#!markdown
7,150 is a lot for a base model to be sure and I'm curious to hear about some
of your spec prefs (see below) but you're not comparing apples to apples.
A 5k Cove is aluminum for starters, and I'm not seeing anything in their build
kit that separates it from the Nomad's base kit (Elixir 7 brakes - those work
for you but XTs don't?). I'm skeptical about that build coming in at a claimed
30 lbs but not certain either.
But you should be comparing to a Bronson anyway since Hustler is a 66.5º
HA/150mm bike - Nomad is 65/165. If you do that, you can get a Bronson Carbon
starting at $4450 USD. And yes, you'd want to make some changes (especially
brakes, I'm guessing) but that's a lot more palatable for most budgets and you
only pay a .5 lb weight penalty over a Bronson Carbon C frame.
In your comment you said "for bikes that most of us would have to pull apart
(to) upgrade for another 2g"
1) MOST of the cockpit? What isn't going to work for you in the X1 range? Ok,
so XT brakes aren't enough power, but that isn't the case for most riders. In
fact I've never heard someone complain of a lack of power on them and for me,
they're the best value out there. Do bigger rotors do the trick or do you need
Saints?
2) Shock and fork…ok we all have different preferences but the RS stuff that
comes on the Nomad is first class. You can play the "it's not my fave" card
but not the "it's not good enough" one. I've been running the Monarch Plus and
it is awesome. The Pike needs no introduction. What would you switch to? For
my money it would be hard to argue with a Pike/Monarch combo, and some would
rather have Fox or Cane Creek but you're not looking at resale of 0 and full
pop to replace.
3) Tires - we could go on forever about 'em. High Rollers may not be
everyone's ideal tire up here but they're nowhere near the throwaway OE spec
tires you see on so many bikes. I've been running them front and back lately
and don't hate them, at all. They were great this summer, and have remained
good in the wet, although I have yet to try the deeper-knobbed 2.4 and/or
would be happier with a Minion on the front. Any Minion. You would be able to
trade that straight across at any shop and they could sell them easily. The
Cove comes with an Ardent in the back, btw…
4) I understand your customizability complaint but there are scant few
companies that actually offer what you're looking for. It's a logistical
nightmare for companies to go too deep there and you can't only blame the bike
co's - lead times on OE spec parts make it difficult to please everyone.
Still…7k and a bike that you don't feel is perfect is a problem. I get that.
Soon enough I'd speculate the Nomad will be available in CR version or
aluminum, and that'll bring it into play for a lot of people.
Oct. 23, 2014, 3:16 p.m. - Pete Roggeman
#!markdown 7,150 is a lot for a base model to be sure and I'm curious to hear about some of your spec prefs (see below) but you're not comparing apples to apples. A 5k Cove is aluminum for starters, and I'm not seeing anything in their build kit that separates it from the Nomad's base kit (Elixir 7 brakes - those work for you but XTs don't?). I'm skeptical about that build coming in at a claimed 30 lbs but not certain either. But you should be comparing to a Bronson anyway since Hustler is a 66.5º HA/150mm bike - Nomad is 65/165. If you do that, you can get a Bronson Carbon starting at $4450 USD. And yes, you'd want to make some changes (especially brakes, I'm guessing) but that's a lot more palatable for most budgets and you only pay a .5 lb weight penalty over a Bronson Carbon C frame. In your comment you said "for bikes that most of us would have to pull apart (to) upgrade for another 2g" 1) MOST of the cockpit? What isn't going to work for you in the X1 range? Ok, so XT brakes aren't enough power, but that isn't the case for most riders. In fact I've never heard someone complain of a lack of power on them and for me, they're the best value out there. Do bigger rotors do the trick or do you need Saints? 2) Shock and fork…ok we all have different preferences but the RS stuff that comes on the Nomad is first class. You can play the "it's not my fave" card but not the "it's not good enough" one. I've been running the Monarch Plus and it is awesome. The Pike needs no introduction. What would you switch to? For my money it would be hard to argue with a Pike/Monarch combo, and some would rather have Fox or Cane Creek but you're not looking at resale of 0 and full pop to replace. 3) Tires - we could go on forever about 'em. High Rollers may not be everyone's ideal tire up here but they're nowhere near the throwaway OE spec tires you see on so many bikes. I've been running them front and back lately and don't hate them, at all. They were great this summer, and have remained good in the wet, although I have yet to try the deeper-knobbed 2.4 and/or would be happier with a Minion on the front. Any Minion. You would be able to trade that straight across at any shop and they could sell them easily. The Cove comes with an Ardent in the back, btw… 4) I understand your customizability complaint but there are scant few companies that actually offer what you're looking for. It's a logistical nightmare for companies to go too deep there and you can't only blame the bike co's - lead times on OE spec parts make it difficult to please everyone. Still…7k and a bike that you don't feel is perfect is a problem. I get that. Soon enough I'd speculate the Nomad will be available in CR version or aluminum, and that'll bring it into play for a lot of people.