I've been looking at getting my first mountain bike and have decided to go with a used hardtail in the under $1,000 price range. I've read the guide and some old posts here and have been keeping an eye on local listings for a while. I'm currently deciding between two and was looking for advice if either is clearly a better choice.
The first is a 2021 Rocky Mountain Growler 40 for $725. Overall good condition, second owner who has had it for 2 years and has only ridden a few times on cross country trails.
The second is a 2017 Specialized Fuse Comp 6fattie for $750. Overall good condition with recent conversion to tubeless tires, tuneup this summer, and hydraulic breaks recently bled.
Both are a large frame with the Specialized being on 27.5 tires vs the growler on 29. My plan was to try out both and see which feels like the best fit as I fall right at the top end of medium and bottom end of large on their size charts at 5'9".
Assuming both fit equally well is there a clear winner here? I'm new to mountain biking but have done fixed gear city riding for the past 15 or so years and rode some bmx as a kid. I'd primarily be getting my feet wet on cross country and and single track trails local to me (NC and SC) and spending time at a mountain bike skills park at a nearby greenway to see how things progress from there. I'm attaching a link to the 99spokes comparison below.
by mingus_dew0916