i want to do a DH track, but i dont want to buy a DH bike, so what shall i change on my bike to make it able to do a DH cause. I have a CBR sideswipe

First thing I’d suggest is to change your spellchecker

And right after that, start by telling people what bike you have.

DH tyres. Maybe a chain device. Drop the saddle. Go ride.

saddle on lowest, and got MAXXIS high roller. what type of chain device would u recomend ?

Gamut. Simple & cheapish.

Thanks

How much do they cost on average ? and i have three sprokets at the front, can i still fit a Gamut ?

Just go ride, dh is just normal riding but you walk to the top instead of riding. If you then feel like you need upgrades, then upgrade..

Thanks

jam bo- would this be a good chain device to go for ? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CHAIN-GUIDE-dh-jump-dual-/250778667371?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item3a6392c96b

Save your cash, go ride your current bike til you break it. You will get a good idea from looking at other peoples bikes at the dh venue what you will eventually need, you may even get a 2nd hand bargain off one of them!

Thats what I would do anyway . . . . .

lol, cheers

I wouldn’t even bother with a chain device to start with. Take the big ring off and put a bash guard on and then shorten your chain to take up the slack. That’s what I did on my MmmBop which I rode last week for my first DH race and had no probs with the chain jumping off. Other than that, what Realman and Oxboy said – just go out and have fun!

What orena said. Did that to my Chameleon and took it to the alps last Summer, get some bigger burlier forks if you haven’t already too.

have a look at superstarcomponents for chain guides.

While they are not fort bill standard I used to ride the ones on the Quantocks with a standard xc hardtail and tyres. I just dropped my seat.

You don’t really need to make adjustments in many cases. If you do want to make life easier then big tyres is the first step that doesn’t involve spending loads.

thanks

Hi, i need help finding a chain guide or gamuts to fit my bike. i have three cogs at the front and my bike is a cbr sideswipe. please help as i dont have much idea.

does your bike have iscg tabs?

sorry, but what is that ?

First thing I’d suggest is to change your spellchecker

Preferably one that will parse your sentences first, seeing as ’cause’ isn’t spelt incorrectly.

Oh, wait. You weren’t being constructive. I get it.

No i dont think i have got any.

james google is your friend!

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=56&products_id=263

this chain device can be fitted on to iscg tabs or onto your bb

And the ‘ The Flying Ox’ i have no idea what you are on about ?

Not a dig at you James. Just idiots who feel the need to enforce the rules of grammar and spelling on everything they read.

Wheels that are up to it and 2.5″ DH tubes and tyres.
That’s all I did to my Cove Stiffee hard tail to ride Cwm Carn on uplift days.

Based on the spec on the Argos and Asda sites, I’d recommend simply riding this bike until it breaks and then replacing it with something more suited to DH. Specialized did a DH bike at about a grand new a couple of years back, so you’ll be able to pick up something used for well below half of that.

There’s no point in chucking money at a low spec bike if you can’t guarantee the durability of most components on it, you’d be better saving for something from a reputable brand then upgrading it as and when things wear out.

thanks, so this http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=56&products_id=263

will do the job then ?

Providing you know you will need to take off two of your chainrings upfront, then yes, it should work. I think AlasdairMc has offered some pretty good advice in his post.

ok, thanks

Buy a chain guide if your chain keeps falling off. Buy a bash guard if you keep breaking chainring teeth. I get the impression you havent tried to ride a downhill course yet – I wouldn’t go spending money on something you might find you don’t like.

Don’t be seduced by the temptations of upgrades… not yet anyway.

okay, i will do a dh first, i was just wondering if there is anything major before i go on ride dh. thanks

It’s just riding your bike. Most of them (not all!) you’d be fine on any old XC bike but it’s as you turn up the pace and difficulty you’ll want more grip etc. Frinstance today was the innerleithen winter series round 2, on friday I rode the course on my XC bike because that just happened to be what I was riding, pretty slow but steady and good fun. If I tried to do that at speed I’d have been killed into a million bits but, doing it slow like that is a good place to start.

Buy body armour and a full face helmet first. Speaking from experience of a big crash at cwmcarn at the weekend.

Hi James.

I can see from your posting history that you seem to like asking the same questions and ignoring the answers – but –

If you’re going to try the DH course at Stile Cop on Cannock Chase just ride down it slowly a few times with the bike you’ve got. If you select big ring at the front and middle ring at the back your chain will be quite taut and probably won’t fall off.

As you get faster and more confident you will start taking off on some of the ramps. That’s fine, but the first thing I would expect to happen is that your fork will start to make nasty clunking noises and develop a bit of play. Probably best to take it easy when that happens.

Try and chat to some of the regulars there and listen to their advice. If you watch listen and learn somebody might even let you have a go on his bike so you can decide whether the extra £2000 it cost is worth it.

I suspect the bike will have a dirt cheap chainset making fitting a chain device nigh on impossible if the chainrings can’t be seperated from the arms. So forget about that – if you’re running a front mech and triple chainset, that’ll do for learning on.

You’ve already shoved your seat out of the way so like others have suggested, I’d look at better tyres. Better pedals (some £20 DMRs will be better than what you have as standard), full face helmet would be good if you’re learning, as will gloves and pads but decent lid is a must. Then maybe look at a better bar and stem and/or a better fork. eBay is you’re friend – old Z1s etc with 5″ or so of travel will transform your bike and won’t cost much more than £50 or so.

Fit bars far wider than you really need. Some 800mm Kore bars will do nicely.
Get some long travel forks – Marzocchi Super Monster T’s will do nicely too – slacken your bikes head angle out a bit. Slack means fast. Very fast.

Oh, and lastly, practise shouting “Brap! Brrrrrap!” at the top of your voice.

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Or alternatively, ride your current bike more often to gain confidence on it.