[demo 9]

So for a great price i have the option to get a wildcard. I am buying it. It will be a 4x and dual slalom bike. Talas 36 and the 5 inch travel setting. It might be "more than needed" for a 4x bike, but this will be my first small bike so i do not want to jump right into a 2 inch travel 2.1 tire bike. However, what are the chances this could be used as an XC bike. I know this is the DH forum, but i dont feel that any of the xc riders will know much about this bike compared to here. Not sure of the build yet, but i plan to make it as light as i can with most likely 2.5 tires. No actual weight goal, just the lightest parts i wont kill. Hammerschmidt a good idea?

http://www.bansheebikes.com/bikes/wildcard.html

size medium with a DHX air

 

[Pete..]

I thought you rode for Canfield but rode other companies bikes? Can you get a decent price on one of their bikes? Oh wait, that wouldn't make sense would it...

 

[Muttely]

Ahhhhh... a 4XAMXCDHDJ Bike....


Yes it will be fine providing it has a rediculously impractical spec.

 

[demo 9]

I thought you rode for Canfield but rode other companies bikes? Can you get a decent price on one of their bikes? Oh wait, that wouldn't make sense would it...

technically i dont as of january 1st, and lets not start yuroshek on that again

 

[sanjuro]

I think you have to take the proper attitude.

This isn't a XC bike and it never will be.

I always like Trek XC bikes because they constantly prove that those guys should be riding hardtails. For several years, they didn't even bother putting on a rear pivot.

There are going to be lighter "trail bikes" and a 69 degree head tube when you lower the travel should be fine for slow speed climbs.

 

[demo 9]

Ahhhhh... a 4XAMXCDHDJ Bike....


Yes it will be fine providing it has a ridiculously impractical spec.

so throwing dual ring cranks wont really accomplish much.

 

[demo 9]

I think you have to take the proper attitude.

This isn't a XC bike and it never will be.

I always like Trek XC bikes because they constantly prove that those guys should be riding hardtails. For several years, they didn't even bother putting on a rear pivot.

There are going to be lighter "trail bikes" and a 69 degree head tube when you lower the travel should be fine for slow speed climbs.

I dont plan to become the next xc championship rider, just that its a long time from now until next may when mountains open up. I could definitly loose some weight and get in shape, wondering if opting for 2 rings could make this do-able. last time i tried XC was on a bighit spec and it was 95% impossible (for me) but that was more slack, 38-36 in the lowest(biggest) gear and no real seat tube.

 

[Tetreault]

when you say xc, are you saying like 3 hour long rides up and down, or just like a half hour riding down a pretty level trail just for the sake of riding.

if you just want a bike to ride, sure do it, but if you plan on riding some long rides don't bother even getting it, it will be extremely uncomfortable and almost impossible.

having spent some time on a wildcard, the pedal feedback is terrible, it wasn't ever designed to be a bike like that, just more of a point and shoot bike. So im thinking you'll do one "xc ride" with it and never go again.

your hardtail dj bike would be more enjoyable on a xc ride, even if its single speeded.

ps, what form of employment are you in, i need to do what ever it is your doing

 

[ronan]

why not just buy a xc bike? or a road bike? you dont need a top of the range xc bike or road bike to get into shape and have fun..

 

[dropmachine]

The funny thing about asking questions like this on forums is the people that answer almost always answer with the most snobby, stuck up, must-have-the-best answer they can think of, despite the fact that even with the best gear they would still get dropped on rides.

Heres the truth.

The Wildcard ain't gonna get you the best of all worlds, but very few other bikes will. The only bike that I can think of that could do super duty would be the Trek Remedy, or maybe the Giant Trance X. Or my Blur 4x, but if you touch that I'll pull your arm off and kill you with it.

The Wildcard is kinda porky, but not ridiculous. Its gonna be floppy heading uphill because of the head angle, but you can tame that a bit with a travel adjust fork, like the Talas. Build it light, and it will work decently for most.

HOWEVER, read some reviews about how it works in both travel settings. I think I remember sometyhing aobut it being super leveraged in 6" mode.

With its suspension design, its not the most efficient pedaller either, but it will do the job. Just don't expect to rip everywhere you go, unless you're pointed down.

Last, consider your rear shock choice again. I would take the 2010 RP23 over a DHX air even if it cost me money. I cannot tell you how impressed I am with that shock. Oh wait, yes I can. The review goes up soon.

The final thing is, if this is your small bike cherry, at the very least picking up the Wildcard will show you things you like, and things you don't like, so when you go to replace it you will at least have that experience under your belt and can look for things you want more in your next bike.

Incidentally, theres a shop selling Trance X frames for $800 bucks. Thats just dirty cheap.

 

[demo 9]

why not just buy a xc bike? or a road bike? you dont need a top of the range xc bike or road bike to get into shape and have fun..

well i do have the option of riding my little sisters hardrock sport, it was just more of a question of will i get anything out of running dual ring cranks and a front derailleur. The place ill be riding would be ringwood NJ, so probably a 3 hour xc ride with lots of climbs (and decents) I dont know a ton about what is involved in a xc bike, so i wasnt sure how close it was to "slopestyle" It looked similar in geo to a remedy which at least on the trek site has 3 ring cranks and looks to be of an XC nature.

 

[demo 9]

@ Dropmachine, thanks for a pretty decent review, i do not have a choice on shock (unless somebody wants to trade) as the frame is coming from a person who has it new and is selling. (got it free as a promotion) it is medium with a dhx 5.0 air.

 

[Tetreault]

i would be looking for a more of a traditional all-mountain bike rather than a slopestyle specific frame, like i said above, having ridden it, i would not recommend it for what your looking for, if you came into the shop i work i would point you towards the banshee rune or even the rampant before the wildcard. It will feel loads better than a bighit, demo, or canfield obviously, but there are multiple options out there (im sure for the same price) that would be better suited for what your looking for

 

[dropmachine]

@ Dropmachine, thanks for a pretty decent review, i do not have a choice on shock (unless somebody wants to trade) as the frame is coming from a person who has it new and is selling. (got it free as a promotion) it is medium with a dhx 5.0 air.

Sell the DHX air new, and buy the RP23. I'm serious.

The DHX feels dead, end of story. I never has that "life" that a coil does, you know what I mean? Its a difficult thing to expresss, but I think you get it.

The RP23 feels much more lively, and just blows the DHX outta the...well I guess outta the air.

 

[Lelandjt]

You already have the perfect fork for what you want to do. Just get an adjustable seatpost (KS i950-R 5") and find a compromise in the forward/back and angle of your seat. I have a Bullit with the same fork built up as a 4x, DJ bike (medium frame, my XC and DH are larges) that I use for AM type riding.
You do use clipless right? I wouldn't want to do much climbing with flats.

 

[demo 9]

You already have the perfect fork for what you want to do. Just get an adjustable seatpost (KS i950-R 5") and find a compromise in the forward/back and angle of your seat. I have a Bullit with the same fork built up as a 4x, DJ bike (medium frame, my XC and DH are larges) that I use for AM type riding.
You do use clipless right? I won't want to do much climbing with flats.

i dont ride anything serious clipless, but i do have a set, that i would use for "xc"

 

[pjm511]

Incidentally, theres a shop selling Trance X frames for $800 bucks. Thats just dirty cheap.

Dropmachine: would you mind sharing the shop/is it an online one?

 

[builttoride]

I've ridden all day rides on my wildcard just fine. Sure it is not perfect, but I had no trouble keeping up with other all mountain bike riders. (sure XC bikes will always be faster uphill, but they are sketchy when going down and flex like crazy). The wildcard will do everything from trail riding to DH. It is a very versitile bike, aimed at the freerider who wants one bike that they can use for everything.