[dropmachine]

So, i have been searching high and low for a DH frame for my girl,and have finally found one. Price was a huge issue, the cap being about $600 Cad. Shes current;ly on a Norco Launch with 6" plates, but finds it too high up and uncomfortable to ride.

So, I went searching.

Best option so far seems to be a GT lobo we've found, brand new, never assembled, for $600 CAD. Its got the needle bearing upgrades on the 2 biggest pivots, and this store has all the swingarms we could need for replacement. Its the 99 aluminum version, witht he stupid RockShox brake, but we've got an adaptor that will let us run her avid mechs. It won't be a floater though, so if anyone knows how that will affect it, please lemme know. Shes gonna run a Boxxer Race, and some other tasty bits and it should turn out to be a good bike.

What I am worried about though is Fit. Shes 5'9, and this bike is a medium. I intend to run a RaceFace post, that ought to stretch it out a bunch, but i am still worried that its gonna be too tight in the cockpit. 70mm stem too, but still.

So, does anyone have any experience, and perhaps some advice? Is this a good frame for her, fit wise? I love the low center of gravity, and i think it would make for a great ride...

Thanks!

 

[BurlyShirley]

Im 5'10 and ride a medium. Ive ridden a medium lobo before and, though it felt kinda sketchy, it did fit ok.

 

[Zark]

Dude, stay away. That shock can't be serviced (by Rock Shox) anymore, its doubtful GT has any parts anymore. And by all accounts didn't ride that good to begin with.

There are better rides out there, even at that price.

 

[Transcend]

Yup, same concern here about the shock. Its a POS and its teh only one you can run.

 

[dropmachine]

Shes 120 pounds, I don't see her killing the shock anytime soon. We have a local guy that cna service any shock, he rules. Its just the fit that i worry about really, as i'v heard very little negative stuff about the performance.

Scored some Tioga DH tires for her too, 2.5 front and 2.3 rear...

 

[Toshi]

you might want to take a look at my old thread:

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84422

i, too, like low/low-cog bikes, and this thread contains many suggestions to that end

 

[Ian F]

Dude, stay away. That shock can't be serviced (by Rock Shox) anymore, its doubtful GT has any parts anymore. And by all accounts didn't ride that good to begin with.

There are better rides out there, even at that price.

I agree totally. You can find a much better used frame for $600. That frame is worth maybe 1/2 that.

The Pull-shock is actually a reliable shock, but it does lack in damping performance and you are basically married to the thing. Trust me. I know... I ride a Yeti Lawwill 6 which uses a similar (but not the same) shock.

 

[dropmachine]

Toshi: Yeah i know about that tread. Problem is, not a single frame there comes in even used at $600 Cad. This is like $400 us here people. Bit or a problem.

Ian F: i havent' seen anything used for close to that price thats anything halfway decent. Ever here on RM. While the shock is a bit sketchy, it CAN be redone to work quite well, just takes some work, and about $50 bucks to revalve it.

Shes a rookie though too, and currently on an 02 Norco launch with Vanilla R. Shes happy on it, but its just too tall. Very unweildy too.

She tried, and loves, my Mountain Cycle 9.5. but that annoying price thing gets in the way again....

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

Dont buy it man keep looking like said above there is a bunch of DH/freeride frames available for the price. Just keep looking!

 

[b-man]

I am certain you could find a medium used dh frame on some forum. Try NSMB's classifieds, Pinkbike's, and www.mtbr.com. A lot of online bike shops have older frames for extremely cheap, you could get a steal there. Also, check Ebay. I got my first real fs/dh frame there for really cheaply, but then again it was a cheeta and they don't exist any more. Good luck!

 

[dropmachine]

I've checked them all. daily. Almost bloody hourly.

Nada.

Like i said, its the price that makes it so damn tricky. the only thing available are the same thing shes got now: Norcos. Nothing wrong with that, they are great little bikes, just not what I want for her.

 

[HTFR]

well how about insted of posting saying you can get better bikes for cheaper, hows 'bout you post some links?, ok? thanks.

i work wioth a guy how rides a lobo i thinks its a 99, he likes it the shock is still running, and you can buy them on www.mtbr.com for like 50 bucks somewhere in he hot deals but they are probibly out. i don't think its a bad bike, and its not a bad deal ether.

 

[buildyourown]

There are lots of used super 8's for that price. I'd sell mine for that, but it's a large. Might be a little long for a 5'9" girl. Check the buy and sell.

 

[dropmachine]

Sorry man, I love my girl, I'd never let her get a super 8. They're cheap for a good reason. Stupid high leverage ratios, heavy, and they crack way too often, seen one guy here go through 7 swingarms!

I do appreciate everyones help though, but i've yet to find something thats even close to that price range, or performance.

 

[RhinofromWA]

I remember tire rub at full compression so watch the tire size...if you get it. I wouls stay 2.2 or smaller....

Unless they fixed that in the aluminum versions. *shrug* But I remember clearence issues with the swingarm at full compression....unless I am remembering it wrong.

 

[Jm_]

Sorry man, I love my girl, I'd never let her get a super 8. They're cheap for a good reason. Stupid high leverage ratios, heavy, and they crack way too often, seen one guy here go through 7 swingarms!

I do appreciate everyones help though, but i've yet to find something thats even close to that price range, or performance.

I thought you said she was light???

If she is going to crack a super 8 and blow the fox shock on it, she's GAURENTEED to blow the rockshox on the lobo.

 

[dropmachine]

Yeah i remember that...it would rub the spring...Well, I can try the tioga, and see how it goes. I don't think its a super tall tire, maybe i can get away from it...

Wheres the Stikman when you need him! =)

 

[BurlyShirley]

yeah dude. Dont buy that lobo. I guarantee you'll regret it. They were thought of as POSs in their prime.

 

[dante]

Sorry man, I love my girl, I'd never let her get a super 8. They're cheap for a good reason. Stupid high leverage ratios, heavy, and they crack way too often, seen one guy here go through 7 swingarms!

I do appreciate everyones help though, but i've yet to find something thats even close to that price range, or performance.

wait, you'd turn down a super8 with a normal shock in favor of a lobo with a pull shock????? Yeah the leverage rate sucks, but if it blows you always have the opportunity to get an Avy... If your girlie is doing stuff that will crack a super8 swingarm, that lobo shock (and probably the entire bike) ain't gonna last long either. Why don't you chip in a couple hundred and buy her a real frame, like a used 2002/2003 bullit or something. She'll :love: you for it.

dante

 

[grimm]

as i killed my own lobo a few days ago (ripped the seattube running the seatpost too high, altho i didnt think it wouldve been *sob*) and prolly wont be able to repair the frame, i might be able to hook you up with a brake therapy kit for the lobo. works great, complete hayes brake, hayes hub, 521 cheramic rim (i think, at work) and its all in great condition.

just pm me if yer interested and ill check sooner if i can repair the bike or not, and my dispair might be your luck. the setup works better than the original setup imho.

and if you dont go with a lobo for the girl, good luck finding something else!

 

[dropmachine]

Hey dude, I got a shop here with a ton of Lobo front ends, same store i wanna get the frame from! If you want, I can get you thier info...

What do you say about the frame? Think it would be a good one for her? RaceFace laid back post to stretch it a bit...70mm stem?

 

[Jm_]

talk about ignoring reason.

 

[Discostu]

lobo shocks: https://secure7.nexternal.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=icycles&BusType=BtoC&Count1=998882472&Count2=916022896&Target=products.asp&CategoryID=47

 

[dropmachine]

talk about ignoring reason.

What reason would that be? The fact that for $600 I can get a fully racable frame? That I can easily get replacement parts and shocks? That I know that for $50 the existing shock can be tuned to work quite well? That its a full on 4 bar, with needle bearings, and has the perfect amount of travel for here?

The only real drawback seems to be its length, other then that it looks great...

 

[grimm]

Hey dude, I got a shop here with a ton of Lobo front ends, same store i wanna get the frame from! If you want, I can get you thier info...

What do you say about the frame? Think it would be a good one for her? RaceFace laid back post to stretch it a bit...70mm stem?

i would definetly be interested if you can check if they have any Large front triangles??

the lobos are actually SMALL in size, i dont see where people get that its so long, it really isnt. im 190cm and i found the Large size abit cramped, i had a easton seatpost with a fair amount of layback, maybe 1-2cm, and a 70ish mm stem. it was a good little light freeride machine to me, and if your gf is short, im sure she'd like the size. AC makes an adaptor, where you can put layback on your favourite post (involves cutting it in half). www.adventurecomponents.com if its still up

as additional info, ive never raced dh with it, so i cant really speak for how it handles then, but it pedals well for its aged design, it has a short cockpit, which makes it easy to handle and it does have an issue with hitting the shoch with the tire when full travel is needed. but that never really bothered me. i can only say i liked it while it lasted, and again, i would like to get intouch with that shop you mentioned!

 

[Jm_]

What reason would that be? The fact that for $600 I can get a fully racable frame? That I can easily get replacement parts and shocks? That I know that for $50 the existing shock can be tuned to work quite well? That its a full on 4 bar, with needle bearings, and has the perfect amount of travel for here?

The only real drawback seems to be its length, other then that it looks great...

no, there's tons of other(MUCH better) 6" and greater bikes out there for ~600 in the classified sections, yes, small sizes too. I just checked. It doesn't matter if it's gold plated, the lobo is still not up to standard.

 

[dropmachine]

I'll say it again, for the 3rd time.

600 CAD. NOT US. If it was US funds, then i wouldn't have this problem, I'd grab any one of the good deals thats in the classifieds. Again, the only frames I can find at 600 CAD are 1) Norcos, which we already have 2) RM6, which will never, ever be a consideration and 3) Konas, which have the same traits we don't want as the Norco.

MUCH trickier situation then if it was 600 US.

 

[dropmachine]

Oh, and shes 5'9. No need for tiny frames. Just something small enough for her to whip around.

 

[Jm_]

I'll say it again, for the 3rd time.

600 CAD. NOT US. If it was US funds, then i wouldn't have this problem, I'd grab any one of the good deals thats in the classifieds. Again, the only frames I can find at 600 CAD are 1) Norcos, which we already have 2) RM6, which will never, ever be a consideration and 3) Konas, which have the same traits we don't want as the Norco.

MUCH trickier situation then if it was 600 US.

oh...thats dirt cheap

thats like 2 kegs.

 

[Skookum]

i love old GT's :love:

 

[grimm]

i THINK a medium would be good for her then