[dbozman]

Hi, Monkies. I understand it's tiresome, but I'm looking for some fairly specific frame/bike recommendations.

For reference: I'm 6'2" and 190 pounds without gear. I ride in the Phoenix area, so we don't have a lot of "flow." Think technical rockcrawling gnar. I have a mid-travel "all mountain" bike that I use for typical pedal rides. I have had a DH bike in the past, but felt like it wasn't getting used enough. I don't typically shuttle all that often. I will use it to shuttle on occasion, for the occasional technical pedal ride and for day trips to Flagstaff, etc.

Requirements: Large enough for me to sit and pedal (will probably use dropper post). Must take a front der. and/or Hammerschmidt. Six- to 7-inch travel range and will take a coil shock. Should be slack and plush. I want this to be a "fun" bike, though I understand that's a nebulous concept. Should be comfortable on DH shuttle runs (though I don't expect it to be as fast as an actual DH bike). Want to run single-crown.

Bonuses: Relatively cheap and/or available on the used market. Can take a 135mm rear hub so I can use my custom Hadley/Flow wheelset. If it's in the 6-inch range, I could use my dialed Fox 36.

I was thinking something like an SX Trail, Trek Scratch, Yeti ASR7, Delirium, etc.

Happy to hear any ideas. Thanks.

 

[bullcrew]

Sx trail I'm 6'3" 230lbs and love mine, granted there's a few bikes I'd lime to ride as well but this thing is solid as hell
Freeride ready

Dh ready

 

[blackohio]

Canfield The One.

 

[rider151]

Intense Uzzi.....

 

[kidwoo]

SX trail. Definitely. That bike is so fvcking good.

 

[demo 9]

canfield the one

 

[DhDork]

Your from the Phoenix Area. Pivot Firebird is the most fitting bike for this area. 7" of travel, long seat tube, DW Link, single crown, etc. You can demo one right out of Pivots warehouse at the base of South Mtn. (Pima Canyon). I'm sending you a PM.

 

[davec113]

I'd be looking at a Trek Scratch or Spec SXTrail. ASR7's rear triangle doesn't seem stiff enough. DT would be good but $$$... I liked my friends newer dt I rode. The Scratch has a Session downtube and is very solid feeling. A dw link or vpp2 bike will pedal a little better but I haven't tried a Firebird/Uzzi/Driver 8 yet...

 

[dbozman]

Not keen on the F'Bird at all. It's a great pedal bike, but not what I'm looking for in this instance. For this rig, I want it to be pedal-able, but I'm going to sacrifice some efficiency for plush. SX Trail seem popular and available. I do tend to like Spec. geo quite a bit. Giant Reign X?

 

[davec113]

Giant Reign X?

Maybe... the new model is on the lighter side compared to the SXT/Scratch though. I'd try to get a ride on both the Spec and Trek and see what fits better.

 

[TWeerts]

i believe its called the trek slash now? 65 degree headtube much?

and its def a different bike than the scratch. too bad it cant take any shock other than the stock one. oh, and now the fork has silly drcv.

 

[herbman]

GT sanction?

Works well with a fox 36 and the stock 66 ha. Pedals well and sucks up lumpy ground better than my uzzi ever did.
Plus as they are a under rated bike they are great bang for buck.

 

[cableguy]

Just tried out a Trek Slash at Outerbike. Felt like a mini-DH bike. Specialized Stumpy EVO also felt nice going downhill.

I have the 1st gen Intense Slopestyle which is basically a mini-DH bike with a straight seat-tube.

 

[4gnegative]

Not keen on the F'Bird at all. It's a great pedal bike, but not what I'm looking for in this instance. For this rig, I want it to be pedal-able, but I'm going to sacrifice some efficiency for plush. SX Trail seem popular and available. I do tend to like Spec. geo quite a bit. Giant Reign X?

I'd go sx trail or get a delirium if you can find one in your size and in your budget. I was a big fan of the reign x but the broken link issues people are having with the 2010 and newer reign x make me leary of them. I have a delirium and love the bike. 2nd choice would be an sx trail, 3rd would a banshee scythe or blindside.

 

[epic]

My list would be Intense Tracer2, Ibis Mojo HD and Giant ReignX.

 

[v-10dh]

commencal supreme 6 on chainlove for $1250 seems like a good deal

 

[reidhresko]

ReignX, Spec SX

 

[invol2ver]

i second the reign sx. also transition tr250

 

[IH8Rice]

Not keen on the F'Bird at all. It's a great pedal bike, but not what I'm looking for in this instance. For this rig, I want it to be pedal-able, but I'm going to sacrifice some efficiency for plush.

the Firebird falls exactly into everything you were looking for in your first post....plush, slack, 6.6" travel, able to use frt derailleur or hammerschmidt and it has the famous DW link

 

[NoUseForAName]

From Canada: Norco Truax

 

[sethius]

Dartmoor wish @ 2.98kg , frame starts at about $1200 US.

just another option...

 

[Bikael Molton]

Blindside is more climbable than the TR250. I know a few people with killer do-it-all Blindsides.

 

[dbozman]

That Dartmoor looks sweet.

 

[jackalope]

Black Market Roam if/when it comes out. 66 HA and 13'ish BB = DH glory.

Otherwise, it's hard to beat the SX (altho, not a fan of proprietary shocks if in fact it has one). I'd also say 250, but as mentioned above, don't think it would be that fun going up as the frame weighs as much as a 450 (~ 10.5 lbs with shock).

Banshee Sycthe or Nomad with PUSH linkage (135 mm rear) are a couple more options.

 

[norbar]

A friend of mine is the Designer for Dartmoor - Wish is his go to bike for the mountains. Can't tell you how well it pedalls but he isn't staying far behind on the local tracks. It could be slacker and a bit lower for my taste but if you want pedal-able than it may be a good option. I have to say for the price dartmoor frames are hard to beat. I' really want their shine dj fully.

 

[sethius]

A friend of mine is the Designer for Dartmoor - Wish is his go to bike for the mountains. Can't tell you how well it pedalls but he isn't staying far behind on the local tracks. It could be slacker and a bit lower for my taste but if you want pedal-able than it may be a good option. I have to say for the price dartmoor frames are hard to beat. I' really want their shine dj fully.

I've got the other one in Australia, it's used for downhill, free ride, AM, heck even some XC at a push. I've actually gotten rid of the DH bike as I'm feeling just as comfortable on the wish, steep tight switchbacks (which used to be my baine) are now enjoyable, and I've always enjoyed drops and what not. We've had a wide range of riders test it now, and everyone has been surprised by it, most want it back!

We, here in aus are going to release 2 extra models of the wish for next year, theres 2 completes @ $3k and $4k, we are launching two top end versions with XTR or saint etc @$6k, a "lite" version at mid 13kgs, and a "HD" version at around 14.7kg.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fearless-Cycles/169017523925

Our production model has a longer top tube, a higher seat tube, a tidier one piece BB and working ISCG mounts that should work for the hammerschmidt fans out there.

The head angle for the production one with a 180mm fork is pretty nice for a bike of this nature, I'll have a gander in the catalogue and post all the geo numbers.

that shine is a treat! had one as demo bike, people can't believe how well it suits it's purpose, we've got a few customers with them built up at 12kg.

edit: as said

Geo:
66.5 HA with 545mm fork (160mm)
65.5HA with 565 (180mm)

Chain stays: 425mm
actual top tube: 559mm
headtube: 115mm
seat tube: 343mm
bb height (160mm ): +12mm
bb height (180mm): +25mm
wb (160mm): 1128mm
wb (180mm): 1135mm
ST angle(160mm): 75 degree
ST angle (180mm): 74 degree

tapered head tube (34mm/ 49.57mm)
160mm rear travel
216x 63mm shock
22.2 x 8mm mounting hardware
135 x 10mm QR drop outs
Euro 73mm BB
31.6mm seat post diameter ( our proto was 27.2mm, this 31.6mm allowed us to do a few extra things, and we have a 31.6mm pivotal post..)
seat clamp 34.9mm
weight: 2.98
colours: graphite/green, blue/black.

 

[norbar]

Oh, now I know who you are. Love the photos you post. I think I was doing some translation of what you wrote at one point but I may be wrong I was working for them a long time ago. I would love to ride the Wish but Jan is 20kg+ heavier than me so it feels oversprung as hell.

 

[ED75]

Can't say about availability in the US ... but to me the best mini-DH as to be the Mondraker Zenith XR.

http://www.mondraker.com/11/esp/bikes/Zenith-XR/108

MONDRAKER STEALTH SIDE ALLOY STRUCTURE FRAME
MONDRAKER ZERO SUPENSION SYSTEM, 170MM
FOX 36 FLOAT RC2 FIT, 170MM
FOX DHX AIR 5.0 REAR SHOCK
DT EX1750 WHEELSET 135X12MM REAR AXLE
CRANCK BROTHERS JOPLIN 4 SEATPOST

FRAME AVAILABLE
ADJUSTABLE GEOMETRY KIT INCLUDED

 

[dfinn]

I really like my SX Trail and it looks like it would meet all your requirements. I'd also like to try out a Canfield One (and support a local company) but I don't think that bike would meet your requirement of readily available on the used market and cheap. The SX should.

 

[dbozman]

Oddly, with cash in hand, can't seem to find a Large SXT frame or frame/fork.

 

[bullcrew]

buddy has a sxt large 2010 for sale I'll pm you info.

 

[al-irl]

nukeproof mega is pretty awesome, amazed at how well it goes uphill. It descends even better as its nice and slack. Been riding it for a few all mountain rides and its been damn amazing. If I was gonna turn my dh bike and trail bike into one bike id be going straight for the mega. Its better on the steep techy stuff than my dh bike and feels fairly good on the rough stuff ive put it through. Im yet to try it on some proper gnar yet.