Freeride vs. Downhill?
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lol haha
i asked the very same question when i first joined here a month or two ago.
the only thing i understand is downhill bikes only have one BIG front gear and are made very only going DOWN
while freeride as a more gears ans the frames allow u to pedal easier ans so can help u sort of ride anywhere and also down the hill.
hope that helps. But the boundaires are very hazy between these two categories
hope u enjoy the fourms
i asked the very same question when i first joined here a month or two ago.
the only thing i understand is downhill bikes only have one BIG front gear and are made very only going DOWN
while freeride as a more gears ans the frames allow u to pedal easier ans so can help u sort of ride anywhere and also down the hill.
hope that helps. But the boundaires are very hazy between these two categories
hope u enjoy the fourms
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392 Posts
Downhill bikes tend to be a lot heavier as going uphill is of no concern, seriously, don't even think about taking a true Downhill performer up any sort of slope. The geometry of the bike usually has your weight oriented more to the rear than a freeride bike. Where as freeride bikes are beefy bikes that can still be peddled around.
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3,976 Posts
I'll let other heres address the diff between FR and downhill.mstaples said:
As far as setup:
XC: seat typically higher than bars. More laid-out body position. More weight on handlebars. Optimized for climbing. 3 rings are typical
FR: Seat typically at or below handlebar height. More upright triding position. Optimized for going downhill. 2 rings and bashgurad frequently used. Chainguide also used.
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12,164 Posts
Strangely, maybe a little the other way around.
Of course there exceptions to every rule, but it's becoming more and more a situation where real freeride bikes are more heavily built-up than DH bikes (Demo 9 for example). DH bikes still need to go fast and frequently be pedaled in sections of the course that are sometimes flat or even have a slight rise. FR bikes are dropping off some unbelieveable heights to nasty transitions or even sometimes to flat. Some of the frames that are top DH frames nowdays wouldn't be that great a choice as far as strength goes for freeriding. Steve Peat's Orange would probably snap in half in some freeriding conditions. Front forks like a Monster T are not really even considered a good downhill fork because they are so heavy. They make great FR forks for really nasty situations, however. Obviously there is some crossover in both categories for many DH and FR frames, but you'll usually see the FR-purpose bikes equipped with gnarlier and heavier duty equipment. The categories just keep expanding.thesacrifice said:
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35 Posts
I have a SC Bullit and it's a great bike, I weighed it in a 38 lbs fat compared to my XC bike which is 22.4 lbs light. It's a world of difference and when I want to go fast up and downhill, I'll take my XC bike. When I want to go uphill slow and painfully and then desend wickedly fast and feel totally in control, I take my Bullit. Downhill bikes are real pigs, 48 lbs + and are horrible to ride uphill. Heck, they take out half of the fun getting there.
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396 Posts
freeriding is gay and lame. downhilling is effeminate and stupid. as you can see, they are pretty similar, but there are subtle differences.
on a dirtbike, even the uphills are downhills, and you don't need a shuttle.
mw
on a dirtbike, even the uphills are downhills, and you don't need a shuttle.
mw
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10,899 Posts
if you have to ask, you don't need to know. you can freeride on an XC bike, and you can ride XC on freeride bike.mstaples said:
I have 5 mtn bikes. I can XC or FR or DH on any one of them.
so obviously your question is quite silly.
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