So if I were to get a new mtb.....

So if the planets were to align at just the right moment, and Tony gave me the green light on a new nobby tire steed what are my WSD options??
Tony is a dyed in the wool Santa Cruz fan, so I know he would be thinking Juliana, but what other options are there? I'm not even sure who makes a WSD mtn bike??
I would be looking for a fairly decent full suspension ride. His bikes are in the 4-5k range, mine tend to be in the 2-3k range. So something in there...
And yes I know, fit comes first. But I just want to get an idea of what is out there...
ANd for the record- you can blame sadiekate for this post!! :D

Man am I out of my element over here on the mtn bike forum! What am I - the self professed tri geek- doing over here?? I feel so, uhh... DIRTY! :p

I certainly wouldn't say no to a Santa Cruz Juliana...

Trek has WSD mountain bikes. I got a Fuel EX 9 last summer - it was available in WSD (as were the 7 and 8, at least), but I feel too scrunched up on them - I don't fit the WSD formula (I'm long waisted and short-legged). Anyway, I loooove mine, even if it is a men's model. I got a really good deal on mine (closeout season!), but I think MSRP was $3200 at the time.

Have fun!

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! RM on the mt bike forum!!!!!!!!!!

YEE HAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK so I have two bikes:

Bob- Marin East Peak-full suspension all mountain. Just shy of 32 pounds. Heavy for me, but man can he take a hit. Tracks well, descends well. He is not WSD and I am small. Under 5'4".

Gidget- full suspension Titus Racer X . Under 25 pounds. Fully loaded. Can't take a hit like Bob, But man can she climb. Much more $$$ than Bob. Still not technically WSD.

I test drove everything , including the Juliana before I bought Gidget. I liked the Juliana, but for me, for racing, it was just not there.

Test drive on a trail if you can...I am so excited to see you here.

I have an XS Titus Racer-X I love. Not technically WSD, but I ride WSD in road bikes, and she fits me like a glove. I bought used (Ebay), then upgraded some needed components, so have about $2K in her now. Really need a new front fork, but am resisting as I hate to spend another $600 or so. Anyway, a used bike might be an option if you know what fits you.

I had a less $ REI Novara WSD MTB that fit well that I was able to use measurements from to verify that the Titus would fit before I bought it. I also looked at the Juliana, but it weighed more, and since I'm very light, I wanted the lightest fullie I could afford. I don't race, but I just wanted light to make it up the hills, and I can now!

Keep us posted on any decisions you might make!!

Emily

RNR, I'll have to look into renting one the next time we are in Moab.
This past weekend Tony rented a Nomad because he wanted to make sure that the feel was right.
He has a superlight that has many miles on it and he still loves it. But he also bought an intense 5.5 a couple of years ago thinking that he wanted more travel and a cushier ride. I call it the couch! His friends call it his Grandpa ride.
The thing is, he HATES it. I think it has too much cush, so he works too hard on it. I told him that I think it's zapping his energy. All he knows is he HATES it. So he was hesitant to buy another bike with similar geometry w/out testing it first. He took it on Baby steps and Klondike in Moab and gave her a good go around. He was more than impressed and has declared that he MUST have one before our October Moab trip. Soooooo I'm thinking that maybe I need to take one on a "true" ride too. Not just a spin around the p-lot at the LBS.
Thanks all for your input..
A Titus.... mmmmmmmnnnn that would make the boys jealous! :D

na na na...na na...SHOPPING...repeat...shopping...shopping!
WOO!

I recommend test riding. Bikes handle differently. Make sure they don't have to do TOO much drastic things to make the bike fit (like put in a super long seat post - that happened to a friend of mine)

...make sure you have clothes to match (hahaha!):D

I have the Trek Fuel WSD from 2001, although now it is "pimped up" thanks to hubby

I bought the Big Sur GS (Gary Fisher) a year or so back.

I like the hard tail for its simplicity, i find i ride better on hard tail. I tend to get a little "lazy" with the full suspension. that's just me. I like the full for long rides though, it does spare the back.

When you choose your bike, think about the type of riding you plan on doing - lots of climbing? technical? so you want to think about suspension travel and weight as well.

Then there are wheel options - ie regular or tubeless. I like the concept of tubeless - BUT if you do have to put a tube in, its SO HARD to get the tires off the rim. And the likely hood of damaging a tubeless rim increases with the level of technical terrain it seems. I know some people have had really good luck with it. So i guess its a matter of choice.

Have fun shopping!

Hannah

I have a Santa Cruz Superlight. (The Male version of the Juliana). I didnt like the color options for the Juliana, plus I've got long arms and legs, so the medium frame Superlight fits just right. Love my bike, had it since Sept 2005 with few problems! :D :D :D

I bought a Juliana about 6 weeks ago and I LOVE it. I had been riding a Schwinn hardtail circa 2001 or so, and the difference is incredible. The technical riding I see is typical Pennsylvania woods, lots of rocks, hills and logs, and she EATS the ground up. I can see the suspension being a little too much for fast climbing (but I'm slow anyway, so it doesn’t matter for me) but I've seen very few downhill areas I haven't been able to handle on her! (and I'm kind of a wuss).

WSD-wise, I'm 5'3 with very short arms, and my small fits perfectly. Big difference from my previous frame, much better upper body position.

I ride a Julianna...and I LOOOOOVE it!!!!!!

My next full-suspension will most likely be a Truner Nitros (if I fit on one)...my hubby rides a turner and the customer service is above and beyond (it is helpful when you ride hard like he does)

I do not have any quams with Santa Cruz service, but I have nothing to base it on since I have had zero isssues with mine! I have set it up with very light components and a Fox RP23 rear shock so I can (so-called) lock it out on the climbs. Everyone who has had a Juli has nothing but good things to say...but I hear that about the Racer-X & the Nitros...

You got lots & lots of rides to test...so go get dirty and keep us posted!

Bouncy, I can assure you that SC service is top notch. A few years ago Tony cracked his superlight frame- they replaced it no questions asked. We have also been to their shop when we lived in nor cal and they were super cool peeps.
But I see that Titus is made here in Tempe... Hmmmm... For some reason I'm leaning towards a smaller company. I'm not feeling the mass made bikes like the Treks and the Specialized of the mtb world. Nothing against them, I'm just leaning in a different direction.
Oh boy, what can of worms have I opened?? I just wish I had Moab-esque trails out here to ride. We have some homegrown trails that Tony likes, but I think are a bit too sketchy. I can't get a rhythmn going on them, and they are pretty loose. Loose can be unnerving when you have cacti all around you! :eek:

I know people who have Julianas, Treks and Specializeds; they all like them just fine. Myself, I ride a Titus. It really is a joy to ride after hardtails for 15 years. It's used. I couldn't afford a new one off the shelf but by some type of serendipity, someone posted here that she had an xx-small for sale back in December. I pounced on it and haven't been sorry since.

BTW - Try Papago park for riding if you are new. There are some real mild trails there. Kind of like goofy golf for bikes. Or Pemberton trail at McDowell Mtn park, nothing technical there, just 15 miles of fun.

Hmmmm TITUS... Yeah, I like the looks of them, would love to try one out. Unf. they look a bit pricey. We have a good relationship, and I pretty much get whatever I want, but I doubt Tony would let me have a mtn bike that was more expensive than his!! LOL

I love my Juliana....

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...uliana2001.jpg

OHHH TRACY (sorry bout the caps. I work in caps) she's cute!

I need to go ride some bikes. Maybe I need to take another weekend to moab and rent a couple to see what I like.... Hmmmm.... Looks like I would be a XXS in titus. I'm wondering if it's going to be as hard to find a midget mtn bike as it is a midget tri bike...:rolleyes:

I'm going to San Diego this weekend so maybe I'll go on a wabbit hunt!! :D

Juliana's are great - Specialized makes a nice full suspension rig for women - my girlfriend just bought one and she loves it. Not to mention that I 'm a bit partial since I own a full suspension Specialized as well. It is not women's specific, cause I fit a man's frame just fine. The year I bought this one, it had a little shorter top tube so it is great for me. It is older, an M2 - what a great bike! I love it still.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Running Mommy

OHHH TRACY (sorry bout the caps. I work in caps) she's cute!

I need to go ride some bikes. Maybe I need to take another weekend to moab and rent a couple to see what I like.... Hmmmm.... Looks like I would be a XXS in titus. I'm wondering if it's going to be as hard to find a midget mtn bike as it is a midget tri bike...:rolleyes:

I'm going to San Diego this weekend so maybe I'll go on a wabbit hunt!! :D

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Hey Denise,

Thank you! I love my Juliana! She rides like a dream too :p

you definately should go check stuff out! Mine is a medium (I think a little shorter standover than a small superlight) but I'm wondering if even a small Juliana would be too big for you????? I have read so many great things about the titus and the fact that they make that XXS.... I'm anxious to hear what you find!!!! They are all wonderful :D

I think the gals here are on the right track. I say, if it fits, and something about it just excites you (color, shape, lines), go with it. Don't limit yourself to WSD, unless you are truly petite. Plenty of regular ("men's") bikes come in small sizes. I find that the selection of regular (non-WSD) stuff is much greater than that for WSD, and tends to be of higher quality. I think WSD is only a good value if you really need a very small size.

Also, I have had some good luck with good deals on bikes on eBay and mtbr.com classifieds.

Oh Tracy I'm drooling over the Pink Chris King headset and hubs!!!!

Running Mommy:

Lot's of good responses. See if you can beg, borrow, rent bikes to try out. I'm 5'2" (even after the lumbar traction I had today--darn!). I started on a cheap 14" Diamondback hardtail, then top of the line ebay 14" Giant Trance (loved it but sometimes fought to keep the front down while climbing), and now have a 15" Trek Fuel EX 9.0. She is a little big for me but that's the smallest carbon frame available. Hey I can't complain she was free! I rode her on Monday and ooh I like it. WSD does NOT work for me (I demo'ed the Trek, Specialized, and Gary Fishers. I vote for full sus. But I loved mountain biking even on the boat anchor hardtail.

BTW you may feel dirty but I feel clean clean clean since I started swimming 8 weeks ago (back injury) and now think I might need to shoot for a sprint next season. Now that I can swim (my first straight freestyle mile was last week) all I need is the 5k. Never was a runner, but never swam more than 2 laps without dying either. I'm lurking your board.:cool:

HA! We'll drag you to the dark side! :D
Actually you can join running hubby in some dirty tri's. I think there are a few in so cal. I have done the San Dimas sprint series and it was fun. One BIG climb (for me at least) and then a SMOKIN downhill! They hold it at Bonelli.
Hmmm... Maybe *I* will have to get dirty just once to see how it is.... Hmmmm...

And for the record- NEVER worry about the run! Tons of people either jog/walk or walk the run portion.

As for WSD, I'm a dwarf! My girth hides just how stubby I am! When I was fit on the Quintana Roo they thought that I "may" be able to get away with a small. HEH! the XS was almost too big for me! Rudy my fitter was amazed. sigh... So I think I will prolly need to go wsd unless I can find something really small.

I agree it makes it easy to decide when you use it. I am 5'8", short legs and long waisted and I got a Fuel EX WSD. I test rode it and it's what feels good to the rider. There was a woman who was shorter and she liked the man's version better. And I rode with Sue Haywood this past weekend and she also rode the WSD(for the first time)...she was just a little shorter than me and she also liked the shorter top tube(she races with a man's Fuel). So, you can't just say I want a WSD or not, it has to be what you like and feel comfortable on. By the way, I was a t a women's camp and Sue was there, I was learning from her.

And I am now the proud owner of a Juliana!!!

I'm in San Diego this weekend, so yesterday Tony decided he wanted to go on a wabbit hunt. I test rode a trek up at the trek store, but it didn't really do it for me. We went to a couple of other stores and I got on a Giant, and we looked at an Ellsworth. I then test rode a blur and a Juliana, and the Jules got the nod.
I rode bikes with prices tags from 1500.00 to well over 3k, and I ended up with the 1600.00 Juliana that was on sale. I wasn't so much concerned with price or color, I wanted comfort. And this girl fits me like a glove. Tony is not pleased with the fork, so that will get replaced with a fox. It came with a rock shox.
I have such a short torso and short arms that the WSD really mattered for me.
Spencer is PISZESD that mom got a fullie before he did! But hey, I AM MOM!!:D Of course now he thinks that HE should be able to ride it, because at the ripe age of 10, he is my size now. We actually let him ride it alongside us while we ran lastnight. He had LOTS of fun..
So now we just need to find Tony his nomad, and the stable will be complete.
Soo now I need to start riding her! There is nothing more sad than a neglected bike!;) Too bad it's so blasted hot in Phoenix right now! :eek:

YAY!! Welcome to the Juliana community. She's such a beautiful bike - handles like a dream, totally reliable and proven. :D

Your DH probably already has this in mind, but go for a Fox fork with stable platform; and, if you really want it to be perfect for you, send it to PUSH in the off season to have its tuned for you You'll love it!

Hugs and happy butterflies,
~T~