Morzine – AM Bike

Hey folks, quick question. A few of my mates are planning a trip to Morzine this summer and I’m really keen to join them.

The trouble is they all have DH rigs, where as I am currently kitted out with a Lapierre Zesty 414 with Fox Float 32 140mm forks, AM bike. I get the impression from my mates who were there last year, that this is under-specced for the trails off the uplifts.

Having ridden the Fort William DH track a few times, I do feel like yes I could benefit from some beefier forks to tune my ride to this type of riding. Therefore I was considering some second-hand Rock Shox Lyriks or Fox Float/Talas 34 160mm as a potential upgrade.

Question is to anyone with experience of the trails, will that be enough? My mates suggest at least DH forks but I’m not even convinced my bike would take a 200mm dual-crown.

Firstly, putting boxers on your Zesty definately isn’t the answer!

Most trails in Morzine/Les Gets are rideable on a 140 bike. If you aren’t a regular DH rider, it won’t be the the bike that stops you on the really steep stuff.

I’m not a DHer, and ride a 160 Heckler in the Alps.

What do you want to do at Morzine? if it’s just ride down most of the DH trails without dying, then your current bike will be fine. if you want to slam through massive rooty sections, huck to flat from 40 feet in the air, and backflip the berms, you might be better off with something stronger.

So, far, i have been the critical limiting factor on anything i’ve tried with my zesty………. 😉

The trails are perfectly rideable on your bike as is. Depending on skillz you might struggle to keep up some sections but that isn’t a big issue if you are going up and down all day. If you are happy on the FW black then you will be fine

I have been to Morzine twice on a Cannondale Prophet 140mm trail bike. For the odd trail that we rode a bigger bike would have been nice, but in general a trail bike is more than adaquate. You will get a good buzz from nailing past folk on full DH rigs on your wee bike!

First time I rode Le Pleney it was on a Scott F-Zero 100mm xc bike (11 years ago).

You’ll be fine.

As others have said it depends what trails you want to ride, sure there are (a few) people riding hardtails out there, but most are there on DH rigs.

I took my 160mm FS and while it was fine, arm pump was the order of the day and i’m considering a pair of 180mm forks for next year.

If you’re riding with mates on DH bikes IMHO a 140mm bike will be frustrating as you’ll be wanting to ride different trails all the time.

I use my hard tail in the Alps, it’s good fun!

Watch out for the lift operators trying to throw your ‘unexpectedly light’ bike right off the chair lift bike rails however……

Me and a mate said if we ever went back it be on AM bikes as these seem more suitable for the sneaky off piste trails and exploring.

Pop a 160mm fork on there and some big rotors and you’ll be fine.

The first year I went I was on 140mm Fox 32’s. They were fine on the jumps and the drops, but it was the braking bumps which had me screaming in agony.

the zesty will be absolutely fine!

Big rotors ,a dropper post and decent tyres . There’s loads of great riding out there not just the downhill- bikepark runs .

Went to Les Arcs last year on a 150mm hardtail. Only bike I had at the time. If I went back I’d want suspension, but not a DH bike. We rode loads of natural stuff (perfect for a trail bike as there’s a few ups as well as downs), and all the manmade trails including the blacks, and it was great fun. Ride what you got. Bigger forks might be useful though. 🙂

If you’re riding with mates on DH bikes IMHO a 140mm bike will be frustrating as you’ll be wanting to ride different trails all the time.

I went out on my Five with mates on DH rigs. This is exactly what I found.

The big issue with Morzine will be do you want to do the big fast breaking bumped DH runs or the other stuff. I’ve always gone on AM bikes there but Fox 32’s are not AM forks!

It’s all OK if your doing the riding you want to do or your mates are for that matter.

Really appreciate all the responses – I’m certainly sensing that the Zesty (& hopefully rider) should at least survive the trails but my overall speed/enjoyment may not be on par.

To be honest, I had a similar issue at Fort William – the bike got down the Black WC route but obviously not at the same speed my mates were going on their DH bikes.

…and the arm pump by the 5th descent! Still had a cracking day!

Guess I’ll have to keep my eye on the for sale forum for a cheap set of 160mm forks. 😉

Look for a set of Marzocchi 55s 2010 onwards – mine were £150

Big rotors ,a dropper post and decent tyres . There’s loads of great riding out there not just the downhill- bikepark runs .

Got the dropper, will need rotors and tyres. Only issue is like what others are saying – my mates are looking at the DH “Gorilla” trails and I’m looking to ride with them.

If I’m last, I’m last – just want to make sure I have a good time in the process and my bike isn’t going to crumble.

In that case have a plan B! Look at a guide to get you onto some of the other trails and explore a bit. If they (and you) are aiming for the DH stuff all week forget the dropper it won’t get much use…

Not saying you will have a bad time just be prepared that you might need to take the lead at some point if you want to have a decent trip too.

Pimpmaster Jazz – Member

If you’re riding with mates on DH bikes IMHO a 140mm bike will be frustrating as you’ll be wanting to ride different trails all the time.

I went out on my Five with mates on DH rigs. This is exactly what I found.

What he said!!

daver27 – Member

the zesty will be absolutely fine!
+1

Rode the alps on a pitch.

If you’re going for a ride in the mountains, AM biek is perfect.

If you’re hammering the lifts and brake bump ridden tracks everyone rides a DH bike would be nice.

I’ve just got a DH bike, for ages i was a one bike kind of person, doing uplifts, big gaps, and xc rides on a 6″ bike, it however got to the point where it was either getting to beasty for everyday riding or too light and flimsy for hammering DH tracks and big gaps.

But then there’s a whole other debate regarding technical ability and getting the most out of a big travel bike. I’d say if you haven’t got stuff like manuals, hops, jumps, good turning, line reading etc on your zesty, the DH bike will be somewhat wasted.

YTou only really need the bigger bike if oyu’re ridng harder, depends how hard you’re going to ride.

It has has been a revelation having the right tool for the job now, a lighter, shorter trvel trail bike and an actual DH bike (plus the 29er hardtail/BMX/jump bike).

I’d imagine it’ll all be ridable just not at the same speed like most DH trails

In that case have a plan B! Look at a guide to get you onto some of the other trails and explore a bit. If they (and you) are aiming for the DH stuff all week forget the dropper it won’t get much use…

Not saying you will have a bad time just be prepared that you might need to take the lead at some point if you want to have a decent trip too.

+1 🙂

There are big trails, but they’re more fun on big bikes. There’s also a massive amount of insanely good ‘all mountain’ riding which your Zesty will be an ideal tool for.

I’d imagine it’ll all be ridable just not at the same speed like most DH trails

Pretty much. IMHO there’s bits and pieces that I’d say a DH bike will see you down, whereas an AM bike will see you struggling, but on the whole it’ll cope. I still think you’d enjoy it more on a DH bike, or go singletrack hunting on the Zesty.

my mates are looking at the DH “Gorilla” trails and I’m looking to ride with them.

This^ and the fact you’ve got a Zety suggests to me that this isn’t your normal sort of riding. I’d wager you’d have more fun riding the sort of stuff that you’re used to than you would out of your depth at full pelt trying to keep up with your mates.

there are bikes and there are bikes 🙂

If I was heading back there I’d still take an AM bike but I wouldn’t bother with much of the DH, I might hire a big bike for a couple of days though.

my mates are looking at the DH “Gorilla” trails and I’m looking to ride with them.

This^ and the fact you’ve got a Zety suggests to me that this isn’t your normal sort of riding. I’d wager you’d have more fun riding the sort of stuff that you’re used to than you would out of your depth at full pelt trying to keep up with your mates.

This may be the case, though Gorilla was the term they used? My normal everyday riding is the likes of Golspie, Balblair and Laggan in the Scottish Highlands (where I live), though I’ve ridden the DH at Fort William also. All of these trails I can ride very confidently on my current bike.

Money is obviously a factor or I would just go out and buy a DH rig and be done with it. Therefore thoughts are upgrade what I can to get the bike more DH orientated and if it’s still too much for the bike – maybe I’ll just have to go exploring on the odd days. 😉

You will be fine around there on your bike, more than enough. I’ve seen people run it on a 2004 Trek Bruiser!
I suspect you may want to miss out the road gap etc but the trails will be fine. I had less when i last went and i’m planning on taking a similar bike to yours when i go next year.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/psa-marzocchi-55-rc3-evo-ti-for-458-at-crc

I haven’t been for a while, but rode all the red downhills on 80mm full sus Giant NRS. It was more the XC geometry that put me off the blacks rather than lack of suspension. I think an AM bike would be perfect as there are pedally uphills out there, that would be far for pleasant on a bike you can actually ride uphill. Also worth remembering that a lot of the downhills end in the same place so some can ride the Red and others the Black and meet at the bottom.

Also worth remembering that a lot of the downhills end in the same place so some can ride the Red and others the Black and meet at the bottom.

Very good point, thanks.

Look for a set of Marzocchi 55s 2010 onwards – mine were £150

Thanks for the suggestion and link. The new set on CRC is a bit out of my current price range but I’ll be keeping eye out on forums for any bargains.

My 2p’s worth..

I went two years ago on a old Norco A-line DH bike I bought for the trip and had an absolute blast doing the main runs around Morzine, Les Gets etc. The 200mm travel is nice and I often think its the way forward out there but the thing that annoyed me out there was I spent half the day pushing a heavy unpedalable bike in sorching heat and rolling down cheeky paths that would be brilliant on another bike. This year I can only have one bike so i’ll be doing everything I did before on my 160mm Mojo. I’m seriously looking forward to finding some singletrack this year without having to end up in some valley without a lift and having to push my way out. I’m sure for the speed I ride and the small gaps and drops I do i’ll be fine. As for the braking bumps they’re much better off the ‘racing line’ so just try to pick your line better

Your Zesty was built for this environment – you’ll be fine. Your mates with their big DH bikes will be the ones that lose out. The area is literally covered in trails, all of which are perfect for a zesty, with only a percentage any fun on a full on DH bike.

If your mates are unlikely to be enticed from the DH tracks, the alternative is to buy a 2nd hand DH bike and think of it like a set of skis… Something to keep hanging in the garage, to be rolled out once or twice a year when it’s required; minimal outlay for loads of laughs. There’s loads of DH bargains knocking around, many of which are not much over a different set of forks.

Nothing much new to add, other than last time I went I only had 120mm suspension either end and I was only slightly killed. I would get some beefier forks for the Zesty though. X fusion slants probably cost as much new as Fox 34’s 2nd hand and I much prefer the Slants.

I’d suggest you forget messing about with forks when the bottom line is you’d still be on an xc bike. The trails are big, rough, lots of rocky compressions that will send you all over the place on the zesty.

Buy a cheap dh bike for the trip and sell it when you get home. 600 quid will buy you a decent one. Sell for 500 later and you’ve hired a bike for 100 quid.

Honestly, I went on a 150mm remedy and would never do that again.

Honestly, I went on a 150mm remedy and would never do that again.

Seriously? You felt under-biked on a Remedy?

Your going to get pummelled to sh*t, especially if your going late in the season and if your mates want to session the dull main lines, all the best stuff in PDS is off the beaten track and i genuinely think a bike that can pedal is the best way to get the most out of the area.
Chuck some 160mm forks on and enjoy.

Seriously? You felt under-biked on a Remedy?

If you’re following mates on DH rigs down the main runs, then yes – I can totally see that. While I took my Five out there I also borrowed a Day Sunday for a few days – the Sunday was the right tool for riding the main trails on.

Your going to get pummelled to sh*t, especially if your going late in the season and if your mates want to session the dull main lines, all the best stuff in PDS is off the beaten track and i genuinely think a bike that can pedal is the best way to get the most out of the area.
Chuck some 160mm forks on and enjoy.

Totally agree. There’s soooooo much good riding in the area outside Plenney and Super Morzine that your Zesty would rock on. However, if you’re going out with mates on DH bikes to ride the downhills, personally I’d get a downhill bike for the holiday.

IMO the best riding in Morzine/Les Gets is away from the heavily rutted DH trails and requires a bit of pedalling. However if your mates have DH rigs I suspect they will focus only on the marked trails and truthfully you will have an “average” time trying to keep up with them. You can rent a DH bike for €60 a day.