[rbx]

Ok i used to DH i really liked the speed,flowing you know all the good stuff
BUT i also like aggresive trail riding exploring,climbing very technical hills..
I like picking nasty devasted lines the more rocks the sweeter.
I weight 185 lbs and pretty strong so i can throw alot of bike around.
But how much is too much?
Should i try to build a light FR bike(ie 7pont etc)
or just stick with AM bike like Reign?
I just dont know which category i fit in!

I guess my dream bike would have 8" travel and still be trail worthy..but i am just dreaming

 

[Bicyclist]

Maybe look at the Foes Inferno for a long-travel trail bike.

The 7point really feels solid, maybe more DH-ish than you want.

Also consider new-school freeride bikes, like the Specialized SX Trail or Enduro, the Cannondale Prophet MX, or the Transition Bottlerocket to name a few.

The last option, a short(er) travel freeride bike, is what I think you'd like best. It handles the ruff stuff without being a pig when it gets flowy. My Expert DH racer buddy rides an SX Trail and loves it for everything.

 

[rbx]

Maybe look at the Foes Inferno for a long-travel trail bike.

The 7point really feels solid, maybe more DH-ish than you want.

Also consider new-school freeride bikes, like the Specialized SX Trail or Enduro, the Cannondale Prophet MX, or the Transition Bottlerocket to name a few.

The last option, a short(er) travel freeride bike, is what I think you'd like best. It handles the ruff stuff without being a pig when it gets flowy. My Expert DH racer buddy rides an SX Trail and loves it for everything.

So is there a huge difference in weight and geo. SX trail vs 7point?

 

[Bicyclist]

I don't really think so, but the SXT just feels a lot livelier, which would be good for the flowy stuff you speak of.

The 7point I rode was a bit funky, so I would encourage that you try a lot of different bikes out and see what you like.

 

[DHS]

i would definitely try a lot of other bikes in the 6-7inch range though. i've been looking for the same thing actually. i may just end up with a 7point. they're just so well priced and work freaking great

 

[sayndesyn]

SS 29er for sure.

 

[dG video]

If you can wait, I think an Iron Horse 6point would be THE bike for you.

 

[rbx]

I am hesitating buying a trail bike because i know myself ..il start riding more and more aggressively until i wreck it!(no hucking to flat,but rocky descents)
But maybe i am under estimating the strenght of long travel trail bike!?

 

[Monkeybidnezz]

You are pretty fortunate, there are a lot of great bikes in the category that you are interested in. SX Trail, Trasition Bottle Rocket, 7.7 and the Nomad/6.6 are all pretty sweet rigs built for some abuse.

I agree, give as many rigs a test run and pick the one that feels the best for you.

 

[SirChomps-a-Lot]

You are pretty fortunate, there are a lot of great bikes in the category that you are interested in. SX Trail, Trasition Bottle Rocket, 7.7 and the Nomad/6.6 are all pretty sweet rigs built for some abuse.

I agree, give as many rigs a test run and pick the one that feels the best for you.

The bottlerocket is a slopestyle bike. What's stopping you from taking a slopestyle bike on a gnarly trail-ride? Seat tube. If you can get full leg extension, you can climb. If you can't, climbing is going to suck and you will avoid doing it.

 

[allsk8sno]

the preston would be the bike to get from transition, burly enough for drops and what not but not alot of travel, the dirtbag would be great too but its 11lbs with shock...not very pedal friendly.

i bet the reason the 7points felt less lively too is the 5th element damping, i hate those things, i like lively suspension.

 

[Li'l Dave]

The Reign would be an awesome bike. The price is right, components are pretty stellar out of the box, and Maestro is sick. I have the trance and the Glory and they both kick butt. If you want to be able to climb at least reasonably well, I would stay away from the SX trail series (really heavy) and check out some AM type bikes again like the Reign or even the Ransom.

 

[cadmus]

If you're in the market for a 6-7" trail bike you should check out the Norco Six line - they are really popular in this area. We have both freeride and technical single track, all of which requires a climb to get to. The frame feels really strong and handles the jumps and drops well, but is still responsive on the techy sections.

 

[jcook90]

or also kona coilers. they're strong 6 inch travel bikes and will probably last a long time cuz its kona and will be able to take alot of abuse

 

[Monkeybidnezz]

The bottlerocket is a slopestyle bike. What's stopping you from taking a slopestyle bike on a gnarly trail-ride? Seat tube. If you can get full leg extension, you can climb. If you can't, climbing is going to suck and you will avoid doing it.

Yeah I agree that it's intended as a slope style bike, but he mostly is going for gravity stuff anyway. You can get plenty of seat tube in the bottle rocket from what I've seen, and the preliminary reviews seem to show that it is very trailable.

 

[partsbara]

SS 29er for sure.

you have seen the future ??

 

[gemini2k]

prophet mx for shizzle

 

[evilbob]

I keep my Demo 9 around for ......... in case I........ well just because ok. Mostly I just ride this for everything now....... :evil:

 

[Eren]

get the new 07 iron horse 6 point! 6 inches of travel, so its trail rideable.

 

[big-ted]

I have a buddy that matches your description perfectly. He rips on his VP free/66 combo...

 

[FlipSide]

I think you should consider getting 2 bikes eventually. One DH bike and one trailbike.

 

[SDH]

I would first start with Geometry and then try to work from there. I would suggest that you want a frame with a HA no less than 69 degrees. Any less, and it will be really sloggy on the climbs. Next, and what I believe is the most important is ST angle. You want something in the low 70's. Any slacker and at full seat extension the BB will be really in front of you, this will make the front/fork really float/rise up on the rough climbs.

Next, is weight vs burliness trade off. What are you willing to slog around on a 2-3 hour ride? How much do you want to beat on it?

Next what suspension designs do you like? hate single pivots? think VPP is to much maintenance? Think DW link rules?

Now with those requirements hammered out, you can start selecting rides.

Some suggestions:
7point, great rig but heavy for trail use. I use mine as a DH rig and I feel it is 85-90% as good as a Sunday in most situations except the real high speed stuff and sweeping corners.
Kona Coiler, cool rig, take a beating but heavvvvvy...
6point, promising but not out yet. The 150mm could be a pain during XC/all mountain rides if you get a flat...
Heckler, great reviews pedals well and can take a beating.
Foes, nice rig! pedals really well for a single pivot, can take a beating but is pricey
Prophet, light and reasonably strong has adjustable geometry can potentially serve a lot of purposes, XC, all mountain and little Djing.
Preston, kinda on the heavy side but can take a beating, and pedals pretty well.
575, nice rig but more on the XC side of things
Nomad, pricey and I have not ridden yet, but I have worked on a lot of VPP bearings.
Reign, pedals well, good weight but I am not too sure of what kinda of beating it can take.

hope this helps........

 

[Nick]

Turner RFX?

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

The bottlerocket is a slopestyle bike. What's stopping you from taking a slopestyle bike on a gnarly trail-ride? Seat tube. If you can get full leg extension, you can climb. If you can't, climbing is going to suck and you will avoid doing it.

Nothing is stopping you, i blasted mine down the gnarliest crap all weekend at snowshoe, the thing plows...

 

[Raaar]

Heckler.