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Best cornering DH bike.

mack

mack

Turbo Monkey
Feb 26, 2003
3,674
0
Colorado
I am probably going to buy a new DH bike this year, maybe a new frame or a complete bike and sell my big hit.
I dont really want a single pivot orange, id like a bike that could corner like crazy and is light. I dont really care about rear end stifness as i only weigh 140, i can spend around 2k for a new frame or more if i sell my bike.

PS, id like somthing that could also pedal well yet is a true DH bike and not a freerider.
 
8

819

Monkey
Mar 12, 2003
143
0
I'm pretty happy with my BB7. It corners beautifully. I've been racing it for a year, and I don't forsee it breaking any time soon.
 
SebringMGB

SebringMGB

Monkey
Feb 6, 2004
482
1
Washington
I ride a Gemini and weigh 140, and i have yet to ride a bike i like better. I think if i ride the gemini DH it would prabably be mucho nicer with the lower leverage ratio, floater and geometry. but the gemini is well suited for light riders. i really can't complain about it at all. nimble as hell, you can rail corners, flys nice and level, decends good, and sucks up big hits fine. its got a way low standover, so if you are a short person like me, thats also a good benefit. anyway, thats my 2 cents. and i think the DH is just shy of 2 g's
 
biker3

biker3

Turbo Monkey
Jan 27, 2004
1,491
0
American by birth, Southern by the grace of god
I also ride the 900 and LOVE IT. Ive ridden bighits and bullits(not real DH bike) but the gemini is def much better. Its really light (mine right in at 38ibs) and is very nimble. It rails corners and pops out of them well also. The Gemini DH is gunna have 8in of travel in 05' so that should make it an ultimate DH bike. Ive also heard the DHRs corner awsome but ive heard in reviews they don't pedal so well.
 
Jm_

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
19,045
9,702
AK
My cheeta proline DH cornered insane. Low CG, wheelbase and everything really nice. Too bad it ain't made anymore.
 
Zoso

Zoso

Monkey
Jan 31, 2003
212
0
Seattle
Rotec dh9. The concentric bb pivot puts the weight down and centered when you sag into the travel. They are currently tearing up the WIM (WA state) racing series and took 8th in the pro womens DH at Sea Otter. The weigh the bike feels with sag is different, but it definitely corners with the best of them.



I know, I know......spam, right?;)
 
heikkihall

heikkihall

Monkey
Dec 14, 2001
882
0
Durango, CO
Everyone is going to say the bike they are riding is the best. I have found that the best cornering bike, really depends on your style of riding. Your body position mostly. Most bikes will corner relatively well, you just may have to alter your normal riding position a touch to adapt to the bike.
 
Jm_

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
19,045
9,702
AK
Not me. Hey, I'm almost honest!

My SGS doesn't seem to turn as well as my Cheeta did.







I agree with you though, it's funny to see so many suggestions, ones that I am very doubfull of their turning ability compared to others. I'd expect low CG low BB type bikes to be suggested the most, but it seems to just be "whatever I happen to be riding on is the BEST EVER!".
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,462
7,824
Originally posted by Transcend
Look for a bike with a relatively low center of gravity, low BB height and a wheelbase that extends when compressed, not one that shortens.
Click to expand...
just curious, why is this wheelbase deal important? i'm not taking issue with it, just want to know why.
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,462
7,824
Originally posted by Transcend
Longer wheelbase generally means a more stable bike that can take corners at higher speeds.
Click to expand...
fair enough. but what about the extending part? couldn't a long ol' bike without an extending wheelbase corner as well as a shorter one that gets longer under compression?
 
Fulton

Fulton

Monkey
Nov 9, 2001
825
0
chumba F4? Low COG, VERY low BB height, short chainstays, and a 68 degree headangle. should turn with the best of em
 
D

DHRacer001

Chimp
May 9, 2003
9
0
I really like the Giant DH Team that I am on right now. It has a real low, super low, CG, dues to all the linkage and shock being at the same height of the BB, and the BB height seems to be real low too. I set it up with a lot of sag, so the working height with me on it is stupid low. It has allmost zero suspension bob, when either sprinting or spinning, and the effeciency of the bike is more dependent on the tires and the weight of the bike, when you build it up.

But I have also ridden a Ellsworth Dare for extended periods and it seemed to have super good pedaling effeciency, but the bike was a little more unstable in the corners, due to a little higher bb height, and shorter wheelbase.

I also really like the Intense M1. Its one of my most favorite bikes, the only reason why I dont own one is because everyone and there mom has one at the track, but its because it is such a nice bike. Low bottom bracket, and longer wheelbase made the bike super stable, and with the 5th element or a Pushed RC the bike peddals like a champ.

I havent ridden a turner, but have seen pleanty in action to say that they rip too. I think it would be better with boxxer or a 888 just to slacken out the head angle, but JMO. It seems to pedal well, but if I had one I would put a avy on it just so I could get it built with that super platform feeling, the romics seem to feel too much like a RC to me, but then again its just my opinion.

Go to a race and see what you like. It kinda depends on where your racing too. You wouldnt go to look at bikes a Sea Otter if your going to race at northstar. Two exremes that would warrent two different bikes.

Hope this doesnt confuse you even more.
 
SebringMGB

SebringMGB

Monkey
Feb 6, 2004
482
1
Washington
well, for one is keeps a bike nimble and steerable at slower cornering speeds, but flattens out for faster turns where alot of suspension is used
 
Transcend

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
Originally posted by Toshi
fair enough. but what about the extending part? couldn't a long ol' bike without an extending wheelbase corner as well as a shorter one that gets longer under compression?
Click to expand...
Well the wheelbase has to either extend or shorten under compression as no system moves completely vertically.

A wheelbase that shortens will therefore tend to get less stable going into a corner, not exactly something you want.
 
kidwoo

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Aug 25, 2003
42,146
13,342
Squirtin ketchup n' mustard on charred flesh
Originally posted by Transcend
Longer wheelbase generally means a more stable bike that can take corners at higher speeds.
Click to expand...
yeah what you said except exactly the opposite

this is why karpiels and canfields corner like poo. Have you ridden either of those? It's kind of extreme end of the extending WB but applicable to your statement.

I'm guessing your thinking about the orange bikes but under a good amount of compression that design shortens eventually too right?


I'm just thinking of all the bikes that I think corner like champs and they all shorten.
 
Jm_

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
19,045
9,702
AK
Originally posted by kidwoo
yeah what you said except exactly the opposite

this is why karpiels and canfields corner like poo. Have you ridden either of those? It's kind of extreme end of the extending WB but applicable to your statement.

I'm guessing your thinking about the orange bikes but under a good amount of compression that design shortens eventually too right?


I'm just thinking of all the bikes that I think corner like champs and they all shorten.
Click to expand...
If the rear end shortens, and the front end shortens (thinking about the g-forces that compress a bike in a turn), then your center of gravity will remain pretty much the same throughout the turn.

If the front end shortens, and the rear end extends, then your center of gravity will move throughout the turn. So more body english would theoretically be required, whereas if both ends shorten, you can just "rail through" the turn without having to move body mass forward and back.
 
ChainWhip

ChainWhip

Monkey
Mar 19, 2002
484
2
PacNW/Eastside Derailleur Manglers
Turner DHR.

To quote Acadian from Pinkbike:

The DHR pedals and accelerates out of corners like no other downhill bike I’ve ridden. Whether you’re jumping, cornering or hitting high speeds, it doesn’t take much to notice how well balanced the bike is. Compared to the 02 DHR, the 04 appears to be much more stable at speeds due to the longer wheelbase. The DHR is the “cornering for dummies” of bikes! Just like all other DHR’s, it turns when you want it and goes straight where you want it to go! Look ahead, lean it over, hit that apex, lay down the power on those pedals and the DHR simply shoots out of that corner like a bullet out of a barrel!
Click to expand...
Taken from PinkBike.com

Honestly, I've only gotten a couple of races under my belt on my DHR, so I'm probably not the best judge... but compared to my Foes Fly, the DHR corners better.
 
Tom DH

Tom DH

Monkey
Apr 24, 2003
144
0
UK
The Demo 9 has got to be the best bike in the corners I have ever ridden, you can really tell that all the weight is down low on that bike.
 
Freak

Freak

...............................................
Aug 15, 2001
3,728
0
Redmond, Washington
Well duh!!! :rolleyes: :D

The best cornering bike is the Nicolai M-pire!!:p :D

With all of those speed holes it enables you to lay the bike over quicker because there is less sideways wind resistance!!:monkey:

 
Orvan

Orvan

....................
Mar 5, 2002
1,492
2
Califor-N.I.A.
after getting used to the 100mm BB and just bec my Mpire has two more holes than my Lambda... I think this frame roosts on cornering better than most of the frames I've been on.....braapppt
 
Transcend

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
Originally posted by kidwoo
yeah what you said except exactly the opposite

this is why karpiels and canfields corner like poo. Have you ridden either of those? It's kind of extreme end of the extending WB but applicable to your statement.

I'm guessing your thinking about the orange bikes but under a good amount of compression that design shortens eventually too right?


I'm just thinking of all the bikes that I think corner like champs and they all shorten.
Click to expand...
uhh no. I do not mean the opposite. I mean just what i said. A bike with a wheelbase that shortens sucks for the most part.
 
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