Viewing 26 posts - 1 through 26 (of 26 total)
  • FS that climbs like a HT
  • verbboy
    Free Member

    OK I have a Norco Sight 2 which I’ve had for a couple of years, hardly cutting edge but fairly good downhill but I find it horrible up hill.

    I’ve jacked up the rear shock pressure but regardless I’m sure is the frame / shock combo that just makes it feel like a wobbly mess. Really the same downhill, stamp on the pedals and its just jelly like 🙁

    Got back on my HT the other day and I fully appreciate it will feel more direct but man it feels sooo much more responsive.

    I fancy a new steed, but really need something that is fun to climb too. I’m a tad heavy but enjoy winching myself up to the top. Whilst overall bike weight isn’t the main priority would a carbon bike give some of the BB strength I feel is lacking from the Norco?

    Thanks forum dwellers.

    sambuka
    Free Member

    I have a stump jumper elite with brain widget – fully closed it feels like a HT, but still gives you some cushioning on bigger bumps

    jairaj
    Full Member

    I think the Sight is supposed to be an all mountain bike so its not going to be the best climber. A trail bike is probably what you are after and there are many for you to choose from. Get your self a few demo rides and see what you prefer.

    But in STW style I will recommend the one I have Transition Bandit. Climbs better than my old hardtail an On One C456.

    Tom_W1987
    Free Member

    Get the shock retuned with more compression damping and mod it to run a remote lockout switch.

    rickon
    Free Member

    You don’t want a FS that climbs like a hardtail, a decent suspension system will give you more grip.

    The question you really want to ask is – “what’s a good full sus that climbs well?”

    The answer is “most of them”.

    Giant’s Maestro, Trek’s ABP, any DW-Link (Pivot, Ibis, Turner), Horst (Specialized), Single Pivot with a properly damped shock with propedal (Orange 5, Heckler etc).

    You’ll find it pretty hard to go too far wrong if you’re spending more than £1500.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    What shock you got? Does it have a lockout?

    Anyway, sell it and get a CCDB inline – perfect shock for your Sight and the climb switch is marvellous.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    My Liteville has really active suspension but climbs really well.

    I think the thing you notice on hardtail is the reduction in weight and increased directness – but the latter works both ways – it’s harder to keep traction.

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    Your Sight 2 has plenty of anti-squat so it should pedal well if the shock is tuned correctly. Are you sure none of the pivots are loose or there isn’t a crack in the frame? If you’re tall and thus have your seat high it’ll bob more and if you’re much heavier than average it could need a shock retune with much more compression and rebound damping.

    devash
    Free Member

    You don’t want a FS that climbs like a hardtail, a decent suspension system will give you more grip.

    This. My old 26er Specialized Camber climbs like a mountain goat (horst link with Fox pro pedal shock).

    I’ve ridden longer travel ‘all mountain’ full suspension bikes including an Orange 5 and Stumpy Evo but I’m completely sold on the mid-travel style full susers (110mm-130mm) for their versatility. There’s nothing I can’t ride on my Camber that I can ride on a longer travel bike bar some of the bigger drops, but thats more lack of technique on my part.

    If you decide to go 29er then I thoroughly recommend the newer model Cambers, Trek Fuel or Giant Anthem / Trance. All incredibly capable full sussers that climb very well.

    ti_pin_man
    Free Member

    Scott Spark, flick a switch and lock out the suspension.

    HermanShake
    Free Member

    I find the Sight quite bob-proof in ‘descend’ mode, let alone trail or climb. They’re good versatile bikes, give it a tweak before you replace it. You mention you’re “a tad heavy” and your compression damping needs to reflect this. A shock tune or something like a Cane Creek with independent adjustment would be a worthwhile addition.

    Travel adjustment on the front end can help distribute your weight a bit if you’ve got a fixed length fork. Slack 140-150 bikes are good fun down, but climbing is always compromised for the fun stuff.

    rewski
    Free Member

    get a Zesty

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    Got back on my HT the other day and I fully appreciate it will feel more direct but man it feels sooo much more responsive

    maybe you just don’t like full sus.

    I appreciate there are some great bikes, and certainly faster, but i just don’t get on with the ones i’ve had/ ridden. maybe i need to demo another but i’m just not that bothered.

    skellnonch
    Free Member

    You don’t want a FS that climbs like a hardtail, a decent suspension system will give you more grip.

    This, blown away by how well my codeine climbs

    verbboy
    Free Member

    Ok there must be something wrong with my shock, on pro pedal it bobs quite alot, Ill have a look at the CCDB. Bearings are all OK and no cracks.

    I often decent with the pro pedal on as the fully open mode feels like it wallows too much. Maybe I need to stick even more pressure in it.

    A friend just got a Zesty 914 and his climbing compared to his HT has transformed, i.e quicker. I’m going to try that to see how that feels.

    Thanks for all the comments.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Shock service, to begin with.

    Is it the original shock for the bike?

    verbboy
    Free Member

    Just been serviced.

    Yes the original shock.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Basically either a supportive/antisquatty/un-bobby suspension design, or a lockout.

    Supportive pedalling on the way up always impacts the descent, ime, the bike doesn’t know whether you’re pedalling up a fire road or down a rough descent, so I like propedal as a solution- instead of trying to get one setting to work perfectly in 2 very different circumstances, have 2 settings. But ymmv.

    njee20
    Free Member

    It depends what sort of climbing you want to do IMO.

    If you want to get out of the saddle and muscle your way to the top at warp speed then you can’t beat a light hardtail (and to that end a short travel, racey FS – Epic, Spark etc). Yes it’ll get kicked about all over the shop, and use loads of energy, but it’ll be fast!

    A well set up FS bike will be a far more controlled (albeit usually slower) way to climb. As most people are content to just get themselves up the climbs and enjoy the descents bikes like the Codeine, Sight, Zesty etc facilitate the latter, rather than the former!

    verbboy
    Free Member

    I’m pretty sure my mates Zesty as a total lockout, will be interesting to try it

    deviant
    Free Member

    Ok there must be something wrong with my shock, on pro pedal it bobs quite alot,

    Its probably fine, people who havent ridden a HT for a while forget the feeling and begin to see their FS as the norm, therefore the normal slight bob that you just cant get rid of with a FS is ignored/forgotten about as people get used to it….watch a load of riders on FS bikes setting off for a ride and watch the bikes bob and squat as they pedal away and come to the first climb….most of them dont even realise it….and if you were to ask them if their FS bobs they’d probably say it doesnt despite your eyes telling you different.

    On a FS you can try various things that the shock may be equipped with like pro-pedal and other lock out mechanisms but ultimately work on your technique and position on the bike…you should be pedaling in smooth circles to reduce feedback….if you’re out of the saddle and stomping on the pedals then its always going to bob…and if you’re pulling and pushing on the bars you’ll end up with the fork bouncing away too.

    Sit as centrally in the bike as possible, enough weight on the rear tyre for traction but not so much that your entire weight is having to be dealt with by the rear shock….lean forward and rest you hands on the bars, enough weight that the front wont wander but not so much that the fork is compressing and extending with each pedal stroke, dont yank on the bars!….take a low gear and spin with a smooth technique.

    As others have said, climbing on a FS actually ends up easier if done correctly…maybe not as fast as a sub 20lb HT carbon XC weapon…but easier and more comfortable.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Saddle further forward can also help.

    Re climbing – I cleared a loose rocky long climb the other day for the first time, on my 7″ Patriot. Previously failed on ‘better climbing’ bikes. Bigger tyres and more travel saved the day.

    ac282
    Full Member

    If you find you are descending with pro pedal on you need to look at shock setup.

    How much sag are you running?

    ceepers
    Full Member

    I found it really interesting following my mate on his canyon nerve for the first time. I’d only ridden a hardtail then and couldnt believe how much the rear suspension worked even on what you would consider to be fairly flat trail – on a hardtail you tend to accept the constant chatter which a full sus irons out without you really noticing.

    I think climbing speed depends on the terrain, on smooth hard trail or fire road my cx bike outclimbs everything, once it’s properly rough my full sus (bandit) is definately quicker than the cx and my soul, i think because it rolls over the bumps better and maintains traction better too.

    i tend to climb seated mostly and the bandit hardly bobs then in trail mode, stand and stomp and it will but i dont climb much like that anyway

    loddrik
    Free Member

    For a FS that climbs better than any other, you need one of these…

    Mav’s climb better than anything else, guaranteed.

    BadlyWiredDog
    Full Member

    Mav’s climb better than anything else, guaranteed.

    Seconded.

Viewing 26 posts - 1 through 26 (of 26 total)

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