Enduro/Mini DH bike options needed, please

Bike Forum

Enduro/Mini DH bike options needed, please

41 posts & 26 voices | Started 6 months ago by getonyourbike | Latest reply from bigthunder

Tags:

Pages: 12 Next »

getonyourbike - Member

I'm looking for an Enduro/Mini DH bike at around the £1000 mark so will have to go second hand. It'll be used for freeride, DH, Gravity Enduro racing, Mini DH racing and going to the Alps next summer. I was just wondering what sort of things I should be looking out for. I'm thinking anything from 150-170mm of travel and some slack angles. So far I've been looking at Giant Reign Xs and that's about it. I must be missing absolutely loads.

Can you just spit some names out for me to look for, please.

Cheers
Pete

Posted 6 months ago #
Paul j - Member

are you after frame or complete bike?

Posted 6 months ago #
getonyourbike - Member

Oh, sorry neglected to mention that. I'll be looking at complete bikes.

Posted 6 months ago #
GW - Member

can't really see you finding one bike to excell at "freeride, DH, Gravity Enduro racing, Mini DH racing" but maybe you will. depends on your size/build and how you ride to some extent.

specialized def do bikes that excell in each of those categrories.

Posted 6 months ago #
rj - Member

SX Trail, Commencal Supreme/Furious, Orange Patriot should all be within your budget.

Posted 6 months ago #
getonyourbike - Member

I wasn't thinking that one bike would be best suited to all but more like an enduro bike that I would do everything on.

I've discovered the Specialized Enduro, that looks like the sort of thing I'm after. So what else is there similair to the Spesh Enduro or Giant Reign X?

Posted 6 months ago #
lucien - Member

This one - Scott Voltage

Great frame, plenty of upgradeability as you need to

Posted 6 months ago #
allmountainventure - Member

Cant get the image to load

Maybe one of these http://www.flickr.com/photos/allmountainventure/5827677569/in/photostream but it might not be as DH as you require. Highly versatile bike tho.

Posted 6 months ago #
getonyourbike - Member

The Voltage, Coiler, SX Trial etc look a bit too heavy to pedal and use for the Gravity Enduros. I should of just said an enduro bike tbh

Posted 6 months ago #
allmountainventure - Member

That coiler is only 32lbs, you could build one under 30lbs.

Posted 6 months ago #
carbon337 - Member

Patriot as above or a Five AM with 160 mm coil fork and shock

Posted 6 months ago #
Northwind - Member

Wolf Ridge, Pitch, Enduro...

Posted 6 months ago #
Rickos - Member

Lapierre Spicy? Perhaps Zesty, but Spicy's seem cheaper 2nd hand for some reason though.

Posted 6 months ago #
getonyourbike - Member

Giant Reign X, Specialized Enduro, Specialized Pitch, Lapierre Spicy, Marin Wolf Ridge seem to be standing out. Cheers

Posted 6 months ago #
shieldsmtb - Member

you might need to up your budget by another 500

Posted 6 months ago #
getonyourbike - Member

Upping the budget is not possible

Posted 6 months ago #
mikey74 - Member

I've just bought a Spesh SX Trail and whilst I love it and it fits the miniDH bill perfectly (which is what I use it for), I would say that if you are intending to pedal a fair bit you are probably better off with the Enduro.

Having said that, it does actually pedal pretty well. The main limiting factor is the weight and building it up light would really be doing the bike a disservice, whereas the Enduro is called the Enduro for a reason.

Posted 6 months ago #
chakaping - Member

Maybe a Specialized Pitch with a Lyrik or 36?

You could get a complete bike and the bigger fork separately.

Posted 6 months ago #
deanfbm - Member

A pitch this doing this purpose for myself very well.

Posted 6 months ago #
deviant - Member

Could try and find a Voodoo Zobop for £1,000?.....they are only £1,500 new so shouldnt be too difficult....you wont find a better specced bike for the money....its got 150mm travel at both ends and has a robust build with quality components, it should be able to turn its hand to most things you're into....only drawback is it might not be slack enough for you, i read an interview with Joe Murray (the designer) who said the head angle was 68 degrees....i reckon thats fine but i know others would disagree!

Posted 6 months ago #
getonyourbike - Member

hmmm... 68 degrees isn't really slack enough. I was thinking at least 67 degrees.

Posted 6 months ago #
ozzy38 - Member

maybe a santa cruz VP free?

Posted 6 months ago #
bloodyshins - Member

I love my Reign X. The angles are perfect and it climbs better than any coil sprung 7"travel bike has a right to. Better than my old meta 5 actually. It's an absolute freight train on the way down but what I really like is that it doesnt need a massive steep hill to get up to speed. Any slight gradient and it's off. Jumps great and very flickable, an allround awesome bike!
Although for a grand you'd be looking at one of the old style frames but they use the same maestro system so probably good too.

As chakaping says a pitch with a 160mm fork would also be a good (cheaper) option. A mate has one with domains and it's awesome, really fun bike

Posted 6 months ago #
deviant - Member

Dont forget you can now get angle-set headsets to slacken the angles even further on whatever you settle on.

Posted 6 months ago #
getonyourbike - Member

Mondraker Dune also worth a look at if I find one at the right price?

Posted 6 months ago #
chakaping - Member

Absolutely, I'm really looking forward to doing a couple of the gravity enduros on mine next year. I think it will be much quicker than the Foxy I used for one last year.

It builds up at 30lb with a Reverb and mostly SLX transmission and the 66 degree head angle and low BB make it feel almost like a DH bike when descending.

They haven't really caught on still, so you might pick up a s/h base-spec one for £1k I suppose.

Posted 6 months ago #
xiphon - Member

2008 Patriot + maxle back end + 36 Vans + 1x9 gearing.

I personally would stay clear of Pitch's - they are no way suited for DH riding... simply not strong enough...

Posted 6 months ago #
slowrider - Member

transition dirtbag/ preston frames go for good prices, you could easily get a build under a grand on one of those. indestructable too.

Posted 6 months ago #
deanfbm - Member

xiphon- interesting comment on the strength of pitch's. what is this actually based on?

I and several others who have pitch's ride proper DH and freeride on ours. The level of riding certainly ain't mincing either.

Posted 6 months ago #
xiphon - Member

deanfbm - bought one new in march 2008. Changed the Pikes spring to 'hard', then changed the forks for some 36s (from 140 up to 150mm travel, slacken the HA a bit)

Went through 2 chain stays, 1 seat stay and 1 front end within 12 months.

Sold the frame as soon as the warranty one came through the post.

Now I ride very similar trails (and just as hard...) on a Patriot '00 frame... not one problem with it I still use the cranks, bars, front wheel and mech/shifters from the Pitch now.

It was just an XC frame with 150mm of travel, despite being labelled as a strong AM bike. It tried to be the next SX trail, albeit with slightly less travel, but it didn't quite work IMHO.

I don't exactly...er... mince along either.

Posted 6 months ago #
deanfbm - Member

Xiphon - that's nuts. There is a lot of glowing reviews out there of the strength of pitch's, both from many internet sources and people i know.

This is literally the first i've heard negative feedback on the strength of them.

Are you a nutter who does their fair share of riding outside their control or are you not the smallest of people?

I don't really know why i'm asking, just interested i guess.

Posted 6 months ago #
kayak23 - Member

I think a Reign x would be just the job. I do all of what you mention on my standard Reign and to be honest, its great. If I were being picky I may like to slacken the headangle a little but not sure I can with a 1 1/8th.

Still, don't really need to. The bike excels at all I throw at it. Different wheels, tyres and a coil shock for DH is all I change.

Posted 6 months ago #
5lab - Member

transition dirtbag/ preston frames go for good prices, you could easily get a build under a grand on one of those. indestructable too

I wouldn't get a preston. I cracked 3 of them, 2 of them with under 20 hours of riding out of the box. all sorted under warranty, but I got rid after that

I also wouldn't do DH on anything that was built up under 30lbs

Posted 6 months ago #
xiphon - Member

deanfbm

What do you mean riding outside my control? Do I keep crashing?

I'm about 14st with all riding gear/clothing on. (I'll have to test the riding gear + no clothing option, ha!)

Not really sure how to describe the terrain/difficulty without sounding arrogant??

EDIT: I could smoothly clear the Chicksands 4X triple on the Pitch, so that should give you some idea of confidence/skill level... although unfortunately bailed one time, and smashed myself up pretty bad!

Here's a pic of someone else doing it... gives you an idea..
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/3456856/

Posted 6 months ago #
simon430 - Member

Devinci Ollie - http://www.freeborn.co.uk/devinci-2010-ollie-1 I have one and they are reasonably good at riding back up the hills.

Posted 6 months ago #