[Jono]

...so my vp-free has just been stolen, and given the extended production break from santa cruz, I'm thinking that a highline might be a good replacement as a freeride/extreme-XC/trail bike.

Are there any people out there that have ridden both, and have opinions that you want to share?

Frustratedly (it was locked to a wall in my deadlocked, alarmed house). Ah well....

Jono

 

[Jono]

also, if I was coming from a medium frame (which worked well), what size would be good on a turner? The medium turner looks quite a bit smaller than the medium 'free...

 

[Sir_Crackien]

home owners insurance.

then get what ever bike you want. remember to quote retail replacement value.

 

[oly]

Ask here:

http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=31

Im sure someone there has ridden both....

 

[Jono]

home owners insurance.

then get what ever bike you want. remember to quote retail replacement value.

Yep - onto that one already. The bike is a specified item on the policy so I should be sweet.


Still. 2 Months of enforced XC is going to be hard...

 

[Sir_Crackien]

xc riding is not that bad. to be honest i ride my xc bike much much more than the dh bike as it is much easier to find a place to ride it around here

 

[Jono]

Yeah - don't get me wrong - I love XC. It's just that over the last six months I have been making a lot of progression on the freeride angle, and it's frustrating to not be able to continue while I'm all inspired from my trip to whistler and the north shore

At least it's winter (and cold and wet) here at the moment

 

[Monkeybidnezz]

The HL is pretty sweet. It's made to take a lot of abuse, and can be set up very light for a big bike. My bro has one, and his only complaint is the fact that the bb is a little higher than he's used to after coming from a DHR.

 

[skiwithcharlie]

Get a Highline or a VPX, both great bikes and similar to the VPFree in its abilities. As for the sizing on the Turner, the mediums are indeed a little smaller(but not that much) than the SC ones but the large turner is bigger than a medium SC. So, get a medium turner if your looking for freeride beast or get the large if your looking for more of a smaller travel dh bike. What sort of riding you do, freeride or dh! How dyour bike get stolen????

 

[Jono]

I had it locked (with a kryptonite NY lock and chain) inside our house (Which was also deadlocked and alarmed at the time) - the door was forced (until the doorframe snapped), and only the bike, an old DH helmet and a heart rate monitor taken (they left the litespeed which was next to the 'free).

So I think it was a pretty targeted thing...

Anyways - I've had a confirmation that Santa Cruz can build me up a mismatched frame (which I could have repainted back here if I wanted), so now it's the hard decision time.

As for riding, it's a bit of everything. The occasional DH race (NZ has a larger race scene than a freeride scene), a fair bit of sessioning jumps and drops, and a lot of trail riding (NZ is epic for singletrack trail riding).

 

[joelsman]

I would get the turner my self, look at the geometries and suspension design(bump absorbtion) and what your riding is like, then decide.

 

[skiwithcharlie]

Id get a Highline too, so sleek and stealth (or a Soccom). But if SantaCruz can hook you up with a deal, go for that! Not worth the $ difference then.

 

[Freeridejerk]

the highline gets my vote.

 

[RJM]

Man, Sorry to hear about the break in. Are you in NZ? I thought it was super safe there, no crime, etc. etc...

I've ridden both a bit. Demod some vp's, buddy had one as well so we would trade. at the trade show, the medium vp free was the worst FR bike I ever tried...Knolly's, Foes, RockyMtns, Turners, Giants, Mtn CYcle and more. The Vp straight up sucked IMO. it was had a stuffy boring ride in comparison.

I've owned a highline and demoed some as well.

It is the funnest bike I have ever ridden, can be xc'd, it can fly, it can dh. Its an all around machine for the right person. Make it a short travel trick bike with short shock, a 7" rail bike with the 8.5" shock, or 8" FR dedicated bike with the 8.75" shock.

Great bike, great CS from a great company dedicated to riding, The highline is a winner.