[Tracerboy]

Happy owner of an 05 Bullit kitted with SRAM X9 components, Mavic 321s and a Z1 Freeride fork... but I want to start riding a little more XC in the mountain and mountain trails near my house.

My options are:

1) Keep Bullit
- and buy a Superlight - complete

2) Sell Bullit and fork and wheels
- buy Heckler frame, new less freeride oriented fork and wheelset

3) Sell Bullit frame only
- buy Heckler and keep old wheels and fork
- swap old freeride gear when needed for more XC wheels and fork...

Discuss.

 

[rigobigo]

Happy owner of an 05 Bullit kitted with SRAM X9 components, Mavic 321s and a Z1 Freeride fork... but I want to start riding a little more XC in the mountain and mountain trails near my house.

My options are:

1) Keep Bullit
- and buy a Superlight - complete

2) Sell Bullit and fork and wheels
- buy Heckler frame, new less freeride oriented fork and wheelset

3) Sell Bullit frame only
- buy Heckler and keep old wheels and fork
- swap old freeride gear when needed for more XC wheels and fork...

Discuss.

What a shame. Why would you wanna do something like that? Ride the bike and beat it to death till you part.

 

[Tracerboy]

yeah... but i am looking at options, thats all.

 

[lovemonkey]

I say go for opt 1 if you can afford it, two is better than one right?

 

[rigobigo]

options

yeah... but i am looking at options, thats all.

Yeah I second the option number 1. There will come a day when you'll regret selling your bullit. The day you might feel undergunned and unsure. Then you have a comfort of knowing that you have a trusty bullit to take care of the sketchy details. Yeah buy a superlight for your xc need and step up a notch and really build up your bullit for REAL freeride machine. Like 66/888 and details. That's what I would do if I were you bro. Don't be a single nitched rider but become a versatile rider like Mark Weir. Do it all and do it well!

 

[BanzaiRider]

Happy owner of an 05 Bullit kitted with SRAM X9 components, Mavic 321s and a Z1 Freeride fork... but I want to start riding a little more XC in the mountain and mountain trails near my house.

My options are:

1) Keep Bullit
- and buy a Superlight - complete

2) Sell Bullit and fork and wheels
- buy Heckler frame, new less freeride oriented fork and wheelset

3) Sell Bullit frame only
- buy Heckler and keep old wheels and fork
- swap old freeride gear when needed for more XC wheels and fork...

Discuss.

I've always been a pro one bike so I would definitely go for option 3 specially with all the reports on the Heckler being a very versatile bike.

 

[TNC]

I'd say right off the bat that you won't gain much XC lightness going to a Heckler. A Heckler is a great bike, but it's basically a mini-Bullit weighing only about a pound less. I like your first option. Having two dramatically different bikes to do two dramatically different functions is more logical. I'd also consider another option of lightening the Bullit that would make it a strong do-it-all bike. Mine weighs about 32.5lbs., and it's still stout and reliable for aggressive riding.

 

[Wilbur]

Happy owner of an 05 Bullit kitted with SRAM X9 components, Mavic 321s and a Z1 Freeride fork... but I want to start riding a little more XC in the mountain and mountain trails near my house.

My options are:

1) Keep Bullit
- and buy a Superlight - complete

2) Sell Bullit and fork and wheels
- buy Heckler frame, new less freeride oriented fork and wheelset

3) Sell Bullit frame only
- buy Heckler and keep old wheels and fork
- swap old freeride gear when needed for more XC wheels and fork...

Discuss.

I went through the same dilemma last summer after returning from whistler to the Black Hills of SD. 05 Bullit/66rc/Saint cranks/platform pedals/progressive 5th element and heavy maxxis dh tires resulted in 40lbs of bike. My friend owns a bike shop, so in a matter of 15 minutes we switched fork to z150 fr 1, manitou air shock to replace coil, 2.35 ust tires onto my deemax wheelset, and switched from platform spd pedals to lightweight spd's. Dropped to 33-34 lbs in no time, and switched from freeride specific to all mountain set up that has no problem w/ 4ft to flat or much bigger to transition. The air shock does't feel as good on Large drops, but far more sensitive for trail riding. I now ride a Turner six pack, but would love to try a dhx air shock and fox 36 on the bullit-it would ride great. Just some ideas. thanks

 

[Tracerboy]

awesome thanks all... next step... the wife...

 

[mtbdirteater]

awesome thanks all... next step... the wife...

If she reads this thread, you may have a different option that you hadn't considered.

 

[rigobigo]

options

awesome thanks all... next step... the wife...

Chris, this is your wife. You're gonna die! Nah.. just kiddin' bro. he he : )

 

[m-dub]

[ Don't be a single nitched rider but become a versatile rider like Mark Weir. Do it all and do it well![/QUOTE]
If it was Mr. Weir he would ride it as is and stomp most everyone in the xc world that guys an animal! Im a total believer in wheels. I ride a heckler with two different wheel sets. I bought a Truth for xc and found my self not that much faster and way less enjoyable to ride. Light wheel/tire combo will turn most sleds into a very functional xc bike, no race machine but I still compete at the sport level and podum. Best thing is on a road trip you can just carry two sets of wheels and one bike. That 36rc2 would be a sweet fork on the bullit in that setup.

 

[FreshKirk]

M-Dub hit the nail on the head...it's all about the wheel/tire set-up. Rotational weight works against you much more so than the frame/fork weight. I did a little experiment with my Bullit last year. Most of the time I'll pedal my 42 bullit around the woods with the mavic 321's and 2.6 gazzaloddi's for good training. One day I put the lighter mavic wheelset w/ 2.35 folder nevegal's from the heckler onto the Bullit and I coulnt believe the difference in pedaling efficiency.

 

[weirwolf]

any bike is an xc bike

Option 1 is the best way to go but if you can't do it, I would go for more of an xc type wheelset and bring the weight down on that Bullit. I run most my bikes around 34lbs and they seem to hold up to some hard beating without making me suffer to much on the climbes. The other posts are spot on also, if you don'y have cash to burn ride till is melts and never look back.

Happy owner of an 05 Bullit kitted with SRAM X9 components, Mavic 321s and a Z1 Freeride fork... but I want to start riding a little more XC in the mountain and mountain trails near my house.

My options are:

1) Keep Bullit
- and buy a Superlight - complete

2) Sell Bullit and fork and wheels
- buy Heckler frame, new less freeride oriented fork and wheelset

3) Sell Bullit frame only
- buy Heckler and keep old wheels and fork
- swap old freeride gear when needed for more XC wheels and fork...

Discuss.

 

[Tracerboy]

nah its not about $, just convenience i suppose

as for the wife, she is geting a juliana so she aint complaining just has veto power.

 

[AL29er]

I often wander back and forth between FR/DH setup and XC. The hard part is that a lot of my rides are more XC with a few sections of big bike fun. I enjoy the bullit, but it hurts to pedal sometimes. I know if I get rid of it I will be kicking myself. So for me the answer is to add another sled to the stable. I am keeping it cheap with a hardtail, but would like a FS rig if cost were not an issue.

That said, I would go the number one route. I wouldn't do a Superlight since I am 225lb and those are flexy .

Having owned both heckler and bullit I can attest that the extra 1-1.5lb is worth carrying around. The Bullit is more fun and has less flex for a clydesdale rider. If you are under 180lb it may be a whole different ball game, but I haven't had that problem since high school.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Don't sell anything....EVER!!

Keep the Bullit, buy a Heckler and be happy. They are both Awesome. Ride the bullit when you feel like a man...and Heckler for more XC type stuff, but you can still hammer it, if you need to. I have both and love them both.

 

[67degrees]

I'm with Joe Dirt

I'm with Joe Dirt on this. I have a Heckler built semi burly for my trailbike but still reasonably light. It's about 33lbs with a Pike, 4-Way Air shock, Mavic 521's on Hadley's and I run Nevegal 2.35's. Then I have my truly burly Bullit with 5th Element, 888 fork, 729rims on Onyx hubs and it's about 44lbs. They are both really fun. I can ride the Heckler on all the same things as the Bullit but it is not nearly as plush in the rough. Still a lot of fun though. I've had the Bullit for a couple of years and the Heckler for a few months. Honestly though, I've been riding the Heckler a lot more than the Bullit since I got it. Perhaps it's because it's the new toy but damn, it is a really fun bike to ride.

 

[RARES]

I say - Keep the Bullit and get a Superlight.
I just put a Z150 FR on the Heckler - it kind of closed the lid on at as an XC bike. I mean, It climbs great but I don't go of sprinting on it.
Just got a superlight. Split the departments and ditch the "Do it all" fation club.
The S.L. is one hot frame. I put a short stem on it, Rhyno lights a Marathon...so its a bit trail oriented (4 footers max)….with the RP3 – its fast as a Bullit!!

Check em out.

E.

 

[drumstix]

I went through the same dilemma last summer after returning from whistler to the Black Hills of SD. 05 Bullit/66rc/Saint cranks/platform pedals/progressive 5th element and heavy maxxis dh tires resulted in 40lbs of bike. My friend owns a bike shop, so in a matter of 15 minutes we switched fork to z150 fr 1, manitou air shock to replace coil, 2.35 ust tires onto my deemax wheelset, and switched from platform spd pedals to lightweight spd's. Dropped to 33-34 lbs in no time, and switched from freeride specific to all mountain set up that has no problem w/ 4ft to flat or much bigger to transition. The air shock does't feel as good on Large drops, but far more sensitive for trail riding. I now ride a Turner six pack, but would love to try a dhx air shock and fox 36 on the bullit-it would ride great. Just some ideas. thanks

Im with Wilbur here,

Firstmost, Im a Rapid City boy, love the BH's!

Now your bike, I had my old Bullit down to 34 pounds with a Z1 FR1 fork, with a RS Pike I could have had it down to below 34lbs. Buying a Air shock can get it down to 33 easy, dont forget some lighter tires too. Do a search for TNC, he has had a Bullit down to less than 30 pounds. That way you still have the heavy duty stuff for the vacations and the days you want to go dropping at M Mountain. Superlites are a whole different breed of bike, made for XC racing, not very smooth. If you want a different bike, try a Nomad or if your on a budget, Yeti's 575 bikes are great allround performers and yet very light.