REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

Is this AM? or What bike for this riding? (movie inside)

4754 Views 54 Replies 37 Participants Last post by Intrepidity, Jan 28, 2010

Modig

Discussion Starter · Jan 7, 2010

Cheers!

Thinking of a new bike and would like to hear thoughts from you guys and gals with experience of different bikes and builds.

I really don't know what I'm looking for so I'd like to use a short clip I made. This is the type of riding I do 99 % of the time (nevermind the captions, the language of trail biking is universal

):

My primary goal is to have fun. Secondary is to get some exercise having it

I think I want something a bit lighter than my current bike (17 kg or 37.5 lbs) but not an XC-rig with steep angles.

Any input on where to start looking or actual bikes is greatly appreciated.

TIA
/Johan

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miniwisejosh

· #2 · Jan 7, 2010

Wheeee! That looks like an awesome trail! Where is it?

My bike of choice for that would be a lightweight 5-7" AM rig around 30-32lb. My Diamondback Missin is pretty much designed for trails like that. The new Ibis Mojo HD, Giant Reign X, and Titus El Guapo would also be perfect. There are an immense number of similar choices out there. Just about any of them will work for you; just some will feel better than others. Deciding which is the best match for your personal tastes is where a test ride comes in handy.

Modig

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 7, 2010

miniwisejosh said:
Wheeee! That looks like an awesome trail! Where is it?

My bike of choice for that would be a lightweight 5-7" AM rig around 30-32lb. My Diamondback Missin is pretty much designed for trails like that. The new Ibis Mojo HD, Giant Reign X, and Titus El Guapo would also be perfect. There are an immense number of similar choices out there. Just about any of them will work for you; just some will feel better than others. Deciding which is the best match for your personal tastes is where a test ride comes in handy.

Thanks for your input miniwisejosh. 30-32 sounds like a real nice weight and I beleive 5 rather than 7 inches of rear travel would be the ticket for snappy yet confident riding, no? Your Diamondback looks really good.

The trail is in the north of Sweden and is primarly used for XC-skiing winter time. It's really good but a bit short so don't go off spending your hard earned cash on a plane ticket

.

/Johan

climbingbubba

· #4 · Jan 7, 2010

nice video!!

there are a few cool bikes coming out in the near future that would work really good for what you want.

check out the banshee spitfire for one. it has 5" rear travel, can run up to a 160mm fork, has adjustable geometry. In the steep setting it can be around 68 degrees and in the slack setting it can be as slack as 66 degrees (all depending on fork choice)

Evil and corsair also have similar bikes.

I think AM frames are starting to change into some really cool designs. low and slack seems to be the new trend.

Here are some other 5-6.5" travel bikes to look into
santa cruz blur lt
santa cruz nomad
intense tracer
banshee rune
transition covert
turner 5 spot

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broom broom

· #5 · Jan 7, 2010

I think something with 140mm front and rear would be perfect for the type of riding you do. You should maybe look at lapierre bikes either the zesty model or if you want more travel perhaps the spicy.

I think you'd easily get away with a bike around the 28 - 30 lb area with no compromise in stiffness or abuse taking ability. As mentioned above the Santa cruz BLT or 5 spot would be a good frame to build on too.

dorcrycrystal

· #6 · Jan 7, 2010

you can definitely shed quite a bit weight, with a 5.5-6" travel bike, or 140mm fork and rear,the trail looks like a little fun tech/xc ride,. but if thats 99 % of what you are doing, I would stick in this travel range, anything more you would be wasting your money....the santa cruz blur lt, or intense tracer, or even giant trance would suffice , great peddlers, with plenty of stability and suspension.

Modig

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 7, 2010

climbingbubba said:
nice video!!

there are a few cool bikes coming out in the near future that would work really good for what you want.

check out the banshee spitfire for one. it has 5" rear travel, can run up to a 160mm fork, has adjustable geometry. In the steep setting it can be around 68 degrees and in the slack setting it can be as slack as 66 degrees (all depending on fork choice)

Evil and corsair also have similar bikes.

I think AM frames are starting to change into some really cool designs. low and slack seems to be the new trend.

Here are some other 5-6.5" travel bikes to look into
santa cruz blur lt
santa cruz nomad
intense tracer
banshee rune
transition covert
turner 5 spot

Super info! Thanks.

That Banshee sounds interesting, Not that I'm a "bike gourmet" by any means but adjustable HA sounds nice.

/Johan

Modig

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 7, 2010

Lapierre Zesty looked real nice and seems to get rave reviews. Thanks for the suggestion.

/Johan

JMac47

· #9 · Jan 7, 2010

Hello

Modig said:
I really don't know what I'm looking for so I'd like to use a short clip I made. This is the type of riding I do 99 % of the time
Johan

Great little clip. Just wondering a couple things though:

It looks like the bike is handling all the terrain fine. What is it that's not quite working for you that you want a different bike? A little lighter maybe? And may be of no consequence, but noticed it appears that you have taped off the manufactures logos on the top/down tubes. Any reason other then stealth look?

JMac

scottzg

· #10 · Jan 7, 2010

I wouldn't want a ton of travel or really slack angles for that- i don't see anywhere where you could get going fast enough to warrant a really big bike. I would want a 'trailbike' like a 575 or something that builds to just under 30lbs. I think that's long travel hardtail country, but i wouldn't wish my quirks on someone else.

Wimbeest

· #11 · Jan 7, 2010

Nicolai Helius AC

Modig

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 7, 2010

JMac47 said:
Great little clip. Just wondering a couple things though:

It looks like the bike is handling all the terrain fine. What is it that's not quite working for you that you want a different bike? A little lighter maybe? And may be of no consequence, but noticed it appears that you have taped off the manufactures logos on the top/down tubes. Any reason other then stealth look?

JMac

Good questions.
I think it's a combination. I'd like somethin a little "snappier" as in lighter, less travel and smaller (both shorter and lower). Current bike is a but like driving a bus

About taping off the logo it's just too darn cheap looking (probably because it is a cheap generic Taiwan frame sold under several names (one frame, different stickers)).

That is also one reason for swapping. I'd like something with a little more thought/soul (or or am I confusing that with a bigger marketing budget).

/Johan

tartosuc

· #13 · Jan 7, 2010

Canfield bros the ONE

Modig

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jan 7, 2010

scottzg said:
I wouldn't want a ton of travel or really slack angles for that- i don't see anywhere where you could get going fast enough to warrant a really big bike. I would want a 'trailbike' like a 575 or something that builds to just under 30lbs. I think that's long travel hardtail country, but i wouldn't wish my quirks on someone else.

Yeti 575 is one of the few bikes I have seen in the flesh and it looked very nice.

No question that 5.5 inches of travel is more than enough but I want rear suspension.

I actually ride the same type of trails with no gears or suspension, only a bit slower

/Johan

mojojojoaf

· #15 · Jan 7, 2010

Some favorites of mine that are capable and well priced, 2010 Kona Dawg (owner of 2008), Specialized Pitch (tough bike), Diamond Back Sortie 2009 ad 2010.

Banshee's are nice but man I would rather have a Rune than a Spitfire- but it looks like what you ride the spitfire could be a better choice.

As listed above every one of these is a great bike....
santa cruz blur lt
santa cruz nomad
intense tracer
banshee rune
transition covert
turner 5 spot

However, with new equipment and more confidence typically your riding skill starts to rise as well or the desire to ride harder. The quesiton to ask is- does the terrain available to me justify burlier 6" bikes, or 5-5.5" bikes? Where I live we have it ALL so I chose to go with a 5" package with a 6" fork- keeps it slack enough but manageable for every day riding...

Although seems like you are having plenty of fun.

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scottzg

· #16 · Jan 7, 2010

i really enjoy your videos!

pfarrell

· #17 · Jan 7, 2010

Knolly Endorphin, 140mm travel, 67 degree HA, stiff and can easily be built @ 32 lbs!

endo22

· #18 · Jan 7, 2010

You should consider Ibis. I ride a standard Mojo with Stan's 650b rims and a Neomoto 2.4 front and Neomoto 2.1 rear, Sram XO deraillers and shifters, and a Rockshox Revelation U-turn set to 140 mm travel.

It weighs under 26.5 lbs. It's capable of everything in your video and more. You wouldn't believe the difference 650b wheels make on the kind of terrain you're riding.

Check out their forum here at mtbr. Lots of info there. http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=125&order=desc

PsyCro

· #19 · Jan 7, 2010

I just wanna concur with what most have said.. anything with more than 6" is definitely overkill for the riding in the first video. There isn't any fast downhill sections and that pretty much crosses out bigger bikes imo, nor are there any larger drops. 5-5.5" bike depending on suspension design and geometry would be spot on. 6" if you want a bit of an edge in rough'n'tumble situations.

miniwisejosh

· #20 · Jan 7, 2010

Modig said:
Thanks for your input miniwisejosh. 30-32 sounds like a real nice weight and I beleive 5 rather than 7 inches of rear travel would be the ticket for snappy yet confident riding, no? Your Diamondback looks really good.

The trail is in the north of Sweden and is primarly used for XC-skiing winter time. It's really good but a bit short so don't go off spending your hard earned cash on a plane ticket .

/Johan

Thanks. I've put a lot of work into making my bike just right

.

I guessed that trail might be in Scandinavia from the subtitles. I've visited most of western Europe, but I still haven't made it that far north. My next destination will hopefully be either there or New Zealand. Travelling to new places is one of the few things I love more than biking, and it's often possible to do both together:thumbsup:

I was specifically thinking about the Canfield One and Giant Reign X when I mentioned 7" bikes. One of my riding buddies has a 7" Reign X, and it pedals even better than my 6" Mission. The Canfield has a similar reputation. If I had the $$, I would upgrade to a Reign X because I'm convinced its a faster bike than mine even on XC trails. Perfect geometry (for me), plush ride, and essentially zero bob.

Generally speaking though, you are right. 5" bikes like the Intense Tracer, Diamondback Sortie (5" version of my bike), and normal Ibis Mojo are the best for a snappy, agile ride. Confidence is all about the rider. Some folks are fine riding technical terrain on steep, super-agile bikes. Others won't touch those same trails with anything less than a full on freeride bike with 7"+ travel.

What bike are you on now?

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