Freeride/Downhill bike advice?

[G]

Currently mostly ride a Scott Genius 10 off road.
I actually really wanted the LT version when I got.
Planning to keep this one so thinking to get something a bit further along the bouncy spectrum.
Not expecting it to have real serious abuse apart from noob-mistakes and so on.

General bike park use probably, buy also would be nice for it to have some basic capability for other use*, so more free ride than DH probably.
*In situations where I'm lending a bike to someone else and so on.

So; first off; does spending more actually get a better bike?
I was thinking something along the lines of a Scott Voltage FR30.

I'd like to spend as little as is reasonable at the moment and not sure my skill/time spend riding justifies an expensive bike.

Should I be avoiding pure DH bikes?

[Ste]

Define 'better'.

Tyres, handlebars, brake pads and brakes are parts which spending more gives you worthwhile, noticeable advantages IMO.

I'd say go for something freeride / enduro rather than an all out downhill bike. If it's something reasonably decent to start with then it'll be plenty of fun whilst you work out what parts to upgrade with money you haven't got yet.

Have you been to Penshurst?

[haroman666]

DH and FR frames are very similar, but there's some differences that make them perform better at their respective discipline.

An all out DH bike will have a slacker head angle. Something that you will notice to be tiresome if you want to do a bit more FR. Manoeuvrability is the compromise with that. A DH frame therefore would be designed around a 203mm travel, dual crown fork.
Also full on DH bikes will offer 7 - 8 inches of travel where a more FR orientated frame might be a 6 - 7 inch travel kind of thing. Again, possibly something that may become tiresome if you want to do a bit more pedalling.

I'm really out of touch with the market offerings these days but I have found with my FR style frame (2007 Kona Stinky) that I have the ability to hit anything I have the balls for in any discipline and the bike does it. I do Dirt Jumps, Downhill and a bit of Freeride on it and I cant nit-pick at all.

I think, if you are wanting to take DH seriously, then sure, go for a full DH bike. But otherwise, go for something a bit more versatile.
____________________
The mistresses: 2000 Honda CBR600f, 2000 Honda VTR1000

[G]

I've also got an older Carrera Banshee X, which is styled after the Kona Stinky and offers 6" of travel as per the Scott, but feels a bit more "Gravity" with it's heavier frame and less-XC roots.

However it'd be nice to have an extra 'spare' when others are around (likely at some point the rear wheel, rear brake, mech and shiftier will be swapped with the 7 speed 14-34 and cable brake on my mum's bike.)

Going for a lower travel bike similar to existing ones (even if setup more appropriately) seems a bit redundant doesn't satisfy my need for new toys.


Haven't been to Penhurst but am aware of it - I'm mostly Herts way at the weekends, which is when I generally would ride.

[haroman666]

Well I guess if you need that "big bike" satisfaction then a second hand DH bike would hold it's value if you were to sell it on in a similar condition to what you bought it for!

Default choice is the Specialized Demo. Which has adjustable shock mounts on the rear so you could play with it to get the best out of it.
Fairly heavy though. Not sure about the last couple of years' frames but I know my friends 2009 Demo frame is a heavy motherfucker!!

If I were to splash £2000 on a big bike right now it would be one of the Scott Voltages or an offering from Commencal.

Are you restrained by budget?

EDIT: For an entry level insight into DH big bike, the Specialized Big Hit is the go to bike. Cheap and something good to build technique on.
____________________
The mistresses: 2000 Honda CBR600f, 2000 Honda VTR1000

[G]

I've previously had 50kg of coke zero on the back of my hybrid which must have weighed around 20kg with all the extra panniers etc - not too bothered by weight .

Budget I was thinking of more like a quarter that to start with - as cheap as is reasonable - I'm not sure spending four times as much (if I had it to spend) would be worth it for my rather noobish skill level.

My thinking was more something at the DH end of freeride rather than pure DH or the already-covered XC end would make most sense.

[haroman666]

In which case I would say the Big Hit is your best option. Currently 9 listings on Ebay, all in the £500 to £1000 bracket. Most have had some better components added so you may benefit from someone else's modifications.

Buy/Sell on Pinkbike will probably have some listed too.

Off the top of my head I cant think of any bike that fits your criteria that would be within price range.
And to be fair, Specialized are a reputable name in the MTB world and you can be sure that their bikes are pretty solid.
____________________
The mistresses: 2000 Honda CBR600f, 2000 Honda VTR1000

[G]

Ta - not noticed before that the pink bike search by area is quite nice.

Is the newer style big hit (curvey) worth the extra money do you know?

Any ideas that don't fit my price range, but aren't TOO much over?

[haroman666]

I think the newer design is a bit lighter and with the more triangulated shaping of the frame, I think it's got a bit more torsional stiffness. I've not ridden the newer style frame so cant compare! If it's within budget, I would go for the newer frame though. Looking at the old big hit, you can just tell that it's a dated design!!

Other bikes you might find in price range would be...
Kona Stab
Norco A-line
Giant Glory
And at a push maybe a Trek Session.

Another option is if you found a FR frame you liked and put 203mm travel dual crown fork on it (or if it already has one) then that would slacken the head angle and make it slightly more DH geometry than if it were running a regular 180mm travel setup...
____________________
The mistresses: 2000 Honda CBR600f, 2000 Honda VTR1000

[G]

Read some reviews that reckoned the newer bighit was a fair bit better, got a newer version Big Hit 1 for £430; some better than stock bits, overall does seem in genuinly good nick but shortish-travel forks (like 120 or 140). So, looking to upgrade those and seems to make sense to go for some 200mm as it's got 7.5" at the back.

It's got a tapered headstock, which if I stay with that for simplicity narrows my options a fair bit.

Any suggestions?

There was a set of boxxers I think it was on ebay for a little over £200 yesterday, but seem to have gone - there's a Domain RC up at £250+P&P, but that's really pushing what I'd like to spend (www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111804879216).

(And after all this, someone selling a Stab supreme with some armour too for locally for £500 popped an ad up .)

[sidewinder]

I'd be looking at a set a rock shox totems.currently running a set on my my norco shore.amazing fork
____________________
"Nitrous is like a cheap hooker, you want to hit it but are scared of the consequences

[G]

From that and constantly changing my mind on which way to go...
Wondering about these:
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1873327/
Would need an adapter, but they're not expensive.

[haroman666]

[G]

Been umming and ahhing between single and dual crown still ... single would offer a bit more flexibility, though I think the biggest issue is for narrow 'north shore' raised stuff, which I'm not overly bothered by.

Maybe that more 'freeride' makes more sense still.

[G]

After much faffing found it actually had a 1 1/8" straight stem rather than the original tapered.

So my first purchase was useless - now got a Totem which feels pretty appropriate.