There is this fat dude...wicked nice...bit of a talker..anyways...someone sold him a KHS Dominatrix or something. I don't DH, but this bike is a total P.O.S. I wouldn't drop a curb on it...so now, after beating the guy that ripped him off, he wants to buy a real DH bike. He's about 6'3"...280lbs. Not the smoothest rider either. And he wants to keep it as under 3G as he can. What are all of your suggestions. I told Him IH, but I don't know if the SGS can deal with that kind of mass glued to the saddle...maybe a burly single pivot bike? Help a newbie out!
Help a fat guy out
- Thread starter JerseyDave
- Start date
I think bighits hold up well (6'5 270ish and I ride one). Maybe the banshee scream. I don't see many ironhorses here so I only go by internet rep 
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I have seen many a big dude on Kona Stinky's. The Dee-Lux goes for $2,800 retail and you get 521's, JR.T, 7" F&R travel. 8" Hayes hydros, etc. The Big Hit Expert is basically the same (price and components) but with a 3-ring and 24" rear.
Either will work perfecto!
Either will work perfecto!
At under $3,000 for a complete bike IH is the ticket. He should be OK. I am heavier than him and ride/race my Rotec for 4 years with one main frame replacement. It started to crack were all the 1998-9 ones were prone to after more than 2 full seasons. My new mainframe was designed to correct that problem. The new Rotecs are nice but I don't think they can be built up for under $3,000 realistically. I am asuming he has nothing and is looking to spend $3,000.
Nice used bikes can be a sweet deal. My Rotec was NOT used but I picked it up for a used price back in 2000.
It can be donw if you are patient.
Is he looking for DH racing rig or a Huck bike?
It can make a difference. Front derailer compatible? Steeper geometery?
Nice used bikes can be a sweet deal. My Rotec was NOT used but I picked it up for a used price back in 2000.
It can be donw if you are patient.Is he looking for DH racing rig or a Huck bike?
It can make a difference. Front derailer compatible? Steeper geometery?
After reading my post...I neglected to offer my pearl of wisdom.
I think if he rides smart many Dh bikes can work for him. Used will make the options open up...it did for me. There is hope. Turners seam to hold up well, I might stay away from the V10 just because of possible spring rate problems, Yeti's, etc....jsut watch the spring ratios and keep in mind the required spring you will need to buy later
I think if he rides smart many Dh bikes can work for him. Used will make the options open up...it did for me. There is hope. Turners seam to hold up well, I might stay away from the V10 just because of possible spring rate problems, Yeti's, etc....jsut watch the spring ratios and keep in mind the required spring you will need to buy later
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what type of springs should he be looking for...what type of ratio...low I assume, because he's so big? And he's looking to race..not huck. And like I said...I expect him to do all the wrong things to the bike at first. He dosen't need something that's gonna win out of the box...just get him to the bottom repeatedly...and not TOTALLY break the bank. Right now I'm thinking of telling him IH SGS...what model?
thats probably the best most overlooked advice ever. How many times have i heard complaints that someone needs a spring above 800# which doesnt exist.
edit: i just noticed you gave the best advice in your own thread inquiry...what do you need us for? lol
a kona, a tomac, turner.
look for a sturdy frame that can take an avalanche and has a 3 to 1 ratio that should keep problems to a minimum. for a fork id use an 888 or a shiver or a WB
look for a sturdy frame that can take an avalanche and has a 3 to 1 ratio that should keep problems to a minimum. for a fork id use an 888 or a shiver or a WB
Actually there are a few 850s for the Karpiel crowd. Not that this is in any way justifying going that route.
just to let every one know a place in washington state will mack costom springs for any application. i got a set and they are so sweet!! the only thing is that you will need to buy 2 and for two it is like $70
the place is called Pohl springs and you can find them one the internet at
http://www.pohlsprings.com/coil_springs.asp
they made me a 900 lb/in and a 1000 lb/in
and they got they to me in like 2 weeks. that only thig is that you will need to paint they because they leave them raw. the onther cool thing is that the guy that makes them also rides!!
the place is called Pohl springs and you can find them one the internet at
http://www.pohlsprings.com/coil_springs.asp
they made me a 900 lb/in and a 1000 lb/in
and they got they to me in like 2 weeks. that only thig is that you will need to paint they because they leave them raw. the onther cool thing is that the guy that makes them also rides!!
B
bighitfsr
Guest
For example I would not go with:
223
m1
turner
giant DH team/comp
As these bikes are designed for racing where weight is a major factor in thier design.
The iron horse SGS is a better choice as its not a race specific design (even though rennie and hill are racing them). Similarly bighits and demo9s are better choices as they arent race light designs (std vs race).
bikes with high ratios such as banshees and karpeils should also be avoided. Custom springs and shocks which handle heavy riders and high leverage ratios are expensive.
I'd go for the iron horse. The frame isnt super strong but its not one of those designs like intense where ever spare gram has been machined away. As a complete package the value cant be beaten. May as well wait for the 05 model since the domnimatirx is still rolling.
223
m1
turner
giant DH team/comp
As these bikes are designed for racing where weight is a major factor in thier design.
The iron horse SGS is a better choice as its not a race specific design (even though rennie and hill are racing them). Similarly bighits and demo9s are better choices as they arent race light designs (std vs race).
bikes with high ratios such as banshees and karpeils should also be avoided. Custom springs and shocks which handle heavy riders and high leverage ratios are expensive.
I'd go for the iron horse. The frame isnt super strong but its not one of those designs like intense where ever spare gram has been machined away. As a complete package the value cant be beaten. May as well wait for the 05 model since the domnimatirx is still rolling.
what about a banshee?
IH is tough to beat as far as price and it sounds like this guy is probably not super gnarly huckmaster flash so he should be fine with breakage issues. The bighit is also a good deal, but the 24 only rear end bugs me so for my money it would be the IH. Kona's are also strong and good deals but they arent going to pedal as well as the SGS.
I am 230-240 and run a 450 spring with no problem and I know they make a 500 for it as well.
As a big guy myself, I would say stay away from pure single pivots. Giant is good b/c of the linkage. FSR's work very well. I like the Big Hit. Not too much of a 24" fan, but the shorter stays = stiffer, and Specialized = awesome warranty.
The Bighits are pretty damn burly, but I would also suggest that whether before or after said bike purchase, get yuor bud to shed off some of those pounds! I'm not being an ass here, or rather, not trying to. I used to break parts all the time....when I weighed 265 lbs. Now I'm at 185, with no Atkins $hit, gym or personal trainer. True story. PM me if he wants details...I essentially worked my ass off. hrmm. now isn't that punny
In 8" travel the leverage ratio is really high. I weigh 230, and I had a custom 900lb PHOL spring on it. The spring wasnt correct and didnt get full travel before reaching bind. Come to find out later that a 900 lb steel spring in that dimension is REALLY hard to make. When i got my risse shock i was able to drop to a 800lb fox spring. I'd definatly look for a bike with a much longer stroke than a 2.25, unless your fine in 7" mode, then the leverage drops and is easier to tune for big guys.
Another one to consider is the Astrix Havoc. A good 3 to 1 leverage ratio on a 3 inch stroke shock. Room for an Avalanche should the need arise, and the 12.5 lb frame is plenty strong.
With a $2100 price tag though (with hub), unless you find a used frame or parts it's going to be a bit tougher to build under $3K
With a $2100 price tag though (with hub), unless you find a used frame or parts it's going to be a bit tougher to build under $3K
go fro a iron horse. cant beat the price for what u get. if the bike is properly sprung just about any bike should b ok. also NO FLAT DROPS!!! id lean twords a monster t and a quality rear shock.
Agreed, get this guy on a Monster T for sure, and pick any of the excellent frame choices that have otherwise been posted.
Big guys should be on the Monster, I've yet to find a fork that's anywhere near as stiff, burly and durable as the Monster T.
Big guys should be on the Monster, I've yet to find a fork that's anywhere near as stiff, burly and durable as the Monster T.
Doesn't the Cdale Gemeni DH have a low ratio? Like sub 3:1? Like 2.5:1?
I am not a big fan of linkageless single pivots for big guys. Having owned 2, I found that the spring rates are more linear. I blew through the travel quickly. The physics of being big make it harder to be smooth.Originally posted by RhinofromWA
Doesn't the Cdale Gemeni DH have a low ratio? Like sub 3:1? Like 2.5:1?
But I don't know how a low ~2.5 ratio might effect that. I was riding single pivots that were just over 3:1.
I don't know.....Originally posted by Repack
I am not a big fan of linkageless single pivots for big guys. Having owned 2, I found that the spring rates are more linear. I blew through the travel quickly. The physics of being big make it harder to be smooth.
Smooth is a riding style. Riding light (even when your huge) is a riding style. I am huge...I have to right light.
My rotec is a linkage driven single pivot that is averages just over 3:1(since it is really progressive it is softer at full extension and rammps up) on a old Vanilla RC. I use the biggest spring I could get. I don't know of to many progressive linkage designs that fall under the 3:1 range. I haven't looked to hard for it, but I remember the GeminiDH having a low ratio.
New shocks (5th Ele, etc) help out the suspension designs....but seems to me that the 5th springs don't go that heavy. I know people say you can drop like 200lbs rate on the spring on these new shocks but that scares fat arses like me.
I also consider myself smooth, but when dealing with mass x velocity, smooth only gets you so far. Little 'lapses' can have a much greater effect on a bike when you weigh 225 vs. someone who weighs 150. Just my .02.
Oh I agree. But I see lots of lighter riders that hammer their bikes into things that seem to enflict much more damage than I am at that given section.
But I am slow and a wuss....
Having parts you can trust when the lapses occure is important to me.
Originally posted by stoney98
Well, inertia is your friend. Just pin it and aim straight. Momentum will correct for most of those little mistakes that take out them skinny guys. The mass is harder to stop on the "tamk folk" so we can push those lines better.
(read: I can't turn so I use my momentum to propel me in straight lines)
WERD!
with the Sinister r9...or the Cove peeler DH?
If a rider is 210lbs, then the scream is a bad choice? this spring ratio etc makes me wonder.
DAMN and the moment i thought i found the ideal frame... this monent..it gets turned down. I am having an SX frame, with a 750x2" spring and it is a bit too stiff for my liking... what do you reckon? wouldnt i be able to use a shock with a longer stroke on the Scream?
actually it should be acting stiffer than a 750. I got 1.5 stroke and the spring says 750x2 is that normal???
Basically if i figured it out correctly, with a 750x2.36" spring i ll be fine on a Scream (according to mojo.co.uk calc)
is this the ratio of rear wheel travel/shock stroke? Just a guess.
and does ANYONE have an opinion of the Sinister team R 9...He is leaning that way because they are in state ect. Local economy bla bla bla.
and does ANYONE have an opinion of the Sinister team R 9...He is leaning that way because they are in state ect. Local economy bla bla bla.
yep.
my SX for example has 4.5" wheel travel, 1.5" shock travel so it has a 3-1 ratio
Scream has what 7-8" of travel?
2.25 stroke shock?
that is 3.11:1 to 3.56:1 for a ratio over the SX's 3:1
Others can expound on this but the Scream has a higher ratio than your SX. Springs would need to be different.
To bring this thread back on track.......
Everything about the Sinister indicates a sweet ride! FTW alone is pretty much all you need to know. They are relatively new frames though so long term is still unknown. It has a long-ish wheelbase but that's no biggie and every other detail seems pretty dialed. I think it will be a great bike for a big guy...beefy.
The answer no one wants to here 6'5" and 270 pounds!!!! How about instead of scouring the planet for a long travel DUMP TRUCK he just pick up an interesting sport like Jogging and eating right. When he isn't biking. The problem here isn't bikes
Here is an interesting experiment take your scale at your house put it by a chair get up on the chair and jump down onto the scale let me know what it reads when you land.
Here is an interesting experiment take your scale at your house put it by a chair get up on the chair and jump down onto the scale let me know what it reads when you land.
The R9 is an impressive ride.
Seems to have held well up to a winter's season on the Shore under our 265lb Gorilla.
I think you'd be hard pressed to get one for less than $3K though, and being so new to the marketplace, you'll have one hell of a time getting one used...
Seems to have held well up to a winter's season on the Shore under our 265lb Gorilla.
I think you'd be hard pressed to get one for less than $3K though, and being so new to the marketplace, you'll have one hell of a time getting one used...
he's a month out on one right now...He's decided to wait and go for a R 9 team...unsure of the build, but I gave him the Monster advice. For what it's worth, I have my doubts as to weather or not this thing gets ridden...Could be a creampuff of a used bike in a coupla months. The guy wants to DH but I don't think he realizes the intial investment is just a starting point. Someone (unsponsered) lay down an average cost/year for a sport/expert DHer racing 1 or 2 times a month. In the NE so he can get an idea of driving and what not....Thanks for all the great info...I feel like I understand Dh bikes a bit...for whatever that's worth.
Bill from Sinister is a great guy. The R9 was designed as more of a "Shore" bike rather than a pure race bike. The thing is SOLID. I rode one around this weekend and was checking them out. Flawless welds and about the stiffest rear end I have eber seen. The swing-link has a massive ~1" tube welded through it to stiffen things up and everyting alse about it is also very burly. The shock is set up to ride very progressive.
Parking lot tests aside, I would say that the design philosophy behind the R9 would suit a big fella quite well.
I am also a fan of the brand..been kinda trying to get the shop next door to get one on the floor (dna or ridge), but they have sort of a steel bike fetish these days. I say support the local team. Yea VT.