Looking for some input.

Bike Park - Enduro

Cypress - Enduro

Typical Fromme trails - AM

Seymour - Mix of AM or Enduro

If you think that you will be riding steeper stuff - Enduro

Bigger hits, Enduro

Strava matter to you? Probably AM

Where do you think that you ride most? Which is closest to home?

Posted by: Ddean

Bike Park - Enduro

Cypress - Enduro

Typical Fromme trails - AM

Seymour - Mix of AM or Enduro

If you think that you will be riding steeper stuff - Enduro

Bigger hits, Enduro

Strava matter to you? Probably AM

Where do you think that you ride most? Which is closest to home?

Most of my riding will be Fromme, Seymour and Squamish.

What's Strava?

Posted by: Ouch

Posted by: ReductiMat

Buy the one you like the looks of most. 

If you’re spending $4000+, your rationalization of the purchase will trump any of the marginal differences brought forth thus far in the discussion.

No kidding.

Sarcasm? Or you stating there's a marginal different between an "all-mountain" bike vs a "Enduro"? $4000+ is a the cheap end for the price of bikes!!

I think I'll buy the bike I like riding the most, then decide on which model.

Nope, 100% serious.

I can't think of one bike company who builds shit bikes.  After sale support is another matter entirely.  That said, the probability you will require that is directly related to the ratio of uphill to downhill you do.

If you haven't ridden in over a decade, I contend it doesn't matter in the slightest what you buy if you're spending $4k+.  All-mountain/Enduro, 650b/29'er/30.5'er, etc.  I will concede that more travel is always more nicer.

What will matter is if you like the looks of it and it feels 'right'.  Every other difference is just picking nits relative to how good things are these days, especially if you aren't being paid to ride this particular bike.

In that case, get an enduro for the shock and awe versus what you would have been riding a decade ago. 

6inch bike. Either 29rbor not. Youll have a blast!

And pick one you like the look of! Evil Wreckining!!!!!

Posted by: ReductiMat

Posted by: Ouch

Posted by: ReductiMat

Buy the one you like the looks of most. 

If you’re spending $4000+, your rationalization of the purchase will trump any of the marginal differences brought forth thus far in the discussion.

No kidding.

Sarcasm? Or you stating there's a marginal different between an "all-mountain" bike vs a "Enduro"? $4000+ is a the cheap end for the price of bikes!!

I think I'll buy the bike I like riding the most, then decide on which model.

Nope, 100% serious.

I can't think of one bike company who builds shit bikes.  After sale support is another matter entirely.  That said, the probability you will require that is directly related to the ratio of uphill to downhill you do.

If you haven't ridden in over a decade, I contend it doesn't matter in the slightest what you buy if you're spending $4k+.  All-mountain/Enduro, 650b/29'er/30.5'er, etc.  I will concede that more travel is always more nicer.

What will matter is if you like the looks of it and it feels 'right'.  Every other difference is just picking nits relative to how good things are these days, especially if you aren't being paid to ride this particular bike.

Thanks for the clarification. So an 'Enduro' isn't overkill if I'm not going to be doing jumps/drops less than 4ft, and not pushing the limits. Will be doing mostly blue's and black's, can't see myself doing double black's.

Posted by: Ddean

In that case, get an enduro for the shock and awe versus what you would have been riding a decade ago. 

6inch bike. Either 29rbor not. Youll have a blast!

And pick one you like the look of! Evil Wreckining!!!!!

I like the looks of the Norco's and they're a local company. I have a hardtail from them and find it quite comfortable. I see the Sight 29er has been nominated for bike of the year(Pinkbike).

I know the 'bike of the year' is very subjective! But seems to get lots of good reviews. I'll take a look at the Range as well. Rocky Mountain as well, but not a fan of their colours/paint jobs.

I'd forgotten that I'd recently been on a ride where all five of us where riding 2018 Norco Range or Sight in a selection of wheel sizes. To summarize the ride and some of this is probably pretty obvious, but Sight climbed better and was more nimble on the tighter trails but was still competent on the downs. On the last trail that I knew my boss knew well and I didn't so much, he suggested I go first as I was on my personal Range and he was on a Sight 29 and the trail was medium grade but pretty chundery / rocky. I let him go first because of again not knowing the trail so well, but yeah, I soon came flying up behind him as my bike was in it's element on a more 'DH' type trail despite the smaller wheels. But in terms of overkill, I think if I'd have had the Range 29, I'd have gone faster still but there's going to be a trade-off between speed Vs feel. Personally I just like to have a laugh so don't care about ultimate speed so am happy to give that up for more interaction with the trail.

Posted by: Ouch

Thanks for the clarification. So an 'Enduro' isn't overkill if I'm not going to be doing jumps/drops less than 4ft, and not pushing the limits. Will be doing mostly blue's and black's, can't see myself doing double black's.

I think 'Enduro' is overkill if you say you're moving to Manitoba and plan on riding the trails around The Forks.

Posted by: trumpstinyhands

I'd forgotten that I'd recently been on a ride where all five of us where riding 2018 Norco Range or Sight in a selection of wheel sizes. To summarize the ride and some of this is probably pretty obvious, but Sight climbed better and was more nimble on the tighter trails but was still competent on the downs. On the last trail that I knew my boss knew well and I didn't so much, he suggested I go first as I was on my personal Range and he was on a Sight 29 and the trail was medium grade but pretty chundery / rocky. I let him go first because of again not knowing the trail so well, but yeah, I soon came flying up behind him as my bike was in it's element on a more 'DH' type trail despite the smaller wheels. But in terms of overkill, I think if I'd have had the Range 29, I'd have gone faster still but there's going to be a trade-off between speed Vs feel. Personally I just like to have a laugh so don't care about ultimate speed so am happy to give that up for more interaction with the trail.

So you feel overall the Range is quite a bit better on the down? Are you saying the Range 29 would be overkill or just faster?

Posted by: ReductiMat

Posted by: Ouch

Thanks for the clarification. So an 'Enduro' isn't overkill if I'm not going to be doing jumps/drops less than 4ft, and not pushing the limits. Will be doing mostly blue's and black's, can't see myself doing double black's.

I think 'Enduro' is overkill if you say you're moving to Manitoba and plan on riding the trails around The Forks.

Funny! I woke up this morning leaning towards an Enduro bike, tomorrow an all-mountain, next day Enduro.....I guess I'll get whatever day my mind rotation lands on, when I'm ready to buy! Hahahaha....

I'm sure it'll be quite clear once I take them for a spin.

The good news is you're not going to go wrong regardless.

All that said, I thought I'd never be into the Whistler Bike Park.  My first bike was a Trek Remedy five or so years ago thinking I'd never do a two foot drop.  Rode the bike park, sold my Trek and have never looked back.  I think I'm an outlier though.

Just my two cents, but if I was just to have one bike I think I would lean towards a 27.5 with an enduro mindset. For the versatility. Shore one day, park the next. As the addiction grabs hold of your soul, you can start to develop a quiver of bikes for different trails, styles or zones. I can almost guarantee that the way you think you'll ride today will not be the way you'll ride a year from now. Versatility.

I value the input so far!

I'm curious on how old you guys are? It's one thing to get into the sport in your 20's and 30's it's another when you're approaching 50. For one you heal way faster when you're younger. If I cut myself it takes a week to be fully heal, in my 30's it was a few days. Aches last months not days! I'm far from my bulletproof days!! 

With kids and owning a house in Vancouver, getting a quiver of bikes is not realistic...... at least not on my pay scale. I plan on keeping my hardtail for putting around, which is a 29er.

So I don't know how aggressively I'll be getting into MTBing, can't see myself doing double black's, but everything below is fair game.

I started riding just before 40.