Lowest BB in downhill

Ryan Hotdog

Ryan Hotdog

Likes Dirt
everyone talks about how loww bottom brackets make a downhill bike more stable and corner better. Just wondering which downhill bike out there has the lowest BB and potentially corners the best?
 
cam-o

cam-o

Likes Bikes and Dirt
My Keewee Chromozone had a very low BB. I think it was low 13"s from memory. The handling was pretty awesome. It would hold a line like nothing else, but changing lines mid corner was hard work. It was a real high speed sweeper machine, but not so hot in the tight stuff. This is partly from a fairly long wheelbase as well as low BB.
Downside is that you did hit pedals, even running 165mm cranks you would occasionally find yourself flying over the bars unexpectedly when a crank hit.
 
D

deano-g

Squid
From a spreadsheet I made during my DH&FR frame research;

Kona Stinky 12.0
Kona Stab 12.4
Intense Uzzi 14.1
Intense M3 14.1
Sinister R9 (Medium) 14.5
Cove Playmate FR 14.5
Foes Fly 14.5
Turner DHR 14.6
Foes DFS 14.7
Cove Peeler DH 14.8
Santa Cruz V10 14.8
Santa Cruz VP Free 14.8
Canfield F1 15.0
Specialised Demo 9 15.4
Mountain Cycle 9.5 15.5

Notes
1/ All for Largest frame in particular range
2/ From websites / catalogues
3/ Numbers in Inches

Deano.
 
j5ive

j5ive

Jonny Sprockets Bike Shop
The konas have to be wrong. And the demo 9 can be switched to 14.6".
And I'll agree about the d8 :)
 
Shorerider

Shorerider

Likes Dirt
A mate of mine just got an Avanti D8. Its BB height is quite low. His previous bike was a Giant DH Comp. He says the Avanti handles much better than the Giant BUT, he is having some issues with his pedals hitting trail obsticals as they are closer to the ground. This, combined with the lower shock linkage also hitting things, are the downfalls of a low BB on some bikes.

One question though, what is a "widget"?
 
Red Rocket

Red Rocket

Likes Bikes and Dirt
j5ive said:
Thats what I said. Only not in CAPS. :p
Click to expand...

Eh, what can I say, I'm on a bit of a whoring session tonight. Even this post is whored. Maybe I should add something constructive to this post.

I think that BB height is purely subjective really. Some people like transcendal BB's that sit as high as the Almighty one, whereas others like them nice and low. Some people may find for some reason or another that they corner best on a bike with a high bb (though I can't imagine why). In short, a really low bb isn't necessarily going to be conducive to a bike that rails it, as that is dependant on many other variables.
 
Mugger

Mugger

Senir oMermber
Red Rocket said:
Eh, what can I say, I'm on a bit of a whoring session tonight. Even this post is whored. Maybe I should add something constructive to this post.

I think that BB height is purely subjective really. Some people like transcendal BB's that sit as high as the Almighty one, whereas others like them nice and low. Some people may find for some reason or another that they corner best on a bike with a high bb (though I can't imagine why). In short, a really low bb isn't necessarily going to be conducive to a bike that rails it, as that is dependant on many other variables.
Click to expand...
I find my Turner's bb to a be sometimes too low and when hitting corners that may a root somewhere my pedals hit it and i get fucked over, not cool. IMHO depends on personal preference, somewhere in the middle is right for me, turner is there but does the old obstacle clippage time to time.

Where'd you get the Stinky measurement?
 
J

Juls

Junior Marzocchi Tech
My 2003 Stinky with Super T's on the front was 13.9" measured with a tape, ground to centre of the BB.

my 2005 IH Yakuza Kumicho with 05 66RC is 14" exactly

My old 2002 Stinky with 5" bombers was around 12"
It was also a 5" frame.

regards
Juls
 
Fatman

Fatman

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Tin Pony Sunday, 13.9 but feels heaps lower. Feels like it's draggin it's ass.
My DHi is pretty high at 15.1/15.6 depending on positioning chip.
 
A

AaronJ

Likes Dirt
My IH SGS is 14.75" with the Shockworks fork and 2.7f/2.5r" tires.

AJ.

Edit: 7" travel fork, bike unweighted!
 
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B

boysik

Pro Rider
BB heights

I was running my last years Orange 223 with 7 inch boxxers at 13.25". Though it is adjustable, the guy i sold it to jacked it up th 14" for better pedal clearance.
Running years 224 with Boxxer 8" forks im currently running at 13.9", and will drop it one more notch to run it lower at 13.5",,,,,These are actual measurements with 2.5" maxxis tyres, not just speculation and catalogue info.
 
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