Lapierre Froggy, Trek Slash, Scott Voltage if you wanted less-niche options :p

Spesh Status look good VFM.

You mention a Socom in the OP, I’m debating selling my large socom if it’s of interest… either complete or probably ideally frame only. Ti spring/DHX 5 (complete spec is air totems, mavic+stans on hope tubelessed wheels, middleburn cranks, gamut, X9, juicies etc etc.).

If that’s of interest, let me know… dunno about price, but it’d be a lot cheaper than something new….

Euro, personal opinion I guess but once I’m using a bike with more than 160mm of travel I prefer the stifness of an integrated stem. Something that you can’t run on a single crown 180mm DH light bike.

Dude, my Kalula frame/forks is up for sale, got to be just about the best freeride/DH bike out there!

If it wasn’t a kalula, I’d possibly look at the TR250..

The Mega is only 150mm not 160mm.
I just ordered a kalula, should be here this week, Can’t wait!
Got a great deal from ‘Bikedirty’. If you ‘like’ them on facebook then you get 15% off. My kalula came in at £2950 rather than just shy or £3500

Because 10mm of travel makes much difference and for the record it’s actually 152mm.

The limit for drops on a 160mm bike is 11.25ft but for 150mm bikes it’s only 9.8ft.

Fact.

bwaarp – Member
Because 10mm of travel makes much difference and for the record it’s actually 152mm.

bwaarp if your going to be a smart ass 😉 then at least get it right.

Mega rear travel = 151.2mm

yes its 150mm, but feels more like 170mm with a decent coil shock…

How about the new ~180mm (I think) patriot? – is it available yet? – closer to a “Mini DH bike” than an FR/AM effort…
or an Alpine 160 if that’s too much travel…

Nowt beats a yorkshire filing cabinet for clattering down a hill apparently, and they should build up a bit lighter than many other similar travel frames (I believe)…

I love the idea that ~170mm has now become “Short travel DH”… I remember when all this were just fields…

I have a Transition Covert frame you can buy off me if you like. They are perfect for mini DH / freeride and still pedal uphill brilliantly.

Im using one as my only bike and love it.

Hmm the kalula looks awesome, just read the review on pinkbike, just need to see whats around when I can sort out the money. Cheers for suggestions everyone

The latest version of the Mondraker Prayer might be worth a look – bit of a no-frills design, but I had the old version (160mm, new one is 180mm) and loved it for uplift and riding in the alps. ‘Twas heavy though…

How about the mondraker dune, paired with a set of 36-180/140 forks. Pedals uphill great and eats up anything heading south.

I’ve been using an alpine 160 as my DH/fr bike for the last year and a half. On splitting it to sell on I discovered it was cracked almost everywhere! Now on a patriot with totems which feels that bit more forgiving on DH tracks, but still fun in my local woods.