[ryno007p]

Hey guys, need help. I am 6'2" and weigh 270 (down from very close to 300). I currently ride a 2002 Gary Fisher Sugar 3+. Good bike, but not for the aggressive XC and small (3-4 foot drops) I am doing now. I will never be a free ride/ DH’er but I think I need more beef simply because I have more beef. What would you guys suggest for a semi veteran rider who loves to ride, does pretty decent on the assent and needs more practice on the decent?

 

[ryno007p]

WOW, ok, after I posted my first thread, I spent an hour reading your previous posts. LOTS of info. I guess right now I am going to be looking at the .......hum.....what do you think......maybe......the....... HECKLER? I never thought I could talk to so many people and get so much info so fast. Thanks in advance for the advice. I will also be looking at the Gemini, the Chumba EVO and I guess the only rear shock for me should be the 5th Element from the sounds of it.

I am always open for more ideas. Front forks?? Lots of choices, FOX vanilla?????

Like I said, I am currently at 270lbs, I will never be below 240 so I will have to stick with the bomb proof stuff. Thanks again for the info.

Ryan

 

[PCinSC]

What would you guys suggest...

What's your budget?

 

[PCinSC]

Like I said, I am currently at 270lbs, I will never be below 240 so I will have to stick with the bomb proof stuff.

You could be my twin brother. This is great place to find information, just be sure to weed out the garbage first.

Heckler could be a good choice. You may have read a recent thread where a shared my "questions" about the Heckler's performance. Lot's of big guys like them, though. I think it's probably a great choice if you're on kind of a budget (not that it'll be that cheap). Deep down I believe there are frames that will perform better (although possibly at twice the price).

Patrick

 

[Soupboy]

Exactly, many ways to take this discussion depending on your priorities - in no particular order:

• Budget?
• Complete bike or build from individual parts (new or on hand)?
• Where have bikes failed on you in the past - wheels, frames, cranks, etc?

I'm a 6'3", 250# unabashed 29er whore. To get a FS 29er clyde worthy often means non-LBS bikes and this adds up price-wise. Once you've got it, tis tits.

What's your budget?

 

[ryno007p]

hey all, I'm back.
My budget varies. I could wait longer and sped 3 or 4K or do it in the next week or so and spend 12 to 13 hundred. I was thinking about the Fat Possum XO as an All mountain, but I really don't think I need that much travel as I KNOW for a FACT that I will never (on purpose) leave the ground much more than 6 feet. Maybe the Fat Possum with less. I have been riding my Sugar with really no problems, the shocks are going and I know that is because they were never really ment for some one with my....girth. What next?

 

[Evel Knievel]

A Santa Cruz Bulit will do better than the heckler.

Bullit frame with a firm spring added to stiffen the fork .

 

[PCinSC]

hey all, I'm back.
My budget varies. I could wait longer and sped 3 or 4K or do it in the next week or so and spend 12 to 13 hundred.

IMO, $1200-1300 is not going to get you a clyde-worthy new bike to handle the riding you describe below. Unless, like someone else said, you're able to get your hands on a used SC Bullit. Or, for a little more cash, you can get this bike.

I was thinking about the Fat Possum XO as an All mountain, but I really don't think I need that much travel as I KNOW for a FACT that I will never (on purpose) leave the ground much more than 6 feet. Maybe the Fat Possum with less.

Fat Possum XO is a nice bike with a nice kit, but I would question some of the components for a clyde. "Race Lite" cranks and wheels, carbon bars, 6" brake rotors, air shock...I'd be worried about some of this stuff holding up when dropping 6 feet.

BTW, how often do you drop 6 feet without intending to? That seems like an awfully big drop to do on "accident". Are you able to land OK or do you usually crash?

Patrick

 

[echo3111]

IMO, $1200-1300 is not going to get you a clyde-worthy new bike to handle the riding you describe below.

I have to disagree. Clyde's do not have to be rich to ride. Kona and Yukon both make worthy trail bikes for under 1k that can handle 3 foot drops from a 300lb'er.

 

[skiingmountainman]

I'm trying to go to full suspension...

I am 6'4" and weigh 300 lbs and have been riding a Specialized HardRock Comp. The frame has been great but I am sore and keep blowing spokes every time I go offroad. I already upgraded the wheels to 36 spoke rynolytes but instead of going to a downhill wheel I decided to try a full suspension bike.

I've been test riding whaterver heavy duty (all mountain and some XC) full suspension bikes that I could find in my size but that is not always easy.

As of right now, I think I am going to go with a KONA Coiler (20") if I can find one. I rode a 2005 model in 19"yesterday, with an extended stem and my only problem was the stock seat post was too short. I needed about 3/4" more. I think I need the 20" model to get the extra lenght everywehre so I am not at the limits of the 19". At any rate, this seemed to be a good beefy bike that I could still manuver with ease. The ratings all seem good although I can see that I want to upgrade to the 8" disks do I am going to go for a 2006 with the through-axle instead of the QR hub. My bike shop said that Marrocchi did not want them to put 8" brakes on the QR fork as it added too much stopping power.

I had also tried a Jamis XLT 2.0 and put in an order. When I got back an email from Jamis support that suggested that there would be problems with the seat post and whells. They said they consider CLYDESDALE between 200 and 225 lbs. I cancelled the order an talked with a few bike shops that dissagreed but 2 shops that carried both Jamis and KONA both agreed that the KONA was much stronger. I was really happy with the Jamis I rented for about 3 hours but I know that a 3 hour ride can't tell me houl long it is going to last.

I tried a Specialized Enduro but even with the shock pumped up to the max, I maxed it out on small bumps and was constantly bobbing on the road. The bike shop was going to try to replace it with a coil-over shock but I was not as comfortable on that as the Jamis so I eliminated that as well.

I tried a Gary Fischer Cake 3, TREK Remedy 5, GT i-Drive 5, GT i_Drive 4, Jamis XLT 1.0, 2004 and Jamis XLT 3.0 (2006), Giant Reign 3 and a few other that I can't remember but none came close to the Jamis XLT 2 or the Kona Coiler. Our biggest problem is that there are not alot out there in larger sizes to rent or even test ride. Some of these I was trying one size smaller than I would have ordered but that is all that was available.

I've narrowed it down to the KONA but I've still got to find a 20" to test ride.

Good luck, hope some of this helps you. I welcome any info before I drop $1500-$2500 bucks on a rig.

 

[Guyechka]

One word: Heckler.

Ain't no such thing as a Bullit anymore--unless they live up to their promise of bringing them back sometime this summer, but I haven't heard any word.

On the other hand, you could easily buy a used Heckler or Bullit for $1400.

Gemini is ok, more along the lines of the Bullit as far as what it's meant for--freeride.

Whatever you decide, you're going to need to make sure the components (especially the fork and wheelset) are up to clyde standard. Otherwise, you could end up spending a whole lot more money rather quickly.

 

[Soupboy]

I know a couple guys that have Dakars in the 275#+ range. Both run air shocks with no issues I'm aware of. Jamis makes good stuff, as does Kona.

FWIW - somebody is selling at 19" Ventana El Capitan and WB fork on the 29er board. Top notch big boy bike.

 

[mtnbiker1220]

i would say a used heckler or a new kona hoss deelux.

 

[ryno007p]

I tend to either land mostly front fork or both tires at the same time. This drop scared the ??O&#@% out of me when it snuck up on me the first time, but I try to set up for it now and tend to do pretty good. But I bottom out on both shocks most of the time. Like I said, I ride a stock 03 GF Sugar. Thanks.

 

[ryno007p]

I guess I am pretty much sold on the fact that the Heckler is the best bike for me. I am going to rent one and try to get it set up like I would buy it and see what I think. But with so many people saying the same thing, I will most likely do that. Thanks.

 

[ryno007p]

That bike you sent me, it looks pretty clydeproof, I am going to look into that. I can always upgrade some of the parts, and I like that fact that it uses Shimano, I am just use to using that. Thanks for the post.

 

[ryno007p]

I'm currious, you said the bullit is better, however there are a LOT more heckler fans out there that are saying.....well.....heckler is it. HOWEVER, I have found a couple of Bullits on e-bay that are my size. The price seems nice right now. Why, my friend are you such a bullit fan in the face of all this HECKLER stuff? Thanks.
Ryan

 

[Evel Knievel]

I'm currious, you said the bullit is better, however there are a LOT more heckler fans out there that are saying.....well.....heckler is it. HOWEVER, I have found a couple of Bullits on e-bay that are my size. The price seems nice right now. Why, my friend are you such a bullit fan in the face of all this HECKLER stuff? Thanks.
Ryan

My big buddy ( #300ish) and myself (#204) both will attest to the Bullit as a bigboy bike that is XC friendly while being able to ride every drop or ledge ( diving board included ) on Porcipine ridge with not flinching . The Bullit is great for us big guys to not worry about the bike being just enough bike for us. I would not think twice about hitting 5' drops to flat all day on the bullit . If I were riding a heckler , I would not do any more ledges than necescary to get down the hill.
The Bullit has served me well , with the single crown fork . Rode that config for a week strait at Mountain Bike Oregon , doing something above 200 miles . Several times smaller guys on sub 30 bikes had me beat (but I ain't racing), but on any trail with obstacles or elevation drop I was leading the pack .

I ride a SC superlight ( 4" travel ) built light to race . But that bike costs me money all the time . Blew a fork , broken spokes , 130 gram bars to replace every other year , bent seat rails , custom rear shock for my fat butt ect. I love this bike , that is why I went for the Bullit as a daily rider .

The Bullit has been flawless. Just periodic greaseing the shock pivots to stop the squeak from riding in the mud and rain . All the bigboy parts have held up to abuse. My Bullit comes in around #36 . While my bigger freinds weighs about #34 1/2 with smarter wheels and single ply tires . Niether of us have any carbon or Ti on them , both with coil shocks , forks and three chain rings for real XC use.

PS my pal likes to laugh that his first MTB in 1988 weighed just as much as his Bullit . Thats his old rigid , rim brake Mongoose vs a 7" rear 6" frt hydrolic plush all day cruise/huckable Bullit .

Hope this helps .

 

[BrandonJ]

Another vote for the Heckler!

I have a buddy that the exact same size as you and I'm 6' 260#. We are both on Heckler's with coil shock (a must...don't even think about air shock). His is an XL frame with 5th element, mine a L frame with Fox DHX 5.0. We've beat the hell out of them and they keep taking more.

 

[ryno007p]

Lots of good info, thanks tons.