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rm7 vs. bullit

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
I got my bullit back and picked up an rm7 as well, both are immaculate and structurally perfect.
I've rode the bullit and love it, but wanted to try a new frame.

Which bike is going to be stronger, better travel and an all around better freeride/dh bike. I know neither one of these are the ultimate dh rig but they are both freeride rigs as well.

I like the rocky and seems like a pretty good design, I like the bullit but thats because I rode it for a while.

I need some input to the rm7 vs. bullit.
 

seismic

Turbo Monkey
Dec 22, 2003
3,254
0
South East Asia
The rm7 has a quite high lever ratio and used to have a tendency to break in the "banana" (banana shaped piece of alu where the shock is mounted).

I would go for the bullit if that was the choice.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Yeah, it has a beefed up dog leg on it, I ordered it from rockymountain. It's thicker through where it was machined on the sides. I talked to johnny about that and tried to eliminate any prob. before they happen. I have a buddy who has broken 2 swing arms on the bullit, I know all bikes have problems I just want to get them out there and make an educated decisin based on peoples experiene's.
 

seismic

Turbo Monkey
Dec 22, 2003
3,254
0
South East Asia
Fair enough, - but I think that the lever ratio is a major issue. The lever ratio on the Bullit is ok, - but unless you are quite light or have a high quality shock, it will be difficult to prevent bottoming on the rm7.
 

Kntr

Turbo Monkey
Jan 25, 2003
7,526
21
Montana
I have a buddy that rides an RM7 and a buddy that rides a Bullit. The bullit has been beat to death and is still going strong, even though it has 4-5 small cracks. My buddy with the RM7 is a light guy and has no problems with the RM7 bottoming.

If you have both frames build one up and ride it for a month. Then swap parts and ride the other frame. Then let us know which one you like better. Both are sweet frames.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Yeah, I dream of having the time to do that to Kanter. HA HA!
Remember, I am married and still taking crap for buying the wheelset from you. :D
As far as the shock goes it'll be an avy on either so the shock is ok.
I just don't want to break all the time and wondering if the rm7 rides beter on hucks and drops.
 

BigMike

BrokenbikeMike
Jul 29, 2003
8,931
0
Montgomery county MD
As far as just hucks and drops, I would go with the RM7, as that is what it was made for.

For pedalability, and all around use, I would go with the Bullet. It is not a huck and drop bike per se, although it can be used as one.

The RM7 doesnt pedal as well, but IMO will hold up to heavy abuse better. I have ridden both, and ride with people who ride both, and for me, I would go with the RM7:thumb: (although, I am partial to Rocky Mountain)

Plus, the RM7 has the allure of being more exotic. EVERYONE has a bullet, but not as many RM7's :D (at least in this country)
 

joelsman

Turbo Monkey
Feb 1, 2002
1,369
0
B'ham
I think the bullit is stronger and santacruz is a better company to deal with and have a better crash replacement policy. I remember hearing storries of vanderham breaking several swingarms a day up at whistler. rm7 suspension will feel better due to the rising rate linkage though.
 

xy9ine

Turbo Monkey
Mar 22, 2004
2,940
353
vancouver eastside
bullcrew said:
Is the rm7 a better hucking and drop bike than the bullit?
in terms of suspension feel i'd say yes. i had an rm for a year, and have spent a bit of time on a donor bullit, and i'd have to say the rising rate low pivot suspension of the rm had the edge in a freeride environment. it's a decent system (similar to the f4 & dhr), they just had some issues with implementation (bearings / weak links) which seem to have been rectified in the rmx's.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
I weight is 205 6'2" tall and probably wont do anything over 6' to flat depending on my foot. I do stair gaps and drops at loca trails along with some semi technical backwoods rides.
I'll make it to beacon hill this spring pending I don't break my foot in spring time again.
I ride around town and huck misc. items and drop it if it's there.
Peddel bob doesn't bother me too much as I'm not trying to set a hill climb record.
 

partsbara

Turbo Monkey
Nov 16, 2001
3,996
0
getting Xtreme !
bullcrew said:
Was that the only complaint that you had?
If the head tube hadn't ovalized was the experience with the frame worth it?
the only complaint ??? i reamed / faced the headtube and installed a CK headset... all brand new products...

i blew 2 shocks... the 3.5:1 leverage ratio is balls... the frames are cr@p if ya ask me... i wouldn t touch one with a 20' pole...
 

Brunettes

Monkey
Jul 27, 2005
421
0
East Coast
once I got the shock/fork dialed in it was awesome, I did the pro course @ snowshoe w/o going around anything and it didn't let me down.. it just isn't very good at pedaling which i why im moving onto a VP free, I'm not a pro so the slight geo. changes aren't going to effect my performance any and I can ride around witht he locals at the not so downhill trails finally. Never had any problems with the frame itself (links, bearings, etc.)
 

face

Monkey
Sep 14, 2005
209
0
northern utah
what year is the rm7? if its an 01 i wouldn't go for it but i had the rm7 fr 03 and i loved i thought it was one of the funnest bikes ever i think that suspension design is probably one of the most responsive also. but i would definitely take the rm7 over the bullit.
 

Brunettes

Monkey
Jul 27, 2005
421
0
East Coast
bullcrew said:
Why can't you freeride it?

It's a joke..at least i hope it was, you can't freeride on the 02' because it says "DH" on the frame but the rest you can only freeride on because they have "FR" instead. :cool:
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
Don't use the RM7. The leverage ratio just creates a whole lot of problems, that put lots of stress on the links, lots of stress on the pivots, lots of stress on the shock, etc. Not a real durable/reliable bike in the long run.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
I xc dh rigs and rials on a unicycle, all you have to do is remove the stickers. :D
I changed the link to the new one as of last week, it's atleast 1/3 thicker and heavier than the original. The dog bone I am going to have a copy made I have access to almost any cnc machine and make it stronger and eliminate the skinny center.
Just powdercoated it alpine white, looks smooth!
 

Brunettes

Monkey
Jul 27, 2005
421
0
East Coast
thats why rocky mountain hasn't really changed the design in years...

like all early fr/dh frames they weren't very beefy (ie iron hourse sgs) you don't hear about people bashing them when the e.thirteen link came out. Same goes for the RM7, someone makes an upgraded dogbone link for it but i forget who. People bitch about the design just because they don't maintain or beat them up alot, NO company (that wants to survive) is going to put out a frame for 3 years knowing that its "poorly designed"
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
good call.

Brunettes said:
thats why rocky mountain hasn't really changed the design in years...

like all early fr/dh frames they weren't very beefy (ie iron hourse sgs) you don't hear about people bashing them when the e.thirteen link came out. Same goes for the RM7, someone makes an upgraded dogbone link for it but i forget who. People bitch about the design just because they don't maintain or beat them up alot, NO company (that wants to survive) is going to put out a frame for 3 years knowing that its "poorly designed"
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
Brunettes said:
thats why rocky mountain hasn't really changed the design in years...
Or, that's why not many people ride them compared to bullit riders.

It's not about making the design beefy. It's like the 1.5 headtube issue, if you have a 1.125, you can make it ultra-beefy and still not get the ovalization resistance of 1.5, same with leverage. You can keep making the linkages beefy, but it doesn't change the fact that it's over leveraged and the other parts like the bearings and mounts also see the rediculous stress.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
01 with an absolute flawless frame, I stripped it down and had it re powder coated. Checked the frame and there is not so much as a ding in it or dent. No stress on the aluminum, just some cool easton logos stamped into it.
The rear linkage is brand new from rocky mountain per Johnny and the bearings are new. It has zero sway, and new bushings as well.