I think that my priorities are mixed up. I'm on commuter bike > road bike > house > truck.

My next bicycle will be a fully rigid Niner 29" single-speed. You can max out the build with top end components and still come out cheaper than a most mid-range complete bikes with gears and suspension. That's my $.02. I have gears on my road bike though. I don't hate gears, but I'd way rather have one gear that kills it than lower end shifters and derailleurs. Also, I haven't found a suspension fork that I would run that costs less than about $500 by itself.

Also, I'll go on and say that I fell in love with cycling on a Specialized brand complete that was around $800.

How much suspension you want really depends on the terrain where you're riding and your riding style. But, I'd say to stay away from full suspension completely unless you're riding big hit stuff of have several thousand dollars to spend on a high end full suspension cross country bike. Come off a road bike onto one of those things and tell me that that the rear shock doesn't eat your energy both on the flats and uphill.

 

Keep me posted on the 9er situation, if at all possible. If enough people give good feedback, I may have to follow suit and try one out

 

depends on what your doing i suppose but i like full for dh and duel slalom but for dirt jumps and street hardtail all day

 

I think you will be happy with the hardrock. I just got my first 29er and love it. I went with the aluminum stumpjumper. I absolutely love the bike!! The 2X10 gear setup is sweet. I'm 72" @ 215lbs and went with the medium frame, always liked a more compressed fit. I did step the brakes up from the stock 160mm to 180mm, got one ride on new brakes. I now really miss Washington. Being hours away from good mountains sucks.

X2 on looking around for someone that geared up for MTBing but never got into it that is selling new gear at used prices.

Get some quality shorts your but will thank you.

 

Been riding for about 4 years now and I have rode a hardtail that time. I recently switched to a giant revel 29. Definitely as a recreational rider you will appreciate the 29. Hard or soft tail. 29 is more forgiving than 26 but is a lil sluggish in cornering. 27.5 is becomin big now too. Gives you the speed of a 26 and the monstertruckability of a 29. Go for the hardrock 29. That will be the beat one for ya.

 

Expensive bikes...what a waste of money. Bragging rights...nothing more. Softails? Gross...just a bunch of dead weight and a crappy ride.
Precisely why I said that!!! They're disgusting to ride...in almost all circumstances.

And yeah, I've owned a $2000+ Mongoose hardtail MB. I don't miss that thing for many reasons at all. I do all the same stuff just as well on my department store cheapy hardtail with Shimano gear installed front to back. Wouldn't bother forking out that kind of cash for a bike ever again. Not to say I wouldn't take one if it were given to me. All I'm really getting at is they're WAY over-rated and WAY over-priced. And no more FUN...AT ALL!!! I see all these dudes on the trail with their spendy get-ups. As soon as they round the bend...I start L'ing MAO. PUHLEEEASE!!! LOSERS!!!

 

I disagree with a lot of what you said especially the department store bikes. I have known a few people who have gone out and purchased Wally word bikes and returned them after the first ride because of how cheaply built they are. Now that said, there is no need to spend $1k or more on a bike unless you plan on racing or tackling big jumps and tough trails. Most $500 to $700 bikes will do what most riders ask of them. I paid $750 back in 1994 for a Specialized Rockhopper Comp FS and I still ride it today. I have just rebuilt the front shock, a Manitou 4, installed a new headset, shorter stem and wider handlebar but the bike still rolls after all these years so it was money we spent.

As for the price of many new bikes, I agree that the big name ones are vastly overpriced for what you get. I recently found a company called Airborne who sell bikes without the middle man for way less than a comparable big name bike would sell. If I had to get another, that's where I would look.

 

I was looking at Airborne too , great components , I ended up with a CL Diamond Back overdrive for $260.00 , i have since upgraded the forks and pedals