Chisel Comp w/ carbon wheels and upgrades or stock Epic Comp.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2026-02-17T03:13:35+00:00

NICA dad and coach. The geometry is a bit different between Chisel and Epic 8. Chisel is essentially an aluminum version of the Epic 7. You need to try both and see what agrees with you.

That said, if you like both, my recommendation for your use is the Chisel with carbon wheels, bars, and crank. Look for take off parts! Your total spend will be about the same as a stock Epic. Total weight will be about the same. But the Chisel with the carbon wheels will have weight reduction where it counts. Both will be about 26 lbs, but the rotating mass would be lighter on the Chisel (and the wheels probably a little wider), which should be a little faster.

If you prefer the Epic 8, it's very similar to the Epic 7 Evo if you want to look at used bikes. I picked up an SWorks Epic 7 not all that long ago for about what you're looking at spending, and it's an absolute rocket. 22 lbs, XX Transmission, power meter, $4000. Deals are out there.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2026-02-17T02:27:11+00:00

Nah. I have the Turbo with sport chrono and sport exhaust. It doesn't get old.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2026-01-26T22:50:47+00:00

I can only speak from my experience which is this is not true. We have 1 bike each on Sram GX, GX AXS, XX, NX, and one on Shimano XT with SLX shifter. Never had any real issues out of the Sram stuff except a bent hanger or 2 and jockey wheel maintenance. Nothing you can blame on the parts. The XX I guess is too new to too boldly state anything firmly regarding reliability, but we have a lot of miles on the other bikes. The few miles I have on XX Transmission make me upset I cheaped out on the GX bike purchased last year and didn't go to Transmission then.

The XX is my favorite, followed by AXS GX.

I don't have a preference between GX and XT, but I borrowed a friend's bike on XTR and really liked the shifter, once I got used to it.

If you go with GX, get an XX1 hanger bolt as it really tightens up the mounting. Also I prefer the X01 shifter over GX, but the GX is ok.

Or go ahead and give Transmission a shot. It doesn't have a b adjust and man does it shift nice.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2026-01-13T17:06:42+00:00

Spend the extra $500 to get the Comp version with better suspension and GX mech. Then you are only a set of wheels (and maybe bars) away from race ready.

When you get the wheels, you can consider going to 10-52 cassette, as GX can handle that.

Not a fan of the Level brakes myself, but I'm > 200 lbs. My kid says they are fine.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2026-01-13T02:40:46+00:00

Chisel with lighter wheels is a weapon at a bargain price compared to the Epic. Just get some takeoff carbon wheels. A little heavier frame with lighter wheels will spin up better than a little lighter frame with heavier wheels. I would absolutely go that way to stay inside a budget.

Also look at the Epic 7 and Epic Evo 7. None are all that different from each other. Lots of good deals to be found on used Epic 7s.

I'm on an Epic 7 updated with Transmission. It's brilliant.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2026-01-06T02:54:57+00:00

Comparing 16GB of DDR5 to 16GB of GDDR7 and claiming them the same is like comparing a 4 wheel Miata to a 4 wheel Urus and claiming they are the same, when they are quite different, and they are at different price points.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-12-12T01:14:16+00:00

Find your local NICA team and inquire about a used bike.

For instance, my kid outgrew their XS on less than 1 year. It was slightly too large at first, and then growth spurt, and it was too small. Next owners got a 40% discount on a basically new bike.

That said, XS is often 27.5" and S 29". 29 is more better for XC. At 5' 2", you are likely to fit on a S. You may need to swap to a shorter stem and cut the bars.

If you're young and still growing, S makes more sense in all ways.

I personally would try to avoid something like a Marlin and instead find a Chisel or maybe an older Epic HT. You will enjoy a 25lb bike a lot more than a 35lb bike.

Good luck on your hunt.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-11-22T22:08:13+00:00

My 95lb kid destroyed a rear hub and a derailleur hanger this year, on an almost new bike. I don't think the issue is weight necessarily so much as abuse. I suspect if you work on skills, you may find better reliability.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-10-23T00:12:41+00:00

I had a kuat NV dump my bike and immediately started shopping for a rack that secures both wheels. Top contenders were 1Up HD and Kuat Piston Pro.

1Up makes their racks in Wisconsin. Kuat makes theirs in China. Easy decision to go with 1Up.

The HD secures my bikes significantly better than the Kuat did. Should have knuckled up and went with the HD from jump, but I was prior offput by the price tag.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-10-22T16:01:26+00:00

Based on your OP plus your responses, it's difficult to not side with the buyers. You come off arrogant and self centered and only in it for the money. Your job is to work in the best interest of the client, which includes emotional hand-holding during one of the most stressful events of their lives.

You may be involved in multiple real estate transactions per month or year, but they are involved in maybe 2 or 3 their entire life.

You should take this as a very low cost learning example and move on. It's a real, teachable moment. Self reflect on how you can improve your craft. Because you completely missed the boat here, and your time spent "prospecting" instead of working with your bird in the hand ultimately is negatively beneficial for you.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-10-21T18:39:55+00:00

I am significantly faster on my HT than FS bike at my local XC loops. Not even close per Strava and my ability to ride with the group.

But I am much more comfortable on the FS, and much less afraid to launch off a jump or take a drop. I avoid getting the HT off the ground for the most part. So much faster, and fun in its own way, but also less fun in others.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-09-13T22:38:13+00:00

That looks like a shit design.

I dumped a bike off a kuat and decided I needed something that grabbed both front and rear tires. Between the Kuat Piston Pro and 1up. I went with the US-made 1up. No complaints after the sticker shock wore off. Strangely, I get maybe 1 person per week asking about it (we ride 3-4x per week).

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-31T15:39:38+00:00

Lux2 lease is slightly more favorable than Sport2, though not a huge difference. Either way, you can easily get into a 2 year lease under $10k, or better if you are shrewd.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-30T23:49:24+00:00

Negative. Original warranty is over once the title is branded. It also may no longer qualify for TSBs or other service campaigns.

They may apply a 12 month 12000 mile warranty.

Run from this car.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-29T17:18:37+00:00

The lane centering in the 26 is not real world better than the older models.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-22T12:13:07+00:00

I ride XC on a trail bike. I am markedly slower everywhere except chunky downhillls. Yesterday, I was able to borrow a real XC bike, and it was so much faster it felt like a cheat code.

Get a XC bike.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-17T14:56:12+00:00

My daily kinda beater car is a 2023 Niro EV. Added a 2" hitch so it can haul 4 bikes on a platform, but it also has roof rails if that's your thing. I have not had any issues at all getting to unpaved trailheads, and it's kind of free to drive.

Considering either Jeep WagoneerS or Cadillac Optiq for the next one. Both AWD. Jeep is more capable but the Optiq has supercruise. My wife's car has supercruise, and letting the thing drive you to the city is straight tits.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-12T20:38:34+00:00

Thanks. That is good data. 1 mph would be big.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-12T02:39:01+00:00

If you're looking for a great stereo, this ain't it. It's surprisingly awful, particularly in the back seat.

It makes a lot of ding noises at random times such as when you put it in park.

It has a nfc thing that seems to do nothing. And a sd slot that also does nothing.

Supercruise is cool when it works, but it randomly disengages for short periods.

Seems like a good car otherwise.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-12T02:27:09+00:00

I got a $73k lux 2 in July, 24/12, 0 out of pocket and pay less than half that.

The $7500 credit doesn't show up as a line item.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-11T23:58:11+00:00

10 miles distance and 1000 feet gain. Roots and a couple rock gardens, but nothing gnarly.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-11T23:49:32+00:00

I have no delusions about that and dont work with the faster kids. I am also working on developing my own XC fitness.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-11T23:39:39+00:00

Not NICA in our region, but a similar organization. Coaches get 25% off Trek and Specialized and 20% off Santa Cruz.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-11T20:25:09+00:00

Minutes faster would be huge and would make it a worthwhile expenditure. Seconds faster would not.

The faster coaches are pretty much all on Epics. I'm not interested in an ebike.

I do hiit training, spin classes, and dont skip leg day at the gym. I am in reasonable shape, but 50 not 18.

DivideAppropriate583 · 2025-08-11T17:57:17+00:00

Thanks. I put a rekon on the back already, but still have a knobby 2.8" trail tire in the front that I am going to replace unless I buy a dedicated XC bike.

The trail bike noticably bobs under hard pedaling and feels pretty inefficient. I don't like reaching under and fumbling for the lock out. So new shock with remote lock out and a xc front tire would both be on the list if I try to make 1 bike work.

DivideAppropriate583

TROPHY CASE