DH vs. Freeride bike for GES and Snowshoe Races

AlCapone · Jun 14, 2009

If I were you, I'd just upgrade it, beat it to death, and then buy a new rig. How much money would you be wiling to spend on a new rig?

Sghost · Jun 14, 2009

A DH rig will feel less twichy, but sport/beg courses are less tech than the pro/ex.

Things like cassettes you can switch to a new bike if you get it, and the only thing holding a wheelset swap back is the rear hub spacing.

If your going to dump 2g's into strictly upgrades, I would towards the DH rig. If you actually need to replace parts before they blow up in your face however, then replace.

AlCapone · Jun 14, 2009

Also, would you be looking at frame only or complete for a new rig?

slowitdown · Jun 14, 2009

save your money. skip the "upgrades." ride more, work on your skills.

use the money you saved for necessary maintenance and to replace tires as they wear out.

road cassette and short cage rear der won't help you ride better or place better.

wheels don't need upgrading at your level of DH racing. wait until a wheel can't be trued any longer then rebuild that wheel.

the only thing worth "upgrading" is your skill. do that with practice, and pay attention to what you're practicing. get yourself a skills video like Dirt Magazine's Fundamentals vid, or Fluideride's Ride Like a Pro vid. maybe get a copy of Lee McCormack's book that he wrote w/ Brian Lopes. and practice, practice, practice.

that's my advice. that's what has improved my abilities more than anything. I've never found my abilities improved by parts "upgrades."

PS: about your bike feeling "twitchier" at speed... man, I have friends who could destroy most Beg and Sport DH classes on a fully rigid bike with a 72 deg head angle. these particular friends are not DH racers, never have raced DH, they're just guys who love to ride and they do it damned well. learn to be so comfortable on your bike that you and the bike are one. that will make you faster and smoother than any parts upgrade or new bike. it will also fix the cornering situation and rock garden situation you describe -- both cornering and smoothness in rock gardens are a function of rider skill.

this advice may sound like an old cranky dude talking. that's because I'm an old cranky dude. but you should understand that being old means that I've made a lot of mistakes, many of them costing me money that I wish I could get back. I've never regretted money spent toward improving my skills. I've regretted a lot of money spent on "upgrades" that I thought might fix something with my riding -- usually it was me, not my bike or its parts, that needed to be improved.

slowitdown · Jun 15, 2009

just an example --

Amiel Cavalier is a world-class DH racer, and he raced on a Giant Faith for a while... a FR bike.

if chain tension is what you seek, there is a cheap solution -- the Blackspire Stinger. supposedly the E13 guys are working on improving it, but you can probably find the Blackspire version if you look around. last I checked they cost about $30. hella cheap!

RUFUS · Jun 15, 2009

kmart1971 said:
Thanks for the adivce...and yes you do sound a little old and cranky. Which is cool as I too am old and border line cranky. The only reason I was going to go Short cage and road cass was to try and tighten up the chain a bit to reduce slap.

Ride it til it breaks seems like a good plan. If and When I do swap up to a true DH rig I would probably just do frame and fork.

Make sure that you have the proper chain length. I am assuming that it is a chain that was just thrown on there without properly sizing it and cutting links.

Here is a simple vid on how to get the correct chain length.

Flyingfish · Jun 15, 2009

i bought Lee McCormacks book. Its a good read, funny, but you will only learn something if you have never "seriously" ridden a bike on a "real" trail.

i would put a boxxer on your frame, race ready.

slowitdown · Jun 15, 2009

Flyingfish said:
i bought Lee McCormacks book. Its a good read, funny, but you will only learn something if you have never "seriously" ridden a bike on a "real" trail.

lthumbsdown:

That's so cool that someone living in the flatlands of Toledo Ohio is a better rider than Brian Lopes. How'd you manage that? And why are you here on RM and not out dominating World Cup 4X?

My favorite thing about RM -- the d!ckwaving by emasculated eunuchs. Maybe you could fly out to where I live and teach me how to ride, or maybe your gigantic Johnson can get you a job in the porn business?

I guess you didn't see the thread talking about people on RM bragging out their azzez. They were talking about posts like yours above. If you read McCormack's book and found it couldn't teach you anything, you're obviously better than Lopes.

46chief · Jun 16, 2009

Slowitdown, What the eff is wrong with you? Are you RM's self appointed eunuch thread kunter?

Kmart, If you do any upgrades you might consider a dual crown so you can move it over to a dh frame if you decide to upgrade.

The other thing to consider is how your riding is split between riding and racing. if you are only racing a couple races a year, maybe stick to a bike that's fun to toss around and jump off of stuff. I ended up getting another freeride bike because they feel a lot livelier under you, and are a little more versatile if you want to earn your turns.

ldw222 · Jun 16, 2009

kmart1971...i think i raced the same class as you at 7 springs. it was my first ges race and my first time at 7 springs. i've been thinking about the track we rode there (class 2) and i think a full dh bike was too much! i was wishing i had a 5 or 6 inch bike and not my sunday. if i was you and you want to keep racing a lot i would keep your 7 point for pedally tracks like 7 springs (maybe actually lighten it up a bit too) and get a full on dh bike for ones that need it. you've already made the investment in the 7 point. i'm wondering if they split the class 2/class 3 tracks from the pro/class 1 tracks at all ges races like that...

JRogers · Jun 16, 2009

slowitdown said:
lthumbsdown:

That's so cool that someone living in the flatlands of Toledo Ohio is a better rider than Brian Lopes. How'd you manage that? And why are you here on RM and not out dominating World Cup 4X?

My favorite thing about RM -- the d!ckwaving by emasculated eunuchs. Maybe you could fly out to where I live and teach me how to ride, or maybe your gigantic Johnson can get you a job in the porn business?

I guess you didn't see the thread talking about people on RM bragging out their azzez. They were talking about posts like yours above. If you read McCormack's book and found it couldn't teach you anything, you're obviously better than Lopes.

So I take it that you learned how to ride a bike by reading? I find most printed descriptions of how to ride pretty useless; I don't care if Brian Lopes was involved or not. I don't think that I'm better than Lopes, but that doesn't change that I don't really need or want his book.

ldw222 · Jun 16, 2009

i agree! they should have had one track. i rode the pro/cat 1 track a couple times and to me...it seemed like the better dh track of the two. the cat2/cat 3 track had so much pedaling and no technical sections at all...it was fun but not really a dh track...

slowmtb · Jun 16, 2009

kmart1971 - got a pic of your bike as it is right now? Maybe even a spec list?

I too own a 7pt and a few upgrades can really transform the handling. I hit all the DH stuff I can here in NZ on it and it is my "do it all" bike - a job it does exceedingly well :cheers:

slowmtb · Jun 17, 2009

I can remember the days when mine looked like that :biggrin:

They work pretty well out of the box but a few upgrades and you can get much more out of them.

Mine is stock apart from the following upgrades:

1) Set of Mavic DeeMax wheels - the reason for this was ( apart from the fact I got them at 50% off ) to reduce rotational mass and weight overall. Running UST helps eliminate pinch flats as well. Makes a big difference to steering response and knocked 4lb of weight off. Any good light wheel set would suffice - strong hubs and light weight rims ( Hope Pro2's and Mavic 823's maybe?)

2) Fox DHX5.0 rear shock ( got it cheap ) - took the harsh "square edge hits" out of the back end and really makes it way more responsive, plush initially and ramps up towards the end of its travel - set up , 4 clicks rebound, full boost valve adjuster, 2 clicks pro pedal, 120psi air pressure. NB: Still dialing it in so may change a bit but working very well so far. 300lb spring.
OR get your shock "pushed" http://www.pushindustries.com/2009/index.php?menu_id=1&Xtype=content&title=Home - the VanR "MX" set up is the way to go if it was me.

3) Strip the forks down and change the fluid. 7.5wt - stock 260ml per leg. Lubricate everything else at the same time too - my forks were way plusher after this. Some forks are low in oil volume causing poor damping performance ( open bath system ) and really bad top out ( mine were like this ).

These are the things that make the most difference eg: best bang for your $$$. You will be surprised at how well it handles DH duties.
Apart from lighter / better spec components the only other thing I would consider is a set of '09 Boxxer triples up front, should be plenty up for grabs soon cheap with the 2010's out ( people "upgrading" )

Brought my bike down to 17.6kg / 39lb - a good weight considering.

Hope this is of some help. Happy trails :cheers:

A play pic - but you get the idea :thumb:

G-spot · Jun 18, 2009

Kmart keep what you got and save for a Dh rig later. i rode and raced a 6" travel G-spot for 6 years up at all the races and did not do bad. after i broke it i up graded to a shocker. so unless you are going to get seroius about racing and ride Expert I waould just keep what you got and have fun for now.

DH vs. Freeride bike for GES and Snowshoe Races

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