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This week unfortunately it looks like a whole lot of time on the trainer. The weather is good but the daylight is lacking. My work schedule doesn’t permit me to make it home before dark to ride so I’m stuck on the trainer while everyone else is enjoying the 40+ warm weather.

On the bike front it looks like Cole Sport is going to carry Rocky Mountain in addition to Giant and Scott this year. I’ve been able to save enough money for a new bike this year. I’m leaning toward the

RM Team Element, but I’m also keeping the

Giant Anthem in my mind.

The Rocky has full XTR. I’ve really enjoyed my dual-lever XT set. The specs look good, full XTR and Easton components. I’m leaning toward the Rocky because of the placement of the rear shock. It’s easy to access and lock and unlock and it allows for two bottle cages on the larger frame size. I’m not sure if the 18” frame supports two cages so I’ll have to check on it. The downside is availability and the wheels. I’m not sure how soon I’d need to place an order for a bike and how long it will take to arrive. I’m also not sure if the XTR wheelset is UST. I’d like to stay UST if possible.

The Giant has similar components with full XTR but with the new Rapid Rise shifters and separate brakes. It also is full Fox suspension and comes with CrossMax SL-R wheels. The good thing about the Giant is the wheels, although I understand the CrossMax hubs are high maintenance. My guess is the Giant is going to be a little lighter although it’s hard to guess the weight of either bike. The Giant is probably going to be a little higher in price with an MSRP of $6k compared to around $5k for the Rocky. The giant also only has one bottle cage which means I’ll have to find a feed for most races.