[46chief]

A friend is Looking for a 6"-7" travel bike for lift serve on the weekends, Trails during the week. looking to spend about 1200.00 on a bike.

If they were comparable builds which would be a better first bike.

Plan on mostly DH and singletrack. There are no freeride features close by.

Thanks

 

[DirtyMike]

Dirtbag,IMHO

 

[joelsman]

I have owned both, older bullit, and 06 dirtbag. both good bikes. the dirtbag will pedal better in the granny ring but is heavier. bullit a bit lighter but pivot is too high for a granny ring, ya get feed back. other than that look at the geometry.

 

[Biffff]

I haven't been on either, but I love the look of the new bullit. The new pivot looks tough and very serviceable. Given its geometry, travel and spec the Bullit should be just as good as a dirtbag on the hill, but 10 pounds lighter. Therefore more effective on trails.

 

[02sedona]

I haven't been on either, but I love the look of the new bullit. The new pivot looks tough and very serviceable. Given its geometry, travel and spec the Bullit should be just as good as a dirtbag on the hill, but 10 pounds lighter. Therefore more effective on trails.

The dirtbag is a degree slacker for the ht angle and the chainstays are only a 1/4 of a inch longer on the dirtbag. The dirtbag pedals much better than the new bullit does, I know this from riding both of the bikes,not internet speculation. Weight is dependant on the build kit of the bike. The bullit I rode had the basic freeride kit with a domain fork and it was around 40 pounds.

 

[Biffff]

^^^Cool....Its awesome when people have experience riding both bikes in question.
Nothing wrong with throwing numbers around either though.The Bullit MBA tested with a Totem solo air and DHX air was 34 pounds. The Dirtbag is a single pivot bike as well and is a heavier frame.

 

[ATOMICFIREBALL]

Dirtbag looks great with 6.7" of travel...................
But i strictly ride a single pivot frame. My Bullit does everything i need it to do without any problems or maintenance.
I would get the Morewood "Shova" or Santa Cruz "Bullit".
.02

 

[PatBranch]

^ Dirtbags are singel pivots...

 

[ATOMICFIREBALL]

^ Dirtbags are singel pivots...

I know what you mean by single pivot i think. But it's not like a Orange 223,Izumi,Bullit,etc single pivot is what i meant to express.
Not knocking the Transition,but i had a little bad luck with bikes with linkage design. Not all of them.But never had any issues with a traditional single pivot(ASX,Bullit,Heckler,etc)
I'm sure the Transition is beefy as hell. Looks beefy.
http://www.transitionbikes.com/2007/Image_Preview.cfm?Image=Gallery_DirtBag1.jpg

My experiences.
1)-Kona Stab DeeLux- cracked seatstay linkage 2x at yoke.
2)-V10-- Bolts would come loose.Sick frame though.
3)-Giant ATX DH--Shocks would blow way too easy due to leverage ratio i think on that bike.Ask Myles Rockwell?
4)-Azonic Eliminator--Crazy geometry settings,never could get right & it creaked.Special chainguide.
*5)Yeti DH9---Well, i didn't have any problems with that frame.!!

 

[PatBranch]

Sorry. I'm dumb. I forget it had the links/bars.

 

[DirtyMike]

The links are an Integral pat of the function of the rear of the bike, I love when people try to say that rocker links are just a fancy single pivot, Try telling that to the people at Barnetts. Here is the fact, If Rockers styles Such as teh Dirtbag, or Kona's ETC were just a single Pivot bike, then the differnt rockers would make no differnce on how the bike rides. A True singel Pivot bike, Is a bike that the WHOLE rear end moves as one Peice, Aside from a floating brake mount if yours has one, Nice item to have BTW.


Oh, and I do understand the Axle path is damn near Identical to a Sibgle pivot, but then again depends on the bikes being compared, The dirtbag outpedals the Bullit anyday, not saying the Bullit is a Bad bike, just not an all around bike. The Dirtbag is going to fit teh weekend/trail bike much better, Specially if you go with something like the 66 ETA on the front and an E13 DRS setep, Mine has a 24/38 in the front and an 11/25 in the rear, X9 drvetrain, Here is a Pic

These are nice to have as well

Oh By the way, Mine weighs in right at 39.2 lbs. Worthy weight for the toughness of the bike

 

[DirtyMike]

Oh yeah, forgot to emntion the seatstays, and chainstays are now black, waiting a bit to tear it down completly for teh Powder coaters to gimme the sky/baby blue front triangle.

 

[Fulton]

Oh, and I do understand the Axle path is damn near Identical to a Sibgle pivot,

Not damn near identical, just identical

 

[DirtyMike]

I only sa Near identical due to differences in pivot location Chainstay lengths Etc. Just basic differences in diferent bike designs.

 

[46chief]

Thanks All, Do you have to buy different rockers for the 05 dirtbag if you want to change the shock? The bike I'm looking at has a Romic, I think it would be better to have DHX or pushed Vanilla. but don't want to have to change the rockers too.

 

[4130biker]

I just got rid of my 04 dirtbag, but I liked mine a lot. Especially when it was in 6" travel, it pedaled well when seated. If you plan on trying a resivor shock, Transition's advice was that you need to take the spring off, and TRY it on the bike you plan to put it on. They suggested trying a new vanilla with the shorter resivior. If you find some 04'(not dangerboy) rocker arms, it might give you a bit more room, but only in the 5" setting. Good luck man!

 

[DirtyMike]

Thanks All, Do you have to buy different rockers for the 05 dirtbag if you want to change the shock? The bike I'm looking at has a Romic, I think it would be better to have DHX or pushed Vanilla. but don't want to have to change the rockers too.

I am pretty sure you will need to get the DB rockers to fit the DHX on the 05 model, But I would suggest riding the Romic you have first, And before that, Read up on how it works, Little different than other shocks, I was thinking the same thing you are when i was about to get mine, Lose the Romic, get a DHX, ell I rode it a few times, And I love teh romic, Feels great, Pedals well, Responds well, And as far as Bump sensitivy that part is all done in teh reactor valve.

 

[DirtyMike]

Oh, and mine does fit a DHX with the DB rockers, We fit one without the spring a while back just to find out.

 

[Fulton]

I only sa Near identical due to differences in pivot location Chainstay lengths Etc. Just basic differences in diferent bike designs.

ah, all good man-

 

[r464]

Bullit good

But I will say that I have been tempted by a couple of the Transition frames.

 

[DirtyMike]

Yeah, I really like both, just to reiterate, I do not think badly of the Bullit at all, Its a great bike, Just My personal opinion that the Dirtbag is a better trail bike/AM bike. And of coarse in teh long run, Run what feels best for yourself, look at all the Pos and neg of each and decide for your own riding style!!!

 

[spookydave]

with only 1,200 to spend he will be buying used.
I like my Bullit but I'm not saying it's better then a dirtbag.

I say pick up what ever he gets the best deal on. The good thing is there are lots of other choices too.

 

[ATOMICFIREBALL]

My 2004 Santa Cruz Bullit with trusty Fox-RC.2005 Marzocchi 66RC.