#!markdown
Hi Mike,
Mid-summer I cracked my personal bike: a 2009 Yeti 303R-DH.
I had to find a replacement quick on the cheap.
I wanted 26” because I had issues with tire clearance on
this 650b Voltage and had a friend with similar riding style complain about
the
same issue when testing some other 650b sleds. I was not in a situation where
I
could figure out which 650b downhill bikes would work for me and which would
not, so I played it safe with 26”.
26” limited my options. The bike with the longest reach with
26” wheels that I could get for a good price was the 2015 Kona Operator base
model. I like it. The updated geometry feels great. I am noticeably faster on
the new bike. That being said, the rear end is heavy relative to the front and
the bike feels unbalanced. There are likely better bikes.
My aforementioned friend WAS in the position where he could test everything.
He
tested a 650b Norco Aurum, 650b Transition TR500, and 650b Santa Cruz V-10. He
bought a V-10 even though the price was higher than he had wanted to pay.
There’s something about the V-10s. Riders like them. If you
know you do, Mike, it could be a good buy.
If I was in a situation where I could spend quite a bit of
my hard earned cash, I’d spend the little extra to rent and figure out what I
wanted.
If I could pick anything in the world, period, I’d probably
get a new 650b Trek or a Canfield. Trek because I’ve always wanted to ride one
and don’t know of anywhere I can rent one anyway. Canfield because I think the
Canfield brothers are extremely cool.
Nov. 23, 2015, 10:23 p.m. - Garrett Thibault
#!markdown Hi Mike, Mid-summer I cracked my personal bike: a 2009 Yeti 303R-DH. I had to find a replacement quick on the cheap. I wanted 26” because I had issues with tire clearance on this 650b Voltage and had a friend with similar riding style complain about the same issue when testing some other 650b sleds. I was not in a situation where I could figure out which 650b downhill bikes would work for me and which would not, so I played it safe with 26”. 26” limited my options. The bike with the longest reach with 26” wheels that I could get for a good price was the 2015 Kona Operator base model. I like it. The updated geometry feels great. I am noticeably faster on the new bike. That being said, the rear end is heavy relative to the front and the bike feels unbalanced. There are likely better bikes. My aforementioned friend WAS in the position where he could test everything. He tested a 650b Norco Aurum, 650b Transition TR500, and 650b Santa Cruz V-10. He bought a V-10 even though the price was higher than he had wanted to pay. There’s something about the V-10s. Riders like them. If you know you do, Mike, it could be a good buy. If I was in a situation where I could spend quite a bit of my hard earned cash, I’d spend the little extra to rent and figure out what I wanted. If I could pick anything in the world, period, I’d probably get a new 650b Trek or a Canfield. Trek because I’ve always wanted to ride one and don’t know of anywhere I can rent one anyway. Canfield because I think the Canfield brothers are extremely cool.