Like i said in the other topic. I'm 14 weigh 120 about 5'7 and will have this bike for a while. I am reallllllly lost about what to get. I have $4500 i can spend, but want to build up. I'm the type of person that whips around the DH course i'm always trying to stay in the air so i want something EXTREMELY flickable. Weight isnt really an issue. I'll also be doing some freeride on this, and climbing SOME hills(i'll be clipped in if that helps in the decision) I'm getting an R9 in a week to demo but it think that it will b to much bike for me to handle. ALSO what fork should i strap on? i was thinking 05 shiver?
DH/FR Bike for $4500 I'm lost on what to get
- Thread starter mtbpaint
- Start date
Just a suggestion, I would avoid buying a very expensive frame. You will not have this bike for "a while" - you are 14 and still growing. I grew four inches and gained thirty pounds between freshman and sophomore year in high school.mtbpaint said:
If you drop a lot of cash on the components, they will transfer to your next frame, but blowing a huge wad of cash on, say, an Intense M3 will be wasted money when you've outgrown it in a year or so.
try as many bikes/frames as you can. your own opinion means more than ANYBODY elses on this website (except maybe zedro... 
). personally I'd say test bikes that are lightweight, maybe a single pivot like an Orange with a boxxer/fox 40, but test at least 2-3 different bikes that are set up for your weight so you can feel the differences in each. hey, Fabian won on a Stab Primo, so *anything* can be considered a WC class dh bike...
<--- running for cover.
). personally I'd say test bikes that are lightweight, maybe a single pivot like an Orange with a boxxer/fox 40, but test at least 2-3 different bikes that are set up for your weight so you can feel the differences in each. hey, Fabian won on a Stab Primo, so *anything* can be considered a WC class dh bike... <--- running for cover.
An Orange would not be good for FR.....to easy to break IMO
go try as many bikes as you can. if you walk into a shop, and tell them how much you have to spend they'll let you try out anything
the kid is 120lbsseismic said:
I'd also not look into a shiver. Its heavy and bulky. A WB, Dorado, Boxxer, 888, or Fox 40 would be better suited for you because they are lighter forks, going along with your want for a flickable bike. If you like the R9 maybe get a shock with a 2.75in stroke for it. That will cut you down to 8.25in of travel and lower your BB a bit, but it will slacken your HT out too.
VP Free... It can pedal, It likes jumping more than a pure DH bike, and the frame isn't way up there in price....
If you're not wary of the first model year of product, I would check out the Foes Fly, we posted some pics here when ours showed up on Thursday. It's going to be a pretty solid bike, based on geometry and pivot location anyway.
Obviously nobody here knows much about your genetic background but BV is right: chances are, if you're 14, the frame is probably going to be too small for you in 3 years max (although many riders replace their frame every two or three years anyway, I know that's not an option for most people let alone somebody in jr high or high school). I'd probably steer clear of anything more than $2000 or so, primarily because it will mean you'll have to put mid-level parts to meet your price ceiling, but also because if you do outgrown the frame quickly, bicycles don't exactly hold their value as well as we'd like them to.
The reason I suggest the Fly is that, while it's on the upper end of the price spectrum, it's still an extremely well-built, boutique American made frame that should be a ripper on the DH course but can take a front derailleur should you choose to go that route for FR.
As far as a fork goes, I'm still sorta pissed at Marzo IT that they're not making the Super T anymore, but whatever. Usually I agree with Don but not this time, I think the Shiver is a good fork. The "flex" people write about is usually somebody saying "aren't Shivers flexy?" and a bunch of people who are Answer, Rock Shox, or WB torries say "YES IT IS, don't buy Marzocchi!" while everybody else who has ridden more than one inverted fork says "no, it rides like an inverted fork and can twist when you crash hard, but it's not really flexy." You should be able to get one of those for a reasonable amount, and still have some banging brakes and wheels, with a decent spec on the rest of the bike.
Obviously nobody here knows much about your genetic background but BV is right: chances are, if you're 14, the frame is probably going to be too small for you in 3 years max (although many riders replace their frame every two or three years anyway, I know that's not an option for most people let alone somebody in jr high or high school). I'd probably steer clear of anything more than $2000 or so, primarily because it will mean you'll have to put mid-level parts to meet your price ceiling, but also because if you do outgrown the frame quickly, bicycles don't exactly hold their value as well as we'd like them to.
The reason I suggest the Fly is that, while it's on the upper end of the price spectrum, it's still an extremely well-built, boutique American made frame that should be a ripper on the DH course but can take a front derailleur should you choose to go that route for FR.
As far as a fork goes, I'm still sorta pissed at Marzo IT that they're not making the Super T anymore, but whatever. Usually I agree with Don but not this time, I think the Shiver is a good fork. The "flex" people write about is usually somebody saying "aren't Shivers flexy?" and a bunch of people who are Answer, Rock Shox, or WB torries say "YES IT IS, don't buy Marzocchi!" while everybody else who has ridden more than one inverted fork says "no, it rides like an inverted fork and can twist when you crash hard, but it's not really flexy." You should be able to get one of those for a reasonable amount, and still have some banging brakes and wheels, with a decent spec on the rest of the bike.
binary visions said:
Could not say it better
But Get a lighter fork say, a JR.T or somthing along those lines.
At 5'7 I would throw out the idea of the R9, they are big bikes and I talked to two people at 10e Mt. that rode them and hinted to this fact. The R9 looks like a nice ride, but based on your size, you seem to be the worst canidate this side of a midget for one. I don't know how much taller you are going to grow, but if you're major concerns are how flickable and freeridable it is then I would look for a bike that may not be a full on race sled.mtbpaint said:
Are you the kid who asked about the demo9 on bustedspoke? If so, you should consider that riding in the east coast means tighter, twisty, technical riding. I would consider a bike that is a little shorter than a traditional race bike since it will be a bit more practical in more conditions around here.
If you are looking at more or less boutique frame/bike manufacturers, then two new bikes that have caught my eyes are the new Foes Fly and the PDC Racing freeride bike.
Hey James, ummm, :eviltongu 
I wasnt knocking the shiver due to flex, but its weight. For a 140lbs kid, I'd think that he'd be better off with a lighter fork. And to the original poster, The new Fly does look like a great frame, and its probably more flickable than a race frame.
I wasnt knocking the shiver due to flex, but its weight. For a 140lbs kid, I'd think that he'd be better off with a lighter fork. And to the original poster, The new Fly does look like a great frame, and its probably more flickable than a race frame.
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108017
I hate to post spam but i think you'd be happy with this. Binary Visions made a good point, you'll more than likley going thru a growth spurt in the near future. The good thing about this bike is it has a good standover, so at 5'7 it wont be way to big, but if you grow to be 6' it wont be to small either. I recently picked up a gemini dh of my own and am very very happy with it. It has the characteristics your looking for in a bike, more notibly (sp) the good pedaling and manueverability. The bike only needs a wheelset and its ready to go, and by that i mean you wont need to replace anything, its spec'd great and works just as good. The price is killer too, you'd have 2500 left over even after buying a wheelset. I hate being "that guy" and selling in this thread but its worth a look. if you have any questions pm me. by the way hes got excellent feedback from buyers if you need it.
I hate to post spam but i think you'd be happy with this. Binary Visions made a good point, you'll more than likley going thru a growth spurt in the near future. The good thing about this bike is it has a good standover, so at 5'7 it wont be way to big, but if you grow to be 6' it wont be to small either. I recently picked up a gemini dh of my own and am very very happy with it. It has the characteristics your looking for in a bike, more notibly (sp) the good pedaling and manueverability. The bike only needs a wheelset and its ready to go, and by that i mean you wont need to replace anything, its spec'd great and works just as good. The price is killer too, you'd have 2500 left over even after buying a wheelset. I hate being "that guy" and selling in this thread but its worth a look. if you have any questions pm me. by the way hes got excellent feedback from buyers if you need it.
holy crap, I usually don't approve of spam, but that's pretty much spot on for what I'd say he needs. 8" of travel, single pivot for being relatively lightweight, 888, carbon, etc.
Ok, if you're serious about spending 4500 on a new bike, I'd definitely add that to your list of bikes to check out. Raceable, and Cedric has shown what they can withstand at Red Bull.
Ok, if you're serious about spending 4500 on a new bike, I'd definitely add that to your list of bikes to check out. Raceable, and Cedric has shown what they can withstand at Red Bull.
It's hard to recommend anything since you haven't given us much direction. There are a lot of bikes out there, you should at least be able to narrow it down a little bit...Anyway, when you said 120 lbs and that you want something on the whippable side, my first thought was gemini, that's a good call. But I also agree with everyone here, chances are good you will either grow out of it or get bored in a year or two, so don't sweat it too much, it's not like this is the last bike you'll ever have.
More spam along the lines of james and banshee:
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107693
Its got more standover height than the fly or the gemini, better suspension design, and its only 1 lbs more than the Gemini setup.
Plus I throw in a free Cortina frameset package so you could have two bikes with the money you want to spend
I'm 150 lbs. BTW...
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107693
Its got more standover height than the fly or the gemini, better suspension design, and its only 1 lbs more than the Gemini setup.
Plus I throw in a free Cortina frameset package so you could have two bikes with the money you want to spend
I'm 150 lbs. BTW...
Those are all good deals for a used bike but if you're stuck on getting a new bike I would highly recommend a Turner DHR. You say you want a flickable bike and you like to air it all over the course - you sound like you ride similarly to me and these are my favourite parts about the DHR (not to mention customer service, durability, ease of maintenance, etc. etc.). Although the DHR is designed as a professional race frame most of the riding I did last year on it was freeriding and shuttle assisted runs at the local resort. Also, the Romic shock that comes with it is very adjustable and can be made to give a very stable platform for if you have to pedal any distance.
I happened to notice that Go-Ride is blowing out a small 2004 in silver (or black) for $1749. I'm sure James and the guys there could recommend a build that would not only meet your expectations and needs, but also your budget.
http://www.go-ride.com/prod_hot.html
Edit: Another good point about the DHR is that with the low standover it would fit you at your current height. But - there are lots of people (some monkeys too) that are 5'10-5'11" that rode and raced a small DHR because they liked how flickable it was for them. If you're looking for a frame to hang on to for a while I don't think you'll find a much better frame for your needs.
I happened to notice that Go-Ride is blowing out a small 2004 in silver (or black) for $1749. I'm sure James and the guys there could recommend a build that would not only meet your expectations and needs, but also your budget.
http://www.go-ride.com/prod_hot.html
Edit: Another good point about the DHR is that with the low standover it would fit you at your current height. But - there are lots of people (some monkeys too) that are 5'10-5'11" that rode and raced a small DHR because they liked how flickable it was for them. If you're looking for a frame to hang on to for a while I don't think you'll find a much better frame for your needs.
when I was 14 my DH bike was a 20"
gemini 2000 perfect bike for a light rider
I think a small Yeti AS-X would be perfect for you. Mine is built with a Boxxer and sngle chainring up front, and it's an awesome freeride bike, feels right at home at Whistler, and (with lighter parts) would be a great, burly trail bike. Plus, they're front derailleur compatible and will save you a couple pounds over most DH bikes. They're about $2800 complete, with a 7" Sherman single crown, front derailleur, etc. Go to yeticycles.com for more info.
Whether or not you want an AS-X, I would definitely go for some bike with 7" on both ends, and a single-crown fork if possible. There is no reason to spend $4500 on a bike if you're still growing, not to mention that there are several awesome bikes under $3000.
Unless he's buying a bike that will still fit him after he's grown 3".Tully said:
If money wasnt an issue, I would go with a BCD with a the new Fox 40. But thats just me.
At 5'7" and 140 pounds I still wouldn't rule out a DH bike until you ride one that is properly sprung for your weight.
A dh bike CAN be a long term investment. 5'7" isn't exactly short, nor is 140 pounds lightweight. You don't need some sort of super-light, single-crown, cantilever-beam bike just because you are 14. At 5'7" you are solidly at the larger end of the "medium" spectrum.
If you intend on racing DH you should get a bike suited to the task. And if your definintion of free-ride is more DH racing without a clock, and sessioning drops and whatnot, you don't need a bike that is designed for extended climbing.
A dh bike CAN be a long term investment. 5'7" isn't exactly short, nor is 140 pounds lightweight. You don't need some sort of super-light, single-crown, cantilever-beam bike just because you are 14. At 5'7" you are solidly at the larger end of the "medium" spectrum.
If you intend on racing DH you should get a bike suited to the task. And if your definintion of free-ride is more DH racing without a clock, and sessioning drops and whatnot, you don't need a bike that is designed for extended climbing.
I've been wondering- where does a 14 year old kid get 4500 bucks to spend on a bike? I have 2 jobs and I still don't have 4500 dollars in disposable income. When I was 14 I was lucky to have my 300 dollar haro bmx.......
A father living vicariously through his kid? That's what I'll do 
saved since i was 11 and worked in general store (they hire younger kids) so i have been getting up at 5 every morning and rolling paper, stocking shelves, delivering groceries that are close (on my P2) sold my drum set (Pearl) my skateboard that my friend gave me who recently moved away (felt bad that i sold it, but got $75 hehe) and sold my paintball gun 2004 Impulse with duck nitro, Halo loader, and E-blade trigger for $700.........thats how lol
OK WELL HERE IS THE DEAL! R9 looks like it is out. I'm thinkin instead of using all of my money on my first DH bike i might just get something used, and save money for fixing it, and....girlfriend lol. OK if you guys say the Gemini is really worth it i've heard it from a lot of people and everyone says that it would be perfect for me, (so that used gemini could be a possibility)so im trying to find where i can demo one, so if anyone knows help me out pleaaaaaase. SAME deal with the DHR i was actually very serious about getting one for a while but for sum reason i decided not to. So i could look into that to cause it does look like something very flickable. Thanks a lot guys
OK WELL HERE IS THE DEAL! R9 looks like it is out. I'm thinkin instead of using all of my money on my first DH bike i might just get something used, and save money for fixing it, and....girlfriend lol. OK if you guys say the Gemini is really worth it i've heard it from a lot of people and everyone says that it would be perfect for me, (so that used gemini could be a possibility)so im trying to find where i can demo one, so if anyone knows help me out pleaaaaaase. SAME deal with the DHR i was actually very serious about getting one for a while but for sum reason i decided not to. So i could look into that to cause it does look like something very flickable. Thanks a lot guys
I know it's been said, but get a VP-free. It matches all the qualities you're looking for.
I'll look into the Fly but im pretty set on the Gemini. Plus i have no way to demo the Fly, but the Cannondale factory (where you can pick up Demo bikes) is about 45 minutes down the road from me, so service would be awsome. I dont remember if i said this but i WILL BE RACING on this bike, every three weeks ill be at Plattekill racing, once or twice a month ill be at Diablo and race there as much as i can, and Ill be racing in the Norba Finals at Mount Snow in August also going up there for a week in June July and October.
Just because you have $4500 doesn't mean you have to spend it. Look at how fast you've changed your mind. At 5'7" you could buy a medium and still grow 6" and have it be decently rideable, especially if you like small bikes.
HaHahaha, who said 140 lbs isn't light? That's hilarious.
I agree that he could get a frame that will fit now and for years to come (MED) but the real question is will he really keep the frame that long anyway?
All of the bikes mentioned here are great choices, I'd suggest checking out a Demo8 as well, light, nimble, flickable and raceable...
All of the bikes mentioned here are great choices, I'd suggest checking out a Demo8 as well, light, nimble, flickable and raceable...
i jsut bought a banshee scream for 2400 with a stance kingpin and a progressive 5th element(the 5 way one) and i got it at www.adrenalinebikes.com there having a good sale and u can go up to a 888r for like 3000 and then u have a sick bike
First, I have to say, I'm in no way related to the poster of this ad. With that, I think you should look at this rig. It really caught my eyes when I first saw it:
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107927
I won't guess on the price, but I don't think it'll be $4500.00. It's a med, which might be a tad big for you to start at 5'7". Translated, this means it won't be flickable. But you're only 14 and (only you can judge on this one - take a look at your parents, if they're only 5'7", then don't expect to reach 6'4") it prob won't be a tad large for you for too long.
Another point is don't spend the entire $4500 on a bike as you may need other stuff like protective gear, helmet, another wheelset, or change some parts out you don't like. If it were me, I'd use $3000.00 - $3500.00 for the bike and have the rest for the other stuff.
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107927
I won't guess on the price, but I don't think it'll be $4500.00. It's a med, which might be a tad big for you to start at 5'7". Translated, this means it won't be flickable. But you're only 14 and (only you can judge on this one - take a look at your parents, if they're only 5'7", then don't expect to reach 6'4") it prob won't be a tad large for you for too long.
Another point is don't spend the entire $4500 on a bike as you may need other stuff like protective gear, helmet, another wheelset, or change some parts out you don't like. If it were me, I'd use $3000.00 - $3500.00 for the bike and have the rest for the other stuff.
ya i think im going for that Gemini, i've looked at the M-Pire and talked to the guy, ehhhh not really loving it, i really want something flickable. And i've riddent the Banshee, didnt like it on the DH course wasnt that hot at manuvering.
http://www.morewoodbikes.com/morebikes_2005.html
looks to be a pretty "flickable and light built bike to me. but your from connecitcut and unless your crazy fast, you wont be "flicking" east coast downhill runs
looks to be a pretty "flickable and light built bike to me. but your from connecitcut and unless your crazy fast, you wont be "flicking" east coast downhill runs
I 3rd the VP free and buying one complete from SC would be way under his allowed budget of $4500.
That means money left over to buy some good saftey gear (pads, fullface ,etc), a real fat lock and still take the girlfriend out on the town.
Pro's of VPfree-a good hybrid of trailbike-DH and freeride(with front deral)
- efficient climber
- not extremely heavy
- able to withstand hucks and jumping
Cons. Sc has had inconsisitant customer service in the past but may
better now.
Good luck in your quest kid.
I sure wish i was 14 again and was getting into bikes at this level :eviltongu
That means money left over to buy some good saftey gear (pads, fullface ,etc), a real fat lock and still take the girlfriend out on the town.
Pro's of VPfree-a good hybrid of trailbike-DH and freeride(with front deral)
- efficient climber
- not extremely heavy
- able to withstand hucks and jumping
Cons. Sc has had inconsisitant customer service in the past but may
better now.
Good luck in your quest kid.
I sure wish i was 14 again and was getting into bikes at this level :eviltongu
the DH frame is 10 pounds and 12 with the floater and the free ride is 9.5, its not that lightkonahucker43 said:
I am still ganna say gemini it will be lighter and more flickable than the VPfree and lesss money. Jest because you have 4500$ does not mean you need to spend it. Buy the gemini and keep saving for when you stop growing and get somthing realy nice like a foes DHS. If you buy you realy nice bike now you buying for weight and not exactly what you want, wate till your full grown and not limit yourself to the realy light stuff. you can go more twards long travel or weard linkages.
ya i think im going for the Gemini. I considered the Vp-Free for a LOOOONG time but i rode it and it wasnt wat i was looking for