[thefriar]

Anyone out there done the move from 'tach to Podium? I've been running the Tach as my DH bike for about 2 seasons and found the delirium T to cover most of the FR responsibilities I'm willing to throw at it handily. I love the adjustability of the vtach, but feel like I'm missing some zoom zoom on the lift served stuff.

Thoughts/comments... Is it that much faster a bike, and I know its a knolly, but would you say its as burly as a Tach? (Being 240lbs w/out gear I need to know my DH bike is burly as)

 

[doodooboi]

Anyone out there done the move from 'tach to Podium? I've been running the Tach as my DH bike for about 2 seasons and found the delirium T to cover most of the FR responsibilities I'm willing to throw at it handily. I love the adjustability of the vtach, but feel like I'm missing some zoom zoom on the lift served stuff.

Thoughts/comments... Is it that much faster a bike, and I know its a knolly, but would you say its as burly as a Tach? (Being 240lbs w/out gear I need to know my DH bike is burly as)

Burly is what the bike is!!!! Fast is also what the bike likes to be. The faster you ride it the better she gets. Don't want to spam on here but I do have a Medium for sale with etxra parts to sweeten the deal. Pm if Interested!

 

[BryanS.]

I have had a VTach for 6 years and was amazed at how fast the Podium was in comparison. It just devours high speed chunder and stutter bumps on Whistler and was still very capable in more technical sections like Goat's Gully. The Podium just craves speed.

 

[Muttonchops]

I rode a VT for 4 seasons (recently sold) and rented a podium for a day at Whistler last year. Rode with 6 or 7 other Knolly riders that day including Noel - fun day.

Holy [email protected] the difference was noticable...the podium was incredibly fast and stable at speed. I had one crash into a tree on a trail i know well...simply because i got to the tree before i was expecting to get there...then i had another crash that i called a "Sam Hill moment", where i was feeling so good and in control (i.e. like SH ) riding RDS - I gapped a root ball and saw another one coming that i decided to go for - only problem was that there was another root ball exactly in front of where my front wheel landed 10 - 12 feet out. So - i definitetly felt like the bike came with a good set of gonads

the bike was confidence inspiring in a scary kind of way. The only drawbacks for me that day - were the same as you would experience on most rental bikes.

1. 30 in bars freaked me out (i rode 28 on the VT)
2. crappy WTB tires
3. Suspension set up questionable

It was also tough to adjust to the geometry of the podium which has you more over the center of the bike (bars) vs more off the back of the bike (pedals) of the VT, but by the end of the day i was getting used to it - and that is how the delerium also feels (kinda)

I am beefing up the delerium for DH this year - but I will definitely try and rent one / ride a demo podium again this year at Whizzler.....hopefully with the 3 points above - adjusted to suit me better

 

[thefriar]

Mutton... made me think. One of the things I love about the tach is how it just intuitively lifts cleanly coming off edges, i.e. lean back a bit off a drop and the front will come off ledge and only drop once the rear is clear of the edge of the drop... that makes a bunch of stuff that's scary steep or slow more comfortable. Wondering if that's the FR nature of the tach, if I can keep speed it becomes less of an issue (i.e. faster through corners and more stable/carries more momentum cruising through chop & chunk).

I do feel a slacker DH HTA would make some stuff that the tach get's hung up in more smooth.

Also, how's BB height through rock gardens at not cruising speed? My buddy rode a Demo all last season and he'd get hung up in rock gardens with tight corners if he wasn't blowing through at warp speed, when it was in any other terrain I had to really let the tach go to keep him in sight. The gardens were the only place I could catch (on his Bklyn Big Link and PBJ I'd lead or be on his rear whole way down)...

 

[Muttonchops]

Yebo...you gots to love the VTach for how stable it is at slower speeds and how easilly you can get the front end up (a factor of various things not just HA). Now imagine the podium with its longer wheel base / chain stays / lower BB is going to perform way different at slower speeds.

Do yourself a favor - go watch the life cycles segment of Ryan Berrecloth shredding on his VTach...!

 

[mykel]

Not on a Podium but Delirium T and Delirium.

I find the difference between these two bikes the same as described between the VT and Podium. The Delirium-T I found I rode more off the back of the bike, on the Delirium I find that I am more centered - and yes that "over the bars/front-end" feeling can be a bit disconcerting at first.

The Delirium is faster than the Delirium T, but the DT is a bit more comfortable in the slow techie stuff. Riding off the back feels a bit more controlled than over the front. My experience and opinion - so your mileage may vary.

...the DT is sold and I'm building it up for a friend as I'm on the Delirium full time as the one and only.

michael

 

[1+1]

I've been debating the same question myself. Only thing that's keeping me away from the Podium is the lower bb and how well it'll perform in slower, technical stuff, which the VT and DT are built for. I wonder if there's a loss of slow speed control, would high speed stability make up for that(not that VT and DT is lacking in this department)? Problem is, where I ride now, slow, technical section are the majority of the trails.
But I'm sure I'll buy one as soon as I get to test ride one. Which unfortunately is months away.

 

[GaryM]

I made the switch and have never looked back. There might be 2% of the time where the vtach would be faster...mostly super tech pedally sections but that doesn't make up for the 98% of the time where the podium blows it's doors off. There is definitely a learning curve getting used to the bb height and how much more speed you can carry but after that I have never wanted my vtach back. You eventually dial in new lines to match the speed and capabilities of the bike and what used to be a slow tech section turns into a gap to a brapp through it. If you have a delirium and don't plan on climbing it it's a no brainer...go for the podium and let it do what's it's made for...go fast down! I have done some climbing and even one xc trail when a lift got shut down and we had nothing else to ride and it pedals very well if you're willing to put the effort in...I run a 38tooth ring and a road cassette so it does take some effort.

 

[ebxtreme]

I made the switch and have never looked back. There might be 2% of the time where the vtach would be faster...mostly super tech pedally sections but that doesn't make up for the 98% of the time where the podium blows it's doors off. There is definitely a learning curve getting used to the bb height and how much more speed you can carry but after that I have never wanted my vtach back. You eventually dial in new lines to match the speed and capabilities of the bike and what used to be a slow tech section turns into a gap to a brapp through it. If you have a delirium and don't plan on climbing it it's a no brainer...go for the podium and let it do what's it's made for...go fast down!

Having ridden higher BB, better pedally FR bikes for a long time and then going to a pure DH race rig (different brand), my sentiments echo Gary's above.

"and what used to be a slow tech section turns into a gap to a brapp through it."

Gap to a braaap.....love it Gary! :thumbsup:

 

[doodooboi]

The last two post really nail it in regards to how the podium changes your riding style. Here in AZ we have majority slow and techy stuff, but since the podium begs to go faster you basically turn the slow and techy to fast and smooth. Also with our chunk out here the bb was an issue at first but now that I gotten use to going faster and just start to gap things you don't even need to worry of the low bb and pedals hitting. They would only hit in areas where everyone hits their pedals. Great bike, fast and burly but light. Oh I also agree with riding the bike more on the bars kind of thing. That just makes the bike go faster and easier to whip the back end around turns quicker. I've rambled but hope this made some sort of sense. Thanks for reading

 

[thefriar]

Great replies guys. I don't pedal the Vtach around that often and when I want a FR kinda bike its more session than pedally pedally related, so the pedaling issue is mitigated.

Thanks for the feedback!