# bottlerocket vs. sx trail



## cplax22 (May 6, 2007)

I am looking for a bike that will be able to do a little bit of everything. I am 5'11, 150 pounds 15 years old and I just started getting into mountain biking last year. I have been riding a Blur LT however I may have the chance to sell it and get a bike a little more for the things I want to do. I want to be able to do a little dirt jumping, and some freeriding. I also want to use it on at Northstar and maybe a little downhill. I don't want something super heavy because I will be doing some trail riding too.

I have been doing some research on bikes, but my favorites have been the SX Trail and the Bottle Rocket. They are similar in price. Which will be better suited for what I would need it for?

Thanks.


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## coiler8 (Aug 25, 2006)

be a little different...go with the sx trail...so many bottlerockets out there now.
great bikes but just so many


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

So many SX threads


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

coiler8 said:


> be a little different...go with the sx trail...so many bottlerockets out there now.
> great bikes but just so many


Says the guy who just bought a Bottle Rocket. 

I love my BR, but I don't have any experience with the SX, so I can't really comment. The Tranny is versatile for sure, and it sounds like that's what you're after, so I'm sure you'd love it, but would it be better than the SX? I'm not sure.


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## stunzeed (Mar 17, 2007)

Well when do you expect tp make your purchase? I know the SX trails are gone for the year and that the last run of bottlerockets are gone, I am sure their will be more BR's in the next month. I was in the same boat as you and was coming from a demo 8 which I loved so I thought the SX would be my next bike. I am in the process of building the BR, but the main reason I went with the BR is the fact that you just hear constantly about how much of a fun bike it is, I am sure the SX is super fun as well, but the fact the transition is rider owned and it just seems like a different bike then most I went with it


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

SX trail is a nice bike but I don't have any experience on it.

I've given my BR the 6-month thrash test and it has been nothing but awesome. From pedaly trailrides, sessioning stunts at the local spot, to hanging with my bros on 8"+ bikes at snowshoe its delivered everywhere. At 240 lbs I won't give it the "bottomless" rating that a lot of others give it. It'll go as fast as you can push it, but I notice the shorter travel in fast, sustained rock gardens on pure DH runs. It does the big-hit thing amazingly well tho, it'll smoke a 10 ft drop like it was nothing. The biggest thing is the handling, it handles as precisely as my old rocky mtn flow hardtail did but with a lot more squish.

I mention this aspect of transtion to a lot of people also, if you buy the big red S bike you certainly won't be talking to fellow riders and owners of the company if you have a problem with your bike... Does specialized offer lifetime crash replacement at discount?

I haven't regretted anything about purchasing the BR, but the SX trail looks like a perfectly capable ride.

Oh, I'm 6'3"and size L fits me bang on.


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## Matt_H (Jul 30, 2006)

Depends on whether you want brake jake... or not. Depends on whether you want a linkage driven single pivot or an actual FSR.

Go for the SX Trail.


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## greenmacheen (Apr 8, 2004)

Go TBC. Good rider owned company using a simple, proven,effective, reliable suspension design w/ well thought out geometries.
Specialized has reports of poor CS, inflated pricing ,and multiple breakage reports (SX trail). 3 great reasons to stay clear. 
There are certainly other good frame choices in the market = to a Rocket. But Spec vs TBC is a no brainer IMO.


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## Quarashi (Aug 23, 2006)

Since you posted in the DH/FR forum I assume you're going to be doing some DH/FR. For a do it all DH/FR rig I think the SXT is a superior frame to the bottblerocket. But Transition is a better company to deal with, especially if you're near their company HQ. I'm not sure how much the Bottlerocket frame costs but I'm sure it's quite a bit cheaper than the SXT. You will hear a lot of people swearing by these bikes so they are both pretty good.
I suggest you get the one that appealing in your eye. Both frames are going to take time to get, especially the SXT.


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## stunzeed (Mar 17, 2007)

BR with a DHX 5 or Roco will run you 130, and SX will run you 1700...like I said the SX is gone for this year ad the BR's last run is sold out...I am sure you can find a deal with a BR though,,,,I would suggest Allen @ www.dropnzone.com I just received the most amazing service from them...I got calls, emails and updates over the last 2 months...I am even gettign a custom powdercoat and they are taking care of it all for me there...If you are goin to give a BR a try give Allen a call over there...He is also is washington near the transtion headquarters


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

Matt_H said:


> Depends on whether you want brake jake... or not. Depends on whether you want a linkage driven single pivot or an actual FSR.
> 
> Go for the SX Trail.


You ridden one? I just tore up snowshoe last weekend with my buddies, 3 of them on linkage bikes (vp-free, glory8, bighit) and I did better than keep up...

2-3" less travel and a rocker actuated single pivot and I was still mid pack with some good riders... I've noticed the occasional bit of brake jack but the bike overall still handles unbelievably well, and something tells me that if competent DHers on long travel "actual fsr" rigs didn't leave me in the dust due to the uncontrollable "brake jake," the SX trail wouldn't be the difference maker either...

You say "actual FSR" like that is something good or special, horsts and sps are just different, offering different strengths. Neither is inherently better. To me, the durability and simplicity of the bottlerocket make it a much better bike, but that's my very biased opinion. Others will be happy with their SXTs, its by no means a bad bike.


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## MudMuncher (Dec 16, 2006)

Got rid of my SXT because it was a creaky biotch!

Nice bike, but damn, can't Specialized make a bike that doesn't creak after 3 months? 

Limited ride time on the BR, but from all the ones I've seen rollin around they don't creak. The one I tested seemed a bit stiffer in the rear than the SXT.

BR looks way better than the SXT too!


Also consider a Reign X1 if you can find one. Puts both SXT and BR to shame in just about every category. No contest, just a *****in bike!:thumbsup:


I would rate the BR higher if it had just a couple inches more seat tube for the Large model, although once you point downhill those suckers can crawl down vertical roller like nothing else! Just wish there was a little more seat tube for pedaling up Galbraith and North Shore trails.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

Matt_H said:


> Depends on whether you want brake jake... or not. Depends on whether you want a linkage driven single pivot or an actual FSR.
> 
> Go for the SX Trail.


yep both are nioce but I would lean towards the FSR linkage of the SX Trail too

mightwant to look at the Enduro too


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## ilikeair (Mar 22, 2006)

I was is the same boat as you, i was decidiong between a Bottle rocket, and an sx-trail, i went for the sx because i got a little better parts(components) for the price.I payed 3950$(canadian) for the sx trail 2, 2007 model, if i would have bought a bottlerocket package it would have costed wayyy more. i LOVE BOTH BIKES, SO IT ALL COMES DOWN TO HOW IT FEELS, GO TEST RIDE ONE, THATS WHAT I DID, THAN MAKE YOUR DECISION, 



CHEERS


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## MudMuncher (Dec 16, 2006)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> yep both are nioce but I would lean towards the FSR linkage of the SX Trail too
> 
> mightwant to look at the Enduro too


Coming from an SXT and Reign X1 rider, I didn't notice the brake jack at all on the BR.
If you're a total hack who slams the rear brake down rock gardens, then you may notice. but the BR is for skilled riders who know how to ride!!!!!

Although the Reign kills em both in DH plushness.

A well made single pivot with a good leverage ratio and shock like DHX 5 really limit any difference between FSR and SP. The pivot on the BR is low enough to keep Brake Jack out of the rider. I think the shorter travel helps too.

The Turner guys have pretty much proven there isn't much difference as long as a single pivot is made correctly.


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## cplax22 (May 6, 2007)

thanks for the help guys


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## Irlbiker (Feb 14, 2007)

Seeing as I own a BR it gets my vote as the most fun bike I've ever ridden!


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## liquidsystm (May 24, 2005)

If you're going to northstar, the SX will be more well suited for that resort. Otherwise both are well rounded for everything you'll probably do, but northstar requires a little more travel than what the bottlerocket offers. Most ppl run full on dh rigs there....the place is not exactly smooth as whistler


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## ban (Jul 24, 2004)

So, would you guys put both the BR and the Sx trail in the same range??I mean, I thought the BR was only meant as a Slopestyle bike as the Sx trail is more of a "mini" DH bike, ...is the BR supposed to perform at the same level as the Sx trail i all fields or is there any field in which the BR (or the Sx trail) outperform the other??


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## gurp (Jan 20, 2004)

Test ride an X1 before you buy either.


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## scorpionsf (Nov 16, 2006)

bottle rocket, similiar bikes, but the full seattube is a great help for climbimg, i have ridden a SX trail and the short seattube isnt the best feature


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## stepanov (May 9, 2006)

scorpionsf said:


> bottle rocket, similiar bikes, but the full seattube is a great help for climbimg, i have ridden a SX trail and the short seattube isnt the best feature


Short seat tube?! I'm 6'3" and I use my SX trail as a trailbike and a DH bike, it works for everything! I can easily get the seatpost to full extension and then put it all the way down for the downhills.


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## kidwoo (Aug 11, 2004)

greenmacheen said:


> Specialized has reports of poor CS,


Such as?

You've obviously never dealt with them.

I have and every issue has been resolved with a replacement in about 2 days max.


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## gurp (Jan 20, 2004)

Spesh has about the best CS in the biz.


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## dusthuffer (Nov 30, 2006)

ya try bighit if you want a short seat tube. after that you won't complain.


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## dusthuffer (Nov 30, 2006)

I will also say that this poll is for a do-everything bike. Everything is a lot. Dirt jumping on tight little jumps built for 20's. Doing 10' drops. Doing racing. I wouldn't want to race on the bottlerocket due to not enuf travel so I'll say SX. I haven't actually tried either one tho. EDIT: And I suck at racing, dirt jumping, and 10' drops.


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## MDJ (Jan 21, 2005)

stepanov said:


> Short seat tube?! I'm 6'3" and I use my SX trail as a trailbike and a DH bike, it works for everything! I can easily get the seatpost to full extension and then put it all the way down for the downhills.


Same here - no problems. I think people tend to buy the bike on the small side to get that DJ/slopestyle feeling and then they run into the seat tube problem when they try to ride it as a trailbike.


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## Stregone (Aug 26, 2004)

Stock, the seatpost on my sx trail was the perfect XC height when it was fully slammed down. I did some measuring and had the seatpost cut shorter. Now I can slam the seat all the way down to the top of the seattube and still raise it higher than I would ever need for XC riding. The interrupted seattube on this bike is pretty long.


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## todd_freeride (Aug 9, 2005)

All of the bikes mentioned are really awesome. I have some experience on an SX and some on a BR as well, have yet to try out the Giant. 

Specialized CS has dramatically improved over the years, so dont let the whole CS thing get you, both companies have great CS. 

"mini DH Bike" I believe is a good way to describe the SX. slopestlye/freeride more of a BR. Specialized SX for 2008 probably the pro model has an awesome paint job and a good selection of parts. I'm waiting to see the price on them, I might get one. I think the SX might be a better "do everything" bike due to travel. I cant say much about the Giant, but I've seen them in person and always asked how people liked em' so far no negatives. so see if you can track one down and test it out. BR's are really fun to ride... But it kind of sucks when you get to the trails and theres like 3 of em just at the entrance. But the BR is a good bike as well. But I just dont like seeing my bike everywhere. that happened to me in 2004 when I bought a P.2. 

4 words will explain my answer to your question:

Go Ride All Three.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

kidwoo said:


> Such as?
> 
> You've obviously never dealt with them.
> 
> I have and every issue has been resolved with a replacement in about 2 days max.


my enduro broke in half after 4 months, they denied me a warranty because the frame "looked abused". other than the the broken off headtube, there were probably less than 5 scratches on it and very minor ones at that. the bike was very far from being "abused"... 
$1400 for a frame that only was able to survive 4 months is a hard pill to swallow...


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## kidwoo (Aug 11, 2004)

.WestCoastHucker. said:


> $1400 for a frame that only was able to survive 4 months is a hard pill to swallow...


And since then you've figured out that you shouldn't use an xc bike for a dirtjumper

I know your story but come on man, be fair. I had that same frame you did and rode it for 3 years with zero problems......but it was my xc bike.

My first dj bike was an enduro too. I ovalized the headtube. Since it wasn't built for casing doubles, I got a bike that was and didn't expect a replacement because it's an XC frame.

I cracked a chainstay on a different bike that was over 4 years old. There was a new chainstay at my bikeshop two days later. I also got an enduro sl a few weeks ago. The shock topped out before I even rode the thing. I called friday and there was a replacement shock at the shop at 11am on a saturday.

When we going to mammoth?


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

kidwoo said:


> And since then you've figured out that you shouldn't use an xc bike for a dirtjumper
> 
> When we going to mammoth?


at the time, it was marketed as a light freeride bike, a light freeride bike should be able to do some jumping. either way, it was long ago and i'm over it and they seem to have turned themselves around...


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## cplax22 (May 6, 2007)

whta do you guys think of the new transition blindside as another option? or a used VP-Free?


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## sus13 (Jan 27, 2006)

todd_freeride said:


> But I just dont like seeing my bike everywhere. that happened to me in 2004 when I bought a P.2.


Pre-order an Intense 6.6 Slope Style frame.


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

cplax22 said:


> whta do you guys think of the new transition blindside as another option? or a used VP-Free?


The Blindside might be a good option. It'll end up heavier than a BR or an SXT, and will be a bit of a b*tch to climb with, but it'll rip going down. I don't like the VP-F much, mostly geo issues that don't suit my taste at all.


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## konut (Mar 25, 2006)

have a look at one of these also.:thumbsup:


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## greenmacheen (Apr 8, 2004)

I don't get why the popularity of a certain frame would be an influence as to if you buy it or not. What is that ?


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## balfabiker22 (Feb 26, 2006)

Dude, just get a hardtail??? solves all your problems!  :thumbsup:


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## cplax22 (May 6, 2007)

greenmacheen said:


> I don't get why the popularity of a certain frame would be an influence as to if you buy it or not. What is that ?


well in most cases a popular frame is usually good, so many people would not buy it and like it if is not good.


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## Gauss (Dec 14, 2006)

For me, the new STD by Cove's bikes, 7" rear travel and full seattube


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## bighitboy (May 16, 2004)

goodluck getting your paws on a STD,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,although it looks pretty dang hot! always wrap it boys


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## zachdank (Jun 15, 2005)

The Bottlerocket kills every kind of terrain. You know where my vote goes.


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