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Was definitely looking at the jibb over the past few weeks but I could easily blow my budget out of the water by the time I add a nice fork, wheels, brakes etc.
Colm89-
Was definitely looking at the jibb over the past few weeks but I could easily blow my budget out of the water by the time I add a nice fork, wheels, brakes etc.
I've not seen a Jibb, but if it's a Madonna that's been washed too hot then the level of attention to detail will be deeply impressive. The frame+shock price is (comparatively) very good compared to it's peers, which gives you some cash to spend on the fork etc.
Anecdotal, but I was riding the liaison between stages yesterday with a couple of other (much faster in the stage) riders, and they were totally taken aback at how cheap (again, comparatively) the Madonna frame+shock was. Bear in mind that it's in the same class as a Dreadnaught, Atherton etc for performance, but it's over a grand cheaper.
Dammit
I've been racing the Southern Enduro Series, sometimes on my 135mm trail bike and other times on my 160mm Enduro bike. The Enduro bike is too much bike for the series tbh, given the speed and the terrain, but I'd like to get more time on it before I go to the Alps this summer.
One thing that I found interesting recently is that when I ride the trail bike with Helm #2's on it and then the Enduro bike with Ohlins 38's you can definitely feel the difference in terms of torsional rigidity as the Enduro bike tracks where you point it whereas the front wheel of the trail bike follows a mixture of inputs from both handlebar and terrain - so it's not all about travel.
If you wanted one bike then I'd get a trail bike, and the bike I'd get would be the RAAW Jib, as it's a trail bike that is Morgins capable, which means that it's more mini-Enduro bike than burly XC/hirsute downcountry frame.
I'm tempted to swap my 295 for one.