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Has anyone ever owned a bike that for whatever reason, took their riding to another level? A bike that just ticked all the boxes for you and allowed you to ride more confidently than you had on any other bike?
I, like most of you, have had my fair share of bikes and seem to be on the never ending search for the holy grail of bikes that suits my style and riding ability perfectly and enables me to ride beyond what I believe I am capable. It's completely personal and isn't based on modern geometries, bar lengths, travel etc etc but on what suits you.
Surprisingly I found my perfect bike for UK downhill and it was far from expected. I built up a DMR Bolt because I just don't feel comfortable on full-on downhill rigs (too much for the UK and me!)so I took a punt on the Bolt and it's almost been a revelatory experience for me. Riding the FOD Downhill runs, Aston Hill, Stile Cop and Bringewood suddenly my riding has come alive. I'm hopping stuff I'd normally just plod through, carving the corners with actual control as opposed to just battling for grip. I'm just a faster more controlled rider.
I've found my perfect bike (so far). Anyone else?
A steel/rigid/singlespeed/29er......given that my previous bike was a patriot66 it was a bit of a shock to be honest.
My series one Intense Slopestyle. I discovered new levels of bravery hitherto unheard of at Dans160 Towers. I now have an M9 for the big stuff and the SS is now my everything else bike. It's nearly perfect but could do with being a tad lighter but until Intense make one out of Carbon fibre that aint going to happen.
At the moment its my Surly Cross Check, absolutely awesome. I've been out on it everyday since Saturday, in all the shite weather - just cos its so good! Therefore I guess it's improving my riding.
Yeti ASR-C. Very fast, noticably quicker than anything else I've had.
Hoping the same will be true of the (very different) Scott Plasma I have just aquired...
Dans160, Ive got one on the way! excited doesnt come close!
For me it was a £90 Apollo BMX that I had alongside a £2000 Kona Stinky (about 7 years ago), learnt to ride so much smoother and faster which transferred to the mtb. Loved that bike, wish i still had it!
Got a 2005 rockhopper on the way, loved my old one and couold always ride it better than anything else i had, heres hoping the new one replicates that!
my bottlerocket is pretty much perfect for me right now. things change though 🙂
every bike I've had in the last 15years.
exactly 🙂
My Lapierre Spicy. A couple of small spec changes and it will be perfect. I'm quite happy to do everything on it: XC, freeride, DH and enduros. I love the thing
tell me more about the bolt. I'm very tempted to buy one or a absolute sx but love my trance so I'm unsure if I should swap
i looked at the bolt at corebike and never liked it. never ridden one though
[url= http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6182/6049884372_f0894ecd84.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/yorkshirebiking/6049884372/ ]P1040454[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/yorkshirebiking/ ]Yorkshirebiking[/url], on Flickr
She makes me smile and want to ride 🙂
I've had my Jones for 4 months now. I think I should wait longer before praising it in a way that I'm tempted to now, but I also know when I like a bike. This one is still growing on me and yet I liked it more than anything I'd ridden before within 2 weeks or so of getting it built.
I don't just like this bike, I think it's inspired genius of a kind that I've not experienced in a bike before. Or maybe it just suits my tastes very well. Either way it's my most perfect bike in 25 years or more. I don't ride faster everywhere on it, but I interact with it in a way I enjoy more, it's a complete product that is the embodiment of a bike becoming far greater than the sum of it's parts (and unf the sum of the parts is high enough as it is).
If there is ever a top 10 of all-time great bike (not just MTB, simply bikes) designs, the Jones would have to be in it.
Dammit James, I already wanted one of those, now moving towards 'need'. Would have to be ti with the truss fork.
I had a 2004 Marin Hawk Hill that just felt right in every way. I might be looking back with Rose tinted glasses or it maybe the 3 years previous I had been at University and made do with mid 90's Scott so it felt like a huge upgrade. I still look on eBay for another mint one, I regret selling that bike.
My Cotic BFe looks perfect for the riding I do right now, only I don't know for sure as it's not built up yet (come on CRC) if money were no object it change a few of the components I'm putting on it but I'm more than happy with what I've got coming. Just can't wait to ride it 🙂
My first generation Spesh Enduro really brought my riding on. Light enough to go up comfortably, confidence inspiring on the downs. Wish I still had it!
I really miss my 2007 Stumpy FSR which i sold for some stupid reason. You could just ride it anywhere and end up with a massive grin, rode it all over UK and took it to europe..just fantastic!!! Why did i sell...WHY!!!! 😥
Yep. My 92 Kona Cindercone reinvented as a singlespeed - revived my love of lightweight simplicity and [cliche] brought me back to the reason I started riding [/cliche].
It's also improving my ability to judge pace and cadence as well as route selection.
my 2006 ironhorse factory sunday OMG gutted when i sold it
hence my username blew my knee
i must admit to really wanting a jones ti bike (after seeing pics of them here).if only i could win the lotto to afford one 😉
tell me more about the bolt. I'm very tempted to buy one or a absolute sx but love my trance so I'm unsure if I should swap
I should provide a little background info so you know where I am coming from. Bike choice is such a personal thing.
For Downhill duties I had a Commy Supreme DH V2. It was a great bike but as I rarely race it just became a largely pointless machine. It was too much for most courses in the UK - I always used to describe it as feeling 'swampy'. Anyway, I wanted something that had a bit more life in it that could take the harder hits and the rough stuff. Something with a spring in its step so on a whim I got myself a Bolt frame and swapped a lot of components from my Supreme. My first ride on it at Aston Hill I was sold. It was exactly what I was looking for. It was springy and lively but solid and grippy. It just inspired more confidence in my riding. It didn't lose anything on the Supreme but it just allowed me to force the bike to do what I wanted it to do.
It is on the heavy side but I don't mind that for DH stuff. For me short travel is the way to go for UK downhill. You just don't need 200mm or 180mm for that matter, it just inspires lazy riding. If I could get away with 120mm on World Cup courses without breaking it, I would.
Gary - I'm prone to ott gushing on that bike but I'll mail you before I ride in the Cotswolds next, be good to meet up and you're welcome to try it out. It's at last a 'pretty good, worth a ride' kind of bike.
My mid 90's Kona Explosif with Columbus biaxial tubing was the bike I rode best on (had my Steve Peat Day on it as Tony would have it).
Nearest thing to it since has been my Soul.