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Which carbon 29er?
With the Aussie heading south against the greenback as the US economy starts to wake up, I'm looking to bring forward my purchase of a 29er dually.
I've narrowed it down to two candidates, one I've ridden the other not.
The Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 2 in a large climbs like a rocket and besides the usual known concerns about attitude from the distributors on warranty issues (not that I've ever had any issues myself to date) looks ideal for knocking out kilometres rapidly at events like the Mont 24 and Brownie Points Burner and the occasional club race I'd like to do over the next year. The suspension is, however, rather firm. And I'd probably keep my existing 130mm 26er if I got this.
The other bike that looks interesting is the Orbea Occam 29er S30X. The 120 fork /100 rear travel combo felt great on the Ellsworth I rode last year, and I'm thinking the long top tube/short stem combo with a slightly more relaxed front end would suit local trails better, especially with the new Bantry Bay loops looking like they'll be on the more technical end of intermediate.
The Scalpel would have no trouble with the intermediate loop at OMV, and if I could ride skinnies I reckon I'd be fine on it on the black sections.
What are your thoughts?
Scalpel:
Orbea Occam:
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Can't fault it!
It's suspension can be set up quite plush and is much more of a relaxed 'trail' feel than say a Spesh Epic.
It also has quite a high front end so although the head anngle may be more agressive, the feel of the bike is far from it!
I can't comment on the Orbea apart from it does look ok and i've heard some good reviews on it.
Santa Cruz Tallboy
Bullproof carbon build;
/
mpn
And I haven't seen too many bulls on our trails to worry about the carbon surviving the encounter.
Wallabies on the other hand...
Hey Hawkeye...have you had a look at the new carbon Pivot 429......not sure what your budget looks like...but this is a mighty fine carbon steed!
I've heard good things about the Orbea.
Agree with Gazza, the suspension can be made to feel much more plush. I really like my setup and feel. I did a few laps on the new scalpel at the mont and found it very stiff and quite harsh to the point my back was very sore! Happy for you to take mine out for a spin to see how you feel on a softer setup.
As for the orbea - looks great. Didn't muvro get one?
Twotommos has the pivot as do many of his ride buddies. Awesome bike, great build and looks fantastic.
Other friends have trek (gf) superfly's and it has completely changed the way they ride. (20% faster at the mont)
There's probably not too many people that have owned/ridden different carbon 29ers. But I do know of one... He can probably give a great insight into the differences between the scalpel and the epic. I'm sure he will chime in soon...
I spoke to the Flow MTB guys at the Mont and Chris Southwood said his pick for that kind of course and event was either the Superfly or the Scalpel. Chris is a refreshingly down to earth no BS kind of guy and gets to ride lots of different equipment, so I thought his opinion had value.
Most of that performance is down to climbing efficiency and weight. Being able to get sub-11kg (ex pedals, measured) at mid-$4k without having to spend another cent on a Scalpel is also very attractive.
Muvro did very kindly offer a ride on his Orbea but I don't think we'll get a dry ride in very soon.
Hoping Ants will chip in soon - he offered some opinions a little while back and I'm interested in his rationale.
Nuff said
When I first started reading the post, I thought Scalpel hands down. Then I read that you were considering the Orbea and now I'm thinking you've thrown me into a fair bit of consideration.
I like the look of the Orbea, and although I haven't ridden either of them (a lot of good feedback from friends on the Scalpel though) I personally would go the Orbea. The only problem is I don't like the name Occam, but hey who cares what its called!!
Personal preference and preferred riding style always dictate the decision however, so in the end it doesn't matter how many people you ask, you need to decide what suits your needs better. The only thing we can provide is information on problems with the bike/equipment or manufacturer.
I'm jealous whichever way you go though.
The scalpels are a dime a dozen these days. If you have to, at least get it painted or wrapped a different colour.
I've ridden the scalpel and own an anthem and a niner jet carbon , the niner is way more plush n the rear, than the other 2, and you can put a 120mm fork on them which increases the front plushness plenty as well.
Occam's razor
Pharmaboys Niner Jet & it is a nice piece of kit
see if you can test ride his, I prefer it over the cannondale myself , I love my Scott too
Then forget those B doubles and climb on one of these. Devinci Atlas carbon
http://www.bikemag.com/videos/video-devincis-201...
Shortest chain stays in the business, shorter than my Banshee Paradox hard tail 29er. Which is half a wheel shorter than my 26' dually in wheel base.
If I ever get my finger out of my butt, and get my alloy one finished, you can have a test ride. For tight, techy trails wide bars 680mm+ and Short stem 75mm or less are the go on the 29er.
Life time warranty on the frame as well.
No distributor in Australia, currently thou.
I looked at the scalpel (and had a brief test ride on one) during my bike search several weeks ago, and the main thing that put me off was that it was not for sale at any remotely local shops.
Personally, my front runners (I was looking at the same ballpark as you, though at the top Al range) eventually became the Speck Epic and Trek Superfly 100 (I eventually chose the latter). I just love the Superfly myself and even from only riding the Scalpel and Sfly for a couple of minutes, I much preferred the Sfly.
Either way, I'm sure whatever you get will serve your purpose well though. I've basically seen the main four XC 29er contestants to be Anthem, Epic, Scalpel and Superfly.
Tristan
I think De Vinci are imported by the guys who do Contour helmet cams.
I think De Vinci are imported by the guys who do Contour helmet cams.
If you follow Occam's razor, you will choose the Scalpel.
If you had unlimited funds you could set it up with enve cockpit and wheelset. Running XX1 too. Nice.
Jorge (Cannondale factory racer) has a similar set up, minus the enve cockpit.
Now that pharmaboys bike is in the open. I must agree, one of the best bikes out there. Jet 9 RDO running xx1. If Xmas comes in July, I'm sure he'll get a super wheelset to match. He too is qualified to judge, owning a 2 other 29ers of different brands.
after seeing a buddy of mines newly built turner flux, beautiful bike
id have to throw the Turner Czar in the mix. Haven't ridden one though
http://flowmountainbike.com/2013/04/fresh-turner...
The people who do Contour cameras, no longer distribute Devinci. That is where I got my frame. I am currently dealing with Devinci in Quebec on a quick release maxle axle for the rear.
Real shame, smaller brands like Banshee and Devinci can't complete with the mass produced Taiwanese brands, flooding the market, most of there ideas copied from innovative brands like Banshee and Devinci. Lost both my Australian Distributors in the last 12 months. Get behind the smaller brands, they have to be innovative just to compete. Depends what you want.
I would go Niner RIP 9 all the way, looks great and climbs well. Rear wheel stays planted when I put the hammer down. Bike is incredibly stable on the short but bumpy downhill sections. It handles drops up to 3 feet or so effortlessly. Corners and is snappy like some smaller wheel bikes. Very stiff all around.
I could be wrong, but I had the thought (from their physiques as much as anything) the Contour guys weren't cyclists. Steep learning curve for them if that's so, not surprising they're no longer doing De Vinci.
You certainly seem to have the touch...
@Hanky, looking to stay with 100mm rear travel.
Ok - so as an early disclaimer, I will say that I am currently riding with Cannondale. I will also add that I was with Spec, and my two best mates ride Giant and Trek (Anthem and S'fly), and my ex was spono'd by Giant for a while.
Hopefully if sponsors are reading this - they wont mind me giving my honest advice, rather than the 'party line'....
Ironically, I have gone back to a 29er Hardtail for racing. I think - other than the Convict - there arent any 11 day races that really require a rear bouncer to race at 100% - but for stage racing, you probably do need one.
If I was picking a full-susp bike for 100% racing, at the front of the field - marathons, stage races, and maybe XC, then it would have to be the Epic. That is nothing against the Scalpel, Anthem or S'fly - but the set-up (geometry) of the Epic is just a bit more hardcore. the Brain is also great technology. I enjoyed mine, and it was the fastest thing I had ridden at the time. Since then - my Flash really has impressed me. I was less fit this year than last at the Convict, and this year rode the Flash vs Epic, and was still 1min faster. Therre is a lot to be said for the out and out response of a HT up those climbs...
However - if I was picking a bike that would do Marathons not to be at the very front, but extremely fast and a bike to use as a trail ride bike as well - so anything other than 100% racing, then it would be the Scalpel. I have ridden a couple now, and love it. I will be getting one for myself imminently. I would then go and retro-fit the new Rockshox 'dual lock-out' hydraulics. A full h-bar lock-out for me is essential - and one lever that does it all (a la Scott) is a great, clean, system. As you know - the Lefty is incredible, and the rear travel feels really plush - much more so than the Epic. More 'bottom-less'. I recently rode one and found myself really throwing it into corners, sideways in the air - whips etc - it was a dream. I wouldnt have done that on the Epic.
The Anthem is a good bike at a price. It is well spec'd, and the Rockstar boys & girls have shown that it can be raced perfectly well. When set-up with a more relaxed bar and stem combo, it feels like its a capable trail bike. You'll battle to get it under 10kg - where as the others should (just get to 9.x kg in full war-paint.
The Orbea is a different beast all together. For me, not racey enough, and could never really be made racey enough. Certainly not to the same extent that a Scalpel might be made into a trail bike.
You have you list pretty set, so I wont go adding to them - but being clear on the intended use is key. a RIP9 is not the same bike on any level as a Scalpel. Sure, it has wheels, and has suspension. - but thats almost it. Jet 9 is nice - for sure, but too trail (see Orbea comments), same with Tallboy.
I have ridden the Bianchi dually - that was nice, very racey. Most similar to the Epic. You would struggle to make it 'trail' though..
So - Scalpel is the obvious choice - setup as a fast trail bike.
hope that is of some use...
Bike ordered. Given that round here it's "photos or it didn't happen" I'll have photos for you some time next week when it's here.
Which one
Sheesh! Talk about ruining the suspense!
Not necessarily so. I sent an email to Cannondale US querying lifetime warranty and if I'd received no response I'd have shelved the dale and deferred ordering the alternative until after mid August.
I got a bunch of vague marketing waffle but the fact I wasn't ignored was good enough.
But maybe the bike shop owner knew something I didn't. .. when I walked in today he said "already ordered. Will be here Thursday.
"
Well that was an epic thread !
Bit of a Jane Austen novel really, but is the winner Mr Darcy or Mr wickham ......
Either way hawkeye, fun will be had, and all excuses are lost. Like the comments above - a scalpel a "trail bike" ??? , fark me, only a hardtail devotee could call a scalpel a trail bike, I must be way too old, a hardtail is an instrument of torcher for teenagers to ride.
3m 1080 vinyl wrap wherever it's green.....
Don't diss the green!
Reminds me of when I got my Jekyll. 2007 or thereabouts. Team SoBe colours, bright bright green with yellow fade highlights and black flame graphic from the headtube.
Everyone said "Cool bike.
Needs to be black. 
"
Then just before I traded up to the Rize, Naz was telling me one of his mates saw my bike and loved the colour so much he had his stripped back and resprayed the same loud green. I was like "Wow, really?"
Now that my son has inherited it, all his mates who were the chief critics reckon its really cool. Maybe its the vintage patina. Goes to show that if you hang on to something long enough it will eventually come into fashion
Even loud green 
Thanks Hawkeye, I knew the principal, but I didn't remember that it was Occam that hypothesised it. Makes a bit of sense now, Orbea claiming they have come up with an answer with the simplest equation.
Hawkeye, seems you used a 1 in the picture at the top, so are ou getting the 1 or the 2?
Radar, Ockham's razor must be the most overused, least understood concept of modern times. Used in Internet arguments almost exclusively, but ignored to the same degree in real science as a quirky 14th century musing.
Unfortunately simplicity is as commonly wrong as complexity. I prefer "needless complexity" versus " elegance".
Yeti
Getting the 2. The 1 was attractive but I prefer shimano shifter action as its easier on my thumbs, and I had the cash to do the deal on the spot. The extra couple of $k for a 700g weight reduction that I can mostly achieve through eating a bit less the 2 seemed the better value for money