the full article here.

W
e 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 Easterners. 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.
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NORCO FLUID 9.1
DIAMONDBACK SORTIE 129
THE BIKES
derailleur and brakes. The brakes are especially sweet, crushing
sheet ~ The
Web Editor and Resident Grump Adam Newman rode a pair of
anything else at their price point. Worth noting , however, is that the
longer- travel 29ers, a 120mm Norco Fluid 9. 1 and a 130mm Dia-
XT parts are from the M780 lineup, not the current M786 series. Still,
series hydraulic brakes work fine as long as you tug the levers a little
harder than you would on some high-end units.
mondback Sortie 1 29.
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
threaded bottom bracket, a rear thru-axle and my size XL sports
and 160mm rear rotors. The brakes offered ample power, with con-
NORCO FlUID 9.1 $2,275
to make sure the price listed wasn't a typo. It is the least expensive
a number of gussets to keep things stiff. Cables are run externally
sistency not often found on higher-end Elixir brakes. I couldn't have
along the bottom of the downtube, though there is an entry port
been more impressed with how well these "budget" parts perfonmed.
I think it's safe to say the runaway success of Norco's 27.5 models
bike in our group and had some of the nicest components.
DIAMONDBACK SORTIE 129 $2,400
I'm surprised to see a lack of ISCG mounts, as this chassis is
AM kit, complete with RockShox Sektor Gold fork and Fox Float CTD
rear shock. Drivetrain is mostly Deore, including a clutch rear derailleur. Shifting was crisp and reliable, with action feeling quite similar to
Shimano's higher-end product. Avid Elixir 1 brakes sport 180mm front
SRAM hubs laced to WTB i23 rims round out the package. Most
impressively, the Heckler ships with Stan's NoTubes sealant and the
models. New for 2014 is the Fluid 9.1, a 120mm do-it-all trail bike
It's amazing the difference a few millimeters can make. Ten
certainly capable of being built into a bruiser. Bolt on a 140mm fork,
same awesome Maxxis High Roller II EXO 2.3-inch tires found on the
that is a bit more modest than its predecessor, the Shinobi, in both
millimeters up front, five millimeters out back, and two bikes with
a chainguide and some beefier tires, and you'd have quite a monster
on your hands ...
$1 OK Bronson. This prima tire spec is largely responsible for much of
this bike's trail confidence
price and aggression .
The Fluid 9.1 is built around a Horst Link rear suspension, with a
pivot located below the rear axle, offering excellent small-bump compliance. The frame itself is hydroformed aluminum with a traditional
remarkably similar numbers can have vastly distinct personalities.
The Diamondback Sortie 29 seems to pair well with the brand's hard-
MONGOOSE TEOCAU EXPERT $2.500
hitting image, as it begs to be ridden hard and fast.
The Sortie 1 29 is the entry-level model in the lineup and, as
Photographer!CFO/GM and Beard Farmer Justin Steiner was on the
threaded bottom bracket and external cable routing along the un-
such, makes do with a mix of Shimano components, from Alvino to
150mm travel bikes of the group, the evergreen Santa Cruz Heckler
derside of the downtube. Lots of folks claim the cables and housing
SU<. Built around Diamondback's venerable Knuckle Box suspen-
with 0 AM build kit and the Mongoose Teocali Expert.
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
SANTACRUZ HECKlER DAM $2.600
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.
year and while it still sports 150mm of travel from a simple single
It's also the only bike in our group with a nine-speed drivetrain,
pivot, it now steps into the "enduro" age with 27.5-inch wheels.
Shimano XT shifters and rear derailleur, and Deore cranks, front
DIRTRAG#175_2.15.14
though to be honest I didn't even notice until I checked the spec
In this collection of bikes, the Mongoose Teocali's matchy-matchy
black, white and red aesthetic stands out with the most rad-dudebro, millennia! appeal. Fortunately, this flashy branding undersells
the Teocali's ability to deliver an impressive ride quality. As the only
trail. The rear derailleur housing would sag down below the downtube
The parts kit is extremely impressive given the price point, with
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The aluminum frame is hydroformed with a tapered head tube,
above the bottom bracket for stealth dropper post routing.
have left its 29ers in the dust. What was once a full range of bigwheeled double-bouncers has now been narrowed to a few select
Alvino shifters have a light throw and the Shimano non-
The fourth iteration of the Heckler is just old enough to vote this
. Our Heckler came built up with Santa Cruz's lowest price point D
consumer-direct bike in this group, sizing, shipping charges and
assembly are the responsibility of the buyer. Mongoose does offer assembly videos via their website, but be realistic about your mechanical abilities when purchasing .
Where the Heckler is at the bottom of the Santa Cruz heap, the
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JAM IS DAKAR XCT 650 COMP
SPECIALIZED CAMBER 29
Teocali Expert is the most expensive Mongoose offering. A mixed
The bottom bracket actually swings rearward as the suspension
travel Dakar XCT. This is the latest generation, utilizing the lessons
are Shimano M445s with 180/160 rotors. Crankbrothers provided the
SRAM X5 and X7 drivetrain performed exceptionally well. Like the
compresses in order to keep chain growth reasonable.
learned from the last five years of not always smooth sailing.
cockpit, although the 1OOmm stem was swapped for an 80 pretty
The Dakar uses Jamis' MP4 suspension, a low leverage single
Heckler, the Avid Elixir 1 brakes instilled confidence and worked
flawlessly throughout the test period. Rolling stock consists of no-
SX19 rims with Geax Goma 2.25-inch tires rounded out a respectable
parts kit.
name hubs laced to 26-inch WTB Team i19 rims, though I'd prefer
Tech Editor/Chief Naysayer Eric McKeegan rode bikes right smack in
tube mounted linkage. This basic design has been refined by Jamis
to see wider rims on a 150mm bike as I did put a hurting on the
the middle of this mess, a 130mm travel Jamis Dakar XCT 650 Comp
for years, and while it may look somewhat old school, it works well,
Teocali's rear wheel. Some of that was likely due to the 2.1-inch rear
and a 11 Omm travel Specialized Camber 29.
even without a fancy 3-position shock. This interaction on the frame
design is actually less swoopy than years past, and looked a bit
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
JAMIS DAKAR XCT 650 COMP $2.400
Jamis was an early adopter of the 27.5-inch wheel size, with mod-
quickly. The stock WTB Volt saddle is a personal favorite, and WTB
pivot design. The X-Fusion 02 RL rear shock is activated with a seat
dated parked next to some of the other bikes here.
The fork is a 130mm X-Fusion Velvet RL with a 15mm thru-axle,
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
to GT's i-Drive system. The high single pivot defines the upward and
els appearing five years ago it's old hat to the brand. Seeing the ad-
which once again proved itself as a basic, but very functional fork.
after an eye-opening blast riding a Camber on some French trails this
rearward axle path while two additional links actuate the rear shock.
vantage of the wheelsize for trail bikes, the first model was a five-inch
The drivetrain is mostly Shimano Deore, with a 38/24 crank. Brakes
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
bike that could haven taken advantage of a Fox 34 or RockShox Pike.
The drivetrain parts work well and without drama. The less fit
swap in new pads and rotors, you can pick up Shimano's Ice-Tech
parts and have some serious power at your fingertips.
to take. The thru-axle and tapered steerer on the fork keep things .
and paint job are refined and almost classic looking. Even the skinny
among us are happy to see some triple cranks, but all the bikes had
legged RockShox XC 30 fork looked surprisingly proportional. A
plenty of range for most riders. The Norco stands out here for its un-
Monarch RL rear shock utilizes Specialized's AutoSag feature and an
believable spec: Shimano XT is pretty swanky at this price, although
easy-to-reach lockout lever. SRAM covers the drivetrain with a 36/22
the previous generation rear derailleur lacks a clutch, as do all the
percent sag, the Fluid suspension is active and plush, needing to be
line, though, as the capabilities of this bike can quickly overpower
crank and XS shifting bits. Formula provides the brakes with large
bikes, save for the Heckler. The Camber uses Specialized's Dangler,
tempered with the Float CTD shock's Trail setting. Adjusted back to
them, leaving nearly as many skid marks in the chamois as they do
200/180mm rotors. The rest of the bike is almost all Specialized-
a minimalist chain guide, wh ich is quiet and worked perfectly. We
20-25 percent sag, it feels much more balanced and largely elimi-
on the trail.
branded components, including tubeless-ready rims and Ground
weren't tossing chains left and right, but it did happen, more often on
nates the need for switch flipping and knob twiddling . The Horst Link
Control tires.
the triple cranks.
suspension design has a reputation around the Dirt Rag office as
isfying cushion upon landing. It almost feels like a little bonus shock
not being the most pedal-friendly, but with a higher air pressure, the
at the end of its travel. Small-bump compliance is excellent as well,
THE RIDES
although we've always found the less expensive Elixir brakes to be
Fluid 9.1 is a set-it-and -forget-it bike that climbs without significant
so if you 're a wheels-on-the-ground type, you 're going to be pleased.
more reliable than the high-end units. All the Shimano's preformed
suspension movement sapping your energy. The long wheelbase and
sion tuning was relatively painless with everything taking minimal
flawlessly, and we continue to rate them at the top of the heap. The
big wheels actually make it amazingly capable over short, steep and
pivot of the Knuckle Box suspension tunes out most pedal-induced
fiddling. It looks like Fox has ironed out some of the problems with the
Formulas on the Camber, even wit h t he 200mm front rotor, were
techy power-climbs.
movements and [sn 't overly plush on small bumps. It feels more
Evolution series forks, as the 2014 models we rode worked smoothly.
underwhelming in regards to power, but not enough to swap with
The RockShox and X-Fusion suspension bits were stellar performers
something else. Nothing w ill ruin your ride like a lousy set of brakes
for the price. The tapered steerers and 32mm stanctions (30mm on the
Camber) were plenty stiff, with the Heckler and Sortie being the only
All of the brakes stopped as expected, even the notorious Avids,
The first order of business was getting the bikes dialed in. Suspen-
NORCO FLUID 9.1 AND DIAMONDBACK SORTIE 129
These longer-travel 29ers had very distinct personalities. At 30-35
It's standard quick-release rear axle doesn't help the rear-end
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
The Fluid 9.1 has a progressive ramp-up that gives a uniquely sat-
On the other hand, the Sortie loves to get physical. The high main
controlled overall and requires a bit more force to move it through its
stiffness, and it also lacks the hollow, one-piece linkage found on
travel. It took a fai r bit of tuning to get the air pressure in the shock
and Shimano's Deere units might hit a price point, but are as good
some of Norco's higher-end bikes. On full-speed, rocky descents,
just right: too much sag and the suspension blows through the travel
as the top-level stoppers from many other brands. When it's time to
the front and rear wheel can feel like they're arguing over which line
rather than softening up the ride . Less sag keeps the bike riding high
I
in the stroke. Best to hit things harder and not worry so much about
shock offers only rebound adjustment, no compression settings here.
pussy-footing over the small (and big) stuff.
In reality, the system works so well, there is no need for climbing-
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
aren't much of a surprise. Firm things up in Trail mode and you'll
oriented compression settings, and flipping damping levers wasn't
find a more controlled, settled chassis at the slight expense of small
over an obstacle instead of zipping around it, you are going to feel
bump performance. Trail is a good all-around setting; still plusher
missed at all. Despite the bottom bracket visually moving rearward
while riding, it isn't felt.
right at home. Despite the positive feedback from the Fox Float 32
than some multi-link bikes-great climbing traction-but efficient
The Teocali package feels a bit livelier than the Heckler. Much of
fork, the long, 17.9-inch chainstays make it difficult to manual over
enough for exuberant pedaling efforts with reasonable bob. Trail
this feeling is due to the 26-inch wheels, but it's also the result of a 1o
obstacles. Think long, fast, sweeping berms instead of quick, darting
also provides more damping support during bigger hits. Climb mode
steeper headtube angle, 0.3-inch shorter chainstays and a wheelbase
motions. In fact, the Sortie thrived in just such conditions during our
favors efficiency over traction; save it for use on smooth surfaces.
last day at the bike park.
The steep head angle of the Sortie seems a little out of place here,
Since it has similar geometry to the Bronson, the Heckler also has
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
a nearly perfect balance of stability and agility. This bike is just slack
is a ride that's more responsive and playful. It's awesomely fun on
leading to a touch of the mullet handling (quick front end, slow rear),
and low enough to encourage rapid descending, but never feels the
smoother, flowy trails with lots of opportunity to take advantage of the
and the skinny little 670mm bars looked almost comical. Wider bars
least bit unwieldy. It's neutral and highly intuitive on any terrain.
and bigger tires helped to unleash the beast within.
The Teocali's suspension has a little bit of a split personality. While
coasting, the rearward axle path feels plush and supple. Even with
SANTA CRUZ HECKlER DAM AND MONGOOSE TEOCAll EXPERT
The Heckler's single pivot suspension is super plush in Descend
the Teocali's 26-inch wheels, the rear wheel never hangs up like it
Teocali's snappiness on jumps. In the rough, rocky, burly backcountry-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.
might with a more vertical axle path. Under power, the system firms
mode, gobbling up lumpy terrain like a champ. Given the plushness,
up quite a bit due to chain growth, which adds a substantial measure
this bike's bob under power and occasional wallow when fully open
of efficiency. Good thing, because the RockShox Monarch R rear
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 axles, 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 better tires and an 80mm stem (vs the stock 1OOmm) 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 expected, 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
didn't have to fiddle with air pressure after setting pressure with the
tiny relief valve.
with other bikes.
This was the only tester ridden with all of the stock cockpit parts
On paper, it seems to have more in common with cross-country
in place, although a dropper post was missed and the seatpost
race bikes, but while riding it feels much more trail bike. Other than
QR was utilized regularly. The Ground Control tires are great all-
occasional harsh (and loud) bottoming, the suspension was perfect,
purpose treads, and added to the surprisingly hard-charging feel of
seemingly growing to more than 11 Omm in rough terrain, and less
the Camber. When things started to get a little lopsided, it was still
when pedaling. The Camber dispatched climbs with little drama,
controllable. Simply put, it's an easy bike to ride fast, up and down
allowing the rider to continue upward when we had to start walking
the mountain.
D[;]
SANTA CRUZ HECKLER DAM
Overall, the Heckler has reset our expectations for how well a $2,600 trail bike .
can be. Watching Steiner launch repeatedly 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
to improve.
the performance and retail cost, the Heckler might just be the pick of this litter.
SPECIALIZED CAMBER
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.
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