Nimble DH bike?

chunkyapple

chunkyapple

Sherlock Pommes
Hey dudes. I am pretty keen on getting back into a bit of DH and stuff after not having ridden a mountain bike for about 5 years. I used to ride quite a bit, but sold my mountain bikes to pursue BMX for a few years. I have made the decision that I want a DH bike again, I am traveling around oz with a couple of friends soon and I know there are gonna be some amazing trails and some awesome natural terrain that I want a big bike for.

Anyway, my question is: Seeing as though I am coming from BMX, I want a bike I can throw around a bit, not so much a slack plow bike but more something with short stays and not too slack of a head angle. I have considered a few of the more slopestyle oriented bikes but I decided I still want a full blown DH bike for when I get home anyways.

I know that the Demo 8 has reasonably short stays, but I am not so familiar with bikes these days anyway so any ideas would be great. I have always wanted a cove shocker and have my eyes on one currently, I am about 6ft and the frame is a medium, apparently they are on the small side of medium which sounds good as I am used to the BMX anyway. If I was to get this bike will I still be able to throw it around a bit? Everything that I want to do is basically everything that Thomas Vanderham does if it's any help. Fast but smooth and big flowy whips and shit. Gimme some advice! and sorry for that wall of text.
 
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haltz

Likes Dirt
i think youll get used to throwing any bike around once you ride it enough, i come from an mx back ground so the demo's were right up on my list because of their stand over height ergonomically i felt they were alot like my 450(only wayyyy easier to throw around) but i wasnt keen on throwing 6000 at a mountain bike only because im not going out chasing titles, buuut drift in newcastle are doing demo 2's for 4800 now and i think that price some from specialized to start running them out so any specialized dealers probably doin the same price, although the bighits are defnitely worth a look at, theyre shorter travel but i had one for a while and loved it for any riding, flowy freeride, 'bighits', and even on awaba downhill which everyone hypes as being one of the gnarlier dh tracks around, youll save a fair bit of money and still get a really solid bike. In saying all this i ride a giant glory 00 now, ive only really gotten to ride flowy kinda dh tracks so far but its a toy to throw around it has good stand over height and not a mega relaxed head angle alot of people bag them because theyre a common bike but if your not the kinda person thats phased by what other people think and want a bike for the fact that you like it theyre worth lookin into as well especially for the 3500 theyre goin for now(or the lower spec 01 for 2500), also the scott gambler 20's are a bit lower spec and i dont like the look of them though you might have different taste, theyre a pretty light bike that have a head tube insert that you can flip for a freeride angle or a downhill angle theyre goin for something like 2800 now
 
M

macguffin

Likes Dirt
Trek Session 8 (or 88 if you have the $$)? Have ridden the local singletrack on my Session 8. Light (for a big bike), pedals well, easy to manouever, great fun. The wide bars I put on it make things interesting through trees! Uphills not so much fun, but doable. I'm tempted to sell my 140mm trail bike and use the Session for everything!
 
chunkyapple

chunkyapple

Sherlock Pommes
Yeah thanks guys, the demos do look nice, and so do the sessions.. There is a couple of 88's in the for sale section that I have had a look at. Definitely a nice bike. I really still like the cove shocker though, hopefully the one I have my eye on is a possibility.
 
J

Jeebadheebis

Likes Bikes
Just a suggestion if you want a light bike. Take a gander at an antidote lifeline or a lappierre, even go carbon
if you want. Im riding a TR450 and its is so much fun to ride. Not plowy but its got that little edge
that you can use to make the bike move
 
D

driftking

Wheel size expert
Obviously your set up can help the bike be more nimble through the front end. I always found the older turner dhr very nimble if the newer ones retain this feeling they could be something to look at. The yeti 303r could be something to consider if you can find a second hand one or a previous year model still in a store. The 303r was designed to be a more nimble dhrace bike.
I think your Set up will play a big role in the feel as well, suspension set up and front end set up can dramatically change how the bike rides. Just remember you can go too short and too nimble when it comes to dh.
 
chunkyapple

chunkyapple

Sherlock Pommes
Yeah setup will definitely play a big role in how the bike feels for sure. I'm not really into being super weight weeny as I want a bike I can thrash a bit and not have to keep buying new parts for. I just want to be able to pop up the front wheel easily and just have it so I can throw it around a bit. I will probably run bars with a little bit of rise so the front end isn't silly low. Super excited about getting back into a bit of downhill and stuff though!
 
frenchman

frenchman

Eats cheese. Sells crack.
Morewood Izumi or an Orange. Small, light and nimble.

Oh also they don't really work, however there is something about riding a single pivot that is magical / deafening.
 
D

driftking

Wheel size expert
frenchman said:
Morewood Izumi or an Orange. Small, light and nimble.

Oh also they don't really work, however there is something about riding a single pivot that is magical / deafening.
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I would hardly say single pivots don't work, they have a good history behind them and many of the top bikes today use a single pivots with different linkage drives to achieve their desired outcome.
To throw up a example the commencal uses a single pivot and is not only one of the best bikes iv ever riden but also carried gee to a worldcup overall last year.
For the people who whinge about brake jack, get off the brakes :)
 
BUSHPIG

BUSHPIG

Likes Bikes and Dirt
single pivot if you wnt nimbleness for sure. just throw a spacer under top crown and you have a nice build for anything. My Izimu is pushing 19 now with no reall attention to weight saving. Seems like a good price to work from too
 
T-Rex

T-Rex

Template denier
Maybe take a look at an AM bike, they are generally pretty easy to adapt to DH. I've seen plenty of Giant Reigns at DH races over the years.
 
S

stringbean

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Kamikazee ideki said:
Definitely have a look at the Yeti 303 R-DH that was mentioned earlier, bike is pretty much perfect for what you want.
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agree, mine was awesome, everyone that jumped on it loved it

maby look at a transition tr250 aswell, bit smaller travel and a bit lighter than its big brother
 
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