Heading into Interbike this past September it was clear to me that full suspension 29ers were hitting the market in force. I focused my efforts at the Outdoor Demo testing all of the full suspension 29ers available. After having ridden these bikes it was obvious to me that 29ers would have a bright future for cross-country and all-mountain riders.
The bikes are so new, however, that there have been few true reviews since. Now the editors at MTBR.com have done their own full suspension shootout. MTBR's editor and six local riders rode the same eight bikes on the same trail and noted their impressions. Here's what they rode:
- Lenz Sport Leviathan
- Ellsworth Evolve
- Intense Spider 29
- Titus Racer X 29er
- Astrix Monk
- Van Dessel Jersey Devil FS
- Ventana El Rey
- Niner R.I.P. 9
Although, some of the riders had little to no experience on a 29er they were unanimous in their praise for the big wheel. It was interesting for me to compare their impressions of the bikes with my own. Of the bikes they tested I have previewed the Ellsworth Evolve, Intense Spider 29, Titus Racer X 29, and the Niner R.I.P. 9. I was glad to see that many of their impressions matched mine.
