Originally Posted by
jsigone
how about a more playful hard tail? Slacked front, longer fork, dropper post and gearing enough to go fast? I hardly rode my XC race bike after I got my Chameleon 275+
If your set on the Full suspension, travel has more to do with tire size. 29er I'd say 130mm front and rear, if 275 than 150mm front and rear is the normal.
Santa Cruz Hightower 29er
Sanra Cruz Bronson 27.5
other brands have models designed similar to these, diff brands have patients to their own rear suspension designs. So you're paying for the engineering, patients and royalties for that $300 rear shock they added.
I should have mentioned that as well. Most likely it will be a 29er. My last few bikes have been 29ers and I really liked it over the 26 I came from. They just seemed to fit the larger frames better. I have ridden a 27.5 plus tire bike and it was fun, but it just seemed to be the same outer diameter as a 29er.
I had a Blur at one point so I know they make awesome bikes, but I think Santa Cruz is above my price range right now.