Finally, i don’t really see how “too much bike” matters? As long as it moves when you pedal, surely it’s fine?

When you live in the south (Small hills, rather than mountains) having a bike with lots of travel makes for pretty dull riding IME.

I owned an enduro, which only came to life when I was hammering it a speed. The only place I found it really fun was when I took it to local DH tracks and to Cwmcarn.

My trance x is much more fun for the majority of stuff in the south, but is not much fun on DH tracks with 125mm travel and flexy forks.

Say you have a 160mm bike and it’s boring on flat trails. Just put 250psi in both shocks, bingo, you now have a fully rigid bike! 😉

Iv an alpine 160 and i find it near perfect for 99% of what i want it to do, its talas but i dont ever drop the forks, just dosnt feel right.

it is a bit slower up hills but iv yet to have to get off and push on any natural or trail centre climb iv come accross

main thing for me is i can hit pretty much anything i have the balls to on most trails including jumps but more importantly big drop off, when i get a bit older and stop the bigger stuff i will more than likely get a five 140 f&r 😉

I ride at Cannock a lot and have recently just replaced my old SX Trail with a Banshee Rune V2. Ultimately, it’s totally OTT for lugging round the Doy and Monkey trails but it still manages to be fun. The idea is that is my main bike that can be used for XC rides, generally mucking about and uplift days.

I don’t so enough DH / uplift days to warrant having a full on DH bike and Stile Cop isn’t really big enough or steep enough to justify it.

Any such 140-160mm do it all bike will be a compromise and its one that I’m happy to live with, even if deep down I know that I would have been better off with a Banshee Spitfire (didn’t get one due to a lack of demo opportunity). My Rune climbs pretty well – I’m not usually the last one up a hill and it decends really well. OK, not like a DH bike but its pretty long and slack so feels confident on the steeper stuff.

I don’t bother with lock out etc. Modern bikes in this category are pretty impressive machines but as someone pointed out, they’re not all the same. Some a more akin to long travel trail / XC bikes whereas others are more like baby DH bikes. I think you just need to decide which wend of the spectrum you prefer – personally, I’m happy winching up to enjoy the descent whereas others may want a bike that climbs better.

Building them up with stronger components and pretending they are DH bikes doesn’t cut it either. yes you can ride down Cwmcarn on one, but try riding down Cwmcarn FAST on one and you’ll find their limits way before you would on a bigger bike.

Not really. You will find YOUR limits way faster.

There are countless examples of people rocking up at DH races on AM bikes all over the UK & smoking most of the field.

Not really. You will find YOUR limits way faster.

Absolutely. How many times have you sat in an uplift with a few riders on killer DH machines, only to watch them mince and be overtaken at warp speed by the kid on a 1999 Kona Stinky?

Most UK tracks don’t really challenge full on DH bikes and don’t need the 10″ tanks that people ride (with a couple of exceptions obviously). I include myself in that, I had a Cove Shocker which was utterly amazing, but I genuinely don’t think i’d have been much slower on a low slung enduro, my skills just don’t let me get full tilt out of a big DH bike.

For me, something with DH geo and around 7″, built up well, is great for most UK tracks I’ve ridden.

when i get a bit older and stop the bigger stuff i will more than likely get a 29er

Fxd.

Stumpy Evo here and it’s extremely versatile. It’s no dh bike, but as long as you remember to take it steady (to be fair – if you forget, the bike soon reminds you) it’s great. Eager to climb and so much fun to squirt about on. Nothing to stop you building a chunky 160 if you really want to use it a a dh bike, that will be still be reasonable to climb on. The problem you will have is deciding which bike to buy. If your fav doesn’t have a dropper, budget for one. They really make sense on this type of bike.

Euro…. Funnily enough, I’ve a lurcher 29er parked beside the alpine, used for pedalling to local trail centres, coast paths etc 😉

Peterfile – totally agree. When I lived in Sheffield, a fair of the Wharncliffe locals chopped in Demo’s etc for smaller SX Trails. They weren’t much slower either.

I bit more squish does give a bit more confidence for lesser riders, but modern 140 – 160mm bikes are amazingly competent on some pretty big / rough stuff.

My intense tracer 275 is an amazing climber and descender. But it it does kill the enjoyment of easy trails to some extent.

Perfect timing on this post. im considering a 150-160mm bike at the moment.

Ive sat on a nukeproof mega TR (nice), a commencal meta SX2 (OTT), a stumpjumper evo (same a mega) and an enduro comp (nice)

My favourite was the enduro and im probably gonna try it again tommorow. it felt the same as the stumpy but slightly slacker.

The best thing of all is that all bikes except the commencal felt lighter than the Gary Fisher roscoe i have now which climbs well.

interesting thread and cookea has it right imho focus on

geometry….huge variations

quality of the suspension and travel…..had 160mm bikes that have blown through their travel on the slightest bump through and wallopy lumps…….through to sprightly overweight whippets. Try the different designs as all are not equal, so turner dw link did not work for me compered to horst link, orange single pivot vs yeti linkage single pivot (sure their is a better description)

know what to do with your suspension….some of my problems was the lack of understanding on what does what……air shocks are wonders of the bike world still would rather have coil personally

weight …well had 35 lbs bikes that were better climbers than my xc bike in some situations (Titus Supermoto vs Yeti asr sl) BUT a 36lb bike will wear you down at some point….

Remember every STW will be in love/recommend what they have…. :wink:…I sold my 7 inch Yeti as it was not getting any use, it was a wonderful bike pedalled wonderfully, great angles and suspension with coil riding the same trails on a 120mm/100 29er not much light 3 lbs possibly but really enjoying it.

160mm bikes are wonderful but as said above alps were ridden on 71/73 degree 135mm stem with 560mm flat bars with 80mm front suspension suspension, 1.8 tyres hardtails.