[iloveclimbinghills]

2005 cannondale jekyll stock except for...
Azonic outlaw wheels
Full avid fmj cable set for shifters/brakes
All mountain 1 fork 130mm
Big ring protector bash guard
2006 sram x9 rear derailer
2.1 wtb weir wolfs - soon to be replaced with probably 2.35 blue goove front and 2.1 nevegal rear
Avid sd7 brake leverss
2005 sram 990 chain
2006 sram 990 cassette
Platform pedals - welgo forgot which model, but they are downhill ones
Do you think i can bring this bike with me to go downhilling rather than rent one?
I plan on going to Attitash, in massachusetts not sure what to expect.

 

[scabrider]

it will be fine but your name scares me. before you get into dh you need to change your attitude about going up hills...

 

[dogonfr]

If you can ride a HT DH your bike will work. After your race or maybe durring practice see if you can try a DH rigg, it'll spoil you.

 

[RTM]

Sounds like you might be heading down the same path I did. I tried DH on my XC bike last summer to give DH a try and see if I'd like it. It was a rush, there were sections that scared the hell out of me, and some I simply couldn't get through on the 4" travel bike. Incredible. The next weekend I rented a 7" travel DH bike. What a difference. The following week I bought a DH bike. My XC bike's been collecting dust ever since.

Bottom line, you can ride a 6" bike to get an idea of DH. It'll be a lot of fun. But you won't get the whole picture until you rent a true DH rig and once you do forget about it.

ps - check out hcor.net. nice small DH community and I think there's an attitash specific board.

 

[HJB]

The bike will work just fine, in time you might want something better but I've seen guys going down the hill on xc hard tails and having fun.

The hard part will be going to Attitash in Massachussetts seeing as it's in New Hampshire. Unless of course they've moved it and didn't tell me

 

[[email protected]]

The frame and fork are durable for some rough descending,but try to keep the wheels on the ground.

Spend just a few bucks and get a short stem(less than 100mm),and 2 ply DH tires.

Oh and get some pads on!!

Enjoy the ride,most of us started on a similar bike.You should have seen me in '94 with a carbon HT and all my moto gear on!!

 

[vexhex]

will work - will not be fun

i have a jekyll with similar stats as yours - mainly the fork and stuff - i would suggest if you want to have fun - get another bike - i did - made my DH riding so much better - and kept my jekyll for XC riding.

best of luck!

2005 cannondale jekyll stock except for...
Azonic outlaw wheels
Full avid fmj cable set for shifters/brakes
All mountain 1 fork 130mm
Big ring protector bash guard
2006 sram x9 rear derailer
2.1 wtb weir wolfs - soon to be replaced with probably 2.35 blue goove front and 2.1 nevegal rear
Avid sd7 brake leverss
2005 sram 990 chain
2006 sram 990 cassette
Platform pedals - welgo forgot which model, but they are downhill ones
Do you think i can bring this bike with me to go downhilling rather than rent one?
I plan on going to Attitash, in massachusetts not sure what to expect.

 

[Tracerboy]

you can start riding DH on any bike. i started on a dj HT, but getting a true DH rig opens so many more possibilities. have fun

 

[standard235]

I try to ride DH.. I'm decent at best. I can keep up with my friend on his 7" Stinky.

Not saying much...

Haha, I'm kidding Patrick.

 

[freerider167]

you should be fine, i've seen people wiht HTs up on attitash, they do not tend to be as fast, but they will do the job.

 

[iloveclimbinghills]

thanks, i think i'll give it a try this spring or as soon as its open again. Sounds like its going to be lots of fun

 

[mtnbiker662]

I ride attitash on a ht with 5 inches of travel up front and I do just fine. Attitash has a wide range of trails for most ability levels and you can work your way up to harder stuff as your confidence gets higher. Remember its not the bike that makes the rider. If you go to any lift serviced mountain on a fairly busy day you will see guys on ht's ripping it up, and posers on there $5000 DH rigs riding the brakes on the beginner trails the whole way down. Just get out there and have fun.

 

[SHIVER ME TIMBERS]

save the headache and dough..buy a used Stinky or Bullitt for 600 to 800 bucks

 

[RobsterCraw]

I wouldn't touch a Jekyll with a ten foot pole. Maybe a prophet but not for DH. If you just want to try DH, you can go to a bike park or borrow a friends bike. If you really want to enjoy a DH ride, you need to do it right, with a DH bike. A few years ago I was just like you, I wanted to try DH but was going to only go half way and get a XC/all mountain kind of thing. Instead I dove right in and got the right bike.

 

[dandurston]

So what about a North Shore oriented freeride bike like my RM Switch SL? If I set a bike like this up with softer travel so I'm using all of it will I be okay? I've got a 50mm Diabolus Stem, 2.4" Tires, Marz Z1 FR1, Azonic Riser Bars, Lock on Grips, Hadleys, Avid 8" BB7 Disc brakes, e13 DRS, Sun MTX rims etc.

Will I struggle because it's not raked out as much and perhaps is a bit taller plus it lacks a bit of travel and might have a shorter wheelbase or will I only be slightly lagging?

I've been thinking about racing in the O-cup (ontario) next year but I can't afford a new bike.

 

[milhouse]

a jekyll for DH will be rough. It may be a good XC racer but everything about it would be bad for DH. Its really light, the geometry and its strength are all negatives for DH. My buddy snapped his chain stays on an XC ride a few years ago. Do yourself a favor, if you cant afford a new bike, rent a bike if they offer rentals.

 

[RobsterCraw]

Are those holyrollers?! On a FR bike?!

 

[milhouse]

BTW, if you are going to use your bike for dh do yourself a big favor. Buy a real short stem (50mm), chop the seat post short and get a full face helmet if you dont already have them. Your tendency to go over the bars will be MUCH higher with a long stem and XC geometry (even with the short stem).

 

[dandurston]

Are those holyrollers?! On a FR bike?!

Yeah you got me. That's pretty much the one thing I'd be willing to change for DH racing. I'm rolling with the Holy Rollers because I don't make it out to the few freeride trails around here much so I do a lot of urban freeriding or XC riding and the HR's work great for urban stuff and they are fast and light on the XC trails as long as it's dry and packed.

It could be worse...I've seen a Karpiel with Hookworms on it.

Will my higher BB and fast steering frame hurt me a lot in a DH race? (Assuming I switch tires)?

 

[Tracerboy]

I ride attitash on a ht with 5 inches of travel up front and I do just fine. Attitash has a wide range of trails for most ability levels and you can work your way up to harder stuff as your confidence gets higher. Remember its not the bike that makes the rider. If you go to any lift serviced mountain on a fairly busy day you will see guys on ht's ripping it up, and posers on there $5000 DH rigs riding the brakes on the beginner trails the whole way down. Just get out there and have fun.

i know what u mean, me and three friends went to attitash for a day and we met this kid with a brand new 5300 dollar dh team so we rode around with him for a little bit then when ended up ditching him because he was slowing us down, HE HELD THE BRAKE THE HOLE WAY DOWN THE MOUNTAIN! but in some cases the bike does have an efffect on what the rider can do