The biggest difference is probably in terms of bottom bracket height — the Nomad’s is a bit lower, and it feels it. The Nomad lends itself slightly more to feeling like you’re really “in” the bike as opposed to being on it, but can be a little more cumbersome to maneuver at lower speeds in really tight spots. And if anything, the Nomad frame feels a bit stiffer laterally (especially in the rear triangle) than the 4060 LT, but we’re not talking about huge differences here.
Rocky Mountain Altitude
The Altitude is a decent comparison to the 4060 LT — or at least it can be. The super-adjustable geometry of the Altitude means that it can be a very different bike, depending on how you set it up.
The two feel the most similar when the Altitude is set to the short chainstay setting and the slacker end of the Ride9 chip (check out our full review for more on that). But there are still some differences — the Altitude’s rear suspension is a lot more progressive, and it feels it. Both are pretty plush off the top, but the Altitude is probably going to wind up being a little more supportive through the midstroke for most people unless you prefer a very stiff, progressive setup and firm up the Altitude’s rear suspension substantially. The Altitude’s bottom bracket is also a lot lower (at least when setup as described above), which likely helps explain why it’s a bit more stable but also somewhat harder to maneuver at lower speeds.
The longer chainstay setting on the Altitude makes it significantly more stable, and changes the overall balance of the bike a bit; the steeper ones speed up the handling at the expense of stability, as you’d expect.
Antidote Carbonjack
Not similar. I need to spend some more time on the Carbonjack before putting together our full review, but my take at this point is that it feels something like a version of the We Are One Arrival that works best with a much more centered, neutral stance (whereas the Arrival wants you to weight the front wheel pretty aggressively). The Carbonjack is a whole lot more supportive and lively than the 4060 LT, whereas the SCOR is more plush and forgiving and a bit easier to throw around and ride with a more playful approach.
Santa Cruz Megatower
Also super different. The first-gen Megatower is more stable, more supportive, and a whole lot more game-on than the 4060 LT (we recently started riding the new Megatower). The 4060 LT is more plush and forgiving, easier to throw around, and happier being ridden at less than full gas. The 4060 LT is going to be more versatile for more people, whereas the Megatower feels like one of the bikes SCOR was thinking of when they said that “long travel bikes have gotten pretty serious.”
Cannondale Jekyll
The Jekyll is another example of a much more game-on race bike that doesn’t have that much in common with the 4060 LT, despite their similar suspension travel. The Jekyll pedals better and is quite a bit more stable, but is a lot less plush and forgiving, is harder to throw around in the air and at lower speeds, and takes quite a bit more speed and aggression to come alive.
Privateer 161
Very different. All the stuff that I said about the Jekyll also applies, though the 161 pedals even better and is a bit more cumbersome at low speeds.
Norco Range
Also extremely different. The Range is way more planted and stable, takes more speed to come alive, and is much, much less playful and easy to throw around. The 4060 LT also pedals a whole lot better. Basically, the Range feels closer to a DH race bike that you can still pedal than just about anything else out there, and the 4060 LT is a much more easy-going, versatile option.