[HCMH]

Hi MTB community,

My first post here and I hope some of you may be able to shed some light on the above choice. I currently own a full suspension Giant Xcountry bike and I am looking to get into downhill this year. I have ridden downhill a fair few times but have never gone out and made the purchase. I am looking for a top end bike as I plan on keeping for sometime and build quality is obviuosly important, as well as the performance.

I am looking at the Commencal and the GT....both look amazing and come fully specced up with World Cup forks and shock, great brakes etc. The question is, which one? They are both similarly priced but I am wondering if anyone here has experience with either of these or hopefully has had the opportunity to ride both. I'd really appreciate any advice on the matter.

The winter season here in the Dolomites (Italian Alpes) is terrible, so I am looking to get going with the downhill ASAP.

Cheers for the help.

Henry

 

[DHidiot]

Commencal. Better shock rate and better built than the GT. The DHi has notorious swingarm issues. Both pedal really really good, but the GT maybe slightly better.

 

[HCMH]

Commencal. Better shock rate and better built than the GT. The DHi has notorious swingarm issues. Both pedal really really good, but the GT maybe slightly better.

Thanks for the quick reply....really appreciate it. I don't like the sound of swingarm issues at all.

I am waiting to hear back from a contact with a price and it could be all go.

 

[Huck Banzai]

The new DHi looks crazy! I get the impression it is a nice bike from the pretty pics! But I havent touche one or heard of anyone who has.

based on the older DHi's performance I would expect it to be very good.

Commencal is a no brainer! Really nice bikes.


If you get the DHi - post a review.

 

[themarsvolta55]

i would go w the commencal, iv also heard swingarm issues ( i was about to buy one back in the day but something was wrong with the "dogbone?"

idk
my .2

 

[stylie]

Go with the big "C"!

 

[SHIVER ME TIMBERS]

why limit yourself to these 2 bikes.......IMO there are better bikes then these

 

[Huck Banzai]

why limit yourself to these 2 bikes.......IMO there are better bikes then these

Thats only because you hate SP's!!

 

[AnythingThatRolls]

The DHI pedals really good, doesn't have a good pump, and corners ok. The Commecal is easy to flick around, has a very good pump, and corners great as long as the terrain isn't too rough.

But as said above there are better bikes available than both of those.

 

[HCMH]

Thanks for the comments and I fully appreciate that there may be better bikes on the market but I have two very good deals on these bikes and that is a major factor right now. I have always loved the V10 but finances will not allow.

Cheers and I seem to hear nothing but good things about the Commencal so this could be the route I take.

Happy days!

later

 

[KevinM[Freerider]]

The DHI pedals really good, doesn't have a good pump, and corners ok. The Commecal is easy to flick around, has a very good pump, and corners great as long as the terrain isn't too rough.

But as said above there are better bikes available than both of those.

im just putting this out there that what you said about the gt is kinda wrong. i owned a gt dhi and it cornered better than most bikes ive ridden to the date. once you get the front end up it stays up and u pin. they are pin bots

 

[hab1b]

the arguement over bikes is as debated and as the war in iraq and about as pointless as the debate between pepsi and coke. its going to boil down to preference... they are both good bikes.

 

[MaddSquirrel]

why limit yourself to these 2 bikes.......IMO there are better bikes then these

Notice, he says better bikes out there, but does not name any. Then he never posts again. Hmmmm, and to think I wondered why everyone ragged him, know I understand.

 

[DHidiot]

The DHI pedals really good, doesn't have a good pump, and corners ok.

They have the same pivot point, which is the main thing that controls how good a bike can pump, so how do you figure one does it better than the other? They will be comparably as plush in the first half of the stroke but the Commencal will have a better bottom out shape. Both of these bikes corner like mad too. The only real mainstream SP bikes I've ridden that corner better are the Chumba F4 and the DHR, and the edge they have over those two is pretty marginal.

 

[fred.r]

Notice, he says better bikes out there, but does not name any. Then he never posts again. Hmmmm, and to think I wondered why everyone ragged him, know I understand.

Uhhh, the constant SMT bashing (EDIT: by poeple who don't actually know him) is getting so old. Stop following everybody elses lead to fit in on an internet forum....

 

[Phi.Design]

That white spaceship GT DHi whatever is the ugliest bike I have ever seen,

 

[fred.r]

the arguement over bikes is as debated and as the war in iraq

What you say?

 

[Huck Banzai]

Uhhh, the constant SMT bashing (EDIT: by poeple who don't actually know him) is getting so old. Stop following everybody elses lead to fit in on an internet forum....

And he probably doesnt need another Daddy either!

When people make random posts with a known strong bias AND dont qualify them, -- people are entitled to SMAK em.

I usually just wait for WCH to do it though.

 

[AnythingThatRolls]

They have the same pivot point, which is the main thing that controls how good a bike can pump, so how do you figure one does it better than the other? They will be comparably as plush in the first half of the stroke but the Commencal will have a better bottom out shape. Both of these bikes corner like mad too. The only real mainstream SP bikes I've ridden that corner better are the Chumba F4 and the DHR, and the edge they have over those two is pretty marginal.

First off I'm talking about the new ugly white GT, not the old one. I've had time on two of GTs new bikes with the i-drive and niether one had a great pump. They do pump, just not as good as good as other bikes.

As far as cornering the front end on the GT wanted to wash rather than stick. It doesn't corner bad... but once again there are much better corning bikes out there. Again I think the reason the front end washes is because of the I-drive system. On regular single pivot the chain stay get longer as the bike squats, on the i-drive as the bike squats the bottom bracket moves towards the rear axel - and as you should know if you really are the bike geek you claim you are, with a shorter chainstay a larger percentage of your wieght is on the rear tire and less on the front. Therefor the front tire wants to wash.

 

[fred.r]

And he probably doesnt need another Daddy either!

When people make random posts with a known strong bias AND dont qualify them, -- people are entitled to SMAK em.

I usually just wait for WCH to do it though.

I wasn't defending him, I'M just tired of hearing it from little kids who just see other people do it and imitate. He can defend himself... kinda, his comebacks are questionable, but none the less, a comeback... i guess. Anyways, when provoked, ie, SMT posting BS, go for it. What provoked my responce this time was I think someone pretty much quoted SMT in this thread, and no one tried flaming him. Eh, it's a loosing battle, nevermind. He's like the fat kid in PE from elementy school .