A local bike shop that doesn't sell services, like doing a bike fit, does not deserve your commerce. If you can't find a local shop that will take the time to do a bike fit, I would suggest you either go to "The Cities" and find one that will or buy on line.
There are bicycle shops with fit calculators on line. These guys have a very good one: Bicycle Fit Calculator
Fit is critical in a bike. I have ridden some very good bikes that didn't fit and it was not a pleasant experience. There is no single fitting system that will work for everyone, but the fit calculator I linked has 3 different styles for mountain bikes and one should work. My guess would be that you should use a cross country fit. At the very least it will get you close.
Beyond that, it does seem that full suspension bikes are mostly aimed at the down hill riders, and that as a shorter rider the 29er wheels may not be a good fit for you. You might try to find a shop that will rent you a couple of bikes. Maybe one with 27.5 tires. I have a bunch of bikes in my garage. I really like my 27.5+ bike for trail riding, and I am 6'3".
One more thing to throw in the mix is this: do you plan on riding those trails in the snow? Riding in the snow can be a real hoot. I live in Fargo, and ride year round. My mountain bike becomes my winter commuter as well. If you do want to ride year round on one bike, I would suggest you look at a bike that can run a 3 inch tire and that has hydraulic disk brakes. I have had cables and rims freeze, and it can take the fun away in a big hurry.
There are bicycle shops with fit calculators on line. These guys have a very good one: Bicycle Fit Calculator
Fit is critical in a bike. I have ridden some very good bikes that didn't fit and it was not a pleasant experience. There is no single fitting system that will work for everyone, but the fit calculator I linked has 3 different styles for mountain bikes and one should work. My guess would be that you should use a cross country fit. At the very least it will get you close.
Beyond that, it does seem that full suspension bikes are mostly aimed at the down hill riders, and that as a shorter rider the 29er wheels may not be a good fit for you. You might try to find a shop that will rent you a couple of bikes. Maybe one with 27.5 tires. I have a bunch of bikes in my garage. I really like my 27.5+ bike for trail riding, and I am 6'3".
One more thing to throw in the mix is this: do you plan on riding those trails in the snow? Riding in the snow can be a real hoot. I live in Fargo, and ride year round. My mountain bike becomes my winter commuter as well. If you do want to ride year round on one bike, I would suggest you look at a bike that can run a 3 inch tire and that has hydraulic disk brakes. I have had cables and rims freeze, and it can take the fun away in a big hurry.
