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what bike have you owned that best fits the do it all category.
Im selling my hardtail and putting some money towards and cant decide between a do it all full sus or a full on dh bike.
please show me your do it all bikes and help me make my mind up.
I know i dont really need a dh bike most the time but i would rather have a bike that is capable of everything i do.
im confused and really want to get my next bike right as i have now had two in a row that i dont like 🙁
here's mine:-
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[url= http://m.flickr.com/photos/32899704@N03/8445182729/lightbox/ ]Still can't post pics[/url]
Now with added travel - 160mm vans instead of pikes
Go on then...
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Couple more bits coming- reverb, hans dampf & gamut. Good weight and huge amounts of fun.
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Salsa Horsethief, only ridden it once but I love it already. 130mm fork, 120mm rear travel 29er/steamroller/monster truck. Chuffing brilliant. You'll struggle to get the right bike if you don't test ride some, having said that I'd never ridden a Horsethief before I got mine.
Loving the yelli screamy
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8142/7248725782_c76a339098_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikesnthat/7248725782/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/bikesnthat/ ]redmancunian69[/url], on Flickr
My Nicolai Helius CC. Definitely more of an all rounder than my last FS (Enduro SL with Lyriks). The Nic is miles quicker uphill and only marginally less capable downhill. Best bike I've ever ridden. 8)
my daaaaaawg
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the enduro is like a smooth pitch. mmm.
how does that horsething work with such itty bitty seatstays? you'd think they'd bend under compression. anyway only heard good things about it.
i'd of course vote for the only AM bike i've owned, the 26" Guapo.. also happens to be one of the cheapest AM frames if you're into self-build. no pics yet only built it 2 days ago but looks very much like my last one:
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probably could do anything if it wasn't so God Damn Sexy that she mainly likes to pose. 🙄
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Depends on your "all" doesn't it... I don't do enormous marathon XC rides or dirt-jumping so this does my all
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Raced downhill on it, done big days up mountains, all that good stuff.
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Now with double/bash upfront, plus shorter stem and wider bars
Light as anything, hilarious geo and strong enough to take anything my wussy ass will throw at it. blur trc:
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Piss, can someone link to my pic, posting on iPad 🙁
yer was going to say.. i don't think there is (or ever will be) a bike that does dirt jumping and marathon xc rides and DH.. well :p
Built up last summer. Great fun but way more competent than I am! Taking it to the Alps this summer for mine and its first time...
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8369/8446370186_da60cf5f8c.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/69309759@N02/8446370186/ ]20121231_085829[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/69309759@N02/ ]VeeeDubStar[/url], on Flickr
The Seatstays are designed to flex, eliminates the need for a pivot that would move less than 5 degrees anyway.
Does everything [i]I[/i] need it to do rather well
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As Bregante TBH. Helius CC. Amazing bike and AFAICT all I'll ever need.
The Seatstays are designed to flex, eliminates the need for a pivot that would move less than 5 degrees anyway.
oh i see.. they are thin but wide. bit like me old Trek (TF '08) but better. very elegant, wonder how strong it is if used say by a fat man for DH?
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Heckler 🙂 160 up front swapping wheels depending on the duties ranges from 31-37lb depending on what is on it and what it's for.
Here is my covert do it all toy
/TmT8T7YFCb0voHt8VEsbaUjA5GVFWjDFfjVBSgiZP28?size=800x600&size_mode=2
What would a do-it-all bike thread be without a Sovereign (ok, so technically it's my [i]only[/i] bike):
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Does it all from my point of view.
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7250/7567842568_af4306ac1f.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/82598458@N05/7567842568/ ]phone 035[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/82598458@N05/ ]jamesanderson2010[/url], on Flickr
Mostly Surrey Hills but then it has done the Alps and will more than likely be doing the Trans Provence guided this year...
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Does it all
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There is NO do-it-all bike....
There, I've said it... Any bike you use will be good in some areas and compromised in others. Depending on your riding you must choose where you are willing to compromise most.
I've got a Nukeproof Mega. It's great for uplift days and the Alps etc, bit too much for your average xc ride or trail centre and I wouldn't go near a pumptrack with it!
For that reason I also have a hardtail and a bmx.... 😀
Forget the do-it-all notion, it is all about compromise...
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8175/7943478812_e0232b903c.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/67399715@N06/7943478812/ ]El Ciclon with DHX air, X9 type 2 rear mech.[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/67399715@N06/ ]Alanatriversidecyclecentre[/url], on Flickr
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/92694523@N06/8445240643/ ]Intense[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/92694523@N06/ ]tom.howard.562[/url], on Flickr
i'll just leave another one of these here:
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Burlier build than the one up there ^ 140mm forks, chainguide and sturdier wheels etc.
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Probably fine, I've never seen or heard of a broken one.
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Does OFFROAD and ROAD 😀
Well I'm surprised it took as long as it did before we got the first Five. But since we've done that can I offer you this surprisingly capable XC/Trail bike:
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My first do it all bike, was my first bike, a Kona Kula... I took that to the Alps and thought I should get one of these full suspension things...
180mm of pure plushness.. 
It's not bad going up hills either.
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Not very recognisable from the angle of the photo tho!
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[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8447611364_237b68e23d_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/willslater/8447611364/ ]Hemlock[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/willslater/ ]Will Slater[/url], on Flickr
In its natural habitat... Does everything I want it to FAR better than I can.
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Either this or my first generation Soul now run as a single speed. Both do exactly what I want them to do.
Here's mine. Used for DH @ FoD and regular rides on the Malverns. Climbs really well too...
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So, we've established that the ideal do-it-all bike is ......... one with two wheels 😀
You'll be wanting a "Mountain Bike".
My Ragley Blue Pig does everything my old Dialled PA did but a bit better. It is a very good Jack of All trades, Master of None bike.
However it is jolly good fun!
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Short Stem, Wide Bars, 150mm Air Fork with 15mm axle, decent strong and light wheels, dropper post, nice and slack HA, nice and steep SA, decent brakes, 2x9 SLX drivetrain, chunky tyres, sorted.
If i was to change it it would be for either a Specialized Enduro type Bike or a slack 29er HT like the Kona Honzo/Chromag Surface.
Though I'm quite tempted by the new On-One Ti 456Evo...
Too subjective to get a definitive answer, even outside of stw!
For example, I see no bikes I this thread that I would be happy to use for everything I do, but I know very few folk would consider what I own 'all-rounders'
The closest thing IMO is the current bottlerocket; with a decent spec it's light enough to ride xc, tough enough to go mental and has neutral enough geometry to handle dj, dh, fr, xc, am, pm, ATM,rpm aa, rac etc... Depending on the skills of the rider of course 😉