52 DIRT RAG #175_2.15.14

We love riding $1 OK wUnderbikes as much as anyone,

and probably more than most. But all that bling can

spoil us. Feeling the need to pull our heads out of the

clouds (some might say out of our asses), we hunted down six

$2,500 full-suspension trail bikes, loaded them into the van,

and headed south from Pittsburgh to the Stokesville Lodge in

Harrisonburg, Virginia, to ride the rowdy trails and reconnect

with bikes that have price tags well below the cost of a new

motorcycle.

There are basic similarities with the six we chose: All have

hydro-formed aluminum frames, tapered forks and air rear

shocks. Not a single piece of carbon fiber anywhere-but lots

of wrs rims and saddles. Almost every bike needed wider bars,

and that is coming from a bunch of tight-woods riding Eastern­

ers. And not a single fork had stanchions over 32mm wide-the

Camber only had 30mm stanchions.

Nearly every bike had bars, stems and dropper posts

swapped out for personal preference and comfort. We tried stock

tires, but switched those when the wet, leafy trails demanded

more aggressive knobs. We'd consider this pretty par for the

course for most experienced riders setting up a new bike. As for

the dropper posts, that is just simple math: How many mountain

bikes would be improved by the installation of a dropper post?

All of them.

While there was some bellyaching before the trip, along the

lines of ruining a fall riding retreat with less than top-of-the-line

machinery, everyone stopped complaining from the first ride

onward. For the price, these bikes are a much better deal than

many two to four times the cost.

DIRTRAGMAG.COM 53

THE BIKES Web Editor and Resident Grump Adam Newman rode a pair of

longer- travel 29ers, a 120mm Norco Fluid 9. 1 and a 130mm Dia­

mondback Sortie 1 29.

NORCO FlUID 9.1 $2,275 I think it's safe to say the runaway success of Norco's 27.5 models

have left its 29ers in the dust. What was once a full range of big­

wheeled double-bouncers has now been narrowed to a few select

models. New for 2014 is the Fluid 9.1, a 120mm do-it-all trail bike

that is a bit more modest than its predecessor, the Shinobi, in both

price and aggression.

The Fluid 9.1 is built around a Horst Link rear suspension, with a

NORCO FLUID 9.1

DIAMONDBACK SORTIE 1 29

derailleur and brakes. The brakes are especially sweet, crushing

anything else at their price point. Worth noting, however, is that the

XT parts are from the M780 lineup, not the current M786 series. Still,

it was good in 2012 and it remains good now. The Fluid 9.1 rings the

register at $2,250, a number so impressive I actually contacted Norco

to make sure the price listed wasn't a typo. It is the least expensive

bike in our group and had some of the nicest components.

DIAMONDBACK SORTIE 1 29 $2,400 It's amazing the difference a few millimeters can make. Ten

millimeters up front, five millimeters out back, and two bikes with

remarkably similar numbers can have vastly distinct personalities.

The Diamondback Sortie 29 seems to pair well with the brand's hard-

pivot located below the rear axle, offering excellent small-bump com- hitting image, as it begs to be ridden hard and fast.

pliance. The frame itself is hydroformed aluminum with a traditional The Sortie 1 29 is the entry-level model in the lineup and, as

threaded bottom bracket and external cable routing along the un- such, makes do with a mix of Shimano components, from Alvino to

derside of the downtube. Lots of folks claim the cables and housing SU<. Built around Diamondback's venerable Knuckle Box suspen-

are in danger there, but I've never seen or heard of a problem on the sian design, the Sortie has its mass centered and low, adding a lot

trail. The rear derailleur housing would sag down below the downtube of stability in motion. You can sense that mass floating just above

while riding, so eventually I added an extra zip-tie to keep it in place. the bottom bracket. OK, let's face it, at 34.9-lbs., you can sense the

Standover on the size XL I rode was more than ample. mass everywhere. This isn't a light bike, but it feels incredibly solid.

The parts kit is extremely impressive given the price point, with It's also the only bike in our group with a nine-speed drivetrain,

Shimano XT shifters and rear derailleur, and Deore cranks, front though to be honest I didn't even notice until I checked the spec

54 DIRTRAG#175_2.15.14

sheet~ The Alvino shifters have a light throw and the Shimano non­

series hydraulic brakes work fine as long as you tug the levers a little

harder than you would on some high-end units.

The aluminum frame is hydroformed with a tapered head tube,

threaded bottom bracket, a rear thru-axle and my size XL sports

a number of gussets to keep things stiff. Cables are run externally

along the bottom of the downtube, though there is an entry port

above the bottom bracket for stealth dropper post routing.

I'm surprised to see a lack of ISCG mounts, as this chassis is

certainly capable of being built into a bruiser. Bolt on a 140mm fork,

a chainguide and some beefier tires, and you'd have quite a monster

on your hands ...

Photographer!CFO/GM and Beard Farmer Justin Steiner was on the

150mm travel bikes of the group, the evergreen Santa Cruz Heckler

with 0 AM build kit and the Mongoose Teocali Expert.

SANTACRUZ HECKlER D AM $2.600 The fourth iteration of the Heckler is just old enough to vote this

year and while it still sports 150mm of travel from a simple single

pivot, it now steps into the "enduro" age with 27.5-inch wheels.

. Our Heckler came built up with Santa Cruz's lowest price point D

AM kit, complete with RockShox Sektor Gold fork and Fox Float CTD

rear shock. Drivetrain is mostly Deore, including a clutch rear derail­

leur. Shifting was crisp and reliable, with action feeling quite similar to

Shimano's higher-end product. Avid Elixir 1 brakes sport 180mm front

and 160mm rear rotors. The brakes offered ample power, with con­

sistency not often found on higher-end Elixir brakes. I couldn't have

been more impressed with how well these "budget" parts perfonmed.

SRAM hubs laced to WTB i23 rims round out the package. Most

impressively, the Heckler ships with Stan's No Tubes sealant and the

same awesome Maxxis High Roller II EXO 2.3-inch tires found on the

$1 OK Bronson. This prima tire spec is largely responsible for much of

this bike's trail confidence

MONGOOSE TEOCAU EXPERT $2.500 In this collection of bikes, the Mongoose Teocali's matchy-matchy

black, white and red aesthetic stands out with the most rad-dude­

bro, millennia! appeal. Fortunately, this flashy branding undersells

the Teocali's ability to deliver an impressive ride quality. As the only

consumer-direct bike in this group, sizing, shipping charges and

assembly are the responsibility of the buyer. Mongoose does offer as­

sembly videos via their website, but be realistic about your mechani­

cal abilities when purchasing .

Where the Heckler is at the bottom of the Santa Cruz heap, the

DIRTRAGMAG.COM 55

Teocali Expert is the most expensive Mongoose offering. A mixed

SRAM X5 and X7 drivetrain performed exceptionally well. Like the

Heckler, the Avid Elixir 1 brakes instilled confidence and worked

flawlessly throughout the test period. Rolling stock consists of no­

name hubs laced to 26-inch WTB Team i19 rims, though I'd prefer

to see wider rims on a 150mm bike as I did put a hurting on the

Teocali's rear wheel. Some of that was likely due to the 2.1-inch rear

tire. I liked the Kenda Excavators, but this bike deserves a matching

2.35-inch rear tire.

The Teocali's Freedrive suspension system is similar in concept

to GT's i-Drive system. The high single pivot defines the upward and

rearward axle path while two additional links actuate the rear shock.

JAM IS DAKAR XCT 650 COMP

SPECIALIZED CAMBER 29

The bottom bracket actually swings rearward as the suspension

compresses in order to keep chain growth reasonable.

Tech Editor/Chief Naysayer Eric McKeegan rode bikes right smack in

the middle of this mess, a 130mm travel Jamis Dakar XCT 650 Comp

and a 11 Omm travel Specialized Camber 29.

JAMIS DAKAR XCT 650 COMP $2.400 Jamis was an early adopter of the 27.5-inch wheel size, with mod­

els appearing five years ago it's old hat to the brand. Seeing the ad­

vantage of the wheelsize for trail bikes, the first model was a five-inch

travel Dakar XCT. This is the latest generation, utilizing the lessons

learned from the last five years of not always smooth sailing.

The Dakar uses Jamis' MP4 suspension, a low leverage single

pivot design. The X-Fusion 02 RL rear shock is activated with a seat

tube mounted linkage. This basic design has been refined by Jamis

for years, and while it may look somewhat old school, it works well,

even without a fancy 3-position shock. This interaction on the frame

design is actually less swoopy than years past, and looked a bit

dated parked next to some of the other bikes here.

The fork is a 130mm X-Fusion Velvet RL with a 15mm thru-axle,

which once again proved itself as a basic, but very functional fork.

The drivetrain is mostly Shimano Deore, with a 38/24 crank. Brakes

are Shimano M445s with 180/160 rotors. Crankbrothers provided the

cockpit, although the 1 OOmm stem was swapped for an 80 pretty

quickly. The stock WTB Volt saddle is a personal favorite, and WTB

SX19 rims with Geax Goma 2.25-inch tires rounded out a respectable

parts kit.

SPECIALIZED CAMBER COMP 29 $2.600 Even after years of production, the Camber somehow never made

it to Dirt Rag headquarters for review until now. The racier Epic, or

longer-travel Stumpjumper and Enduro stole all the attention. But

after an eye-opening blast riding a Camber on some French trails this

summer, it became a top pick for 2014 test bikes.

Much like the Heckler, the Camber doesn't look at all out of place

hanging out with bikes double and triple its price. The frame design

and paint job are refined and almost classic looking. Even the skinny

legged RockShox XC 30 fork looked surprisingly proportional. A

Monarch RL rear shock utilizes Specialized's AutoSag feature and an

easy-to-reach lockout lever. SRAM covers the drivetrain with a 36/22

crank and XS shifting bits. Formula provides the brakes with large

200/180mm rotors. The rest of the bike is almost all Specialized­

branded components, including tubeless-ready rims and Ground

Control t ires.

THE RIDES The first order of business was getting the bikes dialed in. Suspen­

sion tuning was relatively painless with everything taking minimal

fiddling. It looks like Fox has ironed out some of the problems with the

Evolution series forks, as the 2014 models we rode worked smoothly.

The RockShox and X-Fusion suspension bits were stellar performers

for the price. The tapered steerers and 32mm stanctions (30mm on the

Camber) were plenty stiff, with the Heckler and Sortie being the only

bike that could haven taken advantage of a Fox 34 or RockShox Pike.

The drivetrain parts work well and without drama. The less fit

among us are happy to see some triple cranks, but all the bikes had

plenty of range for most riders. The Norco stands out here for its un­

believable spec: Shimano XT is pretty swanky at this price, although

the previous generation rear derailleur lacks a clutch, as do all the

bikes, save for the Heckler. The Camber uses Specialized's Dangler,

a minimalist chain guide, which is quiet and worked perfectly. We

weren't tossing chains left and right, but it did happen, more often on

the triple cranks.

All of the brakes stopped as expected, even the notorious Avids,

although we've always found the less expensive Elixir brakes to be

more reliable than the high-end units. All the Shimano's preformed

flawlessly, and we continue to rate them at the top of the heap. The

Formulas on the Camber, even with the 200mm front rotor, were

underwhelming in regards to power, but not enough to swap with

something else. Nothing will ruin your ride like a lousy set of brakes

and Shimano's Deere units might hit a price point, but are as good

as the top-level stoppers from many other brands. When it's time to I

swap in new pads and rotors, you can pick up Shimano's Ice-Tech

parts and have some serious power at your fingertips.

NORCO FLUID 9.1 AND DIAMONDBACK SORTIE 1 29 These longer-travel 29ers had very distinct personalities. At 30-35

percent sag, the Fluid suspension is active and plush, needing to be

tempered with the Float CTD shock's Trail setting. Adjusted back to

20-25 percent sag, it feels much more balanced and largely elimi­

nates the need for switch flipping and knob twiddling . The Horst Link

suspension design has a reputation around the Dirt Rag office as

not being the most pedal-friendly, but with a higher air pressure, the

Fluid 9.1 is a set-it-and-forget- it bike that climbs without significant

suspension movement sapping your energy. The long wheelbase and

big wheels actually make it amazingly capable over short, steep and

techy power-climbs.

It's standard quick-release rear axle doesn't help the rear-end

stiffness, and it also lacks the hollow, one-piece linkage found on

some of Norco's higher-end bikes. On full-speed, rocky descents,

the front and rear wheel can feel like they're arguing over which line

to take. The thru-axle and tapered steerer on the fork keep things .

right in line up front, perhaps highlighting the flex out back. The

stock Continental X-King tires don't invite riders to take the gnarlyist

line, though, as the capabilities of this bike can quickly overpower

them, leaving nearly as many skid marks in the chamois as they do

on the trail.

The Fluid 9.1 has a progressive ramp-up that gives a uniquely sat­

isfying cushion upon landing. It almost feels like a little bonus shock

at the end of its travel. Small-bump compliance is excellent as well ,

so if you 're a wheels-on-the-ground type, you 're going to be pleased.

On the other hand, the Sortie loves to get physical. The high main

pivot of the Knuckle Box suspension tunes out most pedal-induced

movements and [sn 't overly plush on small bumps. It feels more

controlled overall and requires a bit more force to move it through its

travel. It took a fai r bit of tuning to get the air pressure in the shock

just right: too much sag and the suspension blows through the travel

rather than softening up the ride. Less sag keeps the bike riding high

in the stroke. Best to hit things harder and not worry so much about

pussy-footing over the small (and big) stuff.

The Sortie's stouter frame and longer rear create a bike you don't

so much turn, rather it's a bike you guide. If you favor straight-lining

over an obstacle instead of zipping around it, you are going to feel

right at home. Despite the positive feedback from the Fox Float 32

fork, the long, 17.9-inch chainstays make it difficult to manual over

obstacles. Think long, fast, sweeping berms instead of quick, darting

motions. In fact, the Sortie thrived in just such conditions during our

last day at the bike park.

The steep head angle of the Sortie seems a little out of place here,

leading to a touch of the mullet handling (quick front end, slow rear),

and the skinny little 670mm bars looked almost comical. Wider bars

and bigger tires helped to unleash the beast within.

SANTA CRUZ HECKlER D AM AND MONGOOSE TEOCAll EXPERT The Heckler's single pivot suspension is super plush in Descend

mode, gobbling up lumpy terrain like a champ. Given the plushness,

this bike's bob under power and occasional wallow when fully open

aren't much of a surprise. Firm things up in Trail mode and you'll

find a more controlled, settled chassis at the slight expense of small

bump performance. Trail is a good all-around setting; still plusher

than some multi-link bikes-great climbing traction-but efficient

enough for exuberant pedaling efforts with reasonable bob. Trail

also provides more damping support during bigger hits. Climb mode

favors efficiency over traction; save it for use on smooth surfaces.

Since it has similar geometry to the Bronson, the Heckler also has

a nearly perfect balance of stability and agility. This bike is just slack

and low enough to encourage rapid descending, but never feels the

least bit unwieldy. It's neutral and highly intuitive on any terrain.

The Teocali's suspension has a little bit of a split personality. While

coasting, the rearward axle path feels plush and supple. Even with

the Teocali's 26-inch wheels, the rear wheel never hangs up like it

might with a more vertical axle path. Under power, the system firms

up quite a bit due to chain growth, which adds a substantial measure

of efficiency. Good thing, because the RockShox Monarch R rear

shock offers only rebound adjustment, no compression settings here.

In reality, the system works so well, there is no need for climbing­

oriented compression settings, and flipping damping levers wasn't

missed at all. Despite the bottom bracket visually moving rearward while riding, it isn't felt.

The Teocali package feels a bit livelier than the Heckler. Much of

this feeling is due to the 26-inch wheels, but it's also the result of a 1 o

steeper headtube angle, 0.3-inch shorter chainstays and a wheelbase

nearly two inches shorter. The 0.3-inch lower bottom bracket helps to

gain back a little stability by lowering your center of gravity. The result

is a ride that's more responsive and playful. It's awesomely fun on

smoother, flowy trails with lots of opportunity to take advantage of the

Teocali's snappiness on jumps. In the rough, rocky, burly backcoun­

try-style riding of our testing location, the shorter wheelbase and

small wheels got hung up more than the Heckler's longer wheelbase and bigger wheels.

JAM IS DAKAR XCT 650 COMP AND SPECIAliZED CAMBER COMP 29 The Dakar strikes a balance in all things, riding in an understated

yet confident style. The chainstay length is similar to the 29ers in

this group, but with the bottom bracket higher in relation to the ax­

les, this 27.5 is more playful and maneuverable. The 69° head angle

is not terribly slack, and responds well in tight terrain . While it is a

capable descender, between the tires and head angle, things can

start getting dicey at warp speeds and loose terrain. Swapping bet­

ter tires and an 80mm stem (vs the stock 1 OOmm) improved almost everything about the handling.

The suspension seems a bit soft when bouncing around at low

speeds, but once underway it comes into its own, working well on

all sizes of trail debris. With the seat down and trying to maintain

momentum on rolling terrain, it could feel bouncy, highlighting the

lack of platform adjustment on the rear shock. The lockout setting

was surprisingly plush though, and much more usable than expect­

ed, even on rough ascents. Climbing was the only real complaint on

this bike. Between the poor loose surface traction of the tires and

the shorter cockpit, it was hard to balance rear wheel traction while keeping the front wheel on the ground.

The Camber was the first AutoSag bike we've used where we

with other bikes. didn't have to fiddle with air pressure after setting pressure with the

tiny relief valve.

On paper, it seems to have more in common with cross-country

race bikes, but while riding it feels much more trail bike. Other than

occasional harsh (and loud) bottoming, the suspension was perfect,

seemingly growing to more than 11 Omm in rough terrain, and less

when pedaling. The Camber dispatched climbs with little drama,

allowing the rider to continue upward when we had to start walking

This was the only tester ridden with all of the stock cockpit parts

in place, although a dropper post was missed and the seatpost

62 DIRTRAG#175_ 2.15.14

QR was utilized regularly. The Ground Control tires are great all­

purpose treads, and added to the surprisingly hard-charging feel of

the Camber. When things started to get a little lopsided, it was still

controllable. Simply put, it's an easy bike to ride fast, up and down

the mountain. D[;]

SANTA CRUZ HECKLER D AM Overall, the Heckler has reset our ex­

pectations for how well a $2,600 trail bike .

can be. Watching Steiner launch repeat­

edly into a wet, off-camber rock garden

that the rest of us either barely cleaned or

walked was proof-positive this bike is the

real deal. Regardless of price point, the

Heckler is an amazing bike. Considering

the performance and retail cost, the Heck­

ler might just be the pick of this litter.

MONGOOSE TEOCALI EXPERT The Teocali is a damn fine bike,

perhaps best suited for someone with a

bit of a DIY attitude and a playful riding

style. The more time you spend in the air,

the more this bike suits you. And for the

26-inch holdouts, this might be pne of the

few choices left for 150mm bikes in 2014.

to improve.

SPECIALIZED CAMBER