I'm looking to replace my old Tomac Eli shortly with the plushest sub 30lb FS bike I can find, on account of a mildly grumpy back. Anyone ridden a bike that just flattens sharp bumps, including stony trail chatter?
Thanks, Max
I used to have a Foes FXR, it was easily the best FS i have had.
The Curnutt shock was brilliant, think the newer Air can ones should build up around the 30lb
Giant's Maestro bikes (anthem, trance, reign) are very plush and light.
You should probably say a bit more abotu what sort of travel you want, what riding it's for and what kind of fork you want though.
Get your shock/forks sent to Loco/Mojo/TF/J-Tech and even an old frame can feel 'plush' again...
RM SXC Slayers are v plush & well known for it. The new design are alleged to be better in some respects, but I'm yet to ride one.
I find the Helius CC very plush - much more so than the Giant Anthem X. It's buttery smooth and you simply don't notice it working.
I'm guessing the longer travel AC/AM must feel even plusher.
I love my Pitch.
However:
It's only under 30lb if I let it, it's uusaly 35 or so. Still ride it all day, the 30lb limit is/was MBR nonsense.
Not the greatest climber in the world, although it will go up some pretty rocky stuff with ease.
Others don't like it.
I find the Helius CC very plush - much more so than the Giant Anthem X. It's buttery smooth and you simply don't notice it working.
Oddly, I was just about to post the same. I've just come from a 150mm travel to a Helius CC with the same RP23 fitted to it and I am just astonished at how good the rear suspension is. Mine, with some fairly bog standard kit on it is 29lbs.
Had quite a few bikes from different makers but the best by far is the ellsworth epiphany,27lbs without exotic kit on it and super plush
Horst linkage bikes always seem the plushes to me, hense why I don't like them, I'll stick with my taut single pivots.
Thanks guys - there's an Ellsworth dealer not far from here, I'll try an Epiphany when they have a demo day (I nearly bought an Ellsworth Truth instead of the Tomac, can't remember why not now). This is for mostly XC riding (no racing) with some roots and rocks - Surrey Hills.
Max
my giant trance x is very plush - and at under 25lbs, nice and light
*shameless plug*
Maxr there is an very light and lovely ellsworth epi in the classifieds at the moment 😉
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just over 25 lbs for a bike that'll go up hill like short travel xc machine yet come down tech stuff like the 140mm it really is.
+1 for a good TFT shock/fork service... works wonders.
Ellsworth epiphany, +1 super plush, best climbing 5"er out there. Efficient descender, but cos of the head angle you'll find some other 5" more stable. It's also quite a lightweight frame so not one for the clydesdales among us. Have fun searching
. 😉
Maestro suspension is so plush its hard sometimes to discern what is going on bellow your tyres and if its even working. Prefer my Pitch with its 4 bar linkage, it is very plush and hammers down things like nothing else I've owned 
Got to agree with the ninja there, you sometimes have to look down and check the rear suspension is actually moving on a Nicolai Helius CC.
Can easily be built to well under 30lbs too, with enough cash / careful part selection 25lbs isn't out of the question. Not bad for a 130/140mm trail/XC bike when you think about it.
I wish those ellsworth were slightly more handsome, i'd be more inclined to have one!
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What you need is a Maverick. Nothing else comes close for plushness AND climbing and all at well under 30lbs, even my 6.7in ML8. had an Epiphany anx it was nice, but no Maverick.
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+1 for the El Saltmontes, plushest bike I've ridden.
The Transition Bandit was VERY comfortable too, good climber and superb going down, in fact I'm still mulling over buying that, albiet the Rutland ASR-5 thread has muddied my thinking process.... (though I'm not after plushest, but the most efficient in my case).
so, every bike is plush
ooOOoo - Member
so, every bike is plush
Depends how much air is in the shock 😉
