how heavy is your DH rig? does it matter?

[hillbilli]

I also went from a larger bike (a norco team north shore downhill rig with monster T forks 24kg) to a lighter (mongoose ECD 18.5kg) and the difference to my riding speed and downhill race times were alot. Any bike can go fast it depends on who is riding it. But light bikes accelerate faster and are easier to jump and hop over things.
Any decent bike from 17kg to 20kg are the go.

 

[MountainBikeMike]

I also went from a larger bike (a norco team north shore downhill rig with monster T forks 24kg) to a lighter (mongoose ECD 18.5kg) and the difference to my riding speed and downhill race times were alot. Any bike can go fast it depends on who is riding it. But light bikes accelerate faster and are easier to jump and hop over things.
Any decent bike from 17kg to 20kg are the go.

..and to add to that.. upgrading and lightening up your bike is half the fun too

 

[antstep]

Under the 20 kg is good if u can afford it every weekend . When you say it peddles like a tractor and the bike doesn't launch , what sort of set up do u have on you rear shock and fork ? This could be your problem . Sag , high speed compression and air presior can really change the way your bike rides . For example I ride a 19-kg bike with the rear shock at 40% sag and 125 psi with the high speed compression ramped up and it peddles really well . On the forks i wind all the compression and dampening out but run a fast rebound witch gives a great peddling plat form .

Swinger 6-way: Yeah i'm running around 30% sag when i have no preload on to measure spring viability. Or as best i can measure by myself, so i think the spring weight is right. I do crank the preload on b/c i found myself catching my bashie and pedals and thought i might be sitting too low in my travel. (see that tiny rock in the far right of the picture i attached, closest to the photographer? the one at the bottom of the rock fall? the shadow of the tape points the offending spot out. not very big is it? i continually destroyed my bashie etc when i was slightly wide on the line... ) (and yes, reindeer ears - don't ask)
I'm running the 6-way b/w 100-120psi. Screwed in the bottom out control on the swinger in a few turns, and run a few turn of low/high speed comp for the hell of it. It seems overdamped the 6-way. I really don't know how to set it up. I've barely got any rebound on at all, maybe one turn, and it seems really slow still, so i think there may be a problem there. It did gather dust all winter... I want it to spring back with more life so i can jump things easier...

fox40's. some preload, not much rebound on of late. Once again, so i can hop it up over things, jump etc. a little easier.

Any thoughts? Cheers.

correction: LBS reacons i'm running 50% sag! anyone running a demo9pro? i got a 400*3.0. i'm 80kg. what are weights are others running?

recorrection: i'm running 40% sag. did the proper measurements. probably 450 then.

 

[jjperko]

^ Doesn't really help you much in terms of bike setup but that used to happen to me a bit on that exact rock until I started lifting the front off it. Not enough to fully huck it, but just enough to prevent your forks compressing while your bottom bracket is over that rock. I think the 40's may be causing the problem as they have a tendency to dive big time on G outs etc.

 

[ajay]

Its a huck to flat, what do you expect?

 

[antstep]

^ Doesn't really help you much in terms of bike setup but that used to happen to me a bit on that exact rock until I started lifting the front off it. Not enough to fully huck it, but just enough to prevent your forks compressing while your bottom bracket is over that rock. I think the 40's may be causing the problem as they have a tendency to dive big time on G outs etc.

you might be right mate. the 40's are super soft. i'm starting to up the preload and off the rebound. i've never noticed them bottom, as others do, but that don't mean it's not happening.

totally different feel to the bling 888's. might need to send em and get the mod done... sigh.

believe it or not, i'm about to lift the front in that photo. or just let the terrain do it by sitting off the back. i did some serious damage lifting into that bloody rock to my poor bashie that weekend. wrote it off.

 

[fatass]

Mine's about 15kg, still looking to shave some weight and get those gay drop-off's off it. None of that kooky, heavy, useless linkage for me, thanks

 

[SideFX]

Spring

Swinger 6-way: Yeah i'm running around 30% sag when i have no preload on to measure spring viability. Or as best i can measure by myself, so i think the spring weight is right. I do crank the preload on b/c i found myself catching my bashie and pedals and thought i might be sitting too low in my travel. (see that tiny rock in the far right of the picture i attached, closest to the photographer? the one at the bottom of the rock fall? the shadow of the tape points the offending spot out. not very big is it? i continually destroyed my bashie etc when i was slightly wide on the line... ) (and yes, reindeer ears - don't ask)
I'm running the 6-way b/w 100-120psi. Screwed in the bottom out control on the swinger in a few turns, and run a few turn of low/high speed comp for the hell of it. It seems overdamped the 6-way. I really don't know how to set it up. I've barely got any rebound on at all, maybe one turn, and it seems really slow still, so i think there may be a problem there. It did gather dust all winter... I want it to spring back with more life so i can jump things easier...

fox40's. some preload, not much rebound on of late. Once again, so i can hop it up over things, jump etc. a little easier.

Any thoughts? Cheers.

correction: LBS reacons i'm running 50% sag! anyone running a demo9pro? i got a 400*3.0. i'm 80kg. what are weights are others running?

The spring doesn't sound like the right size , i would have thought an 80 kg ridder would be on at the least a 450 , 500 . Try winding the spring all the way out , measure the shock from eyelet to eyelet < centre of top bolt to centre of bottom bolt > . Then start winding the spring in about 2,4 terns . Then sit on your bike and measure the sag in % If you find that you are having to put more than 6 turns into the spring its the wrong size and you need a heavier spring . Check out the manito web sight and seed a pm to Daver , he might be able to help you out. He is good with tekkie stuff and a nice guy . Failing that put up a new post .

 

[GRIM]

I think a lighter bike has much better feel, handles better and gets airborne more easily but you can go to far I would not sacrifice strength or stiffness on a downhill bike and also you could get incredibly light but you must consider the cost if it costs you $300 to reduce 100g is it worth it, probably not unless you are trying to be very competitive. My Demo 8 is about 18.3kg it was 20.4kg new.

 

[sprocket]

I'm not sure about getting a lighter bike. I would get more out of my bike if I dropped 12kilo's as that would make me faster as well as being fitter.. my ride is on the nose at 19kilos, and i wouldnt want to go any lighter.. but i'm 97 kilo's when i should be about 83 kilo's if i was that light id be faster... and fit in my armour better. also it would be cheaper than spend the readies on bling bits to get a light bike running.... anyway gotta get back to my pizza

 

[ajay]

I'm not sure about getting a lighter bike. I would get more out of my bike if I dropped 12kilo's as that would make me faster as well as being fitter.. my ride is on the nose at 19kilos, and i wouldnt want to go any lighter.. but i'm 97 kilo's when i should be about 83 kilo's if i was that light id be faster... and fit in my armour better. also it would be cheaper than spend the readies on bling bits to get a light bike running.... anyway gotta get back to my pizza

This isnt the Jenny Craig thread buddy.

 

[sprocket]

This isnt the Jenny Craig thread buddy.

Isn't the i'm to skinny for mamma thread either

 

[ajay]

Huh?

Of course being physically fit is an advantage, but thats not relevent.

And dropping weight of your waste isnt the same as dropping weight off your bike either!

 

[sprocket]

sorry about that, going stir crazy as its been raining way too long and havn't been able to get out on the bike

why isn't lossing wieght off ya waist the same as of the bike?

i would have thought that since you and the bike are traveling(sp) down the hill at the same speed as one(well most of the time) that the riders weight would make a difference, wouldnt the bike have to work less to get through rockgardens ect if the rider is lighter and get upto speed better? in saying that going from a 22kilo bike to a 19kilo bike i did notice a difference in been able to through it around..

my mates and I often talk about bike weights and what would make the biggest difference ie: lighter wheelset tyre ect, maybe im wrong.... the new bike i'm starting to build, I'm aimming for around 18-19 kilos which is as low as i'll go... id love to ride an ultra light DH bike but form everyday use i don't think it last long with me "LOL"

 

[Unlearn]

sorry about that, going stir crazy as its been raining way too long and havn't been able to get out on the bike

why isn't lossing wieght off ya waist the same as of the bike?

i would have thought that since you and the bike are traveling(sp) down the hill at the same speed as one(well most of the time) that the riders weight would make a difference, wouldnt the bike have to work less to get through rockgardens ect if the rider is lighter and get upto speed better? in saying that going from a 22kilo bike to a 19kilo bike i did notice a difference in been able to through it around..

my mates and I often talk about bike weights and what would make the biggest difference ie: lighter wheelset tyre ect, maybe im wrong.... the new bike i'm starting to build, I'm aimming for around 18-19 kilos which is as low as i'll go... id love to ride an ultra light DH bike but form everyday use i don't think it last long with me "LOL"

Sure droping your weight will make peddaling easier ie acceleration, as would dropping weight on your bike, but i think people are more concerned with bike weight because it would help with bike handling too i.e. less weight in your ride makes it easier to throw around.