[adamrobinson]

So, I'm really thinking of one bike to ride single speed on my local trails and eventually on my backyard pumptrack. How climby could a 4X bike get?
The one I've been looking at is a medium Transition Bank with a 36 talas and 410 mm seatpost.
Any advice? I'm not against full suspended frames, but it would take longer to save the money.
I'm 5'8" and can only afford one (more) bike right now.

 

[08nwsula]

it won't be an xc bike but I will definitely be able to climb. lots of guys climb with their dh/fr rigs and those are way more difficult. just raise the saddle some and off you go.

 

[Dheorl]

Just shove the fork down, the seat up and you should do ok at climbing.

 

[Quarashi]

I'd be curious to know how the 4x/DS bikes like the Yeti 4x, Intense Tazer etc, compare in actual structural strength to the new generation of slack, low and long trail bikes like the Intense Spitfire, Chumba XCL etc.

Would it be easier/safer to use a 4x/DS bike for XC/AM or to use the newer trailbikes for 4x/DS?

 

[edray]

I built up a Bank for all around riding a while back. It was a great bike and was so snappy on the trails, it was a blast. The wheelbase was a bit short for me, I probably should have gone for a Large but it was still a good time. I had a Manitou Minute MRD Abs. on there with ~130mm of travel and a 410 seatpost. Great for DJ/4x, not the best XC/AM machine necessarily, but it gets the job done. You can climb anything if you try hard enough. I recently build up an '05 Specialized SX, put a longer shock on it and made it more trail oriented and it RIPS. The best AM bike I have ever owned. Period. I got the frame for less than the Bank too. Maybe check out a used 4X or AM Full Susp? Bang for your buck is off the charts. Good luck!

 

[Dheorl]

I'd be curious to know how the 4x/DS bikes like the Yeti 4x, Intense Tazer etc, compare in actual structural strength to the new generation of slack, low and long trail bikes like the Intense Spitfire, Chumba XCL etc.

Would it be easier/safer to use a 4x/DS bike for XC/AM or to use the newer trailbikes for 4x/DS?

I think it probably depends how smooth a jumper you are. Lopes used to race 4X on his mojo IIRC.

If your smooth then I don't think 4X puts huge amounts of stress on a bike. I've read quite a few write ups of pro's bikes which use XC forks.

I think it's more a case of which one you want to be quickest at. I'd be happy to bet 4X bikes would be slower at trail riding, but equally trail bikes would be slower at 4X.

 

[adamrobinson]

Yeah, I'm thinking it should be a fine bike to ride on the local trails in Anchorage. The new loops are like long pumptracks anyway. On the longer trails with big climbs and big mileage, I will ride the (hopefully) lightened Enduro. Living in Tucson made it pretty burly.
I want to veer from the big S because they are such wankers and so brutal to the little guys in the industry. But damn, they can be downright affordable. It seems the consensus is that the sx (non trail) is the one bike you'd evah need. Can it go singlespeed?
Also, what size shock did you go to? With what fork?
I think a Bank with a 410mm seatpost and a 36 talas could ride down with a HA of 67 deg. and climb at 70 deg. Plus it would weigh very little. Pretty sweet.
How fun would that be? Thanks for the advice.

 

[chillindrdude]

i've got a 2009 Yeti 4x that i use 70% trail riding/AM and 30% DJ/4x racing. i have it setup as a 1x9 with 34T chainring. it works great for trail riding and AM. granted, its only got 3.75" travel, but with the slacker geometry, it rips on the downhills. i really like my current stable:

Trek Session88

Yeti 4x

Raleigh SSCXWC

 

[chillindrdude]

i've got a 2009 Yeti 4x that i use 70% trail riding/AM and 30% DJ/4x racing. i have it setup as a 1x9 with 34T chainring. it works great for trail riding and AM. granted, its only got 3.75" travel, but with the slacker geometry, it rips on the downhills. i really like my current stable:

Trek Session88

Yeti 4x

Raleigh SSCXWC

 

[fisherdude4eva]

I climb with my vagrant all the time, but I also have a travel adjust fork to get down to 100 mm. However, even with a 6 inch fork, climbing is doable. I've seen people climb up steep hills with full on downhill bikes.

 

[adamrobinson]

Yeah. Freak of nature- beastly guys. Scary what strength, talent, machismo will do eh?

A Bank will work or a 4X full-susp. bike also might fit the bill.
1X9 is good, but 1X1 is the ideal. Don't know why, just want to do it that way.
Mostly the light weight will feel good from the Enduro w/ 66 on said long climbs. Here's the Enduro in AZ: