[macace8]

I'm a light freerider who recently got into dirt jumping and urban stuff. I've been told that using a 6 inch freeride bike for for dirtjumping and urban isn't a good idea, so i want to downsize my travel, but i don't want to get a hardtail. if i just wanted to do dj/urban stuff, i would deffo go hardtail, but i still want to do some light freeride stuff. i've been looking around on the forums about fs dj frames, and I've heard a lot about the transition double and the kona cowan ds, but i was wondering if i could use a light, short travel trail bike with an unorothox setup. i've heard things about using a giant trance for 4x or djing and i wanted to know if that would be a good idea, or if there are other options with the same trailbike concept. i know a lot of you would suggest getting a seperate dj hardtail bike, and just know that i am considering getting a giant stp, but right now i'd like advice about choosing a suitable full suspension frame that would work for dj/urban.

edit: i forgot to mention im a small rider, under 140lbs.

 

[PaintPeelinPbody]

Part of the problem I've noticed is that once you make any bike ideally setup for DJ/Street, is that it loses some its performance in other areas.

For instance, my Prophet, which is pretty the same thing as the Prophet MX, was touted as one of the first Slopestyle bikes that could be used for all-mountain riding. I ride a medium, and I'm 6'0", which puts me slightly above the limit for that frame size. I love the bike going downhill, but on the longer uphills I feel a bit scrunched. I should be riding a large, but then I feel like I'm riding a monster, and lose the nimble feeling.

However, if i turn my Prophet into a DJ bike, I'll lose all of its XC abilities, a shorter stem, heavier wheels, bigger brakes, etc, not conducive for riding uphill.

Your best bet is a Kona Cowan DS or Transition Double, maybe a NemPro Double Agent, or Atomlab's recently mentioned Trailking FS. These are all short travel bikes with shorter rears that lend themselves to jumping, but you'll have a hard time riding them all day long if hills are involved.

If you picked up a new, relatively cheap (under 700), DJ Hardtail, you could probably sell it a year later and still get 400-500 for it if you didn't like it.

What do you ride now?

 

[IMKITBISHES]

transition double is you answer

 

[joelalamo45]

Transition Double, Norco XXXX, Kona Bass DS

 

[snaky69]

I'd go with a cheap DJ hardtail and keep your full susser, that way you can still do both.

 

[macace8]

current bike and trailbike frame?

What do you ride now?

Giant VT2. It's actually a long travel all mountain frame (5.75 inches), but it's setup for light freeride. Does anyone have any experience using a trailbike like the giant trance as a 4x, slopestyle, or dj bike? i forgot to mention im a small guy, under 140lbs.

 

[pisgahpeddlr]

I was riding an older Giant AC Air set at 4" in rear w/ a Marzocchi Z1 Freeride up front and was digging it on a local DS course and recently bought a SC Chameleon (hardtail) thinking I would be more into that but now am thinking maybe I should have looked at setting up some sort of Blur option (the LT or 4X) or maybe an older Rocky Mountain Slayer. Its a hard decision. I'm having trouble deciding on the one perfect get up. Thank goodness I still have the Bullit as my freeride rig

 

[juanbeegas]

Soul Cycles Matador, or the Banshee Wildcard could be something you might be interested in.

 

[*B*]

I agree with Snaky...I have one bike right now 07 stp0. It's cool to have a versatile bike but asking a street/dj bike to perform in anything other than hardpack dj trails is not that realistic.

 

[sittingduck]

Used BMX bike. You can find 'em cheap, and if you can handle it, your bike skills will shoot up a lot faster.