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Downieville: Which bike to bring?

Prettym1k3

Turbo Monkey
Aug 21, 2006
2,864
0
In your pants
Do I bring my Iron Horse MkIII, or my 7point to Downieville tomorrow?

7point:
-DHX 5.0 Coil
-Manitou Shermann 170mm
-8" Hayes 9's
-2.5" Specialized Chunder tires

MkIII:
-Manitou Radium
-Rock Shox Pike 454
-7" front/6" rear Hayes Strokers
-2.3 WTB Weirwolves

I can't decide :huh:, so you help! :help:
 

Biscuit

Turbo Monkey
Feb 12, 2003
1,768
1
Pleasant Hill, CA
They will both do well, but I have more fun on a lighter bike. A lot of the stuff is semi-pedally, so if you can get up to speed it's more funner.
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,655
1,129
NORCAL is the hizzle
MK III with the Chunders (or about 60 psi in the WTB's). My heckler with a 454 is just right for me up there but I shred my usual trail tires - lots of sharp rocks - so I swap for a somewhat skinny DH tire like a 2.35 DH nevegal.

Even the basic shuttled DH run has a lot of pedalling, and if you explore some of the lesser-traveled stuff you will pedal even more. You will suffer on the 7 Point, especially with the higher elevation.
 

Prettym1k3

Turbo Monkey
Aug 21, 2006
2,864
0
In your pants
I've ridden it all on my 7point, but I'm interested in trying out the MkIII just to see.

Although, switching the front tire to my 2.5" Chunder is a temptation...

Thanks for the input guys.
 

bikenweed

Turbo Monkey
Oct 21, 2004
2,432
0
Los Osos
How'd you like the little bike? I prefer my 4" travel Enduro muchisimo over the DH or the rigid. Here's a pic from a few weeks ago:

 

MattP.

Monkey
Jun 27, 2005
197
0
I second the suggestion of throwing the Chunder on the MKIII. I've ridden my Nomad up there plenty of time, a few times on single ply Nevegals, DEATH! Then I threw some DH casing Minions on, and not a flat since.
 

Prettym1k3

Turbo Monkey
Aug 21, 2006
2,864
0
In your pants
I ended up taking the 7point due to the fact that my MkIII had a random dead-link in the chain. BLAH. I didn't find it until 11:00pm, and we were leaving at 5:00am the next morning.

Great ride, but the rebound on my Manitou Shermann apparently no longer works, because it's slow. It'll compress, and then takes it's sweet time extending back out.

Either way, still a great ride, and I've got a new fork on order... or at least I will by the middle of this week.

*bling bling*
 

Prettym1k3

Turbo Monkey
Aug 21, 2006
2,864
0
In your pants
your gear would work if you would stop crashing.
Maybe if I had my jersey, I'd be better off. :happydance:

The bike was great... but all the slamming into rocks with a virtual rigid fork caused me to brake a lot, so I cooked my brakes too.

:nopity: <---- I have lots of excuses, and lots of whining. And yes, I'd like some cheese to go with all my wine.
 

ben10

Chimp
Feb 24, 2008
29
0
when it comes to d ville i prefer the lighter bikes, but i grew up riding it on a santacurz chamelian, with rim brakes and xc set up, so any suspension is super sweet, but the heavy bikes arent as fun on bump jumpin all the trails.
 

bdamschen

Turbo Monkey
Nov 28, 2005
3,377
156
Spreckels, CA
Heheh, I saw the first post on this thread, and then got all bummed that Mike was getting to go to downieville this weekend without telling us.