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Petition for XL Highlines

2054 Views 24 Replies 11 Participants Last post by e<i>o, Jul 28, 2006

e<i>o

Discussion Starter · Jul 1, 2006

I'm gonna finish out this year on the VP-Free and ditch the creaks and bearing maintenance next season.

DT, can us Grape Apes get some love?
How about a XL Highline for '07?
24.8"-ish TT? :yesnod:

El Chingon and the rest of you lurps........

CAN I GETTA HALLELUJAH?
PRAISE JEEEEEEEZZZZUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

coma13

· #2 · Jul 1, 2006

6'4"... I couldn't wait.... Large'll work for me!

turnerbikes

· #3 · Jul 1, 2006

hear ya

But do you tall guys really need a longer TT for a bike that is intended to sit straight up on? I did not design it to fit anything like an XC bike, but to be able to get weight on the front wheel with a slack HA. Did anyone see the pic of Aqua riding around the mud puddle couple months ago? That was perfect, sitting straight up like a DH rider with pads a flappin ready for ATT fun. A bike that is too long is nice and comfy to climb on but is a ***** to stick in the corners, I know there is exceptions to every rule but the reason to ride a Highline is to shread with gravity, not thrash against it. John K is 6'2" and rides a medium DH bike tt length. I would have never thought that even possible a few years ago. But with slack HA's and better damping than ever technical riders are riding smaller bikes than ever for flickability. I was recently contacted by the engineering staff at Maxxis about bringing back the 2.35 DH cased tire! Seems that racers that Maxxis sponsors on different teams and continents are asking for the smaller tires in the new rubber compounds for a more surgical approach to some terrain. This kinda goes with guys like John K and Steve Peat and others including the FR stars looking like bears on circus bikes. As the products get better it allows a different approach than what historically accepted.

Forum is open.

DT

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e<i>o

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 1, 2006 (Edited)

5

My take and the reason why I'm whining: :cryin:

I'm 6'5" 225 w/ a little better than a 36" inseam.
As far as frame choices go, I am always on the upper limit of what will fit me. I have found, through trial & error unfortunately, that the smallest TT I am comfortable with is about 24.5". And that in some cases, even required me to run a 75 - 90mm stem which I don't like either. Every bike I've ridden with a TT in the neighborhood of 24" has felt too cramped.

Ideally for me, a 24.8 - 25 TT" w/ a 50 - 60mm stem suits me perfectly on a FR/DH bike.

I've got a long reach and long legs, so I don't the like bars being anywhere near my knees (even though I'm not really seated most of the time) and I prefer my arms to be a little extended. The bars should be out in front of me, rather than me being up over the bars. That just isn't possible on a 24" TT frame without using a goofy long stem that screws with the handling of the bike.

I can't stand the "bears on circus bikes" feeling. That's what I equate to being cramped in the cockpit.
If I'm cramped in the cockpit............I'm hating the ride.

To give you some idea, here's my bikes:

DH/FR - XL VP-Free - 24.9 TT w/ 60mm stem.
Trail - XL 5 Pack - 25.2 TT w/ 75mm stem.

Paging El Chingon..................

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SHAHEEB

· #5 · Jul 1, 2006 (Edited)

Anyone know how tall Greg Herbold is? Isnt he a giant?

I saw his schizophrenic colored

Highline posted recently. So theres an oversize guy riding a highline. Maybe its a custom one off, but I thought I would mention it.

What trail is the last shot of? the drop to the right looks super fun

scepticshock

· #6 · Jul 1, 2006

Great Freeride pics! :thumbsup:

El Chingon

· #7 · Jul 3, 2006 (Edited)

Sorry Holmes, I;ve been out riding too much. Yeah, an XL Highline would seal the deal for me too. I'm only 6'2, with a 34 inseam, but I ride an XL pack with 70mm stem. Bike climbs great, and corners even better. One of the main reasons I went with the XL over the L on the pack, was seat tube lengh. For me to get proper leg extension, I would be showing over 9 inches of seat shaft.. Also, I don't like my knees being in jeopardy of hitting my stem. Also, I would have had to run a 100mm stem, and that just doesn't lend itself well to hucking. Please DT, I beg of you, make and XL Highline for us! Santa Cruz does, but both EIO and I are tired of creaky, high maintenance pivots! Please DT! Don't make me run out and get a Versus Trigger!

http://www.versuscycles.com/trigger_detail.html

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e<i>o

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 3, 2006

El Chingon said:
Don't make me run out and get a Versus Trigger!

Yeah that thing ain't bad looking.
Adjustable travel and needle bearings with external grease ports. Hmmm........

drumstix

· #9 · Jul 3, 2006

El Chingon said:
Highline Don't make me run out and get a Versus Trigger!

I have a chance to talk to the guy at great lenght who owns and designs Versus bikes, very cool guy who has a passion to ride and thats why he got into the frame making bis.

If I remember correctly, he was or is a designer who had a great deal of imput designing the Hummer for the military (among other things) but got sick of the politics, loved bikes and started his own company. Anywhoo, give them a call, you'll be stuck on the phone for atleast 1/2 hour talking about bikes and the design, definitely lots of passion there!

El Chingon

· #10 · Jul 3, 2006

Yeah, I talked to Herb at Versus a couple of weeks ago. The guy really is really exited about the sport, and his product. The question is really whether I need anything bigger than my current setup. I think the 6-pack is perfectly suited to hitting 12 footers to tranny, and I really don't see myself going any bigger than that. It would be nice, however, to have a gravity sled for those days on the lifts, or for Shuttling the trails at Virgin, but realistically, the 2nd bike would see that much use.

rr

· #11 · Jul 3, 2006 (Edited)

That Versus does look nice, except you guys are out of luck on the XL, it has a 24.3" TT, or at least the website says so, thats the same TT length as the large RFX and only slightly longer than the large Highline.

El C- interesting your on an XL RFX at your size, I'm the same height and inseam and I'm going with a large. I have an XL burner with a 24.8" TT/120 mm stem which is very nice for an XC bike but my Foes has a 23.8" TT and I'm running an 80mm stem on that bike and I'm happy with the position, hoping the RFX feels the same, don't want to have to go with any longer of a stem if possible.

turnerbikes

· #12 · Jul 4, 2006

23"

We are going to have the RFX next year in the XXL 23" size.

if you guys start a list for a Huge Highline I will build a little batch next winter, but I really doubt it will sell over 10 pcs for the year. We only go through about 15-20 Sasky Spots so if you want an Extreme FR frame with a XC length TT we will have to get your John Henry on the line.
Deal?

David Turner

El Chingon

· #13 · Jul 5, 2006

turnerbikes said:
We are going to have the RFX next year in the XXL 23" size.

if you guys start a list for a Huge Highline I will build a little batch next winter, but I really doubt it will sell over 10 pcs for the year. We only go through about 15-20 Sasky Spots so if you want an Extreme FR frame with a XC length TT we will have to get your John Henry on the line.
Deal?

David Turner

You got yourself a deal. Now, where is Dusty Bottoms? I know he's gonna want one!

coma13

· #14 · Jul 5, 2006

El Chingon said:
It would be nice, however, to have a gravity sled for those days on the lifts, or for Shuttling the trails at Virgin, but realistically, the 2nd bike would see that much use.

So why the concern for proper leg extension and stuff? Do you ride DH sitting down and spinning or what?

El Chingon

· #15 · Jul 5, 2006

coma13 said:
So why the concern for proper leg extension and stuff? Do you ride DH sitting down and spinning or what?

The freeride terrain here in this neck of the woods it up and down, so, at times, one must climb a bit to descend a ton. Even our local DH LIft assisted mountain requires some climbing in sections. I would most likely set it up with a Gravity Dropper post, so I could take it out to Little Creek and Goose on occassion. There are hits on those Mesas that I would hesitate to hit on the Pack, but not on the HL. The VP Free was a great bike for my type of riding. Climbed great, and descended even better, but the pivots were it's achilles heel.

coma13

· #16 · Jul 5, 2006

aaaaaaah... that makes more sense...

Dusty Bottoms

· #17 · Jul 5, 2006

El Chingon said:
You got yourself a deal. Now, where is Dusty Bottoms? I know he's gonna want one!

Only if he makes mine with bushings! To hell with bearings!

El Chingon

· #18 · Jul 5, 2006

Dusty Bottoms said:
Only if he makes mine with bushings! To hell with bearings!

C'mon Holmes! Just because the VPP's burn thru bearings, doesn't mean that the Highline will. I for one like the idea of greaseable roller bearings. I think it's the wave of the future.

e<i>o

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jul 5, 2006

El Chingon said:
The VP Free was a great bike for my type of riding. Climbed great, and descended even better, but the pivots were it's achilles heel.

Werd to that. I just pulled mine all apart, cleaned and regreased everything, put it back together nice & tight and.............................crrrrrrrrrrrreak........crrrrrrrrrrrrack.

Ooooooo! :madman: :madman: :madman: :madman: :madmax:

Great bike, bad bearings. Definately not for the anal retentive or OCD.

e<i>o

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jul 5, 2006

El Chingon said:
C'mon Holmes! Just because the VPP's burn thru bearings, doesn't mean that the Highline will. I for one like the idea of greaseable roller bearings. I think it's the wave of the future.

Didn't I hear about someone making a more durable bearing kit than the one SC sells for the VPF?

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