Hey ya’ll. Title says it all. After several years off, my hiatus from MTB is over and it’s time to upgrade my old GT avalanche 2.0 hardtail to a proper full squish.
* I’ve ridden GT/ Specialized hardtails with 120-140mm suspension for about a decade on mostly blue trails. I usually ride alone or with one or two of my buddies at Fountain Head Park in Northern Virginia. Although I have just moved to Richmond, VA so I’ll be doing most of my riding around here or up north around Portsmouth, NH where my family lives.
* The tallest jumps I send are typically no more than a few meters tall. All in all, I would say I’m a beginner-intermediate rider who loves going fast, catching some air, climbing hills, and taking descents fast. Other than a small bunny hop, I can’t perform any tricks. Riding technical/ curvy single tracks as fast as possible is what I’m best at and crave for. My goal is to ride more often and hit steeper descents with steeper climbs.
* Budget is $2,500 USD (Size: 32.5in inseam 72in height)
* I’ve moved on from hardtails to full squish because I need more shock absorption due to a bad back from the military. (Upright seating positions help a lot with reducing pain due to less weight on my hands).
[Canyon Spectral AL 5](https://www.canyon.com/en-us/mountain-bikes/trail-bikes/spectral-125/al/spectral-125-al-5/3175.html?dwvar_3175_pv_rahmenfarbe=RD&dwvar_3175_pv_rahmengroesse=L#productDetailModalTriggerGridContainer) *V.S.* [Canyon Spectral 125 AL 5](https://www.canyon.com/en-us/mountain-bikes/trail-bikes/neuron/al/neuron-6/4033.html?dwvar_4033_pv_rahmenfarbe=BU)
*Note: I am biased to companies like Canyon that a offer direct to consumer selling model, (I own a CF and AL canyon road bike and love them). I perform my own repairs and generally avoid bike shops, unless if I’m willing to pay for convenience.*
by TheSeedinsideApricot