the next morning. Been racing a carbon stumpy xc for 4 years now out here in the north west. Starting to do well and ready for an upgrade. Leaning towards epic evo or new stumpy. Thanks for your insight
Great comparison. I’m a north east rider like you, love the Perry hill video. I’m trying to figure out the best do it all bike for me . Ripley , ripmo , or the reg stumpy. I’m not the fastest but I’m looking for a bike that I can go on the local jank in southern nh but also do some blues and greens at the lift parks . I really like the ripley but I keep feeling that I might max out the suspension
I’ve a Ripley, added a 36 for upfront. It’s great. I also purchased a ripmo AF with a coil and I absolutely love it. As an overall bike it just eats up the junk better than the Ripley. And it climbs nearly as well
Nice overview, but why not just stick to one bike like the tallboy? I still ride everything on my HD5 with shortened 150mm travel front fork. It is a little heavy at 32lbs, but could get it under 30 with carbon wheels and lighter drive train(running stock NX now). I can pedal all day long on this bike, then let it rip on a double black.
thanks for posting this...interesting talk....im currently riding a giant trance X 29 3...on long island trails....its a bit too much...great bike though...gonna do minor updates and keep for park days..im currently looking at the 2022 epic evo expert, 2022 santa cruz blur CS, 2022 revel ranger, 2022 stumpy expert....im not much of a jumper...i dork around but nothing serious...i like to travel ground and hit most features that are low...at first i had the stumpy as first choice...but now thinking about the epic evo or blur more...whats your advice? my go to trails are stillwell, meadowlark, glacier ridge...on long island...thanks...love your channel.
I'm in my late 50's and ride similar trails to what you ride in Michigan. I've been riding hardtail forever but looking for a smoother ride just not interested in heavier rides. Your review of the EPIC EVO really got me thinking this bike might do it, just not happy about the $$$$$. Although I might just ride this bike for a good ten years, so maybe. Also like your Ripley review, so there's that. I definitely want carbon as well. fyi - I'm 5,11" . Which bike, aside from trek, would you chose?
Thx for this comparison. Great reviews of each. I have a 20’ Tallboy 4 and love it, but it is not as efficient a pedaler as say the Ripley or Trail 429. However, as an overall package, I find it hard to beat. It’s so sensitive to small/mid size bumps and is a really burly frame. For my next bike( I tend to change every 3 years), for trails similar to your in Massachusetts ( I’m in the Hudson Valley of NY), I would look at either the Ripley, Trail 429, or Epic EVO for a next bike. I want something more efficient, with almost as much plush a suspension as the Santa Cruz’s VPP lower link. From what I’ve read, the Trail 429 and Ripley are closest to fitting that bill. I’ve considered Yetis, but they are a strange bike, based on the tests that I’ve read-very efficient bikes, not that plush, and heavy. Any thoughts? Also considering a Hightower as well. Thx!
130mm Pike incoming for my Top Fuel 9.8XT. The stock wheels are proper beefy units, same as what comes on a Slash. Considering a set of those Rovals you've been rocking
My 21 S-Works Stumpy built with XT, carbon hoops and a Fox 34 is 27.5 with XT pedals. I’m same height at you and while I’d like maybe 10-15mm less reach it still feels good with the steep seat angle. S3 would feel too cramped for me based on past experiences.
I love my Epic Evo. Perfect bike for marathon mt bike races. Also great bike for just getting out on long rides. Fast uphill and rips downhill. Even out performs my Anthem cross-country bike.. At cross-country riding. I would say the Epic Evo is the best bike for me.
A year on my Down Country (short travel rocket ship) 22.1 lb Epic EVO, after years on light weight CX bikes, this trail bike is effecient at everthing the CX bikes lack.. the lighter weight, short travel, with the newer geo make the difference...
Are you still riding the EVO, My buddy is a very competitive road rider and wants to start riding mtn bikes but wants help on what to buy. Our trails are a little bit technical xc single track ( eastern N.C. ) I'm concerned about the EVO being fragile and not being able to handle the beginner mistakes he will make. Do you think the bike is tough enough for a beginner?
@@saddleweary5760 it’s def able to handle some falls. I’ve had OTB’s on smaller gap jumps, slip-outs on fast sandy berms. It’s a beautiful bike, and super light! I have mine down to 23#
Hi all, if you were to choose Trek top fuel 9.7 (2022) with XT ML size or Epic evo comp on GX with L size, comparable price, which will you suggest for all mountain bike. Both CF frames. I am 5’10”.
Think you could round up a 130mm fork for that Top Fuel? That’s the route I’m thinking but need to know how the slackened out angles effect the ride and peddling efficiency. I’ll reward your efforts with likes and comments for all vids for all of next year!
Haha Trek says you can run up to a 130mm fork. It will slacken the HTA and STA by .4 -.5 degrees. So in the low setting you will have a 65.5 HTA and 75.5 STA. It should still be an efficient pedaling bike.
@@jctrails and on the flipside (no pun intended), if you swap in a 130 fork, you can put the mino link in the high setting and maintain the 66 hta and 76 sta. I really wonder how that'd make this bike feel.
8 months late, still counts right? I have both a TF and FEX. The EX does o.k., the TF is definitely better. I'm still comparing the two (just got the Top Fuel) but so far it seems noticeably more efficient. I flip the lock switch on the EX for the longer climbs, haven't had to do that on the TF yet. Not sure about the Gen-6 models that just came out though. My EX is a 2022 model.
I don’t understand the logic of the medium large fitting someone who is 5’10” perfectly. that is the very top of the recommended range, going all the way down to something like 5’5” or 5’7”. that feels like every other brands medium. then large will start at around 5’10”, just like the trek size large does.
@@jctrails carbon frame set with shock is 5.95 lbs. Alloy with shock is 8.25 lbs. Size medium large. Weight could include the Bits bag but not sure on that.
