[RideHard]

This isnt another, "what bike should i get posts..." But with no price under consideration...what do you guys consider as the best Freeride/Trail bike on the market? I define it as no more than 7 inches and no less than 5 with a single crown.

The floor is open for debate, i have my own opinion that i might add in later on.

 

[habitatxskate]

Probably my favorite Giant would be the Glory, it is 4500 bucks and has 8.8 inches of travel, but you don't want that..but its still something to drool over

that has 8" rear...both are pretty adjustable, but an 1 inch more then you'd like, check them out though, you may like one..you have no budget? if so, congratulations man, you can get the best bike like your post says

 

[RideHard]

ah as i said, this isnt a "what bike should i get post".... I just want to see peoples opinions.... The glory is a nice bike, however many people including giant's own race team are racing faith's instead because the faith seems to have a better geo.

nice start..lets be sure NO DC's in this post

 

[habitatxskate]

i got a faith 3 bc that is all i can afford, the only difference between the 1 2 and 3 are the components i think!..i want to upgrade to a bomber and get rid of the drop off..the cranks/bb is fine for now, i'm really light (110 5' 6" and 15 years old) and i'm only hitting 15 foot drops sometimes and some big gaps..i plan on getting the bike down to 40 pds maybe, since i'm at 55 now and it is pretty hard to ride.So basically all i want to upgrade is the brakes(to stronger/different then hayes hydros), a nicer, adjustable, more travel fork and a few other little things..one thing on a faith though is YOU NEED a chainguide, preferably an E13 SRS which is amazing on the bike, it has those mounts so it makes installation a breeze..tighten the bolts every once and a while..ok, i guess i'm going to have to review it..i also like the dh team and the dh race...demo 8 too..

 

[RideHard]

all to big to trail ride...think of dragging a demo 8 up a hill to go rip some lines... By the time your at the top your gonna be totally wasted. Im trying to define a new category of bikes that are emerging... Such as the Giant ac1, santacruz bullit, turner rsx, transition bottlerocket/preston, ect.

keep it commin

 

[SXtrailrider]

stinky primo 06

 

[SXtrailrider]

sx trail

 

[SXtrailrider]

7.7 ironhorse

 

[RideHard]

yes, they all certainly fit the catagory...but which fits it best? based on geo, weight, shock progressiveness, pedal efficiancy, Head angle, ect. Most of them are all great bikes, and i have ridden most of them and hold my own opinion, but whats yours?

 

[vicious]

Sick do-it-all trail bike:

 

[fuzzynutz]

Transition Preston FR. I haven't ridden it, but I plan on buying one.

 

[ride26]

Transition Preston FR. I haven't ridden it, but I plan on buying one.

I'll 2nd that

 

[sneakysnake]

Intense 6.6

 

[BIGHIT756]

either the 06 S-works enduro, or the 06 SX Trail 2....both are very sweet....but if it were me...of course it would be the SX Trail 2. I love mine, and its not that hard to pedal every where you want to go. plus FSR is about as good as it gets on the hard landings.

 

[bjanga]

a hardtail

 

[Del]

Preston FR built by Transition bikes.

 

[RideHard]

Transition Preston FR. I haven't ridden it, but I plan on buying one.

yep, thats where my opinion rests at the moment. I have an 04(best geo of all the prestons) and love it to death. However it tends to go through its trav a bit easily (my only complaint)

the sx is a great bike, however hates to climb.

keep it commin, its intersting to hear what everyone thinks. The challange with these bikes is to be able to climb, and then go rip the big stuff with the same amount of trav.

 

[pdawg]

Kona Coilair.

 

[Kntr]

Foes Fly or FXR, Intense 6.6 or Socom, IH 7.7 or 7.9, Canfield Balance or Lucky.

Canfield Lucky has my vote.

 

[biggins]

all to big to trail ride...think of dragging a demo 8 up a hill to go rip some lines... By the time your at the top your gonna be totally wasted. Im trying to define a new category of bikes that are emerging... Such as the Giant ac1, santacruz bullit, turner rsx, transition bottlerocket/preston, ect.

keep it commin

uhhhh didnt the industry already do that by coming up with "all mountain"?

 

[biggins]

transtion dirtbag, yeti as-x, bullit, banshee chaparral......

 

[retrofred]

i like my trek session 7 and my tomac moah. the moah pedals great and doesn't weigh to much so it doesn't kill yah on the climbs. the session still needs more ride time before i can base a opinion, but hear they rip. had to take the manitou fork off and put my 66 on it and had to buy a 1.5 to 1 1/8 headset. will post a pic of both bikes soon.

 

[mikeG]

I recently built up a Large VPP Free and it came out at 32.9 lbs. I build it with a Vanilla RLC 36, DHX 5 w/Ti Coil, Mavic 819's (running them Tubeless), Hope M4's, Hope Bulb Hubs, XT cranks, Sram XO shifter and derailuer, Thompson stem and seatpost, SDG Ti Rail saddle. I was surprised that it came out this light but it is the best trail bike I have ever ridden. I have ridden bikes with dual crowns in the past but I am surprised at how much I like the 36. I feel that I am faster since I am riding a lighter bike and I feel I haven't really had to compromise on the DH.

 

[vicious]

I recently built up a Large VPP Free and it came out at 32.9 lbs. I build it with a Vanilla RLC 36, DHX 5 w/Ti Coil, Mavic 819's (running them Tubeless), Hope M4's, Hope Bulb Hubs, XT cranks, Sram XO shifter and derailuer, Thompson stem and seatpost, SDG Ti Rail saddle. I was surprised that it came out this light but it is the best trail bike I have ever ridden. I have ridden bikes with dual crowns in the past but I am surprised at how much I like the 36. I feel that I am faster since I am riding a lighter bike and I feel I haven't really had to compromise on the DH.

Damn that's a light build, but dope too.

Throw a pic up.

 

[Ascentrek]

check out my latest reviews for more info, but the Nomad and Trail SX are pretty sweet rigs.

The VPP will give you better suspension feel for an all day ride than the trailing link systems. Stay away from the over-priced Intense, they're build quality just isn't there yet.

The guy that has the light-weight VP free would be an awesome bike.

 

[censored27]

a hardtail

right

 

[maddogdh]

How about a Gemini?

 

[untitledsince89]

7 point 9 for climbing and all around, can't beat it, or 7point 7 for hard freeride

 

[Eren]

Iron Horse 7.7 for freeride, i love my 7 point. i Freeride and dowhnill with it, perfect Whistler bike. Or perfect any bike park bike.

 

[zmtber]

wow suprised no one poster Turner RFX you get a great decender bike that climbs and has great customer service that goes along with it.

OR the Highline people are loving them and they are built tough with plenty of travel its "the freeride bike":

 

[rigidhack]

This one:

Sinister Splinter MX (this is the last one ever made, custom welded for me by FTW)
5 or 6 inches of travel, completely adjustable geometry (change HA from 69* to 66* and anywhere in between - no tools required), burly as hell, 12mm thru-axel, 1.5 head tube. The suspension is inherently progressive, which makes the bike feel fantastic in any FR application. You can reduce the travel to 4 or 5 by swapping shocks.

The bike is set up super slack in the photo. Build kit is off a 2005 Session 77.

Pedals great, takes bigger hits like nothing, fastest bike I've ever been on. (except maybe the R9, but that is no trail bike)

If you can track down a used one - GET IT!

 

[Eyedfy]

kona stinky. cheaper components makes for cheaper repairs.

 

[rider05]

I recently built up a Large VPP Free and it came out at 32.9 lbs. I build it with a Vanilla RLC 36, DHX 5 w/Ti Coil, Mavic 819's (running them Tubeless), Hope M4's, Hope Bulb Hubs, XT cranks, Sram XO shifter and derailuer, Thompson stem and seatpost, SDG Ti Rail saddle. I was surprised that it came out this light but it is the best trail bike I have ever ridden. I have ridden bikes with dual crowns in the past but I am surprised at how much I like the 36. I feel that I am faster since I am riding a lighter bike and I feel I haven't really had to compromise on the DH.

My VPFree is a great trail/all around bike as well. Pedals well and descends as well as any dh bike. Mine is much heavier than the above build as I run a 66rc and gazzi's. I still manage to ride uphill every so often.

 

[habitatxskate]

all to big to trail ride...think of dragging a demo 8 up a hill to go rip some lines... By the time your at the top your gonna be totally wasted. Im trying to define a new category of bikes that are emerging... Such as the Giant ac1, santacruz bullit, turner rsx, transition bottlerocket/preston, ect.

keep it commin

THE BULLIT! those things suck uphill more then faiths

 

[matt2991]

The transition bottle rocket

 

[droplover]

I'm actually looking to get rid of my Demo 9 for a more tail-worthy freeride bike. I'm looking into the Turner RFX, or something similar. I'm trying to stay at or under $2000.

 

[Racerx7734]

SC Nomad..........the best.

 

[sickbullit]

Transistion Dirtbag with DHX Air. It's the Shiz...i can get up all the XC trails on it even running a 50MM stem...the pro-pedal is nice and it stiffens up in the air a lot better than my Bullit with a Fifth.

 

[.Pit Steelers.]

In this order.....

Cove G-spot
Cove Playmate
Banshee Chap
Banshee Scream
Specialized SX Line
Transtion B-Rocket
Transtion Preston
Transtion Dirtbag
Santa Cruz Nomad
Santa Cruz Bulliet
Santa Cruz Vp-Free
Astrix Huckster
list goes on....

 

[PatBranch]

all tothink of dragging a demo 8 up a hill to go rip some lines... By the time your at the t big to trail ride...op your gonna be totally wasted. Im trying to define a new category of bikes that are emerging... Such as the Giant ac1, santacruz bullit, turner rsx, transition bottlerocket/preston, ect.

keep it commin

"all to think of dragging a demo 8 up a hill to go rip some lines..."
Are you serious? Some people actually do that. Many even ride those kinds of bike up . It's this new thing called Freeriding. Freeride bikes are similar to downhill bikes, but they can be climbed on because of things like steep head angles. I think Demo 8's climb pretty good myself.

"Im trying to define a new category of bikes that are emerging..."
This isn't exactly a new category, and neither are "freeride bikes" like Bullits and ACs. They have been around for quite a while.



__________________________________________________________

The best bikes in the world, ever built - no question are these:

They both pedal pretty well, but of course the hardtail pedals better. The hardtail is the do everything bike - for XC trails, DJing, street riding, Freeride, Downhill racing. The bullet is a better DH race/FR bike, however I can still climb with it, it's just takes more effort.