It is insane the options that are out there. Need some opinions to see if I can narrow this down:
Option 1 - Santa Cruz Hightower
A popular bike that has great reviews. Good travel and specs for what I'm looking for. Great warranty
Option 2 - Ibis Ripmo AF
This is Ibis' first aluminum frame in 18 years. It gets fantastic review so far but is new and less proven by the market that the Hightower. The geometry on this is slightly different than the carbon Ripmo but every indication is that it's a fantastic bike. I'm intrigued.
Option 3 - Jeffsy Pro 29
A little splurge but gets me into a carbon frame. YT has gained a lot of momentum and this has good specs for the price although it's a little higher than I want to spend.
Thoughts? Help me make this decision CB.