All mountain advice

[wesley_r]

as soon as the geometries and fork issues are worked out for 29er trail bikes ... they will be the next big thing)

 

you mean like the stuff Kona, Rocky Mountain and PYGA are doing...

 

there's now a 29er Rock Shox Revelation out, by the way

[nigelhicks]

you mean like the stuff Kona, Rocky Mountain and PYGA are doing...

 

 

YIP ... not sure on the Kona ... but I know that Rocky Mountain have it almost right ... and Pats PYGA pretty close to perfect too!

[The Ghost]

This is the second thread where I have read about concerns of a 120mm travel bike being twitchy on decents.

Why would a 120 be more twitchy than a 100 or a 140?

[CAAD4]

Kona Satori..

[Grebel]

im starting to feel the same way. really need seperate bikes for all disciplines.

but an all mountain bike is good if you just going for some fun.

 

i guess between friends we are quite competitive so either way you want something more

 

I am the opposite. I have a trail bike that kinda suits me for the time being. 5"-6" front and back. I battle uphill but that could be due to the 95kg body weight and not the bikes fault . My Teocali weighs in at about 15-16kg all in. My decending skills are there or there abouts. They still need a lot of work. Not close to the skills of the DH boys and girls. Not having ridden it for the last 6 months doesn't help either

 

Basically I am not at the level of needing anything faster and doubt I will outride it downhill anytime soon. It is nice to know that you can smoke a XC HT should the need arise though...

[nickelass]

I have been following this topic with interest,what nigel says sums it up.

Many of us started on the xc route,then found its more fun to do trail am as well.

We all still want to hit a 40km xc though,with our max effort for the ego and enjoyment ,the races are fun to.

Getting a 150,160mm am bike is great,I would not worry about weight,as you will be slow anyway uphill,more effort makes you stronger!all the better for the light xc bike when you race.

Getting the best syspension on the am bike this the answer,downhill and jumps is why you want the am bike for,weight is less important.Strenght is very important.

Ihave an anthem and a 160mm morewood, I tend to ride the morewood more,is more fun and has improved my limited technical skills.

[The Ghost]

This is the second thread where I have read about concerns of a 120mm travel bike being twitchy on decents.

Why would a 120 be more twitchy than a 100 or a 140?

 

Anybody?

[Hairy]

Anybody?

 

User set up

[The Ghost]

User set up

 

If its simply a setup issue, then why are some people afraid of getting a 120 because its skittish? Much confused

[covie]

you mean like the stuff Kona, Rocky Mountain and PYGA are doing...

 

there's now a 29er Rock Shox Revelation out, by the way

 

Can confirm Rocky got it spot one, maaaaan its the best bike ive ever ridden.

[covie]

If its simply a setup issue, then why are some people afraid of getting a 120 because its skittish? Much confused

 

got nothing to do with the 120 being skittish, its any bike thats not properly setup will end up being skittish, you need to get your tyre and shock pressures right, as well as your rebound settings, otherwise your bike will feel seriously unstable at times.

[The Ghost]

i do not want a 120mm bike that makes me feel nervous and twitchy when doing a rapid descent...

 

Please explain why you think this is a characteristic of a 120mm bike?

[wesley_r]

wouldn't a Giant Trance (120mm) with a 120mm-140mm adjustable travel fork just be sweet?

[nigelhicks]

Please explain why you think this is a characteristic of a 120mm bike?

 

Rich ... i think what was meant there was that a shorter travel bike generally has a more aggressive geometry (Be it 100 or 120mm). I think the split was made between XC and AM bikes at 140mm ... so in this logic the AM bikes, having more travel can soak up more on the trail rather than being "bounced" like the shorter travel bikes would .... (although this is incorrect as the amount of travel itself does not make a bike twitchy or not, thats all due to geometry)

 

A bike will feel twitchy at high speeds if:

1. the headangle is steep

2. the wheelbase is short (its the rear-centre length that will make the bike more agile ... i think ...)

3. you run a short stem and short bars

 

So its more the geometry of the bike that makes that difference ... HOWEVER .... its also more likely that its an incorrect riding style that causes someone to "pinball" through rock gardens and down a trail rather than the bike.

[(Deon)]

Rich ... i think what was meant there was that a shorter travel bike generally has a more aggressive geometry (Be it 100 or 120mm). I think the split was made between XC and AM bikes at 140mm ... so in this logic the AM bikes, having more travel can soak up more on the trail rather than being "bounced" like the shorter travel bikes would .... (although this is incorrect as the amount of travel itself does not make a bike twitchy or not, thats all due to geometry)

 

A bike will feel twitchy at high speeds if:

1. the headangle is steep

2. the wheelbase is short (its the rear-centre length that will make the bike more agile ... i think ...)

3. you run a short stem and short bars

 

So its more the geometry of the bike that makes that difference ... HOWEVER .... its also more likely that its an incorrect riding style that causes someone to "pinball" through rock gardens and down a trail rather than the bike.

 

Nige, your order seems apt. Head angle is where it all starts Richard. This characteristic is mostly dependant on the bike and it's intended use though. If you have 120mm in front, my guess is that the bike is quite steep in it's geometry. This length fork is usually supplied on faster race oriented bikes and while any bike can ride down a hill, the steepness factor will lead to twitch and almost over-accentuated moves/deflections off obstacles.

 

It's in the angle that the front wheel strikes;

Steep - more effort is required for the wheel to roll over as the fork is reacting to obstacles closer to the rider.

Slack - stretched out fork angle puts the sliders in the right path for less effort to absorb impacts. Less weight is on the front as the wheel is placed further out from the rider (wheelbase)

 

The handlebar length will also affect control..

Longer bars - slower turning/reactions = greater front wheel control adding stability

Shorter bars - faster turning/reactions = I don't see any advantage as you essentially lose control by speeding up response

[The Ghost]

:clap:

Awesome you two, now I understand.

 

I have the Ghost AMR with 120mm, and I find its pretty plush, but also really easy to pedal. I know they call it their all-mountain rig, but really its a cool XC bike with enough travel to help out when you need it.