What to look for in a DH bike

chup29 · Jun 5, 2011

pretty colors... seriously though... what to look for? they all look different, different suspension works for different people, i love my m9 with vpp and ive ridden several other vpp bikes in the past. other people swear by a single pivot. then theres the issue of sizing because every bike company has a slightly different version of "medium." My advice would be to help out your LBS - go there and ride some frames, see what they have in the catalog, what they can order for you - setting up a good relationship with your LBS by bringing them beer or buying a bike will help you out loads in the long run when you need some help fixing something or getting some bro-deals...

chup29 · Jun 5, 2011

haha - didnt click the links... whoops - mongoose all the way, they ride awesome and pedal great...

go-ride.com · Jun 5, 2011

Low miles. There are good deals to be had on a used DH bike, but there are certainly more bad deals. If you are patient you will find one that wasn't ridden much and that is why the person is selling it.

Hesh To Steel · Jun 6, 2011

At your height, a medium or large in most frames would probably be your best bet. It seems like these days there are a lot of very good RB bikes out there. Manufacturers have, for the most part, settled in on what the proper geometry is for this sport, which is one of the biggest factors. The other important factor is suspension quality, but this, to me, is a bigger variable since personal preference and shock setup will have a large influence on what suspension is right for you. Case in point, I've heard people refer to the specialized Demo 8's suspension as both "extremely lively" and "very dead feeling".

Of course, its tough to give any kind of recommendation without knowing what your budget is, so.....what's your budget?

Sandwich · Jun 6, 2011

some things I would suggest....

a bike with a 1.5" HT....allows for adjustability should you get to the point you want that.
a bike from a company that still exists, or there is good aftermarket support for. A good example is the Iron Horse Sunday...the company is dead but there are a huge number of the bikes, so getting parts isn't too hard.
A bike that uses an evolution of a suspension design...if last years models and this years models look the same, that's a better sign than a complete revision, which goes to suggest something was wrong with the last model.
A modern, high quality shock
Good durability.
26" wheels

Of those two bikes you linked to...the bighit was a solid design, but it used a small rear wheel. That's not a dealbreaker by itself, but you have a much better tire selection by going dual 26s.
The mongoose is a great design, but I think that's the first year for it, and there might be some durability issues. I was looking into them for a while, but for some reason I remember being scared off by bearing issues or something.

Hesh To Steel · Jun 6, 2011

I would see if the guy selling the mongoose boot'r for 17k would come down to 15 for you. My friend is around your height but weighs about 250 lbs. He beat on his for two seasons without any frame issues.

Sandwich · Jun 6, 2011

ok...from that site, I like:
The morewood izimu, those frames have been around, unchanged, for a long time, and nobody seems to hate them, they just want fancier stuff
any of the boot'rs...those are a bit newer and revised from the ECD above...so they should have the issues ironed out...
the orange 222...it's basically the bike the morewood emulated
and most importantly the giant glory. Those are great bikes that I still see racing today.

I would figure out your price range, then check out ones that fit specifically in there. If you can get on the bike and it feels comfortable, you're golden. Fit is very rider specific...I like my bikes long, but other people like tiny bikes they can throw around. I'm not a very good rider, so maybe that says something (ha).

One other thing, as a newbie, something with a single, uncomplicated pivot is a great option, since you may not know how to properly maintain it, and getting on the mountain and having fun is paramount to having the ultimate kinematically efficient design. The morewood and orange are good examples, the glory and boot'r less so, but if you take care of the bike, or the previous owner did, you'll be fine.

Sandwich · Jun 6, 2011

No offense taken...I don't care what you ride! Just make sure to get something that you feel comfortable on, and something that you can maintain, and you'll be happy.

Remember that as your first bike, you probably won't be as sensitive as many other people, and that as long as your comfortable and you like the bike, it won't matter how many suspension knobs you have nor how many clicks your rear hub has. There are super fast riders on 2002 giants and there are super fast riders on 2012 demos...but the giant riders have more money in their pockets!

Sandwich · Jun 6, 2011

definitely grab the newer one...no reason not to. Sorry I didn't pick up on that, I wasn't paying that much attention to price.

uzziman · Jun 6, 2011

it looks like the biggest difference between the two is the parts spec. i know because mongoose has the boot'r "romo" this year, the "team" got spec'd down a little. the 2010 has the better parts on it. but it is a season old. . .

uzziman · Jun 7, 2011

biggest thing is play in the bearings at suspension points. it shouldn't feel loose also they shouldn't feel gritty when cycling though the suspension. check the headset and make sure its not sticky when rotating

Sandwich · Jun 7, 2011

are you sure? the 2011 has a boxxer team on it, which is a pretty large upgrade from the race on the 2010.

nowlan · Jun 7, 2011

I have a few suggestions for ya.
Dont get to caught up in the internet hype about what shifter cable is the best and head angles and all that crap. Its all important stuff, but for a first time DH buyer and getting into the sport, First off focus on some protective gear. Helmet, shins, goggles maybye some elbow pads.
DH can get expensive if you dont maintain your bike. So get one thats easy to maintain and just lasts. Also, see what your local shop deals with, what parts they can get in so if you get in a jam, like need a der hanger or some specific machined bolt you dont have to go on an endless internet search for it. Also, stick to one shop, it helps. Alot can be done to maintain the longtevity of your steed, basic basic stuff. Just need some tools, grease, lube and oil. And also it can be fun.
As far as what bike you get? Dont be afraid to buy used, post up what your interested here and 40 people will judge the **** out of it. Biggest thing though for a first timer, get a bike that works, good tires and solid brakes. Set it up for your body type and position and then ride it ride it ride it. Tinker with the small **** later on.
Good luck just post up any questions you have.

FlipSide · Jun 7, 2011

nowlan said:
I have a few suggestions for ya.
Dont get to caught up in the internet hype about what shifter cable is the best and head angles and all that crap. Its all important stuff, but for a first time DH buyer and getting into the sport, First off focus on some protective gear. Helmet, shins, goggles maybye some elbow pads.
DH can get expensive if you dont maintain your bike. So get one thats easy to maintain and just lasts. Also, see what your local shop deals with, what parts they can get in so if you get in a jam, like need a der hanger or some specific machined bolt you dont have to go on an endless internet search for it. Also, stick to one shop, it helps. Alot can be done to maintain the longtevity of your steed, basic basic stuff. Just need some tools, grease, lube and oil. And also it can be fun.
As far as what bike you get? Dont be afraid to buy used, post up what your interested here and 40 people will judge the **** out of it. Biggest thing though for a first timer, get a bike that works, good tires and solid brakes. Set it up for your body type and position and then ride it ride it ride it. Tinker with the small **** later on.
Good luck just post up any questions you have.

^^^ Great advices here!
- Don't overanalyze your first bike purchase (Leave that to professional e-bikers

)
- Get a used bike in good working order.
- Don't cheap-out on protective gear.
- Don't cheap-out on tires.
- Learn to wrench your bike.

Once you'll get rolling, then it'll be the time to evaluate what you like and what you don't about your bike. It is likely anyway that you won't be held back by your bike (no matter which one) for the first year or two!

Sandwich · Jun 23, 2011

solid setup, dude.

doctorz · Jun 25, 2011

you shouldnt let anyone pressure you into choosing a bike , i think a Dh should be very active and supple with a decent wheel base so you dont fly over the bar too often , also weight is not such an important issue depending of your strength , and the angle of the bike should be slack (63.5 to 64) beyond this its too easy to fly over the bar, , i know me personally when i want something new i build it myself , cheers good luck in your choice and dont let any fashion geek pressure you in choosing something expensive

descente · Jun 26, 2011

i want to shred that red dirt. looks very tacky.

if i remember right, those bikes had a tendency to crack at the rocker links, probably something to keep an eye on. either way, nice bike and good score. i remember my kona, i learned a lot on that bike.

Sandwich · Aug 10, 2011

lol, can you still ride though?

Deano · Aug 13, 2011

you should deffo try a lighter spring at your weight

What to look for in a DH bike

Chimp

Chimp

Chimp

Chimp

Monkey

Chimp

Monkey

Chimp

Pig my fish!

Chimp

Chimp

Monkey

Pig my fish!

Chimp

Pig my fish!

Chimp

Pig my fish!

Chimp

Chimp

Chimp

Pig my fish!

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Chimp

Chimp

Chimp

Pig my fish!

Chimp

Chimp

Monkey

Chimp

Chimp

Pig my fish!

Chimp

Monkey