[mattmatt86]

I know this topic has been well covered and I've looked over all of them but I'm still looking for some input.

I recently took a new job, it's a great opportunity but one of the only downsides is that I will be working weekends (but I get two weekdays off). Because of this I've decided not to build up a new DH bike for 2010 because i wouldn't be able to make it to any races and wouldn't be able to get the full benefit of a DH race rig. I would like to build up a short travel, 4-6" bike that could be taken to Diablo, 7 springs, or Snowshoe on my days off but could just as easily be taken on some 20+ mile trail rides locally.

Two bikes I've had on my radar are the Blur 4x and the IH 6 point.

My biggest concern with the 4x is that they are hard to find, might not be the most durable at bike parks.

With the 6 point I'm concerned about the 83mm bb and 150mm rear spacing. Both aren't optimal geometry for trail riding, especially the Q factor of the BB. And I think a 6 point build would be 5-6 lbs heavier than the 4x.

I'm in no way limited to either of these bikes and am open to all suggestions.

 

[stoney]

I just did a 23 mile 4k vertical foot, with race-able DH sections on my '09 575. Amazing... Just wow. I've got it setup with a fork that's too short now so the angles are kinda steep and it still descends like my DH bike (vintage 2003 DH9). It climbs amazingly as well.

No matter where you go, try to get a standard BB for the Q factor. your knees will love you for it.

 

[***MTB***]

I'd take a look at the Santa Cruz Nomad. I have seen many happy people riding them at bike parks and still hitting the XC trails with them.

 

[Straya]

Also think about a Specialized SX Trail or Giant Reign

 

[MikeD]

Turner RFX

 

[DBR X6 RIDER]

SX Trail, Reign or Bottlerocket. Seem to be the do-allers of choice - not that the Nomad is a bad option either. Ride as many as you can would be my best piece of advice. Good luck and congrats on the job!

 

[Orvan]

What the hell is the Q factor??

I'm very very happy with my Tracer VP, it rides like a cadillac with Banks equipment and magnaflow pipes.

Ah hell, might as well hi-jack the thread since I mentioned the Tracer....
I need help coming up with a mounting bracket for a GoPro that will be attached on the downtube just slightly aligned with the bottom of the BB shell. It might be a good excuse to fork out for the new GoPro HD if I smack my old one with this mounting. any suggestions???

Upper down tube mounting... checked!!
NASCAR on Vimeo

Seatstay, chainstay, etc mounting..checked!!
Serpent on Vimeo

 

[BMCarter]

Just to throw out another bike you probably aren't interested in, Spec. Enduro would be a great option. I just got the 2010 and love it. The geometry really didn't change a whole lot this year (couple mm lower, 1/2* slacker and 10mm more travel) just looks different, has different component spec.

I just got mine about a month ago and have been super stoaked on it. 66.5* HA, 13.7bb with 160mm of travel, 31lbs with a command post and 8" brakes. Climbs amazing, and descends almost as good as my DH bike except when it gets really steep/techy.

Did a 13 mile XC loop the other night, got owned by the XC racers I was riding with on the climb but had a lot more fun on the descent. Also did a day of shuttling some local DH trails while my DH bike was out of action, I actually forgot I wasn't on the big bike by the end of the day.

 

[Bicyclist]

Buy my Morewood Shova!

But seriously, I love my Blur 4X these days - not the best climber or DH'er (a bit slack and heavy yet not much travel) yet it's just a great all-around "mountain bike." Ride it, don't think about it...it's great.

I wouldn't touch an Iron Horse these days with availability of parts and the fact they come with an 83mm/150mm setup which is a PITA with the availability of cranks and rear hubs for trail use in my opinion.

 

[FullMonty]

Banshee Rune w/ K9 angled reducer headset? ~65.5* HA, 13.75" BB, 6" travel.

I'm a little biased since I own one (albeit w/ the standard 67* HA and 14" BB,) but it tears it up. 20' gaps, 6'-ish drops, couple days at Whistler this past summer. I'm 210lbs. and it's never felt anything but solid. Pedals great, light (my build w/ M810 Saint brakes and dual-ply rubber is 34.5 lbs.) although it probably won't win a weight weenie contest vs. a Nomad.

 

[dhr-racer]

reign x hands down.

fast and agile and can climb. and you can usually avoid buying used and find one on clearout at a giant dealer if you get an older model year. i suggest going with a smaller sizing if its going to double as a park bike and a long post as it seems to work very well with the LARGE group of reign x riders in my area

 

[alant]

Staying on the Santa Cruz wagon, have you considered the BLT2? I was looking into a 4x myself, but have been now looking at the BLT2. Sounds good for what you are looking for. Good luck.

 

[juanbeegas]

What about the new spitfire from Banshee?

http://bansheebikes.blogspot.com/2009/07/banshee-spitfire.html

 

[supercow]

Morewood Mbuzi !!

Here's mine

 

[DiRt DeViL]

Another vote for the Reign X

 

[al-irl]

Morewood Mbuzi gets my vote. Climbs like a bike with half its travel descends like a full blown dh bike. Its the best all mountain freeride bike i've ever ridden. They can be built sub 30lbs no problem. They are just so much fun to ride.

 

[nmjb]

Another vote for the Nomad. Mine has been great on everything from long xc rides to DH shuttles and Whistler.

 

[bizutch]

Big 2.5" DH tires and XC tubes turn your 4x into a 5" travel trail machine.

 

[Jeremy R]

The two bikes "on your radar" have either been discontinued or are now sold at Dicks Sporting goods.
You need a new radar.

Ha, honestly man, for what you are trying to do you are just going to have to make a compromise. A bike like the Blur 4x is going to get worked at places like Diablo or Snowshoe. And bikes like the SX trail are not going to be the best solution for 20 mile trail rides.......trust me.
My Shova St makes a perfect trailbike for me, but it ain't seeing Snowshoe for sure. Just be honest with yourself about what kind of terrain you will be riding the most, and lean in that direction.
I would guess bikes the Mbuzi, the new Enduro, etc... would be where you should be looking.

 

[igz-]

What about the new spitfire from Banshee?

http://bansheebikes.blogspot.com/2009/07/banshee-spitfire.html

Bingo!

 

[Beast]

THIS THING RIPS, as does the Banshee!

 

[primo661]

Another vote for the Ibuzi. Its a beauty of a bike, couldnt agree with al-irl more.

 

[Banshee Rider]

Staying on the Santa Cruz wagon, have you considered the BLT2? I was looking into a 4x myself, but have been now looking at the BLT2. Sounds good for what you are looking for. Good luck.

There is little about the BLT2, other than its travel, that makes it remotely oriented towards enjoyable gravity riding. It's really a long travel XC bike, hence it's name. I found the ride to be accurately reflect that, which isn't a bad thing for the market that eats them up. Great bike though, just not for this guy IMO.

Some food for thought for the OP... Chairs at Diablo and 20 mile xc rides on the same bike during your two days off is alot to ask from one bike. IMO, its a bit too much. Unless your idea of XC riding is hitting the trails for recreation and exercize at a leizurely pace, I'm not sure you'll enjoy a bike built to handle gravity the day before. As a downhiller who spends 80% of his riding time on an XC bike, I personally find that the most enjoyable thing about proper XC riding is being able to assimilate otherwise normal mtb trails with riding my downhill bike; carrying descending speed on flat terrain, attacking turns, and finding time on the easier bit of trail to recover instead of stopping. I've found, through personal experience, that the type bike you want to build won't maximize that enjoyment without feeling like a complete dog the entire ride. My 33lb Reign X is slower in every piece of trail I can think of (except the descents) than my 27lb Revelation-equipped Trance X. It'll do everything you describe, but its hard to achieve and sustain that feeling of riding a downhill bike on average terrain I mentioned. I personally find it's best to seperate the two worlds to truely enjoy each end the spectrum for what they offer.

 

[4130biker]

What the hell is the Q factor??

It's like the x-factor, tricep extension, but for your crotch.

(48 sec.)

 

[nmjb]

There is little about the BLT2, other than its travel, that makes it remotely oriented towards enjoyable gravity riding. ....... but its hard to achieve and sustain that feeling of riding a downhill bike on average terrain I mentioned. I personally find it's best to seperate the two worlds to truely enjoy each end the spectrum for what they offer.

Good point.

On a side note. I think two wheelsets - one for DH and one for XC - are a necessity if you are going to have one do-it-all bike.

 

[al-irl]

Well i have a shova st for general trail riding, but i have a dh bike aswell. However i have done a few winter dh races on flat pedally courses on my shova and its a little on its limits there. So if your planning on doing a bit of park riding and shuttling the mbuzi would be better suited to that. However I've used an mbuzi on all day epic rides and I was amazed at how well it climbed and it felt every bit as good as my dh bike when things were pointed downhill. The mbuzi is the best compromise if you want a bike that will do everything.

 

[mattmatt86]

Some food for thought for the OP... Chairs at Diablo and 20 mile xc rides on the same bike during your two days off is alot to ask from one bike. IMO, its a bit too much. Unless your idea of XC riding is hitting the trails for recreation and exercize at a leizurely pace, I'm not sure you'll enjoy a bike built to handle gravity the day before. As a downhiller who spends 80% of his riding time on an XC bike, I personally find that the most enjoyable thing about proper XC riding is being able to assimilate otherwise normal mtb trails with riding my downhill bike; carrying descending speed on flat terrain, attacking turns, and finding time on the easier bit of trail to recover instead of stopping. I've found, through personal experience, that the type bike you want to build won't maximize that enjoyment without feeling like a complete dog the entire ride. My 33lb Reign X is slower in every piece of trail I can think of (except the descents) than my 27lb Revelation-equipped Trance X. It'll do everything you describe, but its hard to achieve and sustain that feeling of riding a downhill bike on average terrain I mentioned. I personally find it's best to seperate the two worlds to truely enjoy each end the spectrum for what they offer.

I was worried I would have to come to that realization. I guess I should have mentioned that I already have a sub 23lb hardtail 29er race bike so the new bike I'm building wouldn't be my only trail bike, but I would still like to be able to use it more than just for chair lifts.

I thought I should also mention the shop I work part time at carries Specialized, Giant, GT and Mongoose. I've definitely been looking at the 2010 enduro but I don't like the fact you could never put a coil shock on it.

 

[Cant Climb]

Diamondback Mission......?........check eBay, some pop up on there for cheap from time to time...

 

[bizutch]

Long travel trail bike like the SX trail or Reign X with 2 sets of wheels, one for XC that's light and tubeless, one with DH tires and dh tubes that's el cheapo. All you need is that and rotors and your long travel bike will gain and lose pounds at the switch of an axle.

 

[mattmatt86]

That thought had crossed my mind, I'm starting to think I'm asking too much from one bike. Maybe chair lifts and XC rides just don't mix.

 

[bizutch]

That thought had crossed my mind, I'm starting to think I'm asking too much from one bike. Maybe chair lifts and XC rides just don't mix.

the trailbuilders at Windrock refuse to believe there is anything but both on one bike. And of all places...

 

[Banshee Rider]

I was worried I would have to come to that realization. I guess I should have mentioned that I already have a sub 23lb hardtail 29er race bike so the new bike I'm building wouldn't be my only trail bike, but I would still like to be able to use it more than just for chair lifts.

Then why bother with mixing oil and water? Unless you have some mountain-side trails that are worth climbing for but are too much for your 29er to be fun on, or your bike is so racey it sucks at having fun on in general, then I'd scrap the idea and EP yourself a Glory 01. The only reason I own a Reign X is for up-down riding on trails that aren't fun on 5" bikes. I would have never built it with riding Diablo in mind (that place gets ragged) or riding average xc trails. I think already having a taste of a purebred downhill bike will comprimise your experience on anything but anyway. Unless your a dominion-to-alpine all day guy, a proper downhill bike will be so much more fun. Just my 2 cents.

 

[dropmachine]

I have a Blur 4x, and wouldn't trade it for anything out there, especially the Blur LT. The LT is an xc bike, end of story. The numbers on it tell you that.

I also have a reign X (for sale at that) and that made it clear that while one bike can do it all, one bike cannot do it all PERFECTLY.

 

[LOOnatic]

the trailbuilders at Windrock refuse to believe there is anything but both on one bike. And of all places...

Maybe u should get there more than once every 5 years or so . Times change bra....

 

[FlipFantasia]

the new enduro is a badass and super capable machine, regardless of air shock only...

 

[Ithnu]

I have a Commencal Meta 6. With a Float 36 on front it handles high speed and rocks great. With a Float rear shock it pedals well. The Commencal is versatile with its adjustable head angle and it comes with 10mm and 12 mm drops outs so you can run whatever axle you want.

I've also owned a Spec Enduro with a DHX Air on back, I prefer the way the Fox Float/Rock Shock Monarch pedals.

Most of the bikes mentioned in this thread will do great, just find the right geometry and price that works for you.

 

[Orfen]

I have a Commencal Meta 6.

found any cracks yet?

 

[FlipFantasia]

found any cracks yet?

I know, would've suggested the meta 6 as well, absolutely loved how mine rode....just didn't like how it cracked.....if commie can work out that VERY large problem, I'd get one again in a heartbeat....truly an amazing all around bike, and extremely capable descender and climber....

 

[al-irl]

I know its off topic but every one i know who has owned a commencal of any shape/description has cracked it. Anyone know one who hasn't cracked one

 

[dropmachine]

I didn't crack mine, cause I hated it and refused to ride it.