first freeride bike.

[Woolleyfooley]

Hey guys. im thinking about getting my first freeride bike soon. im looking to spend about 3000-4000 dollars on it. id like to stay closer to 3 but depending on what i see i might be able to go up to about 4000. what im looking for is a good dh/fr bike that is also pedalable. some bikes im thinking are: norco vps a line, specialized sx trail I, specialized demo 8, kona stinky deluxe, kona stab deluxe, rocky mountain switch, rocky mountain rmx. now i dont know the prices on the rmx or switch so could anyone let me know? also any other suggestions as to what bikes i should look at? thanks in advance!

-Alex

[EaternFreerider]

The rmx would'nt be a good beginner bike, neither would the demo 8. You can ride whatever you want but i would suggest to not spend too much money on your first, learn how to ride good, then spend the money for the best.

Just my opinion.

[-BB-]

7Point7 = da BOMB

Man, I sound like a Grom there...

Let me rephrase.
The 7Point series sounds like it would fit tthe criteria you give above quite well.
It pedals GREAT, decends awesome, and isn't too heavy.
Plus, it is a lot cheaper than the Intense/SC offerings.

[EaternFreerider]

7Point7 = da BOMB


iron horse 7 point 7 is awesome, and i know this isent what he meant but da bomb makes good frames too lol.

[biggins]

The rmx would'nt be a good beginner bike, neither would the demo 8. You can ride whatever you want but i would suggest to not spend too much money on your first, learn how to ride good, then spend the money for the best.

Just my opinion.

no way. why buy a bike now and six months later dump another 3500.00 bucks. Buy a good bike now and ride it till it dies.

i would say either the sx or the stinky-d. the demo is way more race oriented.

[biggins]

oh and the iron horse 7point series bikes are friggin awesome as is the service you will receive from them.

[untitledsince89]

definetly don't spend around 3000 for your first freeride bike, you may turn out to love it or to hate it, look in the buy and sell setion and ther are always awesome deals on bikes in ther, Or just get the 7point 5's like everyone else said, the 05's are sick and going for around 2000 @ www.rscycle.com

[EaternFreerider]

no way. why buy a bike now and six months later dump another 3500.00 bucks. Buy a good bike now and ride it till it dies.

i would say either the sx or the stinky-d. the demo is way more race oriented.



I agree with what you said about the demo, but i just think you should start out with a moderate feeride bike,just incase you dont catch on or dont like it very much, also when your done you could sell the bike and put it toward a better one.

[-BB-]

iron horse 7 point 7 is awesome, and i know this isent what he meant but da bomb makes good frames too lol.


LOL... I totally forgot about that company.
Maybe I should edit moy post yet again.
;)

[EaternFreerider]

LOL... I totally forgot about that company.
Maybe I should edit moy post yet again.
;)

hahaha

[zaphod1]

dude check out the specialized enduro sx trail my buddy has one with a 888 on the front the bike rocks

[zaphod1]

check out this thread http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147291

[Woolleyfooley]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. i wouldnt be getting the bike until summer (june-july) so its not like i need to make my decision asap lol. i really want a bike thats gonna be a freeride bike that will last me a while that i wont need to buy a new one once i improve. over the past summer i got a rocky mountain switch as a demo from a shop and i enjoyed it a lot...went to local trails and did about 5 foot drops...so its not like i just think freeriding looks cool lol..i know i like it. so anyway i guess sx trail will be good. another question is would it be better for me to have a 6-7 fr bike like an sx trail vs a 9 inch travel bike like the norco a line?

[Pat...]

Get a 6"-7" bike. Do not get an 8 or 9" bike for your first freeride bike. They can gennerally be more top heavy than lesser travel bike. The main reason, that you don't want that much travel, especially now, is that you will be able to just be on it and let it take you on the ride. With a lower travel bike, you will have to do some work, such as pumping, manualing, etc. It will make you a much better rider to first get a lower travel bike.

If you really want to get good bike handling skills, get a hardtail instead (or in addition). On a hardtail, you are forced to work, so you can become a much better rider. The Iron horse yakuza bakuto's are very good bikes for a good price. If you are going to spend $4000, maybe get a 6" or 7" full suspension for about $2000, and a hardtail like the one above for about $1000. Then you would have two bikes, giving you more options for different riding.

Just my suggestions/advice.

[maxyedor]

I agree with Mtnbrider, a hardtail is a great idea. Not just because I have one that will be going on the market any day now. A $2000 full sqish bike with a decent frame will let you upgrade components down the road, and not be wasting your time. The hardtail will teach you to be smooth, and to jump. When you're smooth a 7" bike is plenty for most situations, when you just huck stuff no amount of travel will save you. Simply look toward Josh Bender, he rode a 12" travel fork and a similarly long travel frame, he was also anything but smooth, and it just wasn't enough. Guys like Kyle Straight, Cedric Gracia, Thomas Vanderham, and many others will hit stuff that Bender broke frames on, riding a 8-10" bike and roll out clean without even bottoming. So what I'm saying is that working on flow will let you ride just about any Trail-Fr bike almost anywhere without issue.

As for which bike to get, the Iron Horses are quite nice. The 7point line-up uses the DW link which seems to be the best linkage out there right now. Personally I love a good single pivot frame like the Yeti ASX. The best bike for you is hard to say. My best advice is to test ride everything you can, even if it is just in the parking lot. I once bought a Kona Stinky without test riding, even thought the geo. looked right on, and they got great reveiws, I sold mine after a week because it just didn't feel good no matter what I did. They guy that bought it loved the feel of the frame and how it handled, so definitly try everything before making a large investment.

Sorry for making you read all that.

[Matt H]

Get a 6"-7" bike. Do not get an 8 or 9" bike for your first freeride bike. They can gennerally be more top heavy than lesser travel bike. The main reason, that you don't want that much travel, especially now, is that you will be able to just be on it and let it take you on the ride. With a lower travel bike, you will have to do some work, such as pumping, manualing, etc. It will make you a much better rider to first get a lower travel bike.


I agree 100%. Long travel bikes are great, but they can also be forgiving, and hide your bad habits. Learn on something that is going to force you to ride correctly and an eventual move to a longer travel bike will be much more rewarding.

I'm also a cheap bastard so I'm gonna recommend you stay < $3K on your first bike...look at Ironhorse (buddy of mine just ordered a 7point3), Stinky, and Yeti.

Also remember, if you get into a bike at a lower pricepoint, you can always upgrade components down the road @ a few hundred $ per year as opposed to selling a used $2K bike, then buying a more expensive bike, unless you really find that you want a huck monster with 8"-9" travel.

For what it's worth, I ride a Giant Reign 3, 6" travel, so far it's been great, uphill, downhill, on the drops, etc. The Maestro suspension system is amazing. Components are not the greatest but considering your price range you could look at the Reign 1 or 2.

[jackalope]

Could also grab a slightly used rig that is in primo shape...If you're going to pedal, I think a Bullit or AS-X would be great choices...You could easily pick up a used Bullit for peanuts, but the AS-X would be an even better option if you can find one...

[rigidhack]

How long have you been riding? I'm buying my first FR bike, too - a Sinister Splinter MX. But I have been on a rigid bike for 18 years. No way would I be spending the $ I am spending if I was new to the sport. If I had been at this for less than 3 or 4 years, I'd get a HT no question. Something like the Sinister Ridge or Banshee Scirocco can be built as a FR bike, but also be done up lighter as an all-purpose trail bike - that way when you get a FS bike, you don't have to ditch the HT. It will save you about $1500, too. (Which is basically half of the next bike, right?)

If you are set on a FS bike, the suggestions above are all good. In my opinion, the Splinter wipes them all off the map. (And yes, I have ridden the Yeti, the 7. bikes, the Konas, the Bullit, the SX trail, Trek Session 77, the Gemini (which is somewhat underrated, I think) and a bunch of others.) The Sinister is just in a whole other league - prettty much by itself.

[Pat...]

A singlepivot might be good for a first freeride bike, becasue its proven, predictable, and simple. This may or may not be a good idea.

Although the Iron horse 7points are reallly nice. I want to get a bullit when I have the money.

[stinkyboy]

Wwsbd?

[Pat...]

?????????????????????

[Woolleyfooley]

ok so i guess ill go with a 6-7 inch fr bike. i guess im thinking about the specialized sx trail I. other than the 7point are there any other suggestions for a fs freeride bike with 6-7 inches for 3000 and under?

[mandown]

put a leg over any bike before you buy it.
since you have some time to wait before you buy, try this:

1 - find friends with bikes and try theirs.

2 - find a bike shop with demo models you can rent. Supergo in Santa Monica would do that, but i don't know if they still have that policy with the "Performance" change.

3 - guys who work at shops have bikes. ask them if you can go for a ride with them and try one of theirs. if they know you are in the market, and they are smart, they will help you out. they should know if they can hook you in, they will get your money.

4 - try a "demo day." companies like Kona tour the country with bikes for you to sample.

trying different bikes for feel is key. until you have been on different bikes, you won't know if you like they way they fit and feel.

i would say $3,000 should get you a nice first rig. don't worry about the cash side of it. if you have the money, spend it. you can always sell the bike later. the market is good here on the monkey for used bikes. keep a bit in reserve, as not matter what bike you buy, you will want to upgrade something. saddle, pedals, tires, bars, stems, grips, little things like that can add up $$$ and they make a big difference in feel. those are also the parts that are often skimped on by companies when they create a bike build and have a price point. items like forks and shocks will become desireable ride upgrades as you are in the sport longer and start to notice the feel difference.

as for bikes to consider, Iron Horse has good prices on builds. Specialized will cost you a bit more for the name. Kona has some great packages. If you can find a store selling the 2005 Stinky, you are in good shape. Every year, Kona allows their retailers to drop the price pretty far to blow out the old and bring in the new.
http://wheelworld.com/itemdetails.cfm?catalogId=39&id=3494 has the 2005 for $900 off the retail. this is a DOPE deal. i am not a huge fan of the 888VF valving, but it will get the job done. some would say the DHX 4.0 is not as good as the 5.0. however, at that price, you can upgrade based on your budget. ride it, get comfortable, then sell the shock and the fork and use that money, along with the savings from your original budget and upgrade.

yeah, HTs are good to learn on and build skills. however, if you only plan to have one freeride rig in the future, it might make sense to just get a full-squish and be done with it.

[mandown]

iron horse at go-ride.com
http://www.go-ride.com/prod_frames_ironhorse.html

talk to the boys at go-ride.

[rigidhack]

Sinister Splinter MX
Azonic Outlaws
Avid Juicy 5's
Saint cranks
SRAM drivetrain/shifters
Zoke 66 or Fox 36Van or Travis 150
your choice for everything else

[mandown]

i'm not sue i would go the custom build for the first rig. not opposed to it, but it does require a bit more brain damage. it would definitely be easier if a shop helped. you need to know if parts are compatible, or what adapters are needed. for rigid's suggestion, you are dealing with a 1.5 HT that would require reducers if you went with the Marz or the Fox. wheelset spacing is important 135 vs 150, as well as axle size 10mm QR, vs 10MM bolt, vs 12MM. the azonics are good that way. the bb size and spindle length are important and change if you are using a chainguide. not that it is impossible, but there are quite a few pitfalls for a new player in the game.

[untitledsince89]

I agree with Mtnbrider, a hardtail is a great idea. Not just because I have one that will be going on the market any day now. A $2000 full sqish bike with a decent frame will let you upgrade components down the road, and not be wasting your time. The hardtail will teach you to be smooth, and to jump. When you're smooth a 7" bike is plenty for most situations, when you just huck stuff no amount of travel will save you. Simply look toward Josh Bender, he rode a 12" travel fork and a similarly long travel frame, he was also anything but smooth, and it just wasn't enough. Guys like Kyle Straight, Cedric Gracia, Thomas Vanderham, and many others will hit stuff that Bender broke frames on, riding a 8-10" bike and roll out clean without even bottoming. So what I'm saying is that working on flow will let you ride just about any Trail-Fr bike almost anywhere without issue.

As for which bike to get, the Iron Horses are quite nice. The 7point line-up uses the DW link which seems to be the best linkage out there right now. Personally I love a good single pivot frame like the Yeti ASX. The best bike for you is hard to say. My best advice is to test ride everything you can, even if it is just in the parking lot. I once bought a Kona Stinky without test riding, even thought the geo. looked right on, and they got great reveiws, I sold mine after a week because it just didn't feel good no matter what I did. They guy that bought it loved the feel of the frame and how it handled, so definitly try everything before making a large investment.

Sorry for making you read all that.

agreed very well put

[SteezyWeezy]

for just fr, id get an sx or demo, or, if ur gonna spend that much, i would recomend maybe a santa cruz vp free, those pedal amzingly and are excellent freeride bikes, but also, a hardtail would be good for a beginner

[Pat...]

Bikes like demos or vp-free (in my opinon) are big bikes, which aren't good choices for a first freeride bike. With big bikes, you can get away with not doing work. You can just plow over stuff. This can easily hinder progression.

I think it's better to start on a 6-7" travel at most bike or hardtail. 7" is plenty of travel. After riding a hardtail downhill for a while, I figure I would be fine with a 6" travel bike (when I get a FS bike), but an extra inch could soak up bumbs a little better, by allowing me to run more sag w/o blowing through the travel.

A few 6-7" travel bikes (as Maxyedor said, ride as many bikes as you can before buying. This way, you won't later find out you hate it):

-Canondale Gemini
-Iron Horse 7point series
-Santa Cruz Bullit
-Kona Stinky
-Transition Dirtbag
-Mountain Cycle Sin
-Scott Nitrous
-Yeti AS-X
-Giant Regn

[Woolleyfooley]

ok so heres the latest. a local shop by me has an 05 stinky left over for 1300. i was thinking of buying that this week. i would only use this bike temporarely while i save up for a better bike. would starting with a stinky, saving up, then buying a 3000+ dollar bike be a good idea..or should i just save up until i get enough for a 3000 dollar bike?

[Matt H]

ok so heres the latest. a local shop by me has an 05 stinky left over for 1300. i was thinking of buying that this week. i would only use this bike temporarely while i save up for a better bike. would starting with a stinky, saving up, then buying a 3000+ dollar bike be a good idea..or should i just save up until i get enough for a 3000 dollar bike?

I say pick up the stinky and don't even worry about another bike for at LEAST a year.

The Stinky is a lot of bike if you're just getting into freeride...if you can outride what a stinky is capable of taking within 2 years I'd be very impressed. Ride the hell out of it now, worry about spending more money later. Spend out of necessity, not because your budget says you can (in my humble opinion).

[mandown]

pedal the stinky around. if it feels ok, then go for it. the frameset is a legend. it has been around forever. they sell a ton of them. whistler uses them as rental bikes. can you get a better endorsement than that?

you will then have a bike and be able to ride. that is always better than saving up. you then have two options. save up for a whole new bike (while you ride). you will be able to sell the stinky for a decent amount of money and use those funds for the new rig. on the other hand, you may decide that you don't need a whole new bike. you may just need/want to upgrade parts. that is much easier than saving up for a $3,000+ bike.

the sooner you have a bike, the sooner you will be able to determine which characteristics you like or don't like.

good luck.

[rigidhack]

The Stinky sounds like a fantastic option for a first FR bike. Go for it. You will likely be able to sell it when you are ready for a decent amount, too.

[89yota]

If I may make a suggestion... I'd go for a Banshee Chaparral. If you're gonna be spending the cash and want something burly. I'm nearing the end of my build and I'll be right at $3500 on it. These things are super tough, have a 10 year no questions asked warranty on the frame, and feel awesome to ride. They're a bit on the heavy side, but hell it's a freeride bike. Wouldn't you rather have something heavier and more stable at speed than something light and skittish? I dunno, don't get this bike with the idea of doing much uphill pedaling, they're efficient enough, but after you build it sick and burly it'll be heavy as hell. Course it all feels like butter once you point it downhill.

[mandown]

no disrespect 89yota, but i think the stinky is a better option. the chappy is a great bike. the performance difference between it and the stinky are probably hard for most riders to notice and will be invisible to a new rider. the extra confusion of having to spec the build will be a bit much for a new player in this game. the stinky gives him a full bike ready to roll for a sick price. OOPS - i just noticed that banshee offers complete builds, but they start at $3,400

i have no doubt 89's chappy is gonna be a nicer ride than a stinky. however, i remember my first freeride rig (a 2000 stinky-d). i had no idea what i was on or how to use it. i never would have noticed the difference between that bike and a better ride. now, years later, i notice.

if you do go for a frame and build kit, check go-ride.com for their build kits. http://www.go-ride.com/prod_buildkits.html $1,729 for the sport freeride plus the cost of the frame ($1,449 msrp on the chap). wheelworld.com also has build kits for $900 http://wheelworld.com/itemdetails.cfm?catalogId=39&id=2898

[SteezyWeezy]

for sure, go with the stinky, great first freeride bike, no question

[Woolleyfooley]

alright so im gonna go to the shop on sunday i think and give it a spin. if it feels good ill take it lol. then maybe i can find a used 66rc and throw that on it for now, get good and then get something like the sx trail or an rmx. good idea?

ps. anyone know prices of 06 rmx's?

[mandown]

good idea with the stinky. don't even worry about the 66rc for now. get the bike. ride it. start a little savings fund for future upgrades. wait until you can tell what makes your bike "not as good" as your buds' bikes. what is good for one person is not what is good for another. lots of guys love the Jr. T. and the dirt jumper forks but i hate the valving in them. my bud loves his bullit. i think it handles like crap. just 'cause it is expensive, doesn't mean it is good.

[89yota]

I agree with you mandown... The Chap is awesome, but mite be a bit more $ than what you could get an equally equipped stinky for. If it is a bike that'll be inevitably replaced in the future by better rigs, certainly go for the less expensive option and ride it to the ground. But if you want something exactly the way you want it the first time, certainly get a frame and build it up. I chose the Chap because of its durability and because I've already had 3 freeride bikes before. Sometimes it takes going through a bike or two before you fully understand what you want and what you want to do with it. I was actually contemplating the Stinky for my last build, but got a killer deal on a different frame. It's funny, the first bike I built from the ground up cost around $5,000 and I still had a bunch of stuff that I wanted to change/modify after a few months of riding. my Chap is much cheaper by comparison and has better stuff on it for my riding style and what I'm planning on doing with the bike. Get something complete first, then start doing your own builds. With experience from riding and of the multiple products out there, you'll have a great concept of what you want to do down the road. But for now, get something that you'll enjoy and learn on. In that regard, the Stinky is the tits.

[Woolleyfooley]

can someone send me some more links to build kits (preferably without forks) and some leftover 05 buildkits or something please? im just trying to weigh all my options lol. the local store just sold the stinky but i might be able to get an 05 still. but i just wanted to see about build kits as well. thanks.

[mandown]

i am sure go-ride.com will give you the build kit without the fork for a reduced price. they are good like that.

unrealcycles.com has some stuff. three kits. ben is a good guy. he is closing shop soon, so you may get some good discounts.
http://unrealcycles.com/catalog.php?cat=Kits+and+Packages&com=

[Woolleyfooley]

alright im pretty sure i can get an 05 stinky from a different place now. they are offering 3 sizes- 15, 15.5, 16.5. what i need to know is what size would be best for a 5'9 inch rider? im only 15 so ill probably grow a little more as well. thanks!

[mandown]

ignore the ST measurement. look at the top tube measurement. i am 6'1" and a 23.5 TTT is about right for me, but a hair on the short side. it is short enought to be flickable, long enough to be stable. you will probably want somewhere close to that if you think you will grow to 6'.
TTT per kona's site is as follows
S = 15 = 21.3
M =15.5 = 22.2
XL = 16.5 = 23.2

The 15.5 M is going to be good for now, but a bit on the small side. however, if you grow, it will feel smaller and smaller. the XL @16.5 is going to be a bit big, but will fit better as you grow. also keep in mind that 16.5 is a relatively short seat tube, so standover won't be an issue, even in the biggest size. also, 23.2 is a probably a good sized TTT. i think most other XL bikes you find will be much bigger than 23.2. most other M bikes will be bigger than 22.2.

if you go to www.banseebikes.com and look at the scream geo chart, you will see they suggest M for 5'6"-5'10" riders and that is a 16" ST and 22.8 TT (i asume that is TTT). a L is for 5'9"-6'2" with a 17.5" ST and 23.6 TT (again, assumed TTT). their XL is for >6'2" and is 19/24.2.

shorter will be more flickable and easier to turn. longer will be more stable on the rough DH. my vote would be for the XL at 16.5 & 23.2

[rigidhack]

^^ seems like good advice.

Konas are known for super short TT's. It really comes down to what feels best, but at your age, go with a slightly longer bike (in this case the 16.5), that way you are not outgrowing it before you really know what it is capable of. You can also adjust the feel of the bike by swapping stems. You can buy a slightly larger bike and run a super short stem for a while, then switch stems as you get bigger.

[allsk8sno]

i rode a medium around and it was kinda long feeling (i am 5'10") i would suggest if your going to be close to 5'10" then get the medium, if your gonna be 6' or more get a large.
test ride though, i like shorter bikes. (on a small scream now)

[Woolleyfooley]

alright so im currently looking for used bikes and a friend mentioned to me tha giant dhs are good for fr. i dont really think they would be since they're dh bikes but he says it would be good for me. anyone else agree/disagree with me? lol

[Pat...]

That has about 8"+ of travel. It's a very good bike, but it's more travel than I need. Might be a lot for a first FR bike.

[Micro-Sanjay]

It's a very good bike, but it's more travel than I need.

How would you know? DO you or have you owned one?
The banshee is not a fr bike. It's a heavy trail bike.
I think a Foes Mono or Foes 2:1 will be better.

[89yota]

How would you know? DO you or have you owned one?
The banshee is not a fr bike. It's a heavy trail bike.
I think a Foes Mono or Foes 2:1 will be better.

Come on man you can't be serious. If you really want to get picky, a foes dh Mono isn't a freeride bike, it's a dh race bike. Any banshee fits more into the category of freeride than a dhs mono would because that what it is marketed towards and how it is built. I honestly and truly don't think that Foes has a 10 year unconditional warranty on any of their frames like banshee does, because they aren't built with the mindset of "freeriding". But in all honesty, the whole term of freeride is completely bogus. The essence of freeriding is not to pull back flips or ride 50 foot drops. Rather, it is to get out of your house and onto a trail and enjoy riding your bike. I have a buddy that is super hardcore. He rips it up everywhere and makes experienced riders look like theyre retarted. He races xc, dh, dual slalom, and rides all the time. by definition he is a freerider in that he rides, enjoys riding, and does a lot of backcountry riding off of trails. But he does it all on a thermoplastic Schwinn Project underground xc hardtail with a 55 mm travel fork. I've seen experienced riders on full dh bikes get spanked by this kid. So saying that a bike is the determining factor as to what category you fit into on the whole mountain bike scale is a load of crap. My friend is a freerider and he is on a xc race bike. I have another friend that "freerides" but does everything on a fully rigid singlespeed, and yes he probably can beat you down a hill. I'm a freerider and I currently have an xc bike. I am building a Banshee to have something a bit burlier and aggressive, but if I wasn't I'd still be a freerider. It's not about the bike people, its solely about the rider. Look man, I agree with you in that a Foes dhs Mono would make a great freeride bike for some people. If you really like spending 5-6 grand on a bike that can only go down a hill then great, the Foes ad campaigns worked. Go put all your money into one bike that is so specific to it's purpose that you can't even enjoy riding it around in the street. Ride it 10-15 times a year when you can make it to a ski resort or a shuttle run and spend all the rest of your time playing video games and eating cheetos. Or put that kind of money into two bikes, one for going down, and one for climbing and descending. There's just too much awesome riding out there that isn't shuttle or chairlift accesable. Too much "freeriding" that can't be accessed by an 80 pound bike. Man I could show you descents that would make your ass pucker up and make you grin for hours, but you'd have to spend two or three hours pedaling to the top to get there. That my friend is freeriding. Sorry for ranting, I really don't mean any disrespect, but I'm half drunk and getting ready to pass out, so take all of this with a very big grain of salt. I understand that everyone has their own concept of what freeridng is, but above all freeriding is being on your bike, riding a trail with your buddies, and most importantly being temporarily free from the constraints of the everyday humdrum of life. Why restrain yourself to such a use specific bike? It'll make you bitter in the long run to know that there are so many great descents that are technical and flowy at the top of a long climb. So why limit yourself if freeriding has no limitations? I'm through and I'm out.

[bigdumbguy]

Bike shop guys live for noobs with cash.
No amount of money can make up for lack of riding skill , lack of riding skill can be expensive,in both equipment and lost ride time due to injury.
Develop some finesse before you waste your money on a really pricey bike,again,bike shops love noobs with cash.
For what it is worth,I would recommend finding a good used frame,a F/S ,buy a rear shock that locks out , so you don't waste your energy on pedal induced suspension bob on long rides,make sure there are two water bottle mounting holes on it so you don't have to die when your camelback goes flat,a really good water filtration system will fit inside of a water-bottle (sweetwater),wire tie a piece of old inner tube to your frame,stretch it around the top of the bottle: to keep the bottles from flying off when you get all crazy.
What were we talking about?......:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Micro-Sanjay]

Come on man you can't be serious. If you really want to get picky, a foes dh Mono isn't a freeride bike, it's a dh race bike. Any banshee fits more into the category of freeride than a dhs mono would because that what it is marketed towards and how it is built. I honestly and truly don't think that Foes has a 10 year unconditional warranty on any of their frames like banshee does, because they aren't built with the mindset of "freeriding". But in all honesty, the whole term of freeride is completely bogus. The essence of freeriding is not to pull back flips or ride 50 foot drops. Rather, it is to get out of your house and onto a trail and enjoy riding your bike. I have a buddy that is super hardcore. He rips it up everywhere and makes experienced riders look like theyre retarted. He races xc, dh, dual slalom, and rides all the time. by definition he is a freerider in that he rides, enjoys riding, and does a lot of backcountry riding off of trails. But he does it all on a thermoplastic Schwinn Project underground xc hardtail with a 55 mm travel fork. I've seen experienced riders on full dh bikes get spanked by this kid. So saying that a bike is the determining factor as to what category you fit into on the whole mountain bike scale is a load of crap. My friend is a freerider and he is on a xc race bike. I have another friend that "freerides" but does everything on a fully rigid singlespeed, and yes he probably can beat you down a hill. I'm a freerider and I currently have an xc bike. I am building a Banshee to have something a bit burlier and aggressive, but if I wasn't I'd still be a freerider. It's not about the bike people, its solely about the rider. Look man, I agree with you in that a Foes dhs Mono would make a great freeride bike for some people. If you really like spending 5-6 grand on a bike that can only go down a hill then great, the Foes ad campaigns worked. Go put all your money into one bike that is so specific to it's purpose that you can't even enjoy riding it around in the street. Ride it 10-15 times a year when you can make it to a ski resort or a shuttle run and spend all the rest of your time playing video games and eating cheetos. Or put that kind of money into two bikes, one for going down, and one for climbing and descending. There's just too much awesome riding out there that isn't shuttle or chairlift accesable. Too much "freeriding" that can't be accessed by an 80 pound bike. Man I could show you descents that would make your ass pucker up and make you grin for hours, but you'd have to spend two or three hours pedaling to the top to get there. That my friend is freeriding. Sorry for ranting, I really don't mean any disrespect, but I'm half drunk and getting ready to pass out, so take all of this with a very big grain of salt. I understand that everyone has their own concept of what freeridng is, but above all freeriding is being on your bike, riding a trail with your buddies, and most importantly being temporarily free from the constraints of the everyday humdrum of life. Why restrain yourself to such a use specific bike? It'll make you bitter in the long run to know that there are so many great descents that are technical and flowy at the top of a long climb. So why limit yourself if freeriding has no limitations? I'm through and I'm out.

i stopped reading your script soon as I read XC somewhere in that long winded response. There's a thing called paragraph and I didn't even go to college.
-break-
Ok, you definitely have not been around long in the bike world.
Dave Watson rode a Foes Mono in the past. He even rode a Foes MONO during one of the RedBull Rampage in Utah (rip). That and the fact that Dave is deeply rooted in freeriding, validated the legitimercy of Foes as a freeride frame manufacturer.
-break-
It's silly when I hear die hard Banshee claim a Foes MOno is a race bike only bec Dave Watson proved it WAS NOT. Dave Watson sucked on that bike racing World Cup events.
-break-
There has got to be better optionS than a Banshee frame.
Not that the Banshees are mutatedly ugly, they're not technologically advanced. Trek Session 77 is probably the biggest advancement in the freeride market after the dual ring chainguide system. Go test ride one and you'll know.
-end-

[89yota]

It's not that you can't freeride on a dhs mono, it's just that it's not the intended use of it. I'm just pissed off about how everyone has to have a "freeride" bike. It's such a loose term that it makes me a little bitter when you say that a Banshee fits into a "trailbike" category. Maybe I haven't been riding for long, but I assume that my 12+ years of riding on mountain bikes ranging from full rigid, to full on dh race rigs gives me at least equal credibilty to yours. So if you want to bash my "being uneducated" then I guess I'm going to have to try to learn you a few things.

Heres a new paragraph just for you. And granted, my response to your post might have been quite long, hell I was a 12 pack deep at that point and in a mood to rant and rave. Yes I have a college degree, part of that education gave me the ability to read everything, not stop midway through a position even though it may be extremely long winded... but since you never went to college I guess you never got that far. So I'm hoping that this format will be easier for you to read so you can give an accurate response after reading the whole thing.

If you had continued to read, I was making the statement that it is pretty ridiculous to suggest a multi-thousand dollar downhill bike to a person who is new to riding. With that money someone could buy two bikes, one for that can be ridden everywhere and anywhere, and another that is more use specific. I mean come on man, if you honestly think you can endure 4 hours of steep uphill climbing on a 45 pound Foes Dhs Mono, then go for it. I'll go riding with you just to prove the point that I'll finish the ride by the time you get to the top of the hill, unless you are god on a bike. Dave Watson may be cool and all and can compete in freeride comps, but neither you or I are him. He is a sponsored rider who gets multiple bikes for free from his sponsors.

Next point. The whole term of "freeride" is garbage. If you ride a bike you are freeriding. I don't care if you're dirt jumping, xc riding, downhilling, or hucking. If you are having fun on your bike then you're freeriding. My brand of freeriding usually has climbing in it, because as cool as it is to do shuttle runs or go to ski resrts, there are so many places inaccessable by those where steep climbing is a must. You are severely limiting yourself if you have one bike that is only capable of being pointed down a hill. I don't care if Dave Watson has one, because I know for a fact that he probably has two or three other bikes that he rides to the top of hills, it's a concept called staying in shape. If 90% of all the pro freeriders only rode down mountains they'd all be fat, watching Jerry Springer and eating cheetoes waiting for their buddy with a truck to show up so he can do a shuttle run or two in a day.

But once again, the term of freeriding is open to interpretation, and Dave Watson may compete in the Redbull rampage, but hucking off cliffs is only one very minute component of freeriding, and is not any sort of logical argument as to why one bike is a better freerider than another.

Now just because I'm a grasshopper on this site and have fewer posts than you doesn't mean that I'm new to this sport at all. I have been riding mountain bikes for twelve years, and I've been riding road bikes for 16 years. I'm 23, and I've been hardcore about bikes since I was seven years old. How long have you been riding? If it is anywhere near that long then pm me and we can discuss the fallacies of the URT full suspension bikes, why amp research went belly up, what the first Specialized full suspension bikes looked like, and all the rest of the jibber jabber mindless banter that comes from knowing all too much about the sport that one loves.

I mean you no disrespect man, but to tell me that I know nothing, that one bike is better than another because it was ridden by a professional rider in a very specific niche in a very broad discipline, and that a newcomer to the sport should blow their cash on an incredibly use specific bike is absolutely ridiculous. It'd be like telling a 16 year old who wants to buy his first sports car that he should buy a lamborghini because Ludacris has one and he's a cool dude. Don't be a tool man, buying into the coolness of magazines, videos, marketing hype, and fads doesn't make you hardcore. If you wanted to make a better argument, rather than using Dave Watson as your freerider, you should have used Wade Simmons. He freerides every day he hits the trail, but he's not doing everything on a RMX. I'm through, and yeah this was long again but I hope you read it. If you want me to see your point and acknowledge it, then give me at least the respect enough to listen to mine as well.

[mandown]

alright so im currently looking for used bikes and a friend mentioned to me tha giant dhs are good for fr. i dont really think they would be since they're dh bikes but he says it would be good for me. anyone else agree/disagree with me? lol

use the right tool for the right job. if you want to freeride, don't get a dh bike. unless your definition of freeride is bike park and shuttle runs. if you are going to need to pedal and hit stunts and won't always be pinning it at full speed, a dh bike will not be as much fun. i just sold by bb7. a great dh bike. a tough bike to freeride when you need to pedal to the top and have trails with tons of acceleration and braking.

[89yota]

I had a bb7 too. That thing was a downhill monster, but just a monster to get up hills. I sold it for the same reason. Had to get something a bit more versatile

[allsk8sno]

coiler would probably be the best choice for pedalability, and DH capable in the kona line. 6" f/r is great!

[Micro-Sanjay]

Wooley, it's good to know you're consideringa Foes DHS. The tubed version should make a big difference than the mono. Have fun freeriding.

[Woolleyfooley]

Wooley, it's good to know you're consideringa Foes DHS. The tubed version should make a big difference than the mono. Have fun freeriding.

lol sorry to dissapoint you but i wasnt actually thinking of a foes...lol

anyway ive been looking at transition bikes and i like the dirtbag and the gran mal. the dirtbag would be the complete one with a fox dhx 5.0 and a marz 66rc2x, the gran mal would have a dhx 5.0 and a marz 888rc2x. im leaning more towards the dirtbag just because it is probably more pedalable. any opinions on the dirtbag and gran mal as far as freeride capabilties?

[mandown]

i did a few dh runs at fontana on an older dirtbag. it pedald well up to the starting line. then felt good on the way back down. i was on one that had the travel adjustable rocker plates. i liked it in the 7" mode, but loved it in th e 6" mode. double check with the transition guys, but i think the new models with 7" had the frame geometry modified to be more like the older 6" version.

the bike felt like a big bike, but not a pig. it had a romic, which pedaled well and soaked up the bumps. the bike felt very comfortable right from the start. it was definitely not a dh bike, but it could do the dh stuff without a problem. i did not notice any brake/pedal interaction with the rear suspension. i thought i was going to since it is not an fsr rear.

i have also parking lot tested the gran mal. it seems to be a good ride. i cannot say much other than it looked good and felt nice on level ground.

EDIT - be aware that the gran mal is a big bike. you will need a 150mm rear hub and an 83mm crankset. if you were planning to do a part swap from an old build, you could run into some trouble (just like smokey did).

[Woolleyfooley]

thanks...and no i wouldnt be using spare parts.. all brand new lol. so basically what i want to know is are these bikes capable of pedaling up hills and on trails? (i know gran mal has adjustable travlel, geometry, bb height) like 89yota said for me its not all about going down hill. i want to be able to pedal up hill and and on trails but still be able to handle big stuff.

[mandown]

if you are looking at transitions, consider the bottlerocket. that is my next frame.

[Ascentrek]

-Canondale Gemini
-Iron Horse 7point series
-Santa Cruz Bullit
-Kona Stinky
-Transition Dirtbag
-Mountain Cycle Sin
-Scott Nitrous
-Yeti AS-X
-Giant Regn

You should take a hard look at the Nomad. That thing climbs sooo much better than any of the above bikes, and you can put any big fork you want on it (see my 888 Nomad Thread)

[Woolleyfooley]

thanks ascentrek ill look into it. but can anyone tell me about dirtbags or gran mals. i'd like to know if a gran mal would be a good first freeride fully ... can i do some climbing with it? same thing for the dirtbag how are those? im really digging transitions. ill also be looking into the bottlerocket but im really liking the dirtbag and gran mal.

[freerider858]

This is probably gonna seem like a rant.

My first freeride bike was a 1000 dollar Rocky mountain xc bike. It broke in a year. Having a Gran-Mal for your first freeride bike is just stupid. There is no way you would ever ride to the potentioal of that bike . With a 9 inches of travel you a good ride could bust a 40x40 road gap. I doubt, since you said you did a 6 foot drop rececntly, that you will be going big enough to warrant the purcahse of a gran mal or any other big bike like you mentioned. Mike Metzger rides a Dirtbag and he goes HUGE search him on the Transition site and watch some of his videos. If I were you I would choose the Dirtbag out of the two that you just mentioned. Boy I wish I had had a 3000-4000 dollar budget for my first freeride bike.

[TCP21]

O5' Santa Cruz VPFREE for sale http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=151247

this is my friends he is trying to sell in NC

[Ascentrek]

thanks ascentrek ill look into it. but can anyone tell me about dirtbags or gran mals. i'd like to know if a gran mal would be a good first freeride fully ... can i do some climbing with it? same thing for the dirtbag how are those? im really digging transitions. ill also be looking into the bottlerocket but im really liking the dirtbag and gran mal.

In my humble opinion, stay away from the smaller 'alternative' frame companies. What's nice about a 'corporate' bike is the warranties, upgrades, and extremely great R&D they put into them.

If you want anything that can climb, stick with VPP; period.

[Micro-Sanjay]

I would so suppart the small botique frame companies like Karpiel and Mtn Cycle. They design and build frames with soul unlike Santa Cruz and Kona they build stuff based on what they think people will like. Stay away from nomad that frame is so faddish and trendy. It reminded me of when the Foes Fly came out, everybody swore on it but now that nomad is the new baskin robbin flavor everybody seems want to have a lick at it. hohum.

Again, go foes. I already forgave them for coming up with the stupid Inferno frame with flame on the main triangle and stuff. Foes DHS -climnbs decent and very freerideable.

[mandown]

thanks ascentrek ill look into it. but can anyone tell me about dirtbags or gran mals. i'd like to know if a gran mal would be a good first freeride fully ... can i do some climbing with it? same thing for the dirtbag how are those? im really digging transitions. ill also be looking into the bottlerocket but im really liking the dirtbag and gran mal.

both can climb. call transition. they will talk to you and give you guideance. the dirt bag will be cheaper. the frame is cheaper. the 135mm rear end will be cheaper to get wheels for. the bb sizing will be easier/cheaper to find. for a first ride, you won't notice the difference.

[89yota]

I was actually considering a transition for a long while. It was a big toss up between the preston and the dirtbag...and then the bottlerocket came out. Those guys build some really good stuff. I dunno it seems to me that the best long travel bikes come from anywhere north of Cali. Not to say that Cali designed and made bikes are bad in any way... just that the Washington and Canadian companies seem to have their stuff built just a little burlier. I just have never really been into the long travel stuff from So-Cal. They're great boutique frames, I'm sure they work great too, but they just don't appeal much to me and they're damn expensive. Have you looked into Versus Cycles at all? I've seen some of their new stuff and it looks pretty dope. Wont break the bank either.

[Micro-Sanjay]

you can also put a romic on the foes DHs too.

[Woolleyfooley]

thanks for all the help guys. tough decision lol. good thing i have a while to think lol. ill definately give transition a call sometime and keep looking around.

[lonewolfe]

You can pick up a brand new VP Free with a Boxxer for $2784.00 complete. Even with a better build kit and a Fox 40 you are well under $4000.

[Woolleyfooley]

I would so suppart the small botique frame companies like Karpiel and Mtn Cycle. They design and build frames with soul unlike Santa Cruz and Kona they build stuff based on what they think people will like. Stay away from nomad that frame is so faddish and trendy. It reminded me of when the Foes Fly came out, everybody swore on it but now that nomad is the new baskin robbin flavor everybody seems want to have a lick at it. hohum.

Again, go foes. I already forgave them for coming up with the stupid Inferno frame with flame on the main triangle and stuff. Foes DHS -climnbs decent and very freerideable.

are you tallking about the 2:1 dhs mono or just the dhs mono? id probably stick a 888rc2x on that so would that really be able to climb/pedal?

[Micro-Sanjay]

are you tallking about the 2:1 dhs mono or just the dhs mono? id probably stick a 888rc2x on that so would that really be able to climb/pedal?


the 2:1 is dafinitely for racing only. it doesn't have the right angles for freeridng applications. The DHS mono (I prefer the tubed version) is better in climbing that the Fly and maybe in level with the Nomad. Boxxers all the way. Their lighter and ultra adjustable.

[89yota]

PDC eight2five all the way. Or if you really wanna go all out and get a full on big hit chassis get an Appalache Real. They're based on the old Balfa bb7, but much lighter and they pedal like a dream. My next "big" bike will more than likely be one of those bad boys. It'd probably even be a bit cheaper than a Foes. But good luck finding one.

[Micro-Sanjay]

PDC eight2five all the way. be a bit cheaper than a Foes. But good luck finding one.

PDC, it just came out and noone has put it to the test like all the world cup victories Missy Giove has had on the Foes Mono. That's like telling the dude go buy a Daewoo instead of the proven Toyota. Dumb. PDC will not last in this biz. Another flash in the pan. Besides, the the poster has allready made up his mind and the foes mono is one of the choices.

[89yota]

Thanks a bunch man for clipping an entire post into one sentence. I really dig how you cut out any relevant information. Especially about two legitimate bicycle companies. Get over yourself dude. Foes is alright, but they aint that great. I dunno why you have such a hard-on for a single bicycle company. And my god do you like using other people and their statistics to prove the worth of the frame. It's not about the bike man, it's about the rider. Giove and Watson would win on just about anything, If I'm not mistaken didn't Giove kick ass on Cannondale, and Chumba Wumba too? And Isn't Watson kicking ass on his Kona? And please enlighten me, when was the last "freeride" contest that Giove entered and won on her Foes?

I guess your close minded retardation comes from the fact that just maybe you own one of these beasts. Or maybe worse, maybe your one of those guys who brags about how he knows everything about anything so that he can try to one-up everyone else in the "my dick is bigger than yours" game. All I'm doing is throwing out viable options as in more than one. As cool as a Foes is, it can't do everything. Yeah they look cool and cost a whole lot, and sure some really cool pro's are riding these bikes. But the reality is that there are a lot of designs out there, for different people with different riding styles.

And thank you for providing your multiple years of insider knowledge on the bicycling industry when you said that PDC wont be around, and that they're just another flash in the pan. I believe a bunch of roadies said that about mountain biking a while back. And I believe a bunch of xc geeks said that about freeriding. Now look at two "flashes in a pan" that have revolutionized the way that bicycles are conceptualized and used. But I guess that you know where the industry is going in the future cuz you've been studying all your bike magazines and websites. Clear the malted hops and bong resin from your head man. Or keep playing like a broken record... Since you used a clever analogy in your last post I'll go ahead and throw one about that clean shiny Foes in your garage that only gets pulled out when you go to Whistler... Have fun banging the fat chick while everyone else is getting the hot girls. One day you'll wake up and realize that you've just been humping a marshmallow.

[Micro-Sanjay]

And Isn't Watson kicking ass on his Kona?

Now look at two "flashes in a pan" that have revolutionized the way that bicycles are conceptualized and used.

Dood, chill. I dun't know why you get so worked up when other people are chiming in their opinion that maybe offensive to you all i'm saying is why would PDC and such other small boutique company be the main choice (ala-PDC all the way dude) when PDC, BMW, Canfield and the like has done nothing irrelevant in racing or competition at all compared to more engineered and proven chasis from Foes, Intense, Turner and (sic) Santa Cruz whom all have had success upon success in racing. Saying PDC all the way is like saying go buy a Renault coupe in the car world.

In your analogy you compared mountainbiking (in general as thoughted of by roadies) and freeriding which I thunk is stupid because the two are different the one is a lifestyle and the latter is a fad. I think freeriding is made up bec of the guys who hate racing or atleast what Garrett Dyer told me up in Whistler.

So back to the topic;
ok ok ok, other than Foes Mono I think the guy should be looking at the Intense 6.6. Gosh, if he thinks of the PDC, might as well look into like a Norco or Cove.

[Micro-Sanjay]

Have fun banging the fat chick while everyone else is getting the hot girls. One day you'll wake up and realize that you've just been humping a marshmallow.

Dude, that parsonal. Are you enticing me to say crap like you do so I can get banned? You should chill and take in info and opinion here online just like you would if ou're buying slurpee at 711 and have a guy tell you your shirt sucks. People get punched in the mouth in real lifez for saying cocky stuff like you do online where people play tougher than they really are. I'm 5'1" and 140 lbses so I don't have to play tough.

[89yota]

Heres the thing man, When I give my opinions and you try to shoot them down claiming that I'm a newb or have less knowledge than you somehow, you are not only offending my tastes and opinions but you're also offending my knowledge. If that puts me a little on the defensive, so what. But to have someone say that one bike brand is better than the next solely based on the fact that they have a kickass racing team is in my opinion a little ridiculous. And most of your claims and arguments for the Foes are due to the fact that Certain pro's ride them so we should all get one too. I threw an option of PDC out there, along with Appalache. Yeah they are both relatively unknown, and they don't have the glamour and coolness that a big budget and an advertising campaign can provide. But just maybe these bikes are viable options, just like a Foes is a viable option as well.

Yeah, in all honesty I have no clue how a PDC will ride, but I've heard good things about them. I've owned a Balfa so I have a relatively good concept of how the Appalache will ride, and that is the reason why I threw that one in. And saying that one company is in your words "a flash in the pan" you are basically telling me that it is a passing fad. My point on Mountain biking as being a fad as well as the whole grey area of freeride was my way of explaining that in many ways a fad can unexpectedly stick.

I'm not trying to get you banned on this thing, or cause any fights, I'm merely arguing for the fact that there are many comapnies out there that are just as good as a Foes, maybe even better. But how is anyone to find this out by not doing the research, test riding a lot of different designs, and making an educated decision? Maybe the Foes works great for you, and that's fine. But was your decision for that bike based on test riding it and many others, or based on the fact that they have cool paint jobs, a world class racing team, and a big price tag? I went with a Banshee for my current build based on riding one my friend had, along with riding an Intense 6.6, a Rocky Mtn Switch, and a handfull of others. I would hope that there are others that base their decisions not on what they read or see in movies, but by actually testing the bike out...even if it's just a parking lot test ride.

You wouldn't buy a pair of shoes without first trying them on right? So why would you buy a bike without finding out whether or not you like how it pedals, how it fits, and whether you are comfortable? Because in most cases you can't buy a frame, build it up, ride it, and then return it for a refund if you don't like it. To follow with you car analogies, a bike is much like a car, in the sense that they both have the white line rule, once they pass the white line on the road (or leave the shop) it's yours... and if you don't like how it performs a day, a week, a month later you're out of luck.

So yeah man, I was getting you a bit pissed off. Your very first post following one of mine basically had you telling me that Banshee's are no good, they're just "trailbikes" and that you should buy a downhill specific bike for freeriding. Then your subsequent posts said that Banshee's suck, look ugly, and that I was a moron with no knowledge of the biking industry, and that I was less intelligent than you because I didn't space out a post into paragraphs. So yeah man, I was pissing you off because you were pissing me off by basically telling me that I made a dumb choice with my frame and that I have less knowledge than you do. While I don't mind debating the merits of certain bikes over others, I get very disrespected when I am told that i am an idiot and that I know less than another person. With that I apologize for getting you riled up. But if you don't want a fight, then don't piss on another person's shoes. Respect my opinions and I'll fully respect yours, just please don't try to insinuate that you are more knowledgeable than anyone on here and that you opinion is more valid because you have more posts than another or for whatever reason you have. With that I'm over it all, and I hope you are too. Now it's time to go ride my bike.

[BIGHIT756]

SX Trail....pedal, DH, Freeride, trail ride, climb, its a do-all bike and i love mine. i ride it everywhere up and down.

[Micro-Sanjay]

Yeah, in all honesty I have no clue how a PDC will ride, but I've heard good things about them.

So than why would you intelligantly offer a conclusion in your post that the due shld get a PDC "all the way" without knowing a goddang thing about how it rides other than what some tool who has not ridden nor touched one might have said from what he has overheard or read on pinkbike or some internet forum? By you contradicting going all the way with the PDC and now qouting yourself as in all honesty I have no clue about PDC really should piss yourself off for being shorthanded on what you really know about what you should be talking or laying opinions on about anything someone else might find informative or not. It's like me saying I think you should buy a the Foes Fork because someone told me it's good but I have not even felt one i heard so it's good enough.

I thunk before you dish out info you should inform yourself first because it's deadly informing someone about something they will be investing in without knowing the truth that the dood who suggested the product have no first hand knowledged of the stuff other than what he has heard from some eeked out internet tool savvy who whores brands like PDC, Diety or some cool-bec-no-one-wants-to-buy-it-bec-it's-just-cool-to-know brand name.

And no I'm not even remiotely close to being pissed. I'm actually laughing why coherently typing all this. Now go ride and preach what you have experience on Mr 411 kind sir. :thumb:

[89yota]

Come on man, don't knock the Deity. I have firsthand knowledge on the fact that it works damn fine and looks pretty good too. And if you're going to go as far as tell me that a Banshee is in your words "just a heavy trailbike" and tell me that I'm contradicting myself because I'm talking out of my ass, then well I hate to say it, but you're contradicting yourself buddy. If I'm not mistaken it is entirely possible to build one burly Banshe Chaparral at around 30 pounds. I have seen it done and ridden the result, and it's plenty tough and if you're telling me that 30 pounds is heavy then go grab a 25 lb xc hardtail

As far as nitpicking about the PDC, all I know is that it's a damn fine looking frame and appears that it is built well. Of course I haven't ridden it, but have you? Can you honestly say that it's no good based on your own firsthand knowledge of riding one? Probably not. And yeah I may have made uninformed opinions, but if you are so perfect to say that you don't, just read the first paragraph.

[Showa]

i have a 05 faith one, tis me favorite, got it all for 2200$too brand new:cool:
it goes better than just about any other bike ive ridden

[Woolleyfooley]

hey guys. havent posted in a while. i know its getting old and your probably thinkin geez kid just get a bike already but i want to get a bike that i wont want to sell in a year. anyways im lookin into used. ive been seeing a lot of rmx's lately and i really like them. would one of these be good to get?

[Woolleyfooley]

hey guys i have a dilema. someone is selling a 2005 kona stinky dee lux and an ems store in connecticut is selling a 2005 rocky mountain switch sl that was used as a demo. the switch is about the same price as the stinky dee lux. i demoed the switch and i loved it so i dont know whether to buy the stinky d or the switch sl. the good thing about the switch is i can try it before i buy it again and i know i like it. the stinky d on the other hand is in california so i wont know if i like it. if anyone has any suggestions please help!! id be buying this weekend so i need suggestions!!

[mandown]

both are good bikes from good companies. however, the stinky is a beefier bike with more travel. i would take the coil and oil rear shock and full seat tube of the stinky over the air shock and interupted tube of the rocky. if you are a lighter guy, going over smoother stuff, the rocky will be good. however, if you are heavier and hitting nastier stuff, the stinky will be a better option.

[Woolleyfooley]

with the money im saving by buying the switch tho i could always upgrade to a dhx5.0 eventually....and the bike fealt plenty beefy to me. im going to take a look at the switch tomorow so if they give me a good deal ill probably take it. good idea?

[mandown]

great idea. there is no substitute for being able to throw a leg over it. if you buy from the local guy, he will be more willing to help when things break.

[Woolleyfooley]

id actually be buying the switch from eastern mountain sports. it was a demo bike so they dropped the price down a lot and its been mechanic maintained the whole time. i think this bike would be the best for me cause i can ride it up and down the hill lol. plus i got to use it for a week last summer and i had a great time on it.

[mandown]

sounds like you have made a good choice. do it!

[Woolleyfooley]

well i got a switch but i actually bought a brand new 05 switch sl. the spec is different than rockies site says it actually has a dhx 4.0 and a marzocchi z.1 fr 1. im happy with my choice. i had to drive it home from connecticut in heavy rain tho but that shouldnt do anything to it right? thanks for your help guys ill post pics soon.

[mandown]

nice!
looking forward to the pix.

[Micro-Sanjay]

terrible.
I think the foes is a more economical choice for your first bike further down the road.

[Woolleyfooley]

i already bought it and its perfect for me. ill have pics in a few days im having too much fun huckin off anything i can lol.

[Micro-Sanjay]

i already bought it and its perfect for me. ill have pics in a few days im having too much fun huckin off anything i can lol.

Why not sell it before it depreciates and get a well used foes mono?
if you're a freerider for reals, you will have a lot of sticker room on a monococe frame too =foes mono. when you buy one, sell the curnutt shock fast and make money from saving some on the replacement romic. rocky mtn are not that great you know.

[Woolleyfooley]

Why not sell it before it depreciates and get a well used foes mono?
if you're a freerider for reals, you will have a lot of sticker room on a monococe frame too =foes mono. when you buy one, sell the curnutt shock fast and make money from saving some on the replacement romic. rocky mtn are not that great you know.

yo what the hell is your problem? i payed 2100 for a brand new bike thats normally 3000. im happy with this bike. you need to chill with foes. are you purposely trying to piss me off so ill get in a fight with you like 89yota? you can be a freerider on whatever bike you want.

[Micro-Sanjay]

you can be a freerider on whatever bike you want.

not really. I bought a dekerf softtail and that did not spell good news in freeriding for me in two months owning it. oh yea, i'm chill