[Lejk]

I'm on the look out for a new frame for next season..

My current ride is a two years old Bighit DH frame. I would like to keep my Mojo up-graded boxxer. I mostly ride DH, but want something that is a little more nimble for dirt ridning and some trail riding as well. But it needs to have a little more travel than that of a 4cross frame, but not as burly as my current Bighit.

The frames I've been looking at are:

Santacruz Bullit
Orange Patriot
Specialized SX Trail
Azonic X-tension Saber
Norco VPS Six

I want to go with a small frame to mimic the feel of the Azonic DS1 I had before my Bighit. The bike will be used for some amature level DH and 4cross racing as well... What do u think guys?

 

[MikeD]

I'd get the Patriot. Light, nimble, stiff, pretty low as I recall...it was originally a DH frame, after all. Jumps well, rides trails well.

MD

 

[Transcend]

There are a few flavours of patriot this year you may want to consider if you go that route! The 7+ is gone, and in it's place is the platriot 66. Info from Orange...

In addition to the already proven handcrafted family of bikes comes the new Patriot 66. With a new design incorporating a lower pivot for SPV shocks, radiused downtube, new geometry, more travel (6.6 inches), fully adjustable geometry via slider (like the 223), which will allow you to change the head angle from 62 to 70 degrees. With over 50mm of BB height adjustment you can chose the fork you want and have an aggressive all mountain or Freeride bicycle. Bikes will be available with 3 specs and will debut at Interbike 2004.

 

[me89]

friend has a bullit and he is loving it the only prob i see with it is that its a single piviot and its not a very active suspension design. only complaint from me. it jumps well and handles well in the air. also if you go to bullit pic you can see him ripping with the thing. the last pic of him is on a railing to this bridge that has like a 5 ft drop into a creek on his left. so its good for freeriding and handles well on trail applications.

and its only 40 lbs with the 02 super t.

 

[Lejk]

thanx guys, I'll be keeping my eyes on that Orange 2005 line then

 

[seismic]

A friend of mine dumped the Patriot for the Bulit. The Patroit is very race like, but not fund to ride. Not very plush and a "hard" ride. The bulit is more freeride and trail like...well just my (his) 5c...