Thanks. I'm about 5'10" 170lbs. I'm probably a frame size medium/S3 just looking at most of the guides online. I like to ride pretty hard on the descents as I do have a DH background but I don't think I will be doing much dedicated DH riding in terms of lifts & shuttles. I live close to COP though so it would be nice to be able to go there once in a while without having to rent a beefier bike, if possible. The flip side of that is I don't want to buy too much bike for the 2 times I need it and pedal around something sluggish the rest of the year.
I read this a lot, and I also read that more travel is also good as long as there is no significant penalty for it. Clearly it's a very personal thing and also bike model dependent, I'm just trying to get the best idea I can before putting down a deposit (will probably be a 2022 whatever I order). When I'm watching the reviews on the short-rear-travel bikes like the Optic or the Spur, the comments are often along the lines of "it's more than enough travel...until it isn't". My current bike has 120mm and it's definitely not enough for me, though I realize moving up to 29" wheels and modern geo/components changes things a bit. That's kind of why I was drawn to the Stumpy Evo because not only is the geo very adjustable, but 160/150mm is still in the "trail" range of things and there doesn't seem to be much of a weight penalty as Fox's 36 forks are apparently lighter for 2021. That said it could still be too much bike. I think a 150/140 bike would also be fine as long as it didn't flex too much with the 34mm fork, and the regular Stumpy gets the Fox 34 with the grip damper which is apparently very close to the factory level fork minus the fancy coatings. I also am partial to piggyback rear shocks, which come on the Evo, Optic, and Troy but that's not a deal breaker.
At the end of the day I think I would rather have a 34mm bike from both a cost and weight perspective, but only if it didn't hold me back on the descents. My current bike is 120mm front/rear with a 32mm fork and 26" wheels so regardless it's going to feel a lot more substantial than what I'm used to.
That's the thing - I want a "do everything" (except all out DH), bike that is the least punishing on the climbs. Something at least one notch below the "Enduro" category. I know I will have compromise somewhere without doubling the budget. Sounds like I need an e-bike
- but I need prices to come way down before that happens.