At what point do you not have a race bike?

UiUiUiUi · May 2, 2011

it's not a race bike when you're not racing.

are you enjoying the so called race bike?
if so and there is no financial disaster imminent which prevents you from maintaining it keep it, ride it and don't think about it.

rollertoaster · May 2, 2011

I sold my race bike last year after a season of injury. I was planning on building up a new one over winter, but my local (favorite) mountain closed. I still have my intense SS, but it's just not the same.
Sure I'd like to have another dh bike but I can't justify spending that kind of money now. To be honest I've kindof lost the thrill for riding in general, I still like it but it's just not the same as it used to be.

ChrisKring · May 2, 2011

Keep your "race bike" as a freeride bike. If parts break, replace with cheaper parts.

Like you, the travel for an hour or two of actual riding is wearing on me. It's hard to drive 10 hours for dh when I can race a harescramble less than an hour away. That said, dh riding with your friends is still a lot of fun so I don't think I will ever not have a bike.

You should ride whistler with us in July.

Banshee Rider · May 2, 2011

I chose to keep riding a race bike when I stopped racing. I just prefer the way they ride. I spent a few days on my 6.5" bike with downhill wheels, but it's just not the same experience. For me it stopped being a race bike when I stopped being an idiot about weight. No carbon bars, highest end shifter and drivetrain pieces, ti springs, expensive road saddles, and constantly messing with tubeless tire swaps.

I spent the money getting the frame I wanted, suspension I wanted, and tires I wanted. My bike is still somewhat expensive, but it's not retarded and disposable; it just lasts. Aaand it's only between 2-3lbs heavier than my old race set up? (I know, there's 453g in that range!)

Still wear a kit though. A real f***ing stupid one. Carhartts irritate my sensitive skin.

bizutch · May 2, 2011

I had a race bike known as a KX125. It did awesome on practice days at the track even when I didn't try to turn hot laps. And it was stupid fun on everything else we had to ride...from hillclimbs to mud bogs to bike tag. :thumb:

I love my trail bike Doug, but I can't imagine not having a long, low sled to drift big turns at speed. Maybe just dial back one notch from the full on World Cup sled to a peppier frame?

Kevin · May 2, 2011

Any sacrifice of weight over strength comes to mind...

stoney · May 2, 2011

With Butch on this one. Keep it around, but build it strong as parts break. I keep telling myself that I want to put lighter cranks and wheels on my 303dh, but I'm having a really hard time justifying dropping $1k for it.

Being a 'for fun' rider now, I'll probably just go with lighter tires and replace with lighter (but still strong) parts as things break. Along those lines though, assuming you built your bike up strong enough to start with, it should last a while.

Also, the depreciated value of your bike will not offset the fun value of riding it vs. the replacement cost if you decide that you want to ride DH again. If you have it, it's paid for, and you don't want to take a guaranteed loss when you sell it, just keep it.

nelsonjm · May 2, 2011

profro said:
I just don't know if I'm ready to get beat down the hill by others on race bikes.

Comments?

Just remember Sam Hill could beat you down the hill with a Huffy...ride what you enjoy and replace nonsensically fragile weight-weenie parts with practical components.

climbingbubba · May 2, 2011

I thought I could do the same so last year I sold my DH bike and Trail bike and built up a 170mm travel bike. While it was fun I always hated doing XC when my friends were on their 5" travel bikes and at the same time it sucked having a 170mm bike when my friends were on their DH bikes.

The guys I have been riding with lately only ride DH bikes so I missed having one. I just built another one up (finished it yesterday).

You will regret not having a DH bike. They are so fun and forgiving to ride. If money isn't an issue then why would you want to sell it to begin with?

also if you are riding DH on your AM bike it will break parts quicker and just wear it out faster.

jsg04 · May 2, 2011

profro said:
True.

But I am also trying to maintain 2 other mtbs and 2 dirt bikes.

Yes I know I have a problem.

I guess you just have to look at how much you rode the Morewood outside of the Snowshoe series and other southern races last year. I would think you are still going to want the DH bike for Windrock and if you are going to ride it once a week I would say keep it. Plus if you keep the DH bike you can still show up at a race here and there and get your fix.

Those KTM's taking over?

UiUiUiUi · May 2, 2011

profro said:
True.

But I am also trying to maintain 2 other mtbs and 2 dirt bikes.

Yes I know I have a problem.

ok thats a "problem"

honestly keep the real DH bike. you will miss it when it's gone.
those 7" freeride bikes are neither a replacement for a 5" trailbike nor a full on DH rig.

bdamschen · May 2, 2011

UiUiUiUi said:
those 7" freeride bikes are neither a replacement for a 5" trailbike nor a full on DH rig.

Quoted for truth... though the Intense SSII that my bro in law has sure has started to blur the lines for me lately...

Metal Dude · May 2, 2011

You retiring old man? haha c'mon man who you foolin'? You will miss the DH with those trails right there. First time you ride with your "fast" buddies you will know it! Once a racer always a racer at heart! Hey I play the bike switcheroo around different genres myself but, I think you should keep it.

Pegboy · May 2, 2011

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Like you said, as soon as you ride with guys that you normally "school" or hang with and are on the other end of that, you'll go crazy trying to figure out if it's age, fitness, equipment etc. It will cost you less to keep it current than to get rid of it and then want to replace it.

I don't race (with few exceptions) but my bike has seen a lot of upgrades this year and is about as race as you can get. I ride with fast guys and this is what I love to do and I don't mind putting money into it now that I'm in a place where I can afford to. Keep it, you never know when the race bug (local or otherwise) may bite....this biking thing is a powerful drug!

motomike · May 2, 2011

Definitely keep it.

VADHPROMO · May 2, 2011

profro said:
Yes.

You have to make you way down here some time. If I don't see you at SS, kill it this year!

This post is great! It's great to see multiples of us have dual rigs and addictions
to two wheels. With or without the throttle 2 wheels are always better than 4.

I heard you guided Paul Bell around on Moto last fall. We have a annual spring
trip that we bring XC mountain bikes, Moto, & Jeeps to camp. Three nights
and four days of riding. Its coming up this month at Brushy Mountain in NC.

Lets us know if your up for a Thursday - Sunday camp & ride weekend.
Its coming up fast. Sorry for the short notice.

bullcrew · May 2, 2011

2 bikes for sure. Tried to take a line saturday on my sx trail and shattered a full face and concussion alo.g with a slew of other injuries.
Big bike probably would have made it being i had just done it 2 times right before on the big bike. User error for sure i was leading a m9 and corsair on the SX on their local trails and stunts (both very good riders) and was killing em on everything down till the rocks and ladders then it was game over. Bad line choice way too fast and not enough suspension to give me a margin of user error.

Keep both bikes, parts dont break when they sit there only when abused usually beyond there intended use. So keep a bike for each desciple. :thumb:

marshalolson · May 2, 2011

you certainly can ride a trail bike like its a dh bike on xc trails, but you cannot ride anythingbut a dh bike the way you want on real dh trails.

so if you plan to ride on legit dh trails, then well... anything but a real dh bike will be a letdown.

just replace stuff with mid-grade parts and ride burlier wheels and change the tires out less frequently. if you are not racing, well, there is not the pressure to always have fresh pads and fork oil and tires etc every few weekends anyhow. so go out and ride the thing till its clapped out and spend an hour to fix her up a bit.

SCARY · May 2, 2011

profro said:
So in my best SCARY impersonation I need the internet to tell me what to do.

I am no longer racing. Blah, blah, blah. Anyway, would you still keep a highly specific race bike for just riding DH?

I have a 6" Mbuzi with an Angleset, a Double Barrel in the rear and a 170mm Lyrick DH up front and can handle myself well enough on DH trails with it. I don't ride DH that much anymore since I'm not racing and training but I still like to hit up my trails once a week or so to have fun. I know I can't hit the same lines or go as fast because I have ridden this bike for DH before. I enjoy it. Its different and more playful. I think I could handle the change if I only rode by myself. I just don't know if I'm ready to get beat down the hill by others on race bikes.

Comments?

Except,youre missing a couple thing things...humor,sarcasm and a cool bike to talk about.

Ithnu · May 2, 2011

If you can afford both bikes why not keep them?

Even if you don't need the DH it might still be fun to switch up bikes on the same trails.

was? · May 2, 2011

well, if you´ve got the trails and the riding buddys at hand to justify a full on dh bike i´d definately go that route. maybe not the newest and lightest reiteration, but something of decent quality and geometry.
around here the highest elevation within 40mls is 2100ft and no uplift, so we mainly stick to pedable bikes to get anywhere fun.

Gary · May 2, 2011

haven't raced in 5 or 6 years now and my current DH bike (which has never been raced) is more of a race bike than anything I rode during 15years of mtb racing. I raced XC on mediocre XC hardtails and DH on pretty heavy DH bikes (I crashed a lot and broke tons of parts back then).
I don't see the point in compromising if you want to ride DH so I have a DH race bike and plenty other bikes for the other types of riding I like to do.

wood booger · May 2, 2011

By my logic every ride is a race, and therefore every bike a race bike.

If you have a DH bike now, keep it! At least until you run out of $ buying KTM parts, then it's time to buy a Yamaha.

I was without a real DH bike for a few years and didn't realize what I was missing. Like you, I thought my 7" burly trail bike was good enough. It was not and I will never be without a DH sled again.

Even if I don't ever race that 63.5 degree, 13.5" BB, 36 lb beast I will get immense amounts of pleasure from it. Modern DH bikes are rad!

CBJ · May 2, 2011

Not that I have an option but I would rather have a full on dh bike in stead of heavy not so specific free ride bike.

marshalolson · May 2, 2011

wood booger said:
If you have a DH bike now, keep it! At least until you run out of $ buying KTM parts, then it's time to buy a Yamaha.!

hahahahaha!

Dogboy · May 5, 2011

motomike said:
Definitely keep it.

I'm with Moto. You have easy access to some of the best DH trails on the planet Doug so keeping the DH bike is a no-brainer to me. You don't want Ed coming over there and schooling you on your AM bike

At what point do you not have a race bike?

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Delicate CUSTOM flower

Turbo Monkey

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde

Monkey

Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

3 Dude Approved

Turbo Monkey

Not long enough

Monkey

Monkey

"S" is for "neo-luddite"

Monkey

year old fart

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey