My God Luc, we have exactly the same bike!
Mine's running an XT/R groupset, but we have the same frame, same forks, wheels, finishing off stuff. Mine is size big though...
A DHer's trailbike journey, What do you run?
- Thread starter Jeremy R
- Start date
Mine's running an XT/R groupset, but we have the same frame, same forks, wheels, finishing off stuff. Mine is size big though...
I've got two trail-ish bikes right now - an sx (supercross) and a gemini - I have 2 set ups for it - pike/ shorter stroke & i2i air shock, and Lyrik 2 step/ coil shock. Don't really need the longer travel for Den area trails, tho.
I found the answer to making the most of the sx's 4.2" of travel - larger air can and Push! It's now really plush when set to xc psi levels. I do have to add pressure for bmx track / dirt jumping, but it's worth it.
The gemini has seen more use this summer, only b/c it's been the quieter of the two tho. Got a creak in the sx that is driving me crazy, if I don't find it soon I will be looking for a replacement, which will have to be pretty much the same bike (geo) but quieter (blur 4x?)...
The gemini climbs tech rocky stuff better b/c of extra clearance, but the sx makes me smile on the descents, all the time...
I found the answer to making the most of the sx's 4.2" of travel - larger air can and Push! It's now really plush when set to xc psi levels. I do have to add pressure for bmx track / dirt jumping, but it's worth it.
The gemini has seen more use this summer, only b/c it's been the quieter of the two tho. Got a creak in the sx that is driving me crazy, if I don't find it soon I will be looking for a replacement, which will have to be pretty much the same bike (geo) but quieter (blur 4x?)...
The gemini climbs tech rocky stuff better b/c of extra clearance, but the sx makes me smile on the descents, all the time...
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My mountain bike. I just need a telescoping post for it now (and maybe a bigger cassette + 34t ring), but it still works great for "all-mountain" riding, which for around here equates to suffering for a while, then turning around and descending for the same amount of time. It doesn't climb all that well, but considering it goes down like my Demo did and it's sub 34-pounds I'm really happy with it.
My 28 lb'er 
What do people think about the new Commencal Supreme:
Could this make a good trail bike? I think single ring in front is the only option. What's it like climbing with only a mid ring? I've always either had 1 or 2 (1 for DH only).
Could this make a good trail bike? I think single ring in front is the only option. What's it like climbing with only a mid ring? I've always either had 1 or 2 (1 for DH only).
Semi-related question: since the seatpost extension isn't great on the SXT, I'm thinking of getting a cheap Titec Scoper, but I've been reading really bad reviews. Are they really that bad for going up, then lowering and going down? I don't do much rolling-type riding, and if I do the climbs don't really necessitate full leg extension.
If every trail ride is under 15 miles.
It sucks. Not having a bonk gear nor a pin it to mach stoopid gear is like hell on earth........at least for me.
I love mine! AS the chairs lifts over here closed this weekend I swapped to ligther tires and rised my seat to test it's trail abillities.. And guess what! It totally rocks as a trail bike too. It's not the ligthest, but d#¤m fun to ride. I'll post some pics and specs later. This is a downhillers trail bike for sure! :biggrin:What do people think about the new Commencal Supreme:
Could this make a good trail bike? I think single ring in front is the only option. What's it like climbing with only a mid ring? I've always either had 1 or 2 (1 for DH only).
Here she is, with a 400mm Thomson i can get almost full leg extension
but definitely thinking of changing the frame to the new Dwlink 5Spot
This thing rails on the down sections, love it
but definitely thinking of changing the frame to the new Dwlink 5Spot
This thing rails on the down sections, love it
I had a similar sort of brief as the OP. Wanted something that didn't feel like an XC bike with 5" of travel.
I ended up with a Blur 4X. Its a real shame Santa Cruz have dropped this bike, IMO its utterly brilliant. It feel just like a mini DH bike with it's angles. Can be built up silly light and can rip on pretty much anything. Mine even gets the occasional day out on DH days its that good.
Currently its around the 27lb mark, as the spec has changed from the picture a bit. I'll end up dropping the new RS Revelation 20mm on there too which should take it just under 26. The only other things I need to do is throw some new 165mm XTR's on there, and go to work on the LG1 backplate to save some weight & its done.
If I could only have one bike, this would be it
I ended up with a Blur 4X. Its a real shame Santa Cruz have dropped this bike, IMO its utterly brilliant. It feel just like a mini DH bike with it's angles. Can be built up silly light and can rip on pretty much anything. Mine even gets the occasional day out on DH days its that good.
Currently its around the 27lb mark, as the spec has changed from the picture a bit. I'll end up dropping the new RS Revelation 20mm on there too which should take it just under 26. The only other things I need to do is throw some new 165mm XTR's on there, and go to work on the LG1 backplate to save some weight & its done.
If I could only have one bike, this would be it
Normally i use a IH MKIII with a pike up front. She is around 13 kg, pedals and corners great and has a nice overall riding feeling.
And sometimes I take my Hardtail (Orange Hitman) out in the trails to get back that "real riding" feeling.
In the end it depends on the terrain you ride. I normally ride around 3 to 5 Hours. I used to do that on a Sxtrail, but it always felt to much on the trails where I ride most of the time. So I switched to the MkIII which is a good compromise between uphill and donwhill.
And sometimes I take my Hardtail (Orange Hitman) out in the trails to get back that "real riding" feeling.
In the end it depends on the terrain you ride. I normally ride around 3 to 5 Hours. I used to do that on a Sxtrail, but it always felt to much on the trails where I ride most of the time. So I switched to the MkIII which is a good compromise between uphill and donwhill.
it rides pretty much like the radical (rode a friends radical for several days) - just less travel and stable at high speeds - very front wheelish - dunno how to say that in english but i'm riding it on the front wheel - back goes anywhere it wants - its mad fast
- though i have to tell you that i already broke the upper part of the swingarm in 2 - was replaced within 4 days ( but i live in austria which is a lot closer to france than the US)the tire clearance is an issue! - i'm currently on the fat albert and i'm pretty much like it a lot rideable uphill and pretty okay downhill - dont think a minion or something will fit but its a trailbike so i dont really need it - any other questions?!
I'm thinking of getting some XTR cranks to lighten her up even more.
are you also running a Fox RP23 on yours? how do you like her?
Love my Wal-Mart bike!!! I suppose everybody is a bit biased about their own personal ride, but I have to admit, this bike has helped me become a better rider (which still isn't saying much)...This was originally Dogboy's bike, and the first time I rode it, it felt a little sluggish compared to my Nomad. However, I finally decided that I wanted something shorter and lower than my Nomad (once again, thx to Dogboy's advice) and decided to roll the dice on his Mongoose Super Khyber. Basically took everything off my Nomad (sans seatpost) and slapped it on the Khyber. Van 36, Hone cranks, X9 drivetrain, Blackspire single ring chain guide (34T), Thomson stem & post, XT stoppers, Funn bar, DT 5.1D rims laced to Hadley front & 440 rear = 33 lbs or so. I could not have been happier with the bike so far. Mainly, the lower BB (13.7" compared to 14.2") has been a godsend...I've ridden my bud's Blur 4X, and that's when I realized how much easier it is to corner with a lower BB...I had also thought as long as it was close (i.e. 0.5" doesn't make a big difference), it wasn't a big deal...Wrong...Another nice feature is the 1.5" HT, which allows you run a flush headset and bring the front end down quite a bit compared to a lot of tallish 1.125" HTs (and their usual "tall" headsets). Also, the shorter wheel base has certainly made trailriding more enjoyable as it is much more maneuverable & responsive. I've also been quite impressed with the quality of the ROCO Air TST. Nice, smooth action and durable (so far anyway), plus it has the TST feature which allows you to lock it out - thus making long climbs a bit easier, especially since I don't have a granny. At 67*, it's plenty slack for most DH runs, and I just love the way rear suspension works. Very active (similiar to a good FSR set up), and very little pedal feedback. The thing has great pop off of jumps and obstacles (which is saying something coming someone who is allergic to big air). Fairly stiff rear end, and the only complaint I can come up with is the interupted seat tube. I have been a pretty big SC homer (and I still absolutely adore my V-10), but I can honestly say the Khyber is an undeniably better trailbike than the first generation Nomad.
Props to the Goose...
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Dammit Jeremy - I already have my name written on an Mbuzi (literally) AND I already bought a fork and shock for it but now I want one of those! *sigh*
Slack, lowish travel bikes like these are the funnest mtbs I think.
Blur4X is my trail rig. Adjustable travel Pike, a light build with 70mm Thomson. It is brilliant.
I really can't see a niche between my Blur4X and my 7-8" DH rig.
Blur4X is my trail rig. Adjustable travel Pike, a light build with 70mm Thomson. It is brilliant.
I really can't see a niche between my Blur4X and my 7-8" DH rig.
No pics at the moment, but my trail bike is my old Yeti Lawwill DH-6 set up with many of the old parts from my last DH rig (M-1): 2000 Boxxer, Hayes brakes, Ringle X3.1 wheels, XTR 8 spd triple, Thomson post & 90mm stem, Flite saddle.
It's also my DH bike whenever I do lift-serve riding (usually a once-a-year trip to Diablo). It gets Conti Vertical Pro 2.3 UST tires for XC riding and my old Michie 2.5 Comp 16s for lift work. I also switch to a shorter post for lift riding.
However, the frame is over 10 years old and I'm hoping to replace it in 2009... so this thread has good timing... In a perfect world, I'd like to get another Lawwill with maybe a bit more (and progressive) travel... but keep the same geometry/feel of this bike. After riding it for 10 years, it feels like a part of me and it climbs like a mtn goat, even with a 7" fork up front.
It's also my DH bike whenever I do lift-serve riding (usually a once-a-year trip to Diablo). It gets Conti Vertical Pro 2.3 UST tires for XC riding and my old Michie 2.5 Comp 16s for lift work. I also switch to a shorter post for lift riding.
However, the frame is over 10 years old and I'm hoping to replace it in 2009... so this thread has good timing... In a perfect world, I'd like to get another Lawwill with maybe a bit more (and progressive) travel... but keep the same geometry/feel of this bike. After riding it for 10 years, it feels like a part of me and it climbs like a mtn goat, even with a 7" fork up front.
Several former owners of Nomads though
I still have mine and like it a lot...probably will remain in my stable for a while.
Currently on this but on the hunt for a replacement. It looks nothing like this shiny anymore though!!
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OK, here's mine.
But not for long. I have a new 5" trailbike that will be here before the weekend.
They're all over in the Classified section.
When there is no DH happening this is my do it all bike, with the seat jacked up i can get good extension. Though a dw 5-spot would work very well for me...
http://www.farkin.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=105607&d=1213073516
http://www.farkin.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=105607&d=1213073516
I ride an old 2000 model Kona stinky dee-lux set up with some light wheels and parts. Its a lotta fun to ride! Its just under 14kg but could easily be lighter.
I go oldschool. Ellsworth Joker XC with v-breaks But I live in a flat place so 4'' travel + v-breaks work great. Being very light also helps a lot. Yet it's a great bike. Some time ago I tried the prophet but actualy it felt much much worse. I don't think I can part with my frame.
But I live in a flat place so 4'' travel + v-breaks work great. Being very light also helps a lot. Yet it's a great bike. Some time ago I tried the prophet but actualy it felt much much worse. I don't think I can part with my frame.
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i'm not. Nomad's have a high BB height, long CS, and a HA that's not very slack.
so the nomad scores 0 out of 3 in the 'mini DH like' geo attributes that most people are looking for in this thread.
nomad = the anti-commencal.
i agree about the blur 4x though -- that thing rails.
I'm a downhiller in need of a trail bike!! 
lthumbsdown:
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you're definitely never owned nor ridden a Nomad.
That or the one you tried had something like a 140mm fork
I would say the first 2 issues you mentioned are true in regards to the first generation. Altho, I have to say the longish CS was rather nice at mach turkey speeds...I think the wheelbase on my Nomad was as long as my V-10 (albeit, a large Nomad vs. a medium V-10). But the long CS was part of the problem in most trailriding situations (i.e. twisting around tight corners rather than pinning it at 30 mph). The HA was fine at 67*, and felt just as slack as anything else in the category. Again, mine had a tall 5.1" HT length, plus I had a "tall" Chris King headset, which added up to pretty damn tall front end...To the point I ran a flat bar for awhile. All that said, I think SC addressed most of these issues with the new model. The 1.5" HT will allow you to keep the front low, and I'm pretty sure it's a touch lower than than mine (say 14" vs. 14.2"). Personally, I would've prefered to see them lower it even more, but I think they are in ballpark of acceptable. I know it sounds like I am nit-picking the numbers, but after riding something that is only 0.5" lower, I am a believer - even in minor changes. What I am really interested in now is whether or not SC is going to make a VP-Free that is pretty similiar to the last one (i.e. super tall BB) or closer to the Intense SS.
I've had the Nomad since the begining of the season. It's not all that bad. That said I'm still on the hunt for a trailbike that meets all my needs.
CS can't be under 17" & I'd like it if they were more of an elevated style (ie not low like most VPPs)
ISCG tabs ( but not welded on )
Normal-ish seat angle
67 deg HA is fine
TT around 23.5", & keep that TT low
BB height around 14" (maybe a lil lower)
Seat tube thats short enough to get the seat low to go play, but not too short
Indestructable rd hanger from hell
Accommodate full length shift housing
Lots of mud clearance
bonus:
1.5 HT, options are nice
Thru-axle rear
Some solution to even up dishing of the rear wheel's spokes would be cool, but I'm not sure I'd like the wider cranks that need to go with a wider hub.
For me it boils down to 2 main areas. Reliability & seated position on the bike.
Take a tall 6" fork, long legged rider w/ the seat up high enough to go places, 60-70 mm stem, & reasonable TT length. If the CS are real short, it sucks fighting to keep the front down on long steep climbs. I also like low bars, and right now my levers smash into the Nomad's hump.
Chain guides need to be clocked around, out of the way of being hit. Low CS prevent this.
The new RFX is looking better all the time. Looking forward to hearing some more once this thing drops.
CS can't be under 17" & I'd like it if they were more of an elevated style (ie not low like most VPPs)
ISCG tabs ( but not welded on )
Normal-ish seat angle
67 deg HA is fine
TT around 23.5", & keep that TT low
BB height around 14" (maybe a lil lower)
Seat tube thats short enough to get the seat low to go play, but not too short
Indestructable rd hanger from hell
Accommodate full length shift housing
Lots of mud clearance
bonus:
1.5 HT, options are nice
Thru-axle rear
Some solution to even up dishing of the rear wheel's spokes would be cool, but I'm not sure I'd like the wider cranks that need to go with a wider hub.
For me it boils down to 2 main areas. Reliability & seated position on the bike.
Take a tall 6" fork, long legged rider w/ the seat up high enough to go places, 60-70 mm stem, & reasonable TT length. If the CS are real short, it sucks fighting to keep the front down on long steep climbs. I also like low bars, and right now my levers smash into the Nomad's hump.
Chain guides need to be clocked around, out of the way of being hit. Low CS prevent this.
The new RFX is looking better all the time. Looking forward to hearing some more once this thing drops.
My "trail bike". Love it... but would love it more with an Fox RP2 and a Lyric. This afternoon I'll be slapping some 729's laced to a no-name 20mm hub, and an XT hub for the rear. I also got rid of those HORRIBLE Hayes Strokers for some tried-and-true Juicy 7's.
Geared 34t front, 11-32t rear. Probably gonna' swap out for an 11-34 just for climbing fun things.
Future plans: Thomson post, Thomson stem, Gamut P30. That's about it for now I think. Eventually a Lyric and an RP2 would be nice.
Geared 34t front, 11-32t rear. Probably gonna' swap out for an 11-34 just for climbing fun things.
Future plans: Thomson post, Thomson stem, Gamut P30. That's about it for now I think. Eventually a Lyric and an RP2 would be nice.
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The morewood mbuzi might fit your needs.
I'm suprised no one is running a gravity dropper style seatpost. I got a crank bros joplin remote for mine and have to say its the best invention ever. Its perfect for a trail bike and although expensive once you have one you'll wonder how you lived without it on your trail bike.
The Joplin will come in 27.2 next year, so I guess a lot more people will have one then
there she is; cranks will be changed to stylo OCTs
