I am looking to dabble in a bit of downhill in my old age!! and looking for recommendations for cheap secondhand downhill bikes to look out for (or avoid) for under £1000

I will mainly be riding Forest of Dean and Cwm Carn

currenty riding 150mm trail bike and want something to smooth out the big and repetative hits.

Not looking to buy one yet but just want some ideas.

cheers

There seem to be a lot more decent mid-life crisis bikes coming through at that level now, have you looked at Pinkbike classifieds?

You’ll definitely get a good Iron Horse Sunday or the old-style Giant Glory at that price, probably a Trek Session, Orange 224 or Kona Operator – though raising the budget to £1,200 or so might save money in the long run if it lets you buy a newer bike in better nick.

Take some of the prices people are asking with a pinch of salt BTW.

I’d not get an orange, back brake on = no suspension. Old glorys are built like tanks so very strong but also very heavy! If you can get an operator that would be good or maybe a nukeproof scalp. Both much more modern than a lot of the alternatives. The sundays are good but all develop rear end play at some point so don’t get one that’s not had the rear end machined and spacers made up to resolve the issue.

Thanks for advice

Been looking on pink bike. Difficult to know what is a good deal or not. Like the iron horse sunday and saw an inrense socom as welll. Lots of cheap stinky’s but I assume they are bombproof but heavy and well used. Quite like scott voltage as well.

Also not sure if I should be looking for single or triple clamp forks or not.

The danger is that the bugdet always increases for a bike that will not be my main bike.

more research needed!!!!

What is your main bike?

I have a dh bike and enduro, have ridden both at those venues and the later was more fun

Might be worth looking at new forks and rubber/wheels unless you plan to ride full on DH abroad in mountains

You can pick up a spesh big hit pretty cheap. Not a full on DH bike but cheap and more than capable.

If you want a dh bike and already have a trail bike then get one, dual crowns etc the whole thing or it’s rather like what you have.
Stinky’s I’d avoid as they’re fairly old now and the geometry is odd.
Sundays as I’ve said have back end link wear issues to be wary of, not just bearings £150 ish to fix properly.

You don’t say how big you are or what size you’re looking for but these look like good deals:
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1491463/ kona operator
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1531784/ specialized status – their lower end bike but well thought of and again much newer than some would be.
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1515323/ 2011 saracen myst again well thought of bikes and with some haggling could be in budget.

Just to try and give you some ideas!

Riding a Cove Hustler with 150mm RS coil Sektors which I really like.

was thinking about longer forks but dont want to mess the geometry too much. I hear that some manufacturers have different crown to arch heights which can help.

it is difficult to know how much is too much bike as I am 41 and a mere mortal. Still fairly aggressive rider but do get the fear at times!!!

plan on ridingin the alps but could hire a full on bike out there

I’ve just got a specialized status, which seems pretty decent. My main reason for getting it was the standard 135mm hub spacing and standard BB width = I can use spares I already have from my other bikes. A couple of riders were using them at rampage the other year, so they must be pretty tough.
I’d go for a status, myst or operator personally!

Thanks for the links. I am 5’7″ and ride a small frame. Have short legs and long torso so feel like I am inbetween small and medium. Like what kona are doing with some of their trail bikes as I do feel my hustler is a bit short in the top tube for me. I blame the frame at times but sure it is down to rider technique/error really!!!!

YT tues can be had for about a grand second hand. Really nice bike.

My mate has a FSR for sale & it’s in mint condition

Giant Glory for £600 and £400 for physio. You know it makes sense 😉

Voltage on eBay

I bought a Scott voltage FR20 about 2 yrs ago (Evans sale) for uplift days & trip to Whistler (perfect bike, which our guide was also riding). It’s a bit of a lump but I got mine to around 18kg. Means I can still pedal it if required.

Remember pedalling a mates old Santa Cruz V10 around the car park: it was horrible. So beware getting an old 40lbs + DH bike, it may be a bit like an oil tanker: tough to get started, three miles to stop.

steveh – Member
I’d not get an orange, back brake on = no suspension (single pivot). Old glorys are built like tanks so very strong but also very heavy! If you can get an operator (singlepivot) that would be good or maybe a nukeproof scalp (also singlepivot).

kona operator (single pivot)
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1531784/ specialized status – their lower end bike but well thought of and again much newer than some would be.
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1515323/ 2011 saracen myst (singlepivot) again well thought of bikes and with some haggling could be in budget.

You are obviously an expert.. 🙄

This stuff about brake jack is a load o twaddle and some top word cup winners ride single pivot bikes. Much as I do not like oranges, the fact that they are single pivot does not detract from their performance.

I have a 224 and love it. Im sure there are better more sophisticated bikes available but mine has never let me down. Pedals well, very stable at speed, all you could want from a dh bike. Its currently on pinkbike for sale too!

There is nothing wrong with wanting a dh bike if you are going to ride dh tracks. I know you can ride dh tracks on almost any bike but I have always had more fun doimg it on my dh bike, its what they are for! Plus a full dh bike would be great for the alps.

You are obviously an expert..

Well I’ve ridden all the bikes I mention above and while all the others are also single pivots for whatever reason the brake/suspension issue was only really noticeable on the orange and not on either of the other two.

I’ve got a 5 at the minute as well following on from a np mega and again both single pivots but only felt the difference on the orange.

steveh – Member

I’d not get an orange, back brake on = no suspension.

I feel the input of the brake on mine but to say “no suspension” is just absurd frankly, it’s a small effect and not one that causes me any bother.

Still I wouldn’t wholly recommend it, in some ways it’s a bit iffy- they’re quite cracky (mine freakishly has no more welds than it left the factory with), and mine (an Evo) has the falling rate suspension, wtf Orange? (I don’t know if earlier models had this). And frankly the finish and workmanship is poor considering the price, it works fine but the welds are all over the shop and they didn’t quite manage to paint it all. If I’d paid RRP for it I’d have sent it back.

Buuuut, I like it, because it’s very easy to just jump on and ride and have fun. Very simple and intuitive, whereas every other dh bike I’ve ridden needs time to figure out. Compared with my Herb it’s a lot slower and less controlled, but you know what? I smile more on it than I did on the Last. And that’s a pretty good thing for a midlife crisis bike I reckon.

I’ll back Steve on this one, I reckon he must have ridden every bike out there (I could swear he’s probably finished a run on a different bike to the one he started on!)

I also second the advice of going all or nothing for the DH bike, half way and you will end up with something too close to your current bike. Swapping forks, wheels etc for uplift sounds cheaper but the wear and tear on the frame soon stacks up.

Trust me – this is the one you want

CheapStinky to get you going if it’s of any interest? £450

I too am approaching my mid life crisis. Visited BPW last week on a Canyon xc8 and loved it. Was thinking of going half way with a on one 45650B but could be tempted to go the whole way and get a dh bike….. will watch this thread – thanks!

Marko

I would stick with the Canyon for BPW. I was riding an on-one 456 for 18 months whilst i was saving/building my full suss and it was super fun but when the trails get rocky and techie my back wasnt a happy bunny with the abuse. defo happier now that I am back on a full suss. hardtail will be hack bike for Ashton Court/Leigh Woods and FOD off piste stuff.

SteveH. thanks for the advice. defo think I will look for a full on DH rig but will try and spend a few more pennies to get something newer. i am not in a rush and if i ride DH trails more often then i will be able to justify spending a bit more. my only dilema is that my girlfriend will then want a DH bike as well!!!

Cheers everyone. keep the advice coming!!

Snowjunkie – thanks for the advice. The canyon was great for BPW but I am a little precious about it! Was thinking that a LTHT or a DH bike would allow me to have some fun at my local trails (woburn and possible aston hill).

Will keep on thinking (is it possible not want for more bikes) and follow this thread with some interest.