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2003 KHS Fetish? How well would this bike perform in a downhill race?
2003 KHS Fetish Good or Bad?
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It would perform OK. The KHS DH bikes (Dominatrix, DH100 and the Fetish/DH50) are average performers at best. The linkage used on those bikes causes all sorts of problems with brake jack and a tendency to blow shocks due to the leverage ratio used. Plus, it only has 6" of travel so you may take a bit of a beating depending on the course.DownHillGirl said:
However, that being said I've seen the KHS team absolutely rip on them. If it's all you got, go for it. It's better than a shorter travel bike or a hardtail, but it's not the greatest of choices. If there are other options, you may wish to consider them.
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Thats cool that there is girls riding downhill. Personally I have only seen one girl ride a downhill course. To answer you question. I would not reccomend KHS because of all the bad stories or rumors that are out there.
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I had one for a short period of time 2001 KHS Fetish Dh 50 and hated it. heavy tank of a bike., suspension that came with it was horrible (dnm fork and shock). I liked the laid back geometry, but you cant ride this bike anywhere except dh comfortably. and the frame itself seemed flexy in the rear...it's probably better then a hardtail or xc bike for racing, but's mostly it's the parts you put on it. unless your getting one for really cheap I'd stay away....
I've had one for about 4 months now...2003 DH50. I put the DNM shock on the front that is supposed to be crap.
Bombing downhill is easy, taking big drops is easy, dirt jumping is easy, urban is easy, skate park riding is easy.....that said, riding uphill is a pain in the ass.
The 2003 actually comes with 7" travel (upgrade from the 2002 version) and a romic rear shock. The shock, when setup for your weight works like a champ. The frame is tall and I ride a medium instead of a large even though KHS recommended large. If you are petite (5' 5' and under) you may want to try the small frame if you can find it. Riding is the best way to judge.
The weight is comparable to any other DH bike...yes it's heavy. My complete bike is about 45lbs. That said, it feels sturdy on drops etc. As for the rear flexing, I like the feel of it so it's no big deal. The bike doesn't flex any more than a single pivot bike. Most of the flex is probably because of the QR rear wheel.
The DNM fork has done me well so far and feels very solid. You'll find some people say that they are hard to adjust; this is true. The rebound damper has about a 1/8" turn from totally on to totally off. That said, once you have it just right, the fork works like a champ.
Finally, I have had two bikes replaced and a lot of support from KHS in the past. Red5 had a bad experience and that totally sucks, but I can't say I have had less than full cooperation over the last 3-4 years.
PM me if you want to see pics etc...and good luck.
Bombing downhill is easy, taking big drops is easy, dirt jumping is easy, urban is easy, skate park riding is easy.....that said, riding uphill is a pain in the ass.
The 2003 actually comes with 7" travel (upgrade from the 2002 version) and a romic rear shock. The shock, when setup for your weight works like a champ. The frame is tall and I ride a medium instead of a large even though KHS recommended large. If you are petite (5' 5' and under) you may want to try the small frame if you can find it. Riding is the best way to judge.
The weight is comparable to any other DH bike...yes it's heavy. My complete bike is about 45lbs. That said, it feels sturdy on drops etc. As for the rear flexing, I like the feel of it so it's no big deal. The bike doesn't flex any more than a single pivot bike. Most of the flex is probably because of the QR rear wheel.
The DNM fork has done me well so far and feels very solid. You'll find some people say that they are hard to adjust; this is true. The rebound damper has about a 1/8" turn from totally on to totally off. That said, once you have it just right, the fork works like a champ.
Finally, I have had two bikes replaced and a lot of support from KHS in the past. Red5 had a bad experience and that totally sucks, but I can't say I have had less than full cooperation over the last 3-4 years.
PM me if you want to see pics etc...and good luck.
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Ok, so i bought the 2003 frame new (for cheap i might add) and it had the Romic shock on it and i have put the Jr T fork on it. I have good components on it but i im just getting into the whole downhill thing so i don't know a whole lot about all the stuff. I think my shock might already be blown? haha i don't know how but the rebound dosen't work. Also my bike seems really heavy and dosent brake the best. I have the Hayes 8" rotors so i don't know whats up with that. Ive been riding it at Deer Valley, and so far i have felt that it is ok except the shock? It rebounds really fast and kinda throws me off.
Could be a lot of things with the brakes. Maybe the rotors or the pads are contaminated...try cleaning them with alcohol (no, not vodka, the pharmacy stuff). If the brakes feel squishy then you might have air in your line and will need to bleed the brakes.
The rear shock is spring over oil so you rebound will be affected mostly by how tight the spring is wound. Try winding out the barrel at the top of your spring to soften the shock. Also check the spring weight on the shock, I think it should be about #550 written on the red springy part. If it's 600 or above, you might need a softer spring for the frame size.
Weight....welcome to downhill bikes, they are all heavy
The rear shock is spring over oil so you rebound will be affected mostly by how tight the spring is wound. Try winding out the barrel at the top of your spring to soften the shock. Also check the spring weight on the shock, I think it should be about #550 written on the red springy part. If it's 600 or above, you might need a softer spring for the frame size.
Weight....welcome to downhill bikes, they are all heavy
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