So I am considering giving AM a more serious "shot". I am by no means an awesome rider at all. I do a few "trails" here and there, but most of my riding is just traditonal XC. No huge drops, but some decent climbs. I also use this bike as a commuter all the time, so I am worried about thrashing the frame.
Anyways, I was thinking about spending 1500$ or something for a "more serious" bike. Is this just a rookie move? I feel huge leaps and bounds more comfortable on my bike then when i got it, and I have learned a ton about control and such.. while I am sure my current XC bike could teach me more, I would prefer not to risk its integrity.
So, in summary:
Build new AM bike, or keep current XC bike and risk destroying it with drops?(and thus possibly hurting myself)
Do you need a new bike: Probably not
Do you want a new bike: Probably
I would forget the XC/AM argument, it is just marketing to get you to buy more bikes. I'm not saying don't get a new full suspension, just evaluate what you need for your trails and decide accordingly.
Don't know where you ride, but how big drops are you talking? I would say the oocassional 3 feet or less and you probably aren't doing more than your bike can handle.
yeah because I did a 2-3 foot drop every day on my old kids hotrock. I really do not understand what AM really is... it is just a more intense XCing with higher drops and bigger gaps? I know that is kind of what DHing is though
I really do not understand what AM really is... it is just a more intense XCing with higher drops and bigger gaps? I know that is kind of what DHing is though
All Mountain is just a term for a bike with geometry and equipment made to handle a bit of everything. Think of it less as "this trail has some jumps so it must be all-mountain" and more as what type of riding do you do, not day to day, but overall.
Do you like long hard rides/races with lots of climbing- XC
Do you push/shuttle so you can rip downhill as fast as possible- DH
Do you like riding up and down, do longer rides, but also want to shuttle with your dh buddies?- All-mountain
Most bikes can be built up lighter for XC or heavier duty for more DH, all depending on what you consider more important. Some people want one bike that does it all, some have a different bike for each day of the week. As long as you have fun and feel comfortable riding it it doesn't matter what "type" of bike it is.
your rockhopper will be able to take a lot more knocks ... they are usually kitted out with components for more than just xc use ... 3-4 feet drops will be fine
i have a feeling you have gotten the bug of building your own bike
Usually these posts focus on the durability of the bike and how big the drops will be/are, I know thats important but the geo of the bike seems just as big top me,... the difference between a 67 and 69 degree head tube angle makes a huge change to the way the bike handles tech sections and even small drops.
Ray
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