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A DHer's trailbike journey, What do you run?

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
I am not an expert, but isn't a static 13" BB excessively low for a 5" bike? yes it will great on the descents and flowy buffed singletrack, but how do you pedal that thing over rocks and roots?
should be fine if you're careful about your pedaling. I don't have any trouble with a static 13.7 bb with 175mm cranks and 7 inches of trouble in pedaling. I have to time my pedal strokes and pay attention, but it works just fine.

That is my ideal 5 inch bike
 

al-irl

Turbo Monkey
Dec 9, 2004
1,086
0
A, A
that custom ventana is sweet. Got my shova today can't wait to ride it tomorrow. Will have pics soon.
 

al-irl

Turbo Monkey
Dec 9, 2004
1,086
0
A, A
just back from my first propper ride on my shova st. Have to say its amazing. It climbs so well the geometry with the fork dropped down is perfect you can just spin away weather it be on a fireroad or a more technical climb. As for the descents and corners its unreall. It has a very nippy feel to it and you can really throw it from one corner to the next with ease. I took it for a 13k lap of our local trail center tonight and i'd no my way round fairly well so i was able to give the bike a good trashing. It just kept making me want to ride it harder. I've just changed from an old specialized enduro sx (the 4x frame) which was great on the downhills but really suffered on the climbs seat angle was too slack and on tech climbs the low bb had me hitting pedals all over the place. The shova is better at everything. The bb height is just right enough clearance without being too high still hit my pedals once or twice but nowhere near as bad as with the enduro. On the fun stuff it just felt so nippy and it really took off when i started to get into a flow and pump all the little rollers on the trail. Its much easier to change direction quickly compared to the enduro which is that bit slacker and a bit more stable but i never felt the shova to be twitchy at all. It seems to be balanced perfectly.

Spec.
Frame Morewood Shova st with Fox RP23 shock
Fork 07 Fox 36 Talas rlc with 150mm
Stem Thomson Elite 70mm
Bars Truvative 1" rise
Cranks XT with 34th single ring
Cassette XT 11-34
Guide E13 LG1
Mech + Shifter XO + X9
Wheels Crossmax XL with High Roller UST 2.35 F and Hutchinson Bulldog UST 2.00 R
Crank Bros Joplin Remote seatpost with SDG I Fly saddle.

It weighs in a shade over 30lbs.
will have pics soon
After my first propper ride I can't recommend this bike highly enough.
 

BBBSwan05

Monkey
Dec 19, 2004
101
0
didnt spend much on it but it should hold up for a while, built it up to be my fun bike 8-)
Trance 2
PUSH'd float
Pike Team air
Evolve XC
LG-1
50/50 for fun- Times for trails/xc

still playin with my air pressures and steerer will be cut when im not so lazy...new tires should be bought soon, but im poor right now.






:drinking:
 

Vena

Monkey
Aug 30, 2007
103
0
Italy
I need new pedals for my trail bike. I was actually using Easton Flatboy and i love them, i will keep to use them on my dh bike...but i was looking for something lighter for the trail bike where weight is more an issue.
Btw they still need to have a good big platform and a nice grip.

What do you like to use on your trail bike?

I don't like clip, and i prefear to use flats.
 

worship_mud

Turbo Monkey
Dec 9, 2006
1,464
2
I need new pedals for my trail bike. I was actually using Easton Flatboy and i love them, i will keep to use them on my dh bike...but i was looking for something lighter for the trail bike where weight is more an issue.
Btw they still need to have a good big platform and a nice grip.

What do you like to use on your trail bike?

I don't like clip, and i prefear to use flats.

Kona wah wah's! lightweight, slim, good shape, good grip! my personal favourites a the moment!



here's a review:
http://www.sicklines.com/2008/02/18/kona-wah-wah-pedals/
 
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matsO

Monkey
Aug 26, 2006
139
0
got a new chain guide, air shock and a pimp seat post, took a picture


2003 SC heckler
 
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slothy

Monkey
Sep 21, 2007
259
0
Ireland
Ok bike geeks, haven't seen any Scott Ransoms in this post, (actually never see many pics of them). I eally like the bike and love the adjustibility.

Heres mine:
Scott Ransom (remote rear shock)
Magura Wotan Fork (160 remote lockout)
Remote Seatpost (link below)

I only intend changing the rear tyre maybe and making both wheels stans tubeless.



I did have marzocchis on it but they failed so many times, I went and bought some german forks.
Old setup:



http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=37&products_id=153
 
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William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
36t front ring works pretty well with an 11-34. Never met a hill I couldn't climb with that setup, and I'm usually not focusing on pedaling when I'm spinning out at 36-11
 

RaID

Turbo Monkey
36T with a 11-34 in the back, thats on a hardtail.

If I was on a dually id probably want to drop that down to a 34T though. I have a couple of tough techy climbs on my rides which need a determined approach to get over with a 36T atm.
 

Hulkamaniac

Monkey
Oct 10, 2001
501
0
Germantown, MD
Man, I must really suck at climbing....all you guys running 36 tooth single ring setup make me feel like a weakling!!! j/k

I used to run a 34t ring with a Gamut guide and I really enjoyed it for the local stuff. However, on longer rides or rides in new areas, I often found myself getting gassed by mid-ride cause I didn't have that granny ring to bail me out on long climbs.
 

Sonic Reducer

Monkey
Mar 19, 2006
500
0
seattle worshington
i ended up getting a 2008 trek fuel ex7 nearly brand new because it was stupid cheap. i forgot how much fun it was to have a bike that can scream uphill. seriously, makes climbing more of a fun time than a chore. that is a big part of riding around here. i find myself taking the challenge line just for the hell of it even when i'm really working. if i want to ride down hard i will just push my big bike. i feel like i can ride the trek all day, kind of a liberating feeling after not having a bike with a front derailleur for over a year. 28.xxlbs does not hurt. it is definitely fun to ride compared to more XCish bikes i have had in the past. it does not feel like a bike that i could lower the seat and hit the dirt jumps, but i do not have the bike dialled in yet. anyhoo, it will work for now.


 
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Banshee Rider

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2003
1,452
10
Since the beginning of this thread I got ahold of a Trance X to try out in place of my Blur 4X. I built the frame from scratch with most of the components from my Blur. After finishing out the fall season on it I concluded that it pedals better, accelerates better, and climbs better. However, I think I'll be going back to my 4X in the spring since the HA* is noticably slacker and the WB is longer. Although it doesn't snap as quickly on climbs or exiting turns, the angles on the 4X just feel better to me. I wanted to be as stoked on this ride as much as I am on my Reign X, but it just never happened.

09' Trance X, Medium, Float R
Rock Shox Pike Dual Air
Industry Nine Classic hubs
Stans 355 rims, DT Swiss Champion spokes, DT Swiss Proloc nipples
SRAM X0 rear derailleur
SRAM X9 shifter
SRAM PC991 chain
SRAM PC990 cassette
Avid Juicy 5's, 160mm rotors
Truvativ 1:1 Stylo crankset
Truvativ Holzefeller stem
Sunline Vone 29.5" bars
Thomson Elite seatpost
WTB Shadow V saddle
Maxxis Ardent 2.2 tires

 
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TA..

!
Aug 21, 2007
228
0
Bionics department
My trail bike mini SS bike not been ridden in a year due to injury!
Can' wait to throw a leg back over her one day!
06 RFX Medium!

Ive swapped out the RFX seat stays with 5Spot seat stays the BB is now @ 13.6".
The HA less than 67deg she was 67 before, I need an angle finder to be accurate the ruler method says 66.6 but I'm not 100% on that no doubt get some doubters here always do lol. chains stays are RFX's.
The SA will have slackened some also, original was 72 so ?
I don't normally run a Air shock its off my Spot, I sold my CCDB, maybe look at a Avy chub when I'm in the saddle again! I prefer coil!
I have to change the rockers to Spot 5.5 so the seat tube won't hit the seat stay bridge but I'm not riding at mo so its not a priority at the mo!

Other than that for me its badd ass SSS all the way, I call it super slope style in honor of the old SSS Datsuns of the 70s:cheers:
06' Turner RFX Medium, DHX 5
08 Fox Van rc2 36 heavy springs 10wt
HSet Hope 1/1/8th
SRAM X9 rear derailleur
SRAM X0 shifter
SRAM PC991 chain
SRAM PC990 cassette
08 Magura Louise 180fr/180r Venti disc's blk
04 RF Atlas 175mm RF Diablous BB
Thomson X4 50 x 0 deg stem
Sunline V1 29.5" bars
Thomson Elite seatpost
Funn snake camo hard
Maxxis Ardent rear
Maxxxis Minion front
wheels Sun Mtx/Hadley ta's 20/10x32h/14g/brass/nip
Grips Oury
Chain guide BS Stinger Bash Gamut P30
Pedals Shimano DX
Spare wheels DT 5.1s same specc as mtx except rims!


 

WhiteRavenKS

Turbo Monkey
Aug 8, 2003
1,270
0
neither here nor there
I just got a Pitch myself and have loved every ride on it so far. Quite a change up from the V-10 I'm used to using to plow stuff but it's everything I wanted in a trail bike. I'm not scared to go down anything, it corners well, and it gets me something of a work out on the way up. It's just plain fun, that's all I really wanted.
 

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
Realized I never posted "finished" pics. Not as light as I would have hoped but it's still snappy compared to the Blindside
and gets me back up the hills. So far, I've liked everything about it. The Moto was poorly suited for what it was marketed
for but shines as a trailbike.







 

matsO

Monkey
Aug 26, 2006
139
0
This time of year it is mostly XC rides where I live so I stripped my SC Heckler b/c it is time to let the back end go :banana:



Disclaimer: for XC/FR I use a 32T in front & 16T in the back. Current tires are for commuting.
 

b1k3_r1d3r

Monkey
Jul 6, 2005
121
0


08 trance small
09 RS Reba maxle light
x9 der
x0 shiftering
lx cranks
custom chopped lg1 with taco
hope pro II on Stan XTR arch with super comps Tubeless
2.1 Nevegal, cut, Front
2.0 Larsen TT
Chromag Flat bars
Thomson 100mm stem.

25.8ish lbs i think, its sick. Going to lower the shock to get it a tad slacker, but its a super quick bike to race as an xc bike coming from dh. The reba at 120mm is 10mm higher axle-crown which slackened it a bit from 70 deg. With a lowered shock i'm hoping to get 68ish and be done.