Using a Jump bike as a downhill bike

Is this possible? I know someone selling a DMR Sidekick for a pretty good price and I need a bike. I will be living in Morzine in France next year and don’t have the funds (or inclination) for a full sus beast.

Would it be possible to use this bike downhill? Maybe with some bigger forks? Or would I just be wasting my money?

Cheers

It’d be fine so long as you’ve got a bit of skill and some cahoonas.
It’ll be seriously bumpy but you’ll improve your riding loads!

Things that make jump bikes good for jumping – short wheelbase, steep head angle – are the sort of things that are “bad” for downhill – DH bikes tend to be long for stability and slack for handling steep stuff. Longer fork would help, to some extent.

Having said that, you could probably still have lots of fun, albeit going slower and taking a battering. I’d rather be on the “wrong” bike than not on one at all.

You’ll be fine.
What could possibly go wrong?

Only braking bumps which make me want a dh bike but then again I don’t live in morzine

I’d rather buy an old cheap DH bike or put an old long fork on a secondhand On-One 456SS.

Isn’t there a chance that living in Morzine you’ll spend so much money on replacement rear rims/wheels on a hardtail that a DH bike would work out cheaper in the long run? 😉

If you can find one a Trsilstar LT might be a better bet. Designed for longer disks and ‘trail use’ Think of it as a hard-core hardtail and ride accordingly.

i used to ride a msisle with dirt jumpers for DH. steepest head angle known to mankind with bodged 130mm travel. probably the best thing i ever did to improve my bike handling and obviously i’m not dead (yet!), so i reckon you’ll be alreet. if u run tubes be prepared for LOTS of flats! 😉

Yeah a full sus downhill bike would be the obvious choice but I do love a hardtail. Currently I don’t have the money for a DH bike but I’m sure that I’ll take the plunge at some point over the next couple of years. Hopefully before I break myself,…or my ass.

What are the other options to tubes gaz?

What are the other options to tubes gaz?

tubeless….

Was begging for that one!!!

Shall look into it. I guess you don’t have as much option with tyre pressure without tubes though?

I guess you don’t have as much option with tyre pressure without tubes though?

Look in to it 😉 much lower pressures with tubeless.

I have a mate who rides a DMR on 24″ Wheels (yes they are definitely 24″) and single speed does CwmCarn, Afan, FoD with no problems at all – he is much slower than me – but still hits bigger jumps – but then he has more skill!

i’m sure you’ll be fine, just be prepared for a bumpy ride and to be travelling slower thatn the guys on the DH monsters – will certainly improve your line choice

…would I just be wasting my money?

Yes

Jump bikes have unique geometry and although they are blunt instruments and capable of taking a hammering, fitting longer forks will slacken the ha (good) but also raise the bb (bad). You’ll find that what you have created is a kind of bicycle chopper without the low c-of-g.

Yes it will go downhill but it’ll be crap

HTH

I went to the alps about ten years ago when my bike was a 24″ wheeled dirt jump bike. It was fine, I was already doing a bit of DH on it and didn’t know any better. The tracks with acres of braking bumps were tedious but everything else was a fun. Plus it’s a nice ego boost on the rare occasions you catch people on full dh bikes!

I’ve had a sidekick with 140mm forks on as a hardcore hardtail / DH bike and loved it. So much so that when I sold the first one, I bought a replacement 6 months later. The frame is still in the loft as I cant bare to get rid of it this time.

Thing is I’m 5’2″ so the 14″ frame fits me perfect.

Thing is I’m 5’2″ so the 14″ frame fits me perfect.

Hmmm, I’m about 5’11 probably so may be too big

I used to use my Trailstar for dh but a proper dh bike is way better, especially if you’re riding a bike park or anywhere with loads of braking bumps.

get yourself a 2nd hand 456, Alpine or similar.

nothing wroing with HTs in a bike park. doubt you’ll be much slower than some (most) of the “special needs” gus on their big bikes.

ride a DB Alpine all over the Alps and am all the better for it.

eat my dust you squishy nonce!

skills, not suspension. 😉

About good as using a DH bike for dirt jumping

Not to be unkind – but if you can’t afford* an extra couple of hundred quid to buy a full suss bike – how are you going to support yourself in Morzine all summer?

(*trust me there will be plenty of cheap DH bikes available in the winter – it needs to be tough, not pretty)

If you simply have to stay hardtail as suggested above a slack long travel hardtail would be a much better bet overall. the extra 50mm of suspension could be a literal lifesaver.

Priorites are in this order Brakes – Forks – Tyres – Pedals – Grips – Cranks – Rims – Frame. everything else can be cheap, tatty, or in the case of a drivetrain – optional

Next year’s a fair bit of time away, don’t buy the daft bargain and get the right thing for the job. It needn’t cost an arm and a leg but riding a DJ bike in Morzine just might!

Thanks for all the comments, especially Oliverd1981 and Herman Shake. I do often find a bit of a deal and get a bit caught up in the ease of it. I think it would be prudent to wait for a deal on something a bit more suited to the task.

I will be moving to Morzine for the winter season and never returning! In a couple of years my wife and I plan to open a chalet business. You’re all welcome to come for some summer time shredding!

i once ran something similar about 9 years ago…i had a Global jump frame running some 170mm Marzocchi Junior T forks…i changed the wheels to some 24″ ones to lower the centre of gravity…and after that it was a blast to ride around on…it can be done if you pick your components carefully

Jesse Wigman raced the no fuss endurance downhill at fort william on a rigid jump bike last year- 13 runs in 6 hours, fastest “hardtail”, and 40th overall out of about 150 starts. So it can be done, the next question is, are you abnormally good at riding bikes like he is?

Um…..no.

i just remembered…i read an article about a couple of guys who make the frame you need…i even started a thread about it….

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/btr-fabrications

get yourself a 2nd hand 456, Alpine or similar.

Agree with this – hardcore HT would be ideal and not necessarily expensive. Plus you’ll be able to go up to, if the need arises.

Personally I’d get an old Kona Stinky or similar – but budget for new bearings. Loads of c5-10 year old ones around that would take a big fork, they look and feel like a tank but if you are on an uplift all day who cares.

Like this (not mine) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kona-Coiler-Frame-with-Fox-Shock-Like-Coilair-Stinky-/281139707345#ht_254wt_1141

Living out there I imagine I would have to cycle up quite a lot although I would use the lift whenever possible! I guess it’s always the dilemer though, a bike for 1 purpose or 1 that I could use for DH, cycling up and also just cycling around.

I’m sure in the future I would get more specialised bikes but I need a “do everything” bike first really.