For years I've had the itch to own a full on downhill bike, ever since a mate loaned me his Cove Shocker for a day at Cwmcarn in fact, must have been about 2008.Thing is I live on the South coast, have three young kids, a dodgy back and not enough time to ride as it is. Group of guys I know head to Wales for DH days/weekends but I'd rarely get the chance to join them (and they're all faster than me, not that it really matters) .
And yet the itch remains and part of me thinks that I should get one before I get even older and slower. I had said a grand max to myself but then saw an XL Turner DHR with a nice build for 1750 which (probably luckily) had already sold. That's another issue, trying to find a decent used bike big enough as I'm over 6'3".
So I'd probably keep it for a year, barely ride it and sell it on again, right? I know this has been done before but help talk me out of what, when written down, is not a great idea. Or talk me into it if you like, go!
If I had the spare cash I'd buy one tomorrow.
You're already doing a better job than I could OP.
Think you've answered your own question really. Sounds like it could be a waste of money.
There's a lot to be said for renting... I'd rather have my own bike and learn it but looking at it purely financially it's just insane, my price per ride on all mine was way higher than renting each time never mind tying up the money. But maybe it's hard to rent big bikes?
But... I really enjoy speccing and building bikes, it gives you a bit of spontaneity, I liked just taking it out and pissing about on the local trails and that. Familiarity is good too though tbh if you're not riding it often there can still be a relearning process. (my 224 didn't need much, very simple bike to ride, my Herb was a pain in the arse for this though)
All in all... It makes not much sense, right? So forget about sense entirely, if you can afford it and you have space for it and you want it then just embrace the depreciation and the cost-per-ride and have a blast. It's still less depreciation than hookers.
(also, remember that sizing is a bit different for DH bikes, you're worrying about length not height so many older XLs will come up shorter than a modern L.)
Define "afford". With 3 kids there's always plenty of other things to spend money on but it's also not like they're deprived of much. It would be a selfish purchase but you've got to live a bit too along with the daily grind.
What do Intense 951s size up like in a Large, think they're a fairly large large IYKWIM? I think sticking close to a grand as originally planned would be favourite, should still be worth at least 700 in a year or two, no? I like speccing and building bikes too but that's not an option here, would have to take a used bike apart and rebuild it though which also appeals.
I wouldn't be buying a DH bike now, with the wheelsize elephant now picking up for DH bikes, people buying 'old tech' 26" DH bikes (regardless of how good they are) will be wanting to pay bobbins for one.
That includes me to be honest, might wait a few months or upset people with some lowball offers, someone might bite! Was thinking spending near 2k on a 26" bike doesn't make sense when you can get a 27.5 YT Tues with warranty (of sorts) for not much more. Lower spec, true, but brand spankin'!
Would a freeride or mini-DH bike make more sense for local riding as well as trips away?
I scratched the DH bike itch but ended up going back to a 180mm bike instead and it's much better for my needs TBH.
Another angle. A man I know bought a Giant Glory and promptly crushed 2 vertebrae on its first day out......he's lucky and back on a bike but his wife has forbade full sus in the hope it'll slow him down.......he's already serving up whoopass on the local Strava DHs. Tart
Get one, £1k. See the other thread. You can easily buy a bike, use it for 2 years and sell on for £2-300 less than u paid. That's cheap bike rental._
If youve got as couple of grand to spare, walk my way.. I have just zee thing
My Sultan is already built up on the AM side with 140mm Pikes etc, if I'm going to ride to the trails I'll take that, if I'm going to drive there I'd rather go the whole hog or that itch will remain unscratched! Not going to be many competent 180mm XL bikes for around 1k anyway I'd have thought?
Or 200mm. Start looking, you'll be surprised. You can always barter
glasgowdan - can you point me in the direction of "the other thread" please? Can't see it.
Define "afford". With 3 kids there's always plenty of other things to spend money on but it's also not like they're deprived of much.
What is your work sickness policy like, is your line manager/ owner of the company a little on the large side? Will they take a sympathetic view when something "bad" happens like mowglis mate?
I wouldn't but then I'm older and less resilient after bouncing nowadays. I have also ridden with much younger chaps with 20 years DH experience and they scared me just watching on proper Dolomite stuff with a savage penalty for failure.
If you have to scratch the itch, set a budget and stick to it, go for older models from common brands, niche/boutique DH bikes are simply not worth it for the occasional daaarnhilllerist IMO.
I will say this, with two kids myself, the limiting factor for riding DH hasn't been finances, it's been time, loading up the car, driving places, and day riding/racing, then heading home...
It's often a full day or weekend away, which I have found our family set up doesn't really accommodate, hence I'm chopping in my DH bike now.
More local trips, and riding from the door is what I'm back to for now...
Sandwich - I work for a large construction firm. Six weeks full pay, six weeks half pay, line manager's discretion thereafter. So could be worse but anyway, it's not going to happen to me, I'm invincible! Possibly.
cookeaa - exactly the same boat. However by the time the kids are old enough to come along or allow me more time I'll be getting on (40 now) so my thinking is now or never. You're right on the budget, would love a DHR just to tinker with though.....Anyway, is your bike an XL and is it £999.99?
Just get a fatbike! 
No.
If I did I'd have to use phrases like "smiles per mile" and "grin factor" every time they were discussed and then I'd have to shoot myself in the face. That would make me feel sad which seems counterproductive.
[url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/a-bike-for-uplifts-1000-max ]http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/a-bike-for-uplifts-1000-max[/url]
How tall are you? How do you know large frames won't do? I'd do some comparisons of reach and go from there.
Thanks Dan. I'm 6'3" and a bit. I'm pretty sure some large frames would fit but I need to figure out which ones
Anyway, is your bike an XL and is it £999.99?
Nope,I'm only 5'10" and I've been trundling downhills on an old Stab (Size M I think) for the last couple of years, which is now in bits waiting to be cleaned up and go on ebay...
It's probably cost me no more than £500 to assemble, but it sounds like you might have higher aspirations than me...
35 now So I should expect DH bike lust to strike again in about five years or so then.... 😀
Saracen Myst in Large has good long reach, and there's a guy on fb selling one for 1250 but open to offers. Looks a superb bike to me! [URL= http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/glasgowdan/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2015-02-09-08-46-36_zps7bbb7a6f.jp g" target="_blank">
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/glasgowdan/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2015-02-09-08-46-36_zps7bbb7a6f.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
[b]Sandwich[/b]What is your work sickness policy like, is your line manager/ owner of the company a little on the large side? Will they take a sympathetic view when something "bad" happens like mowglis mate?
I wouldn't but then I'm older and less resilient after bouncing nowadays. I have also ridden with much younger chaps with 20 years DH experience and they scared me just watching on proper Dolomite stuff with a savage penalty for failure.
This is the reason I haven't done what you're thinking of. If I crash on my bike and cannot work I get basic sick pay only (Extreme Sports clause). Despite going to BPW and Antur regularly plus PDS every summer there's no way I could take the risk of a big stack. I tried a DH bike at BPW a few months back and I was very quickly doing very stupid stuff well above my skill level, modern bikes just soak it all up!! Had to really resist when I was offered a stupidly cheap price for a nearly-new Canyon Torque a few weeks ago.
For safety's sake I'll be sticking with my 5 as the biggest bike in my shed, I seem to have some self-restraint on it and it's more than capable of handling what I actually have the skills to do 😛
I'm invincible!
Well so far, like I'm immortal! 😀
The large Myst has 16mm more reach than an XL Turner DHR and stack is within a couple of mm. Plenty around the £1200 mark so with a bit of haggling looks like a winner. Wonder about the longevity of the carbon swingarm though.
So I'd probably keep it for a year, crash and get smashed up when I've ridden it just long enough to think I'm Gee Atherton, come back while still injured and crash again, not ride again for over a year [s]barely ride it[/s] and sell it on again, right?
Just saying like
Thing is I live on the South coast,
A hardtail is overkill.
Do it, riding proper DH bikes on a decent track is great. Brilliant way to develop a skillset and mindset most normalriders wouldn't get riding a normal bike on the same terrain.
Having had (and loved) my share dh bikes over years I think unless you're racing they're kind of pointless. Even for uplifts I found my self reaching for my Enduro so in the end got rid.
They're big, heavy things that unless you're hauling aren't actually that fun to ride. A modern, long travel (160ish) trail bike will cope above and beyond what you can throw at them plus you'll have a far more versatile bike in the shed. 2 sets of wheels and you've got a something capable of smashing down Llangollen or pedalling around a trail centre all day.
I've had my current 'modern geo' dh bike for a couple of years and hardly ever ride it. What I mean is a 63 deg HA and relatively long wheelbase i.e. pretty much any frame made after 2012 (mine is a commencal supreme v3).
to be honest, apart from fort bill and perhaps Revolution or Llangollen I don't see the point in having it unless you're having a couple of weeks in the alps every year. Its a combination of a race geo and the fact that I just don't ride it fast enough now after a couple of bad shoulder injuries.
I took it to PDS/morzine in 2013 and only really enjoyed riding it on Champery and the really steep off piste stuff on super morzine. It was just too sluggish on the bike park-y stuff, at the speeds I was riding it. Its good for steep stuff but there's not much of that about in UK.
Now I keep the bike for the very rare occasion I might need it (i.e. a fort bill mini break this year) and I feel it keeps me in the downhill game, funny as that sounds. Also, its resale value isn't the best (Ive now prejudiced any sale of it on this forum!)so perhaps that's why im keeping it for now.