OK I'm mainly just a road rider, BUT after doing an adventure race a few weeks ago and my old hardtail beating me up I decided to go "just look" at a few new mtn bikes! Welp one
followed me home! Dammit I gotta stay away from the bike shops. First a Cannondale Caad9 and now the Gary Fisher X Caliber 29'er! This is getting expensive...
I was going to go Full suspension but in the end the cost and it was such a change from a hardtail with no shock was simply too big of a change for me. After riding the Specialized Epic and Rockhopper Expert and the Gary Fisher RumbleFish, X Caliber and a few Niners I loved the feel of the 29'ers and especially the X Caliber. The Fox front shock is such a huge improvement over the older Fox shocks, components were decent, x9 and x7 SRam mixed with a bit of Shimano Deore it was a good mix at a good price! Plus the geometry and handling of the Fisher was a bit better than the Specialized in the 29ers!
Now after a few shakedown rides on the 29'er I'll never go back to a 26 mountain bike!
Keep an eye on ebay and CL... Not a ton of 29'ers but lots of nice bikes nonetheless!
BTW here's the new dirt ride in the stable!