[Closed] Not very proficient at downhilling?

Boing boing 😀

I choose rigid hardtail.

are you looking to improve your basic technique or simply make it down the hill in one piece...?

[b]I[/b] choose a full DH full-suspension bike for [b]me[/b].

I'd make the same choice were I extremely proficient at DH, mind you.

suspension is a skill conpensator

FS, what type of Downhilling proper DH tracks or 'trail' downhill or Sweary Northerner 'tech' downhill (the really tricky bits)?

Well, speaking on behalf of a friend who is not terribly proficient, I, sorry, he rides a 130mm forked hardtail.

no need to debate this, or point the errors of anyones way's

just a nice simple answer.

I see this has been comprehensively ignored already!

i see this has been comprehensively ignored already!

if thats the case.
ride with someone who is a good tutor and teach him how to decend correctly - body position, brake setup - lever position.
the 130mm bike is fine.

Eh up Ton - want to start another argument?

Rigid of course -preferabley steel and SS

FS.

A FS if I wanted to just get down and have fun.
A HT if I wanted to learn to ride "better".

My Heckler.

A FS if I wanted to just get down and have fun.
A HT if I wanted to learn to ride "better".

dissagree.

if the guy can't decend on a ht he wont be able to decend on the fs.

A FS obv but not the kind of lightweight, noodly, seatpost-tastic FS you see wobbling round trail centres 😉

What Monkey said.

I have a FS for general trail riding 'cos thats what I like. Who says you have to get better at riding. (braces oneself) can't we just enjoy it?

Whichever is the slackest with the biggest tyres.

dissagree.

if the guy can't decend on a ht he wont be able to decend on the fs.

Double disagree 😉

ton - Member

if YOU were not very proficient at riding downhill over rough terrain and obsticles, what kind of bike would YOU choose

If you mean if I wanted to improve? personally I'd simply ride more, doesn't matter what!
you can't buy better downhilling proficiency (you can hire men who will help you tho)

A small hardtail if I wanted to improve, a big DH bike if I wanted to be fast.

Full suspension. I rode stuff at a speed I never thought possible on a Spicy I demo'd.

Whichever is the slackest with the biggest tyres.

Also depends how much moola they have, we have an On One Summer Season in the house, chain device 1x9 and big tyres, all off here cheap. Its a hoot on the downhill, makes one's teeth rattle, does not go as fast as a DH bike but good fun.
After years of not being very proficient at DH I made up an 'all mountain' that could do dh and a bit of other things so not totally restricted/wasted.
An alternative for be to find a cheap old Orange 222 (old dh frames/bikes are very unloved) with some old Bombers on and plow through everything, but if they are not too proficient they will prob be well over biked.

based on personally wanting to improve my downhill riding, (do bigger jumps, ride rougher terrain, generally faster and more fearless)

Ive done a few things
first ive been riding with lads that ride downhill
Ive ridden both hardtail and full sus.
Also borrowed a downhill bike.

also been to the Thackley skills area to learn how to pump and do table tops.

For big drops and how to ride fast and corner Ive been to Hamsterley on the big downhill bike and literally followed experienced riders and done as they do (as best I can).
Ive taken the full-sus to Esholt, Silton, Whanrcliffe and Stainburn with downhillers and just ridden with them to try to follow lines and to just try keep up.

Also people questioning my sexuality when it comes to drop offs etc usually is the encouragement i need to have a go.

Main thing to going fast is to relax.

If you want a laugh and try some stuff then Esholt is awesome at the moment, the digging is so good and the lines are so brilliant, short runs but brilliantly well done with a bit of everything.
but dont tell anyone it's secret.

GW - in answer, I'm def stupid.

teej.........what do you mean, start a argument?

GW, as helpfull has ever, you miserable t wat.

thanks for the input everyone else.

Full Suss for me, but either will do, as riding bikes downhill is fun regardless 😀

as much travel as poss, and get under Jedi's wing. Then you'll earn that you could do it on a roller skate, but it'll be more fun and more comfy on a boinger..

full sus. gives you the ability to hit big stuff harder, with a big of survivability if it goes wrong (ie landing big drops onto braking bumps).

hardtails are great for learning to trail ride better, if you're on a full dh course the flow you can get out of a big bike makes you quicker

proper downhill on a hardtail is hard work and requires a great deal of skill to do it quickly

I'm notoriously rubbish at DH, despite having invested in skills compensating machines.

I'd go for two things:

1) The most stable feeling bike you can find
2) Coaching

I've a coaching session on my birthday list next year!

Depends... If just wanting to ride like that, then full suss. If wanting to improve, then possibly hardtail but still probably full suss (making things harder doesn't neccesarily make you improve faster)

ton, what didn't you find helpful?

the first line of my reply was "tongue in cheek", the second my honest reply.

GW I've never seen you backtrack like that, wots up scared?

The one I want to ride that is working properly. Normally this would be a FS, but DH on a poppy HT is of course ace fun too.

FS every time, especially if it was going to be used abroad. Bike park braking bumps suck on a hardtail.

If I didnt have to pedal it up the hill I'd choose the longest travel FS DH bike that I could find. My skills need compensated for.

Backtrack? hardly Toys 🙄 simply explaining my previous post to Ton who seems incapable of both comprehension and construction of the English language.
What would I be scared of exactly?

Something that's stiff, long and plush to man-handle.

Less than a page long and your already calling each other names...

I find the technical rough stuff easier on my full sus bike, whether it be climbing or decending having the suspension there helps when i make a wrong desision or put my body weight in the wrong place and end up heading for the rock rather than round it.
I am lucky enough to have both a full sus and a hard tail so when i feel confident over sections on the full sus i have a go at them on the hard tail as i know i need to be smoother.
As others have mentioned i do find simply getting out there more helps me get better more than what bike i ride, however i would probably chicken out of more stuff if i was on the hard tail rather than the full sus for trying stuff for the first time.

GW, apologies mate.....i missed this 😉 off my reply.

reason i am asking, is because i am gonna do some uplift days, and only have a spindly hardtail. i do not think it is up to the job.
i have been offered a swap for a nice robust full susser which may be more suitable.
just in 2 minds wether to swap or not.

Swap, no doubt in my mind based on your predicament.

You want to have as much fun as possible riding DH?
You want it to be as comfortable as possible?

Get the right tool for the job.

Plus sods law says that as soon as you make the swap, you'll have reason to need a mile munching spindly hardtail again.