Craftworks DHR208

S.

S.

ex offender
I'm considering changing over my Norco Team DH frame (2002 model) for a CW DHR, cos I really want a slacker head angle (the adjustments are nice too) and lower BB. If it's feasible to get a CW within my requirements (ie through my LBS, which isn't a CW dealer), I might try and sell the Team DH frame and swap over to the Crafty. I'm sure a lot of people here have owned or currently own a DHR, what do you think of them? What problems did you have with them (be honest)? I know that both the Norco and the Crafty are 4-bar bikes etc, but the Norco is too high and steep (and probably a bit too short, but that's not really much of an issue). Another thing that makes me want a DHR is that they'll accept a better shock, like a Romic or Avalanche that the Norco won't fit.

Any comments? Any other frame suggestions (no Intenses, Foes etc - I can't afford anything like that)?
 
S.

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ex offender
If they EVER get their arse on the road! But the Crafty is so much cheaper.... they wanted $2700US for the frame.... the Crafty is $2700AU!

They're having difficulties getting their stuff into production too.
 
Gutty

Gutty

Likes Bikes and Dirt
what about the psylo? it has adjustable travel.

i heard that they're better than marzocchis cos marzocchis break.
 
O

ozvincent

Squid
I had a Norco vps1 & had the same problem, too short & high, so I upgraded the frame to an 03" orange 222 17" & it feels so much better, you can run the bottom bracket down around 14" if you want( 1 1/2" )lower than the Norco, this bike is so much more stable than the Norco it isn't funny & has heaps more adjustments.

:cry: I just wish I didn't break my collarbone on the xc bike so I could keep riding the 222. Give Mark a ring at Nerang MTB Centre for a good deal.
 
S.

S.

ex offender
I'm not really a fan of 222s, thanks. They're nice bikes for sure, but not my style.

BTW, I live in Melbourne, Nerang is a bit far away from me ;)
 
Lukedog

Lukedog

Formerly dhr208
Socket, i bought my dhr just over a year ago a week before the thredbo nats! that was my first ride and it was rad! i have also riddin a few norcos and have to agree about the high bb and head angle, The crafty has served me well, people refer to them as a poor mans intense and i have to agree, i have done a run on mine and then swaped over to a mates intense (one of kovariks old bikes) and they feel pretty similar, Obviously the intense feels a hell of akot better but the crafty is the cheaper option.

I have hit roof drops on it and decent size dirt jumps and it loves it all!
The best thing about it though is the way it corners! it rails turns like nothing else, this does however have a down side, and that is that it dosent handle that good at really high speeds, ie not as stable as other longer rigs, but you could always run a longer stem.

i canrt think of to many negatives, espicially when i paid somwhere around 2G for mine. its the sort of bike anyone can jump on and start rippin straight away! Its not so good if your real tall though as they only come in one size and its quite small, perfect for me as im only 5 '11 but when my brother 6'3 rides it he finds it a bit small.

hope this helps with your decision, i dont think youll be disapointed!
 
K

kalem

Likes Bikes and Dirt
i reckon it's a top idea, i've not ridden either but i still know everything. The DHR is red, your VPS is white, zort backwards is troz!
 
Gutty

Gutty

Likes Bikes and Dirt
kalem said:
i reckon it's a top idea, i've not ridden either but i still know everything. The DHR is red, your VPS is white, zort backwards is troz!
Click to expand...
Exactly !!!
 
S.

S.

ex offender
dhr208 said:
Socket, i bought my dhr just over a year ago a week before the thredbo nats! that was my first ride and it was rad! i have also riddin a few norcos and have to agree about the high bb and head angle, The crafty has served me well, people refer to them as a poor mans intense and i have to agree, i have done a run on mine and then swaped over to a mates intense (one of kovariks old bikes) and they feel pretty similar, Obviously the intense feels a hell of akot better but the crafty is the cheaper option.

I have hit roof drops on it and decent size dirt jumps and it loves it all!
The best thing about it though is the way it corners! it rails turns like nothing else, this does however have a down side, and that is that it dosent handle that good at really high speeds, ie not as stable as other longer rigs, but you could always run a longer stem.

i canrt think of to many negatives, espicially when i paid somwhere around 2G for mine. its the sort of bike anyone can jump on and start rippin straight away! Its not so good if your real tall though as they only come in one size and its quite small, perfect for me as im only 5 '11 but when my brother 6'3 rides it he finds it a bit small.

hope this helps with your decision, i dont think youll be disapointed!
Click to expand...
Well one feature I like about the Crafty is the adjustability, it can be set up with a decent variance between it's slackest and steepest setups. I'm fairly confident from pedalling round on a couple of them (never DH'd one though) that they're slack enough, they're definitely slacker than my Norco!

When you say it doesn't handle that well at really high speeds, do you mean it's too short, or that it's too steep? Does your weight feel too far back, or does the steering feel too twitchy?

I'm a fan of smallish bikes, my Norco is a medium and I'm 6'2", so I don't think I'd have any problems.

One technical problem I think the Crafty has (judging by looking at it) is that it won't be as active under brakes as some bikes (the IC is in a similar position to a Bullit or such).
 
K

kalem

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Socket said:
One technical problem I think the Crafty has (judging by looking at it) is that it won't be as active under brakes as some bikes (the IC is in a similar position to a Bullit or such).
Click to expand...
what's the IC?
 
S.

S.

ex offender
kalem said:
Socket said:
One technical problem I think the Crafty has (judging by looking at it) is that it won't be as active under brakes as some bikes (the IC is in a similar position to a Bullit or such).
Click to expand...
what's the IC?
Click to expand...
Instant Centre - the virtual point that affects braking.

Simplified explanation: when you apply the brakes (and the bike's moving forwards), there is a rotational force on the wheel (it wants to turn forwards), but the brake is trying to hold the wheel back. Equal and opposite forces etc, the brake pushing back on the wheel (in a rotational sense) means that the wheel pushes forward on the brake (and resultingly the swingarm), trying to make the swingarm rotate around a point known as the Instant Centre. If you have a linkage bike where the linkage is a parallelogram (an Ellsworth Dare and a Lawwill design come pretty close but not exact), the axle and the swingarm it's on can't rotate forwards or backwards, so you get no brake squat. Floating brakes SHOULD provide a perfect parallelogram, but often they don't (the 222 IBS is an example of a poorly designed floating brake). If there is a perfect parallelogram (or in the case of bikes like the V10, a linkage that keeps the brake/swingarm from being able to rotate backwards/forwards), there will be no effect on suspension movement by the brakes.

The IC can be determined by drawing a line through the frame and swingarm linkage pivots (only if the linkage is a true 4-bar though, with the axle on the bar that isn't attached to the frame); where they cross is the IC. On a singlepivot bike, the IC is the pivot.

I'll get a couple of pics up to illustrate how you can tell where the IC is. Basically, the further forward the IC is, the less brake squat you'll get, and if the IC is behind the axle (like a Yeti), you'll actually get brake jack.
 
S.

S.

ex offender

This is one of a DHR208, as you can see, the lines cross in a similar position to the main pivot of most singlepivots.



Here you can see the IC for an FRM125, due to the IC being considerably further forward, the FRM would have considerably less brake interference.
 
Lukedog

Lukedog

Formerly dhr208
i havent found it to have to many concerns when braking, it seems to remain farily active under brakes, especially compared to some other designs i have ridden. yeah what i was sayin about it being a tad sketchy at high speed,is mainly due to its length and partly due to the fact that i have a 40mm stem on it. You only really notice it at rerally high speed though, and only compared to other bikes, like my brothers giant dh or mates V-10
 
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