[Reamer]

Ok so here's my delema:skep: I'm finding that do to time limitations (mainly), travel money constraints, terrain(elevation availability), and riding partners, I'm not getting out to do much big bike riding these days... Most the guys I ride with are scattered around, and we are lucky to ride once a week as most of us work full time, and most of them have families. I work full time, college full time, so there's not much time till next summer(when I finish my bachelor's) to travel to "Tha Goods". (Snowshoe, Whiteface, Platekill, etc)

This being said, I have been doing more xc (2-3 times a week) than DH riding and I'm wondering if I should just huck the Faith and pick up something more trail oriented? My issue is that every xc bike I've ridden, I don't like. I enjoy the geometry of the bigger bikes, I like to sit upright, I like the beefyness for when it's needed, etc. I slapped some 2.3 xc treads on the faith with some xc tubes and the thing rolls pretty nicely around the xc trails. I know it's a bit overkill, but it handles pretty good for how heavy it is. I was looking at some trail/AM bikes such as the Specialized Enduro line, the SX Trail etc, and I'm just wondering if I'd have more fun with a trail bike for the trails I've "Mainly" been riding. I enjoy DH and FR, but I'm realizing that I can only do it once a week at best because our two spots are about an hour to 2 hours south of here, and the rest of the DH stuff is a good 5 hour drive. That being said, Ohio has some epic xc, I just got back from a ride called Findley Lake and it has taken the number one spot for xc that I've ridden for flat land rolling xc.

Most the xc around here is rolling flatland, however I've managed to keep up a pretty good pace on the Faith with different tires because there's no major climbs. I can't really see myself riding an xc bike, but I could definently drop down to something like the Enduro SX Trail. However, it seems that people have been posting that the thing is a friggin' beast (weight wise), so I'm wondering if it's even worth it.

The reason I'm looking at Specialized and Trek is because I can get a bike from one of those two companies cheaper than others because I did some work for a guy who owns a shop that really helped him out, being an ex- mechanic and all so he's offered to help me get a trail bike if I want one.

I like the idea of that Specialized enduro sx, but 40 lbs for that bike seems like a lot of weight, when my faith is in the 45 range with 8 inches of travel and bomb arse parts.

Would there be a big difference between a 38-42lb bike vs the 45-49lbs I'm pushing? I'm really getting back into trail riding, it's fun, challenging, good for the body, and as long as I'm keeping up a good pace, it keeps my interest. It would be great to have something lighter so I can go faster with the same effort, but it still needs to be bomb proof for when I do get a chance to shred.

Comments and suggestion's wanted.

 

[bob46802]

I cant say with the Specialized bikes. but my heckler with a boxxer ride for @ the lowest setting (133mm) with xt cranks, azonic outlaw wheels, continental vertical pro tires and a nice sram cassette climbs very strong. my bike weighs 35lbs

it spins better than my older specialized 04 fsr xc pro

if you have a wide range of gears on the cassette and a lower ring on the front then you should be able to climb whatever.

 

[vardiel]

def. get something smaller than the faith..i'd get a freeride hardtail with like a 5 inch fork based on your description so you can keep the geo./strength but pedal snappy, but it you really want to stay burly and f/s check out something like a transition preston or something "slopestyle".

 

[Reamer]

def. get something smaller than the faith..i'd get a freeride hardtail with like a 5 inch fork based on your description so you can keep the geo./strength but pedal snappy, but it you really want to stay burly and f/s check out something like a transition preston or something "slopestyle".

Can't go hardtail, body's used to full suspension rigs since I've been running DH bikes since 2002 now. I tried getting back on a HT but just didn't like it one bit. Yeah the transition preston is nice, but again, were talking 40+ lbs for that thing...

 

[standard235]

There was a pic like yesterday of a Preston FR at 29.9lbs.

 

[sheffy]

Ok so here's my delema:skep: I'm finding that do to time limitations (mainly), travel money constraints, terrain(elevation availability), and riding partners, I'm not getting out to do much big bike riding these days... Most the guys I ride with are scattered around, and we are lucky to ride once a week as most of us work full time, and most of them have families. I work full time, college full time, so there's not much time till next summer(when I finish my bachelor's) to travel to "Tha Goods". (Snowshoe, Whiteface, Platekill, etc)

This being said, I have been doing more xc (2-3 times a week) than DH riding and I'm wondering if I should just huck the Faith and pick up something more trail oriented? My issue is that every xc bike I've ridden, I don't like. I enjoy the geometry of the bigger bikes, I like to sit upright, I like the beefyness for when it's needed, etc. I slapped some 2.3 xc treads on the faith with some xc tubes and the thing rolls pretty nicely around the xc trails. I know it's a bit overkill, but it handles pretty good for how heavy it is. I was looking at some trail/AM bikes such as the Specialized Enduro line, the SX Trail etc, and I'm just wondering if I'd have more fun with a trail bike for the trails I've "Mainly" been riding. I enjoy DH and FR, but I'm realizing that I can only do it once a week at best because our two spots are about an hour to 2 hours south of here, and the rest of the DH stuff is a good 5 hour drive. That being said, Ohio has some epic xc, I just got back from a ride called Findley Lake and it has taken the number one spot for xc that I've ridden for flat land rolling xc.

Most the xc around here is rolling flatland, however I've managed to keep up a pretty good pace on the Faith with different tires because there's no major climbs. I can't really see myself riding an xc bike, but I could definently drop down to something like the Enduro SX Trail. However, it seems that people have been posting that the thing is a friggin' beast (weight wise), so I'm wondering if it's even worth it.

The reason I'm looking at Specialized and Trek is because I can get a bike from one of those two companies cheaper than others because I did some work for a guy who owns a shop that really helped him out, being an ex- mechanic and all so he's offered to help me get a trail bike if I want one.

I like the idea of that Specialized enduro sx, but 40 lbs for that bike seems like a lot of weight, when my faith is in the 45 range with 8 inches of travel and bomb arse parts.

Would there be a big difference between a 38-42lb bike vs the 45-49lbs I'm pushing? I'm really getting back into trail riding, it's fun, challenging, good for the body, and as long as I'm keeping up a good pace, it keeps my interest. It would be great to have something lighter so I can go faster with the same effort, but it still needs to be bomb proof for when I do get a chance to shred.

Comments and suggestion's wanted.

I have both a demo 9 and a stumpjumper expert(just got it this year) and actually i was pedalling the odd xc ish ride on the demo until my wife and both got stumpys this year.............all i can say is what a sweet bike(28 ish pounds)......and super fun...5 and 5 bike so you can do smaller hits and it has the lock outs which are kick ass for climbing the big epics.She has a bighit as well and loves her ladies specific stumpy.....If you going to do more xc riding dump the faith and get a smaller bike...the weight makes a huge difference...Any more ??? pm me and id be happy to answer them.......you wont be disappointed with a stumpjumper!!!!!!!!

 

[Tracerboy]

i would get something lighter that can still huck/dh/and whatever else. the enduro series is sick....the versus blitz is sick....turner 6 pack. many choices. but yes i would get something lighter. i am kind of doing the same thing...but not for the same reasons. i want something that can climb to the top to get to the good stuff.

 

[newMTBer]

Reamer, where in Ohio do you DH? I'd like to get into DH and FR but don't know where to go. Thanks.

 

[Reamer]

Reamer, where in Ohio do you DH? I'd like to get into DH and FR but don't know where to go. Thanks.

I built a course in Wooster at a place called Vulture's knob. It's not full on DH, but there's plenty of mid level drops to tinker around with along with a large creek gap for the "not so faint of heart".

The best spot though for DH is in Mohican. Not the wilderness but the Mohican camp ground area where people canoe at. There's two DH courses, and a third in the works. Plenty of doubles, drops, gaps, and a huge 20+ table at the bottom. The place is killer, I just wish more people rode around here as it's hard to cordinate shuttle days. All in all there's probably 15 guys who ride DH in Ohio, but getting em all together to shuttle, or even a handful once a week is tough...hence why I'm seriously considering a trail bike as I can just go by myself with my dog and ride. DH is a blast, but I want to ride more and can only afford one bike at the moment and I want to ride more so I'm contimplating...even though this Faith is the BEST bike I've ever owned, and I'm literally going to cry when/if I sell it...

 

[Jayem]

For me, weight of the bike is far more important than "pedal bob".

I could ride a bobbing 25lb bike all day long (if I didn't break it) and not feel too tired, compared to when I ride a heavier bike on the same trails.

I think there's a lot of diff between a 25lber and a 30lber, and between a 30lber and a 35lber, and so on. I never feel that bobbing really makes me go slower, it's accellerating the weight of the bike, and heavier bikes are much harder to accellerate, even if they only weigh a little more.

But, you can overcome this with POWER. It takes lots of leg POWER to ride these heavier bikes, and that is the simple fact. You can be in the greatest aerobic shape, but riding involves short-term bursts of energy to climb hills, and when you can't meet the output required, you bonk. The ability to ride anaerobic and recover is the most important thing IMO. A good example would be if you had two riders, each within 5% anaerobic ability. If the better one pushes it to his max, he'll survive without bonking, but if the slightly weaker guy goes over his max, he'll bonk, even though both riders were pretty damn close to each other in terms of ability level. If you're the better rider, you can do this to someone pretty early in a ride by just going up a steep hill at your limit and getting the other person to try and match your effort. It's that ability to survive past your aerobic limit and then recover that makes the difference and allows someone to "hang" during a long ride IMO. So aerobic ability is important, but it's nothing IMO without the anaerobic.

You have to train to build up the kind of power it takes to ride one of these heavier bikes, and be able to ride anywhere near as fast as the guys on the lighter bikes. It's possible, but it takes hard work. You must FORCE yourself to ride in a harder gear, and if you never do that, you'll never put the kind of stress on your body that will allow you to improve, in other words just always barely making the climb in granny will probably never make you any better. You'll have to ride a higher gear and NOT make the climb a few times and then eventually you will in that new and harder gear, and then you'll be amazed at how "easy" it seems in the original lower gear.

My bike is about 36lbs (turner 6 pack), and I ride it everywhere. I wouldn't make it any heavier though, 2.3-2.5 tires, a 66 up front, 6" of rear travel. Sturdy but not overly heavy parts.

 

[keen]

I ride a 39lb. Bullit for trail use. The suspension is set a little firm, 6 x 6 travel. I run 2.4 / 2.2 Kenda Cortez tires - all is weel. I had a chance to ride a VP Free that weighed only a few more pounds so I assumed it would feel similar to my Bullit. I found the suspension, amount of travel, really made the bike feel sluggish - pedalling flats especially. I don't care for XC geometry I like DH geometry but a less active suspension to keep the rolling speed up. I find my tire selection determines usage the most.

 

[e<i>o]

Whoa! I'm experiencing deja vu.....................:skep:

 

[Reamer]

o]Whoa! I'm experiencing deja vu.....................:skep:

I had a good picture of you but somehow my post got erased and the picture is now missing from my computer...

 

[e<i>o]

I had a good picture of you but somehow my post got erased and the picture is now missing from my computer...

I did it.
eio may be a hack on a bike, but I got dem computer skeelz...............

 

[SHIVER ME TIMBERS]

o]Whoa! I'm experiencing deja vu.....................:skep:

sheesh..................yep this happens all the time,.....know what you want.....buy what you need......no remorse................damn unbelieveable

 

[Axis]

o]Whoa! I'm experiencing deja vu.....................:skep:

Josh you shouldn't do anything until you actually get to ride some real DH out at SS with you bike. The Pro course, Quick Draw and the other trails on the Western Territory are the real deal.

If you must just buy a used Heckler frame off of eBay and buy my 150mm Sherman Flick!!! That IS the best XC and FR bike for what we got local. Just ask Evans he would probably let you ride his to try out. Man for less than a grand you could have a kick ass bike plus a nice DH bike too. Just save up.

No matter what just get out there and ride. Hey there are way more than 15 of us that ride DH here too. Haven't you been to any of the races? Remember that one at MW in June last year? Get people's cel #'s that is normally better than trying to round up people in SJ.

When I get back from Whistler we will ride MW a lot again.

 

[Reamer]

Josh you shouldn't do anything until you actually get to ride some real DH out at SS with you bike. The Pro course, Quick Draw and the other trails on the Western Territory are the real deal.

If you must just buy a used Heckler frame off of eBay and buy my 150mm Sherman Flick!!! That IS the best XC and FR bike for what we got local. Just ask Evans he would probably let you ride his to try out. Man for less than a grand you could have a kick ass bike plus a nice DH bike too. Just save up.

No matter what just get out there and ride. Hey there are way more than 15 of us that ride DH here too. Haven't you been to any of the races? Remember that one at MW in June last year? Get people's cel #'s that is normally better than trying to round up people in SJ.

When I get back from Whistler we will ride MW a lot again.

I've been riding bro, been riding xc on the Faith with XC tires...I'm not up for riding DH/FR by myself, in case I get jacked I don't want to be out there by my lonesome dragging myself to the truck so I've been riding xc. XC is just becoming more accessible, I know SS is the ****, wait till you hit Whistler up...problem I have is that I have no time this year to go down there. I'm finding out that my weekends are needed for wrapping up the friggin' degree, (which is important) but frustrating as I'm not getting any younger...Anyhow, we'll see how it goes, I'll be riding one way or another. I'd like to have two bikes, but will see. I found out that the SXT is 36 lbs and has 6.6 inches of travel, for most anything around here, that's plenty, even Mohican...it wouldn't be to bad to pedal either.

Anyhow, enough about my delema, have fun in whistler, if you need riding recomendations for after training rides, I would suggest Tiger Mountain. It's 3 mile fire road climb up(steep) and about 7 miles of pimpalicious singletrack down. Only 30 min from downtown Seattle. Totally doable this time of year after work.

 

[Reamer]

sheesh..................yep this happens all the time,.....know what you want.....buy what you need......no remorse................damn unbelieveable

Know what your talking about before you talk. :thumbsup:

 

[ecgravity]

Why don't you just do like some of the others did and buld up/buy a less expensive XC bike. I would much rather have my $ in the big hit bike seeing as that takes more abuse. You could pick up a used stumpy or heckler for pretty resonable.

 

[Axis]

Why don't you just do like some of the others did and buld up/buy a less expensive XC bike. I would much rather have my $ in the big hit bike seeing as that takes more abuse. You could pick up a used stumpy or heckler for pretty resonable.

I just got a FSRxc Pro. Luv'in it.