Modern Slayer versus 2014 E29

I’m sure a new bike is in my future. I’ve sold two bikes in the last few months and have that cash set aside for another nice one. I can’t sell bikes and not replace at least one of them!!!! I’ll find a good barely used one and buy it. 

I think that a Slayer is the move but an Instinct or Altitude would also work well. In the meantime I’ll get the dropper as it’ll be helpful. That e29 has been awesome. I should be selling it now but from many respects it’s my perfect bike. It’s still soooloo good.....but I would hope so, the thing cost a fortune!!!!!

I know you are stuck on the Rocky, but let me say, I have an insurgent and it is ridiculous. You can ride it with 150, 160 or 180 fork and achieve a HTA between 63-66 depending on how you run it. Every time I ride this bike I smile. They also make a 29er but the 27.5 wheel size is very capable and more fun IMO. It climbs well. It descends above it's grade. The suspension is constantly being described as "deep". Check out some reviews.

The reason I mention this one is that it sounds like you want something you can pedal but more capable than your current rig. The slayer has a lot of travel and I'm sure is a blast to descend on but probably won't get up a rooty climb where as this one will.

Not to derail the thread but the insurgent is a bike I am interested in, that and the Mach 6.  Can you tell me more about the insurgent. Any cons?  How is the chain slap as the chain sits really close to the chain stay.  I am on a 2016 reign advance.

Thanks

Ive long lusted for Evils...Id buy one but they're harder to find, more dough, and the Rocky's are sexy local bikes.

If I could find a nice used Insurgent for a similar'ish price (versus the Rocky), I'd buy it! Don't see that happening

EDIT: If you're looking for a large Insurgent, Pros Closet has them on sale for US$3500 new. Too big for me.

That 3500 insurgent is a crazy deal. There is a small there for 3199 as well (too small?) How much is the slayer?

As far as the insurgent goes. I have it set up as a trail bike 150 150 with a lyric up front and a debonair behind. I ride mostly hardtails and the insurgent is fun, capable and smoothes everything out enough without removing the feel of the trail. Bookwus is one of the rowdier trails I've taken it down and I have to say, the bike never stops blowing me away. When you get over your head, the bike holds its composure and you can pull it out of trouble (or it pulls you out). I think the two best parts are that the travel feels Bottomless while the top 1/3 of the travel is supper supple and responsive making cornering incredible. You can really lay it down. 

Climbing is good. The chain slap is a stupid gripe. I hear it every so often but mostly I don't notice it. I haven't found a single con yet. If someone offered to trade me any bike I would just keep my insurgent.

Posted by: RAHrider

The reason I mention this one is that it sounds like you want something you can pedal but more capable than your current rig. The slayer has a lot of travel and I'm sure is a blast to descend on but probably won't get up a rooty climb where as this one will.

From all the reviews i could find it sounds like the Slayer pedals exceptionally well for a bike of its class, more efficient under power that a lot of bikes with less travel. Conversely, there are tons of good things to be said about Evils, but pedaling efficiency doesn't seem to be among those things.

Which is also why i strongly disagree with the idea of converting the E29 to a "XC" bike next to the Slayer. There would be far too much overlap between those bikes. The E29 would still have tons of very squishy suspension and pedal no better than the Slayer.

The problem with the 2014 E29 is that it is more of a long travel trail bike than an enduro. The 67.5* head angle and the 29r hoops and the rest of its geo makes its awesome on almost everything but the steep stuff, at least with a 125 dropper.

170 one up dropper on its way! I’ll see if that opens up stuff and go from there. The E29 is my perfect bike except for that damn head angle.

Posted by: Timer

Posted by: RAHrider

The reason I mention this one is that it sounds like you want something you can pedal but more capable than your current rig. The slayer has a lot of travel and I'm sure is a blast to descend on but probably won't get up a rooty climb where as this one will.

From all the reviews i could find it sounds like the Slayer pedals exceptionally well for a bike of its class, more efficient under power that a lot of bikes with less travel. Conversely, there are tons of good things to be said about Evils, but pedaling efficiency doesn't seem to be among those things.

Which is also why i strongly disagree with the idea of converting the E29 to a "XC" bike next to the Slayer. There would be far too much overlap between those bikes. The E29 would still have tons of very squishy suspension and pedal no better than the Slayer.

I hate to disagree but I do. The Slayer has a 2cm shorter top tube and it has a slight slacker seat tube. As far as I can tell, it is a four bar linkage, which is fairly efficient but certainly not something that will make 165mm of travel climb like a goat. The reason I was suggesting the evil is because it climbs as well as most other 150mm travel bikes do but is known to descend like a bigger bike. I'm not saying the evil is the answer to his needs but I have been very happy with mine and thought I'd offer it as a suggestion.

Wouldn't the Evil equivalent to a Slayer be a Wreckoning? Those are supposed to climb well too, and monster-truck their way down just like a Slayer.

Posted by: RAHrider

I hate to disagree but I do. The Slayer has a 2cm shorter top tube and it has a slight slacker seat tube. As far as I can tell, it is a four bar linkage, which is fairly efficient but certainly not something that will make 165mm of travel climb like a goat. The reason I was suggesting the evil is because it climbs as well as most other 150mm travel bikes do but is known to descend like a bigger bike. I'm not saying the evil is the answer to his needs but I have been very happy with mine and thought I'd offer it as a suggestion.

It seems like we are on a similar page here. I'm under no illusion that a bike like the Slayer will be a fast climbing machine, just that it climbs better than most bikes with 165mm of travel.  If the Evil climbs just like other bikes with 150mm of travel, then both of them should be quite close in climbing performance. Staying in that kind of long-travel, decend-biased 27" bike category, there are tons of awesome bikes which might all be great for the OP, but he has set his sight on the Slayer and i can't fault him for that.

But seeing that he loves his E29 and just wants a bit more confidence in the steeps, i stand by my recommendation of trying out an angleset and long dropper. If that still doesn't work out there will always be a Slayer (or similar) waiting in clearance sales at the end of the season.

Posted by: Timer

But seeing that he loves his E29 and just wants a bit more confidence in the steeps, i stand by my recommendation of trying out an angleset and long dropper. If that still doesn't work out there will always be a Slayer (or similar) waiting in clearance sales at the end of the season.

I fully agree with not shelling out start of season $ for a new rig. If an angleset and dropper buy him a season he will probably thank you. I get the feeling that long travel 27.5 may still be sitting in the shop at the end of season given the rager that is 29ers these days.

The 170mm OneUp dropper is installed - now all I need is to get the bike out in some steeps!!!

The OneUp dropper looks like a really nice priece of kit. Appears well made and I love the cable end at the dropper and the clamp at the lever. Way better than dealing with those little rod clamps at the dropper!

As you have found out, you can't run an angleset on the Spec due to the cups being integrated into the frame.

What you can do to slacken it out is the offset bush in the front mount of the shock, and you can also run the 650b Enduro shock clevis, which slackens the bike out - it's quite a common mod on the Enduro29.

Yes, but I don't want to degrade how the bike pedals. Modifying the offset bushing or the linkage will have  a similar but detrimental impact on the seat tube angle as it would the head tube angle, at least when I visualize all of the moving parts in my mind that's how it looks to me. The angleset would be the way to go, but not possible as you have said.

Im going to keep the E29 as is but with the new dropper, and Im going to get an additional bike. Ultimately if it pedals great maybe it becomes the work horse instead of the E29 - who knows. Brain and heart are both saying Slayer to start because its the furthest away from the E29, even though I prefer 29r. But if I found a wicked deal on either an Instinct or an Altitude, I could be swayed to either.

Ill figure it out over the next few weeks. Im looking - an obvious buy hasn't jumped out at me yet.