Please don't hate me because I'm beautiful, but....

[atrokz]

...I could use some help, and I know how lame these threads can be.

I've got 4 choices for my next DH bike. A few shops want to help me out so they are all within a few hundred of each other all said and done. Now, I haven't ridden any of these frames save for the Demo. Nobody around here has them in Larges, which is what I'd need to try. I'm 6'1" and generally ride longish bikes, have money arms, and I'm an expert level rider/racer. I'd rather go fast than do any sort of trick. Tricks are for kids and hookers.

So:

2012 Devinci Wilson RC Carbon (most expensive by a few hundred)
http://www.devinci.com/bikes/browse_18#18_55_158 (This build, but the new carbonz frame)

2012 Specialized Demo I carbon
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bik...r/demo8icarbon

2012 Giant Glory 0 (cheapest by a few hundred, but... glory)
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-ca/...y/12352/58308/

2012 Norco Aurum 1 Dorado
http://www.norco.com/bikes/mountain/dh-race-park/aurum/

Help and opinions I'm looking for are:
Sizing issues?
Ride?
Defects/QC issues/Problem history?
Anything else?

Cheers!

[kickstand]

i'd be pretty happy with any of those bikes.

After riding a specialized big hit III for 2 years, then buying a tr450, then riding my buddies V-10 Carbon, then riding my friends glory, and my other friends blindside, and a 951 and a Operator, and a Demo, and a faith, and....

I've decided that the are all pretty nice bikes, and when tuned to my riding style I could probably have just as much fun on all of them....

My point? All 4 of those bikes are very nice. I would guess that any of them will make you happy, and faster. My bike was a nice step up over my previous bike and it has made me much faster, you're talking about pretty high level high quality bikes, they'll all be nice.

[atrokz]

Yup. It's my belief that suspension set up is the most important thing any rider can do. Whichever I chose I'll have it set up hard and fast, because I like it that way and everyone else who tries my bikes hate it.

Bikes have definately come a long way, that's for sure. But, I do see things like componentry, quality issues, stiffness, etc all being different, regardless. SO that's what insight I'm hoping to gain here.

[Sandwich]

man, that devinci is one of the best designs going. I'd have a hard time passing that feller up. Great braking performance and good chain growth for good pedaling...I'm not a huge fan of lower pivot bikes like the aurum and the demo, but they are really good designs otherwise. The giant...well...you'd have a lot more money to spend on beer at the end.

[iRider]

If you ride Fox gear you have the choice between Devinci and Giant, if you are a Troy Lee guy it has to be Specialized or Norco. You know, matching kit, WC teams and such .....

Joking aside, get whatever bike you can get spares for quick and cheap (good LBS).

[atrokz]

Spares aren't much of an issue. There are a few 'LBS' around to hook me up. Definately considering the Wilson as top pick right now. Just a little concerned that size L might be a bit small for me, and there's no word of a XL carbon at the moment. I do want a 'live' feeling bike though, and it seems they all have this atribute thanks to shorter stays.

Stoked regardless. So no first year Aurum issues?

[yd35]

Like others have mentioned, you can probably rip on any of those bikes. I would be most excited about the carbon bikes, with the Devinci being numero uno. However, from a practical perspective, you may be better off avoiding the first year production bikes (Demo, Wilson) so that any unforeseen issues can be sorted.

[NwRider]

In my experience with the wilson (rode/raced one for three months) it was actually a little dead feeling. It was a great bike for sure, cornered like it should, braked like it should, etc. But it stuck to the ground so well I actually had a difficult time with that, but I contribute the dead feeling to my riding style. I like to hop and skip down the trails. Have also ridden an Aurum, no complaints at all there, very flickable bike. Have you considered a TR450? No carbonz but amazing bike, it's very relaxed and natural feeling, easy to adjust to.

[NoUseForAName]

Stoked regardless. So no first year Aurum issues?

Not any that i think are relevant.

Some bikes came with out of spec back ends - mostly frame onlys. The bumpers on the frame were in the wrong place for some forks, meaning if you crashed hard there might not be enough bumper to protect your fork. That's about it.

Norco = great warranty service, always willing to try in my experience. Unlike Specialized who are a bunch of wankers.

[boylagz]

For the factory spec and the frame material, if I was in this situation Id go for the Wilson carbon. Pretty hard call between it and the carbon Demo imo. Demo comes with a Boxxer RC, and if youre gonna drop that much cash one time and would wanna hold off upgrading/changing parts for a while, its a tough call man.

What bike do you have now and other bikes you have ridden before?

[kickstand]

In my experience with the wilson (rode/raced one for three months) it was actually a little dead feeling. It was a great bike for sure, cornered like it should, braked like it should, etc. But it stuck to the ground so well I actually had a difficult time with that, but I contribute the dead feeling to my riding style. I like to hop and skip down the trails. Have also ridden an Aurum, no complaints at all there, very flickable bike. Have you considered a TR450? No carbonz but amazing bike, it's very relaxed and natural feeling, easy to adjust to.

This is what I was terrible at before (jumping, skipping, hopping my way down the trail) and I bought the TR450 a bit nervous that it would not plow well enough for me since that was how I rode (due to lack of skill not choice). The TR450 as made me a much better rider (slightly faster too) because I had to learn to adapt to the way the bike rode.

That said, I went back and looked and I had done a fair amount of research on the norco when I bought my tr450 and it was in the discussion in the end. But I still went with the 450.

That said, I agree with NwRider (not just because I recently purchased one) that the TR450 is a great bike. Very simple design, so far the support has been good (no issues but a lot of help in discussing set up) and right there in your price range. My bike isn't light, but it certainly feels like it is when I ride it. It's fun on everything from the groomed jump lines to pure rock....and everyone who has ridden it has commented on how well it seems to pedal.

[boogenman]

DW is the next Steve Jobs. Devinci Wilson.

[davec113]

Whatever you can get with a Fox 40...

[UncleHowie]

Aurum has the best parts (especially the Suspension) but i never rode one. And they are rental Bikes in Whistler (Fanatik Bike) so they can handle some crashes

[Tdiddy]

test rode a large devinci wilson last week. I'm 6'2" and change, currently riding a large Morewood Makulu. Was desperately hoping the large wouldn't feel too small because I've heard the same thing about the delay on the xl carbon frame. No dice. Too small. Even smaller than a medium Norco Aurum. People seem very happy with the Aurum. I'm not sure now whether to wait for the xl devinci in carbon, as it checked all my boxes, or to start looking for another contender.