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yet another "what should I buy?" thread, second hand DH frame

wakk

Chimp
May 23, 2011
5
0
2010 Intense m6 with double barrel or a 2011 banshee legend with revox.

Looking for an out and out DH bike that i can ride all around BC, but probably Whistler bike park and shuttling Squamish the most.

Is the M6 now out of date geometry wise?
How bad were the alignment issues and how do i tell if its out?


Any feedback on either or other ideas welcome... also if anyone knows of any DH frames for sale in Whistler/Vancouver/Washington, let me know....
 

kazlx

Patches O'Houlihan
Aug 7, 2006
6,985
1,957
Tustin, CA
I just bought a Legend MKII and I love it. Fantastic bike. I would buy another in a heartbeat. No experience with the Revox. I have a RC4 on mine. Hopefully going to try a CCDB this weekend.
 

ianjenn

Turbo Monkey
Sep 12, 2006
2,998
702
SLO
The REVOX did not work super well on our Legend. From what I have read the RC4 is the go to for the Legend frame. The bike is killer BTW just thought I would mention it.
 

SCARY

Not long enough
My friend just got a legend and really loves it.The black one looks pretty sick in person.The m6,from what I understand,is too low and dosent pedal that great.I don't know the numbers but the head angle us steeper than today's standards.
 
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gnarbar

Monkey
Oct 22, 2011
136
3
Is the M6 now out of date geometry wise?
How bad were the alignment issues and how do i tell if its out?
I had two frames, no alignment issues.

Wheelbase was OK, I was on a medium (6' rider) and I guess a large would have been a better choice. It's a 'medium medium' not a 'large medium'. Chainstay length IMO was the weakness, comparing it to a Demo of the same era, it was noticeable and more chattery and less stable behind the rider than the medium Demo, with the front end seeming to compensate for the back. So that was comparing at the time, like-for like against something a bit more contemporary. If you look at the M9, really they just made it longer WB, a bit longer CS, and lower than the M6 and added the adjustability factors. Stock M9 geo isn't even much slacker than an M6. 64deg stock M9 versus 64.5deg M6. M6 is linear, very deep, endless cush that never felt like it was bottoming out at all.

On one frame I did break the upper link but they warrantied me and sent me 3 links for free.

BB was pretty low - low 13" figures and with the sag - sure it was hard to get used to timing pedal strokes etc. mos def can get a guy in trouble with a hard rock strike on a low pedal, even with 165mm cranks. 170mm did feel vulnerable. Went to 165mm as soon as I could. OTB is not your friend. But - this is comparable to a lot of moden DH bikes. Not many can develop an effective platform that has a high BB. I found I couldn't compromise sag because that screwed up the ride and tracking through stuff, and an oversprung M6 felt like crap. I'm currently on a Makulu will a 14.5" BB (static, not at sag) which is a delight in terms of rock clearance, and pedals amazingly well, like a FS HT. Yeah a cliche I know, but w/e.

Yes the M6 is a bit of a pig for pedalling, you do notice that sloppy old VPP first iteration and big 9.3" travel sucking the life out of you. That's on flat sections, kind of between trail sections, on fire roads, flat stuff.....not laying the power down at speed. Seemed ok in that context. What you will notice is the VPP suspension cycle moving around, up, then back, chain growth, then return (IIRC). Lots of action that you can feel handling all the undulations and various hits along the trail. Kinda cool. Very effective especially through bigger mess. Not especially noisy or rattly, but not a stealth ride either, mind you I had full CS protection to deaden some of that.

Pivot bearing wear was nothing special, normal for a VPP bike. No worse than my previous VPFree.

Overall the thing is a destroyer - no finesse unless you build it super light. Mine was <38lbs at the time and I did get mucho pop and boost, and that's as a gargantosaur. It destroys rock lines, rough stuff, and eats roots, and chunder. Very stable at super high speeds. Awesome at steep nasty stuff or where your possible out of control and need moar bike. It's horrible, in a good way.

Based on what riding you're doing and if your focus is more on nasty steep ruff DH, not jamps, FR, and smooth stuff, M6 is your new friend.

Destroy !!
 
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norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
The legend will be perfect. I owned mine for 3 seasons now and it has been faultless. Very good 2nd hand bike because they are hard to hurt and even the bearings last quite long (2.5 seasons in mine and I did ride in one area during constant rain, flood which also meant daily pressure washing).

The ride is also great. Super stable, especialy at high speeds, no nervousness at all and the susp eats gnar like it was made from little baby chickens. Im at work so cant write too much but look up my review on RM.
 

Deano

Monkey
Feb 14, 2011
233
0
id go with the legend.. i loved mine.

:) M6 is nice, no doubt, but i would not hesitate to pick the legend over the M6 any day.
 

dfinn

Turbo Monkey
Jul 24, 2003
2,129
0
SL, UT
Transition TR450. Fox RC4. Used. Medium. White.

I just happen to have one for sale. ;) And I could deliver to Whistler in a few weeks.
 

wakk

Chimp
May 23, 2011
5
0
thanks for the replies guys, pretty much sums up the way i'm thinking,

My bike history, had a sunday for 5 years then last year went for a scott voltage to try something new, though felt it just wasn't enough bike for me, which is why looking for something different,

On the legend i'm looking at the shock has been tuned to make it work better, no option to get the rc4 at the moment but i guess could upgrade in the future
 

ianjenn

Turbo Monkey
Sep 12, 2006
2,998
702
SLO
On the legend i'm looking at the shock has been tuned to make it work better, no option to get the rc4 at the moment but i guess could upgrade in the future
NORBAR knows a ton about the bike he has run a number of shocks and says the RC4 worked best. The Revox worked fairly well just not quite as well at the small bump stuff was my understanding. Getting an RC4 down the road wouldnt cost a ton and you know it will only help the ride of the bike.

The Legend is Stiff, Tracks Well, Pedals Good, and rails turns. It is for sure one of the better DH rigs I have ridden in the last 2 years!
 

wakk

Chimp
May 23, 2011
5
0
Thanks again for the replies, don't think i want to go down the Sunday route again, i loved that bike, but now that parts are scarce its always going to be a worry, also i just fancy a change, ideally with something slacker just to see what its like,

think i'm set on the legend now but still need to find one for a decent price in the area.
Transition could be tempted, how much you looking at dfinn??
 

dfinn

Turbo Monkey
Jul 24, 2003
2,129
0
SL, UT
think i'm set on the legend now but still need to find one for a decent price in the area.
Transition could be tempted, how much you looking at dfinn??
Currently asking $1400. It's listed in the classifieds on here.

I have no facts to base this on but I always kind of thought the tr450 and the legend were somewhat similar? What ianjenn said about the legend definitely applies to the tr, stiff, pedals well, tracks well, rails corners.
 

gnarbar

Monkey
Oct 22, 2011
136
3
Thanks again for the replies, don't think i want to go down the Sunday route again, i loved that bike, but now that parts are scarce its always going to be a worry, also i just fancy a change, ideally with something slacker just to see what its like,
Pivot Phoenix is your thing. Sunday platform (almost), moar slack, DW-link, and solid burly build.

Buy used. There's a few around.