[biscut]

I posted up a little confusing question in the 29er section. Full disclosure here. I'm going back and forth between getting a DH or a long travel enduro. I will 90% ride in NE and NY and NJ. I'm 47 and I'm still a kid but I sure as hell don't have that ballz out no fear attitude anymore. I will get some air but I'm not sending 30ft jumps like I'm 24 anymore.

I have lots of time to figure this out and so far am serious about Evil Wreckoning or Santa Cruz Megatower. I see Highland rents Mega so I will get up there and spend a day on it.

For me, Killington, Burke, Highland, and Whindam (NY) are the parks I'll be in during season. I know some of this is subjective but what do you ride in these parks? The positives and negatives? Recommended travel suggestions. I'll give up a few of the pure DH and the 210mm travel for an enduro that can handle most of the mountain and pedal well.

 

[VTSession]

Just about every person I know who rides bike parks in the NE is on a long travel enduro bike - Megatower, Spec. Enduro, Evil Wreckoning are very popular. You won’t lose much to a full DH bike bike unless you plan on going huge or smashing DH trails at warp speed.

I don’t ride lift served parks often but the few days I do I ride my 150/140mm SC Hightower and have never felt overwhelmed by the terrain.


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[biscut]

Just about every person I know who rides bike parks in the NE is on a long travel enduro bike - Megatower, Spec. Enduro, Evil Wreckoning are very popular. You won’t lose much to a full DH bike bike unless you plan on going huge or smashing DH trails at warp speed.

I don’t ride lift served parks often but the few days I do I ride my 150/140mm SC Hightower and have never felt overwhelmed by the terrain.


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Big thank you Bro. This was my feeling. I had a SC V10 and it was awesome for DH but horrid at any type of climb. Just wasn't meant for it. I'm looking to get back to the NE parks next season and didn't think I would need a DH as I'm not sending any serious air or looking to fly. I'll settle for fast and the ability to climb decently.

 

[mdc]

Everyone I ride park with are on long travel 29er enduro bikes. A couple of the guys raced pro DH a few years back and non of them are on DH bikes. The new Enduro, Yeti SB150, Trek Slash etc etc are popular PLUS you can actually pedal them for trail rides.

 

[biscut]

Everyone I ride park with are on long travel 29er enduro bikes. A couple of the guys raced pro DH a few years back and non of them are on DH bikes. The new Enduro, Yeti SB150, Trek Slash etc etc are popular PLUS you can actually pedal them for trail rides.

Exactly what I needed to validate. Thank you.

 

[Mdlman]

To be a bit contrary and confuse the consensus...

If you really will be riding park on this bike only, DH bikes can’t be beat for durability and toughness. They just hold up better than 29 enduro bikes when you are putting on those kind of miles and that kind of continuous chatter. The wheels are stronger, there are fewer lightweight drivetrain parts, less things to break overall, lower air pressures in the suspension with more volume & coils.

If you only can have one bike, then sure, 29 enduro is the bike to have.

I just spent two days with my kid at various parks and we swapped between a DH and a 29er, the 29er needs more maintenance than the DH does after 2 days straight. Over 2 days the bikes rolled 55 miles and 20k vertical, and that was on slow lifts. If we had been at Killington it could have been way more. Bike parks are really abusive places for equipment.

Things just vibrate apart riding park...

Get both!

 

[bear99]

I ride Killington mostly. Occasionally get to Highland and/or Thunder. I put in 15 bike park days last season, I will probably get about 8-10 days this season.

Last season I had a Specialized Demo for DH days and a YT Jeffsy for trail riding. Both great bikes, was nice to have a dedicated DH bike.

This season I sold both of those bikes and bought a SC Bronson. I was tired of taking care of 2 bikes, and find myself doing more trail riding than DH. The Demo I had was oversized on me (I had bought it used, on a screaming deal) and was super heavy too. The Bronson still takes everything Killington has no problem. I'm not going mach 10 down the double black tech trails, that's really the only sacrifice. There's only maybe 2 trails on K (segments, really) that would really warrant use of a DH over an enduro bike.

My buddy bought an Ibis Ripmo (similar to the Megatower) that he rides at Killington too.

My $0.02.

 

[biscut]

Thanks for all the help. Totally agree the DH bikes are generally built like tanks. If I were going to be hitting the parks more (I'll be in the area of 12 park days a season) I'd go DH. Just can't warrant that kinda coin on a dedicated DH for the areas I'll be hitting. Long travel Enduro seems to be the right choice under the circumstances.

 

[biscut]

I ride Killington mostly. Occasionally get to Highland and/or Thunder. I put in 15 bike park days last season, I will probably get about 8-10 days this season.

Last season I had a Specialized Demo for DH days and a YT Jeffsy for trail riding. Both great bikes, was nice to have a dedicated DH bike.

This season I sold both of those bikes and bought a SC Bronson. I was tired of taking care of 2 bikes, and find myself doing more trail riding than DH. The Demo I had was oversized on me (I had bought it used, on a screaming deal) and was super heavy too. The Bronson still takes everything Killington has no problem. I'm not going mach 10 down the double black tech trails, that's really the only sacrifice. There's only maybe 2 trails on K (segments, really) that would really warrant use of a DH over an enduro bike.

My buddy bought an Ibis Ripmo (similar to the Megatower) that he rides at Killington too.

My $0.02.

Reading this brought me to some thoughts. I'm going to be 48 in October. Going back to the mid 90's I remember going to Snow with a buddy on my GT LTS1 SPIN!!! I put a Girvin coil front shock on it. I believe it was a 3.5" model which is like 100mm. That was the "big" shock for the times!! We did all but the legit downhill runs. I remember seeing a few riders just insane!!

We had a great day and I rode well. End of the day I was tired and I totally was NOT paying attention. Bottom of the mt I actually dumped it! Face plant after hitting a rut.

 

[bear99]

Reading this brought me to some thoughts. I'm going to be 48 in October. Going back to the mid 90's I remember going to Snow with a buddy on my GT LTS1 SPIN!!! I put a Girvin coil front shock on it. I believe it was a 3.5" model which is like 100mm. That was the "big" shock for the times!! We did all but the legit downhill runs. I remember seeing a few riders just insane!!

We had a great day and I rode well. End of the day I was tired and I totally was NOT paying attention. Bottom of the mt I actually dumped it! Face plant after hitting a rut.

Ha! I've ridden Snow too (2 summers ago I think?). Solid trails, not super extensive but we had fun. I'm 32, I can't imagine what Snow mtb trails would have been like in the 90s.

 

[kpdemello]

Thanks for all the help. Totally agree the DH bikes are generally built like tanks. If I were going to be hitting the parks more (I'll be in the area of 12 park days a season) I'd go DH. Just can't warrant that kinda coin on a dedicated DH for the areas I'll be hitting. Long travel Enduro seems to be the right choice under the circumstances.

Same for me. My 150 mm trail bike gets 5-10 days at killington. It's a bit overmatched on some of the double diamonds, but good enough on the blacks and a blast on the blues and greens.

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