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Nomad Thoughts? Bike Dilemna

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
My honest take is that I'd only consider replacing a V10 with a shorter travel bike if it didn't have to be an SC. I think the Nomad is a substantial downgrade in suspension performance having ridden both - with the V10 being substantially more competitive in its class. That's not to say the Nomad is bad, but to replace a DH bike to any capacity, I think you need something much more focused.

You seem to be passionate about DH and pretty good at it - if I were you I'd rather optimise the second bike for whatever it needs to do (replace or upgrade it if needed so it can be as good as possible for "everything else") and keep the V10 for DH.

Even with a better trailbike, as jonKranked said, fatigue goes through the roof and you end up being slower and/or more likely to crash (on a proper DH course). I can't speak for you, but I don't have the same brand lock-in problem you do, and I'm still mildly disappointed (and certainly slower) when I have to ride DH on my trailbike. If you have to race against other people who are actually on DH bikes then that's going to put you at a noticeable disadvantage too.
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
You seem to be passionate about DH and pretty good at it - if I were you I'd rather optimise the second bike for whatever it needs to do (replace or upgrade it if needed so it can be as good as possible for "everything else") and keep the V10 for DH.
I think at the end of the day the 5010 is the best compromise for a do everything except DH bike (at least for me and my locale), especially after thinking about it more and listening to the thoughts in this thread. As I mentioned, it's tough to compete on the groomed flat singletrack/gravel road XC races we have around here, but that's not really a focus for me, it's just something the wife and I do for fun when we can't travel to a DH race. We have a ton of local XC racing, I could literally race every weekend if I wanted to buy a carbon 29'er hardtail and suit up in my best lycra kit.

As for being good at DH, that's debatable, but you are right, I really do enjoy it and would probably be disappointed if I put myself at a disadvantage on a trail bike just for the sake of versatility a few other days a year.
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
I think at the end of the day the 5010 is the best compromise for a do everything except DH bike (at least for me and my locale), especially after thinking about it more and listening to the thoughts in this thread. As I mentioned, it's tough to compete on the groomed flat singletrack/gravel road XC races we have around here, but that's not really a focus for me, it's just something the wife and I do for fun when we can't travel to a DH race. We have a ton of local XC racing, I could literally race every weekend if I wanted to buy a carbon 29'er hardtail and suit up in my best lycra kit.

As for being good at DH, that's debatable, but you are right, I really do enjoy it and would probably be disappointed if I put myself at a disadvantage on a trail bike just for the sake of versatility a few other days a year.
If you have good friends at SC, can't they get you a Bronson or Nomad loaner so you can see if/how much you would be sacrificing for XC dentistry if you replaced the 5010 with one of those?
 

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,644
1,214
Nilbog
Yeah I agree with the recent posts, if you just occasionally rode DH it would make sense to dump the DH. Like everyone said above, if you actually race, I would not recommend the nomad for that at all...
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
somebody link to that thread about how much fun a downhill bike is.

DH bikes are great. they take everything better and you can put them away wet, then take them out and ride happy again. Can't do that with a trailbike, it'll catch up faster and you'll be replacing more shit.
 

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,596
5,894
in a single wide, cooking meth...
I would also add that a well operating modern DH fork is orders of magnitude better than the best SC fork in the galaxy in terms of stiffness and general fux mitigation. If not for the taller A2C and additional 1-2 lb weigh penalty, I'd rock a 40 on my Megatron. Not doing bar spins anyway.
 

Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
I have a bronson. I run 1750 gram wheels and comparable tires for enduro stuff and put on IKON's and 1500 gram wheels if trails are smooth. Bike fly's on the smooth trails, can still reach high speeds to use the suspension.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
forced obsolescence? those bikes are all pretty great, aside from their shock rate. Maybe the next gen will have bottom link driven shocks, and then give people another reason to buy them?

either that or it's super boost plox.
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
The Luddite in me knows my dropper wouldn't fit in an interrupted seat post tube when I put my v 10 and 5010 side by side and imagine your suggestion
^See the alu test mule above. I see plenty of space for a dropper there, but YMMV.

Hold on, I just realized It: rideable frames for tall people, unridabru frames for shorter folks. A salomonic solution!
 

jstuhlman

bagpipe wanker
Dec 3, 2009
16,625
12,917
Cackalacka du Nord
under 10 mile rides, no cage needed, drink at car between laps; 10-15, small, light, un-noticeable pack; 15+, full pack with lots of water, tools, food, etc.

tl;dr-water bottle argument is stupid as fuck
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
under 10 mile rides, no cage needed, drink at car between laps; 10-15, small, light, un-noticeable pack; 15+, full pack with lots of water, tools, food, etc.

tl;dr-water bottle argument is stupid as fuck
meh, many of my rides don't include laps past my car, I can do about 20 miles on a 16-20oz bottle depending on the ride. While a small light un-noticeable pack might be fashionable and cute, it still gives me the back sweats like no other. I much prefer to take nothing more than my bike on a ride and leave all the boyscout tools and food behind. Your mileage may vary. YMMV #hashtags #YMVV #fuckiguessillgobacktomypackifihavetoo
^See the alu test mule above. I see plenty of space for a dropper there, but YMMV.

Hold on, I just realized It: rideable frames for tall people, unridabru frames for shorter folks. A salomonic solution!
That looks "snug" for me to fit the dropper (upon second look I guess it's not that snug, I was comparing the v-10 and 5010 and the v-10 has nearly zero post room, though I know they'd be able to come up with more room than that.....oh, and I posted before I saw that pic show up....fuck it, I lose), my dropper is almost totally slammed in my frame, but I could live with out the dropper, but then wouldn't I be a luddite for that too then? damnit, always a luddite.

haha
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
meh, many of my rides don't include laps past my car, I can do about 20 miles on a 16-20oz bottle depending on the ride. While a small light un-noticeable pack might be fashionable and cute, it still gives me the back sweats like no other. I much prefer to take nothing more than my bike on a ride and leave all the boyscout tools and food behind. Your mileage may vary. YMMV #hashtags #YMVV #fuckiguessillgobacktomypackifihavetoo
That looks "snug" for me to fit the dropper (upon second look I guess it's not that snug, I was comparing the v-10 and 5010 and the v-10 has nearly zero post room, though I know they'd be able to come up with more room than that.....oh, and I posted before I saw that pic show up....fuck it, I lose), my dropper is almost totally slammed in my frame, but I could live with out the dropper, but then wouldn't I be a luddite for that too then? damnit, always a luddite.

haha
Make the Luddite look in you complete by carrying your water bottle in a fancy fluoro fanny pack!
 

Mr Lahey

Monkey
Sep 23, 2009
183
28
You don't want to hear it but a hardtail 29 is probably your ticket for Western Michigan trails. I've ridden most of them on both a light carbon 150 bike as well as a 19lb single speed. The single speed is faster and more fun everywhere. Michigan has a pretty fast xc scene and as a competitive person I can't imagine racing a trail bike would be enjoyable or rewarding.

Btw, still some time to swing out to CVNP to check out our new trail. Well worth the drive or as a pit stop on the way to Ray's
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
You don't want to hear it but a hardtail 29 is probably your ticket for Western Michigan trails. I've ridden most of them on both a light carbon 150 bike as well as a 19lb single speed. The single speed is faster and more fun everywhere. Michigan has a pretty fast xc scene and as a competitive person I can't imagine racing a trail bike would be enjoyable or rewarding.

Btw, still some time to swing out to CVNP to check out our new trail. Well worth the drive or as a pit stop on the way to Ray's
I know it is that's why I considered highball/nomad combo. But don't wanna give up my v10.

Both the wife and I raced the 5010's a few times and of course it was a disadvantage, but we held our own.