[Closed] what downhill bike do you have !!

The 3 you mention there are all very capable bikes, but all completely different! You'd be better off getting a go on a few bikes, so that you can at least decide if you want a linkage bike or a single pivot

mondraker prayer:

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all the right geometry, 160mm travel, granny ring if needed, fully adjustable saddle height.

35lbs-ish.

perfick i reckon for the uk:

i don't live near a chair lift, so i need to be able to pedal/push it to the top of the hill.

i'm not actually that fast, so i don't need 200mm travel.

very cheap.

do you want a real downhill bike, or a freeride bike like the one above? there is no place for a single crown fork or granny ring on a DH bike.

Iron Horse Sunday.

Very low bottom bracket which has caught me out, other than that great.

Santa Cruz vp-free. Might be persuaded to sell it, too...

Rachel

This is my DHi, pretty old now, bought 3rd hand off a mate and built up with bits and bobs, but good fun for chucking down a hill.

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Cheers, Rich

trek sessions are nice and light but there where frame denting issues with the ealier ones.
the orange(ive got one) is single pivot. it is plush and low maintance but not the best at pedaling or braking.good shock wil help though.
the older glorys are slightly heavy but plough through stuff but the new one has lost some weight i but dont know how that rides.

Kona Stab, bought about 98th hand.

Other than being insanely heavy, it's great. Perfect for my use (chairlift Apline stuff) but too much for the UK, I'd suggest.

i prefer a mini DH bike though like the new transition tr250 or the morewood kalula or intense ss. more fun.

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any excuse 😀

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marin quake. 6.8'' rear and 6.3'' front. Nice angles, good pedalling too. I'd question the need for a true DH bike unless you're going to be riding it very often. That mondraker looks great,... the nukeproof mega looks to be getting good reviews too.

the mega looks very nice!!

do you want to "RIDE DOWNHILLL!!!!!" and be a proper DHer?

or do you want to play?

a Glory would be fantasmic, but uttery useless for anything that isnt a DH track, and it has a MILLION bearings to look after.

if you want to dick about, ride the local tracks etc, i would suggest going for a simpler, slighty shorter travel, more "FR" bike.

a granny ring may have no place on a "DH!!!!" bike
but it would let you winch back up the climb.

i ride Gawton and the Qs Dh tracks on an Orange 66 in slack mode, and love it.

batter down capability, but not a proper DH bike, as im not a proper DHer!

+1 on the orange patriot 66. i used to have one set up with a dhx5 coil and single front ring. it was like a mini 224 and it alway kept up with the big bikes on any track 😀

I've got a Summum and a BigHit3. I'm not a 'Downhiller' but use them more than my other bikes- if that makes any sense.

Both are total opposites - BigHit is really nice and plush and good for very tech stuff and the Mondraker just wants to go balls out fast.

If it is a last gen Session have a damn good look at the frame.
Forks are as important as the frame in a lot of ways. Pay for the RC2/R2C2/mission control/Team/posh damping; it makes a huge difference.

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Soon to be this, just got to get the forks sorted.

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norcosix - If you're interested in a Session 88 I have a frame that I'm about to put in pinkbike. Bought new Dec 2009. Also got all the bits you could want for a full build, deemax's, boxxers, point1 racing... it was a very pimp bike...

neilfarrow - are you proud of that bike? 😆

I know one of the team riders who had absolutely nothing positive to say about them! have you not cracked it yet?

Cove Shocker.

Although, the Cove Peeler DH and Playmate FR are under a grand at CRC at the moment.

Spesh Big Hits are great value but all the bikes mentioned so far are good.

I second getting a ride before you buy though.

Spesh Big Hit, got it very cheap brand spanker. Upgraded everything on it apart from wheels, cranks and shifters, put proper E13 guide on now, cheap ones are a real pain. Great for local play & mates racing (we have a few 1 minute odd DH tracks) & I want to start doing a few uplifts this year. I was going to get boxxers for it but they all seem knackered or £alot so went for Totems off the classifieds.

A few mates have bought decent enough 2nd hand bikes off Pinkbike for £600-700.

I have got an Intense Socom, which in riding terms surprised me quite a bit in that its basicaly a trail bike but with 8.5" travel, great fun. With the VPP it actually climbs damn well compared to some 5" travel bikes I have tried, as long as I can push the single ring up front.

Damn light too for its capabilities, probably 36lbs or so, wasnt a cheap build by any means though!

Socom is now discontinued, but if I was buying now probably would look at the UZZI?

Specialized Pitch for me. I ride the same places as Scruff which aren't the biggest or baddest DH trails around and with a coil shock and 180mm 66s (plus single ring and guide) it's spot on. Reckon I will break before it does.

Other than that Big Hit or even a Kona Stinky for having fun on DH trails rather than becoming a full on downhill dooood.

Full on DH bikes need pushing hard on decent trails, I've had a coupld of old second hand "proper" DH bikes and never really got into them.

Sunday World Cup here, love it to bits although you do have to manhandle them a bit to get the best out of them, if that makes sense. Sure, Iron Horse went bust but if you can pick a Sunday frame up, Pearce Cycles have all teh bushings & bearings you need to keep them in tip top condition.

Oh, you also need to run 165mm length cranks and thin pedals because the BB really is that low.

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BFe 😛

I've got a Yeti ASX with 36 Floats, not the quickest going up but great fun on the downs. 😀

My Trek Session 8 2010 although i really need to get an updated pic up without the high seat :roll:, and love it to bits. Everything just feels so good and smooth. The denting issue was more with the 2009 version while the 2010 version seems to be less and the 2011 has the new downtube guard.

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After trying one, I picked up an older Session 10 cheap and love it. Completely different kettle of fish from the 88, but its been faultless since day one and feels indestructable.

Can't justify replacing it with something more expensive tbh.

i have an 06 kona stinky and i love it, ive yet to ride anything in the uk it cant handle!

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Yep, there probably isn't but it depends on what you want to do and how competitive you want to be. I also have a Patriot 66 and there is nothing I can think of that I wouldn't ride down on it, although the Sunday is quicker, handles better and more predictable. Not saying that your bike is crap in any way, it's more a comparison of your average 'freeride' bike and your average DH bike - for Downhill, the DH bike will be quicker.

If, as mentioned before, you (the OP) want a DH bike to mess about on, then you'd probably be better off getting a freeride-orientated bike as you'll get more use out of it whereas if you want to race DH or just use it for uplifts and the like, then a DH bike is the one to go for.

To qualify that a bit better, if I go to Woburn, I (usually) take my Patriot but for an uplift at Caersws, etc., I take the Sunday.

i got my commy supreme dh 2009 and love it!!!!!

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cheap enough... and great handling. i love it!!!

i can sort you out a kona stinky or stab deluxe for about 800 pound, if you want. youd be the second owner.

email me ; nick_christy@hotmail.com

951 8)

i already have a norcosix which is set up for all mountain and gets used for free ride.

was looking for a full DOWNHILL bike as the norcosix took a bit off a pounding on the fortwilliam world cup course.

yhink a giant glory is possibly going to be the purchase.

thanks for all the info. great help

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Devinci Wilson 😀

Now with direct mount stem and different bars

norcosix - if you are at all tempted by stopa's endorsement of his Sunday, I have an immaculate Sunday (WC frame/ WC boxers and all nice bits DHX with titanium spring etc) for sale £1300 for the complete bike; in the south west. Ta.

art pictures please to my email in my profile. thanks

Just bought an 09 Glory and here it is

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Just to need to bleed the brakes, cut down the seatpost a bit and fit the maxle dropout when it arrives. got the frame, forks and cranks secondhand, the brakes and wheels I already had and the rest bought new. It weighs an absolute ton but I can't wait to get out and ride it

Sunday/Boxxers combo

Intense 951 for me too...
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Cove Shocker.

A bit too short for a large and way too heavy but rides fantastically,is insanely durable and utterly reliable. I believe they just redesigned it to be lighter, prettier and a bit longer.

Nicolai Ion-st.
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norcosix - can't see email in your profile to send 😕

This one:
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That Yeti is freakin sweet Steve, so that's why you sold the Nicolai. 🙂

That Yeti is the pimpest DH bike I've seen. Looks like some kinda stealth jet meets drug dealer bling meets batmobile. In a good way 8)

Loving that Yeti.
You have sickeningly good taste!

2004 Giant DH

Built Like a tank

Have had the odd Road Runner moment off jumps when gravity catches up on it!!

I have a Demo 9 which is a hoot a VP Free and an unbuilt Easton Slash 😳

My pal is selling his 09 session 88. its dent/crack/nasty sticker free, with newly rebuilt fox 40's. saint cranks, thompson post etc. Its a very well cared for bike without any issues. He has loaded up his credit card with a new one and would take £1850 for it. ??

that yeti is the best looking bike I have ever seen
friends have;

intense socom
intense ss
ventana el cuervo
intense 951
giant glory
specialized demo 9
turner dhr
yeti 303

the socom is the pick of the bunch for me

whatever you go for get a used one, depreciation is unreal on most of the bikes mentioned. Incidentally I had a single pivot Nic Ufost which was awesome, bombproof and had people talking about it everywhere it went but switched to a four bar Cove shocker which I personally feel is easier to go more quickly on (but i'm no racer). i won't bother trying to get a dh bike you can pedal, you'll end up with a bike not particularly great at going up or down imho (cue outrage from those who think an uplift is somehow 'cheating')

cheating!!! pff.... trying pushing a 21 kilo bike up the extra bit to the summit 😉

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use it for every thing its around 34lbs due to none dh tyres.
its best build ive done...........................for now 🙄

whilst it isn't the most DH of bikes (7" travel) my old Santa Cruz Bullit is a lot of fun on DH runs. My view is that DH'ing is less about owning a DH bike and more about riding on half decent DH courses...

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Now this does everything i can throw at it.. 😀

Orange Patriot 7+ with Lyriks on it. Dont really use it as dh specific(change out tyres and coil shock fo am) but it just rips up Inners. Its old I know but I dont see 3grands worth of improvement in any new bike. And it rips Inners right up.

Santa Cruz Bullit. Fun bike and did me well for a couple of months in Whistler (not just the bike park) 🙂 I'll probably be selling it though, I don't really think 7" of travel is needed for anything I've ridden in the UK..

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(obviously seat isn't normally that high but I'd been climbing a bit)

big up the 7inchers!

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Marin Quake, cheap, well built, pedal well, bloody fast downhill, the only downside is they are heavy(40-43lb). Keeps you fit you the climbs.......

Go on then.... 222 🙂

Simple and reliable.

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(I'm in the 7-inch bounce club too!)

Size isn't everything! Obviously if the OP is wanting a full-on DH bike then that's what he'll buy but i'm of the opinion that you don't need a DH bike unless you take your racing seriously.

We have some really rocky rough trails over here and although most of my riding buddies have DH bikes, my wee miniDH keeps up no bother. They may have an easier time of it on the really rough stuff but the flip side is that a lot of sections of trail become almost boring as there's no challenge - the bike does the work for them.

150 up front/160 out back - TF tuned to suit me 8)

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had it stolen!

then recovered. now it keeps me awake at night thinking that every noise I hear is the noise of someone breaking in trying to steal it

Solamanda - is that one of the new carbon ones? CCDB, Dorados...must have set you back a fair bit!

salomanda has a new frame... 9.9

http://www.southerndownhill.com/forum/index.php/topic,256779.0.html

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My 2011 Demo 8, BOS front and rear. I love it.

iolo - that cable guide on the shock is pretty neat. Did you do that yourself?

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Specialized Big Hit3 £1300 from Tredz. Its ace, ride it more than my 5 now. Lots of push/crawl up down the South West, Gawton, Poldice, Groggly etc

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I just picked up a second hand Giant Glory about 2009 with full saint. It's great for what I need for now and love the idea it only cost a quarter of a new bike and if I fall off and damage something I don't care. 😆

Grabbed a Last Herb DH frame from CRC in the sale, with a mere £1400 discount, literally just finished building it last night so hopefully off to innerleithen on sunday. Did have an old Ellsworth Dare but tbh I just didn't like it at all, hopefully this one does the job.

That's my new session! Old frame for sale if anyone wants it 🙂

I thought it was you! I saw that bike at Aston Hill on Saturday.

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Grabbed a Last Herb DH frame from CRC in the sale, with a mere £1400 discount, literally just finished building it last night so hopefully off to innerleithen on sunday. Did have an old Ellsworth Dare but tbh I just didn't like it at all, hopefully this one does the job.

Despite not having a quid to scratch my arse with at the moment, I came *very* close to pressing the button on that offer myself. May you have lots of fun together, I've always thought it a great looking bike.

#jealousy

It's a wee bit embarassing since a mate also has one, we're going to look like twins. Or, father and son more like

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bought 2nd hand
I've had a 224 also and like both, try before you buy if you can!

I have a Scott Gambler. Surprised not to see any listed above TBH.

Nuke Proof Scalp
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zangolin - that scalp's so uber-tart it's gone through offensive and back to awesome again 🙂