The Argument For Short Travel Bikes (article on Pinkbike)

[wesley_r]

Interesting article, I kinda agree with him:

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/The-Argument-For-Short-Travel-Bikes-Opinion-2012.html

[nigelhicks]

yip it makes perfect sense.

 

I started on a BMX learning how to jump dirt jumps as a lighty and racing bmx learning how to flow with the bike.

Then when i got my first MTB it was fully-rigid and we still raced DH on it (albiet on MUCH easier courses than what we have today.

Then went to a hardtail with 1.5 inch front travel

Then a 5 inch full-sus DH bike

and now to the 8 inch breeds.

 

But your skill comes from playing on little bikes that you can throw around more easily on the trail and that test you the rider in the Gnar as the bike is also at its limit!

 

For 99% of riding in SA (and i cant believe im saying this - but its true) ... a 29er hardtail is the way!

But for the more "trail" orientated or even small DH scene (Provincial-level) ... you can easily get away with a 6inch trail bike with a short stem, long bars and a dropper post.

 

But if you going to race DH ... i still think a proper rig is the way to go ... (maybe not a slack-as-hell Mondraker-style bike with a 62deg head angle, cus we dont have tracks that steep ... but still)

[Mellow]

Nothing like going over the handle bars with a 72deg head angle ....and then doing it again.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Absolutely. And the reason I'm keeping my Hardtail.

[Skott5]

The problem is going back the other way after riding a longer travel, slacker full squish bike. They so forgiving when you get your line wrong, and you tend to ride it like that, knowing you can get away with it.

Rode my 26" hard tail this past weekend and nearly killed myself ..

You have to be very calculating and precise on a hard tail and choose your lines carefully, whereas on a longer travel full Susser you can be more adventurous.

[Danger Dassie]

yip it makes perfect sense.

 

I started on a BMX learning how to jump dirt jumps as a lighty and racing bmx learning how to flow with the bike.

Then when i got my first MTB it was fully-rigid and we still raced DH on it (albiet on MUCH easier courses than what we have today.

Then went to a hardtail with 1.5 inch front travel

Then a 5 inch full-sus DH bike

and now to the 8 inch breeds.

 

But your skill comes from playing on little bikes that you can throw around more easily on the trail and that test you the rider in the Gnar as the bike is also at its limit!

 

For 99% of riding in SA (and i cant believe im saying this - but its true) ... a 29er hardtail is the way!

But for the more "trail" orientated or even small DH scene (Provincial-level) ... you can easily get away with a 6inch trail bike with a short stem, long bars and a dropper post.

 

But if you going to race DH ... i still think a proper rig is the way to go ... (maybe not a slack-as-hell Mondraker-style bike with a 62deg head angle, cus we dont have tracks that steep ... but still)

 

Been riding a 120mm travel 29r trail bike of late, that I reckon could end being an absolute blast for someone want to mess around but also longer rides.

Good all rounder.

[Guest Omega Man]

The problem is going back the other way after riding a longer travel, slacker full squish bike. They so forgiving when you get your line wrong, and you tend to ride it like that, knowing you can get away with it.

Rode my 26" hard tail this past weekend and nearly killed myself ..

You have to be very calculating and precise on a hard tail and choose your lines carefully, whereas on a longer travel full Susser you can be more adventurous.

100%.

 

This past weekend we had a DH race at Tokai and I had been toying with the idea of riding my Reign. All the trails are perfectly fine on a trail bike but when you start pushing the pace and make a mistake you get punished. On a dh bike you can make a bad line choice and just keep on trucking.

[wesley_r]

Personally I think that a 140-160mm 650B or 26er is what I'll stick to. Loving my Commencal Meta 5.5 with a 150mm fork, and it's ample for the trails I ride, and even some of the downhill trails, plus I can still enter races with it (when I go racing with my Dad)

[nigelhicks]

Been riding a 120mm travel 29r trail bike of late, that I reckon could end being an absolute blast for someone want to mess around but also longer rides.

Good all rounder.

 

Ya exactly - if you looking for a good ALL-Round bike - then a mid-travel (120mm) bike is the way - either a 26 or 29.

 

But again having a re-think about this it again comes down to "horses for courses" ...

You think of SA - we dont have any big mountain parks like Whistler here - so 29er is king as most of our trails are "flat"

 

Then you look at whistler ... and a lot of parks overseas - although they have proper steep stuff and some insane gnarly trails - a lot of the trails are groomed to perfection and could even be ridden on a short-travel bike. Maybe not as fast as on a big bike - but then you look at what Semenuk and those okes jump on a tiny 4inch travel slopestyle bike or hardtail!!!

 

If i went overseas to ride and had to take only one bike - id take an Enduro-style bike - so you can ride up and down

(and i know i'll here a rant from the Morzine locals "omegaman" ... hahaha)

 

Look at the Air-DH at Whistler - and the A-line race - my mate who was there for 6 months said he rode A-line everyday ... and a lot of okes were riding it on full DH rigs and SUCKED! ... He said a good trail bike was king on that track! Think of Lopes on his Ibis Mojo has dominated that event!

[Beer4Recovery]

Great article, reminds me of this :

 

Edited November 28, 2012 by BearManGuy

[nigelhicks]

I think what the author is trying to get at in the overseas market is similar to what we see here at the Stage race and marathon events.

 

Joe-plonker rocking up on a full-carbon (carbon wheels incl) Specialized or Trek or whatever that weighs less than my left toe - He is in all the latest Craft kit that colour matches his bike ... He talks about the pros like they are his training buddies ... "aaah my burry, ya hes my connection ... we hit a 29 hour training ride yesterday!" ...

 

BUT ... the okes has a belly that rivals the largest weber you can buy! ... and then on the trails he SUCKS going uphill ... and is even WORSE coming down. ...

 

I think this is probably the case overseas where everyone buys DH bikes - cus its the "thing to have" in the mountains and at the parks, but no one uses them to their full potential.

 

When i worked at the LBS .. i had tons of customers come in as Noobies and drop 60k on a bike!

**** ... I've been racing at National and Provincial level since 1994 and have NEVER spent that on a bike.

 

you need to look at what will serve you best for the purpose and the price! ... Will you have a chance of winning? ... if so - buy the top stuff and the specific bike for the specific event (eg DH).

But if you just there to have a jol ... the mid-range (do-it-all) bike is probably gonna be best for you!

Look at the mags like MBUK and Dirt ... they generally rate XT over XTR and X0 over XX just due to price for the joe soap consumer, even the SLX groupo got an excellent rating and they said it was almost as good as XT or XTR - just the weight.

[(Deon)]

Ya exactly - if you looking for a good ALL-Round bike - then a mid-travel (120mm) bike is the way - either a 26 or 29.

 

But again having a re-think about this it again comes down to "horses for courses" ...

You think of SA - we dont have any big mountain parks like Whistler here - so 29er is king as most of our trails are "flat"

 

Then you look at whistler ... and a lot of parks overseas - although they have proper steep stuff and some insane gnarly trails - a lot of the trails are groomed to perfection and could even be ridden on a short-travel bike. Maybe not as fast as on a big bike - but then you look at what Semenuk and those okes jump on a tiny 4inch travel slopestyle bike or hardtail!!!

 

If i went overseas to ride and had to take only one bike - id take an Enduro-style bike ..

 

I got this far and thought OM will be making an entry pretty soon.. You know "some people" are considering doing just that for 2013?? Taking Endruo capable bikes..

[geecee]

this dude also makes sense

 

" papapendrel (1 days ago)

How many of your short travel bike moments are better because of the skills you developed while riding a long travel rig? Without the (over?)confidence it provided you may never have learned to jump, slash berms, drop huge stuff, etc. I believe riding all types allows you to become a better rider. You see lines on a big bike that you wouldn't otherwise see. Next time you ride that trail on the short travel rig you go for it.

 

If less is more we'd all be riding bmx because we could have just as much fun in a parking lot as we do on the trails. Its not simply the amount of fun that matters, its where you had that fun and what you had to overcome to get it!"

[Beer4Recovery]

Totally agree with you Nigel - and a lot of those noobs I see up here in Gauteng and at local races, best is the attitudes that comes with it. Pfff..

Edited November 28, 2012 by BearManGuy

[(Deon)]

I think what the author is trying to get at in the overseas market is similar to what we see here at the Stage race and marathon events.

 

Joe-plonker rocking up on a full-carbon (carbon wheels incl) Specialized or Trek or whatever that weighs less than my left toe - He is in all the latest Craft kit that colour matches his bike ... He talks about the pros like they are his training buddies ... "aaah my burry, ya hes my connection ... we hit a 29 hour training ride yesterday!" ...

 

BUT ... the okes has a belly that rivals the largest weber you can buy! ... and then on the trails he SUCKS going uphill ... and is even WORSE coming down. ...

 

I think this is probably the case overseas where everyone buys DH bikes - cus its the "thing to have" in the mountains and at the parks, but no one uses them to their full potential.

 

When i worked at the LBS .. i had tons of customers come in as Noobies and drop 60k on a bike!

**** ... I've been racing at National and Provincial level since 1994 and have NEVER spent that on a bike.

 

you need to look at what will serve you best for the purpose and the price! ... Will you have a chance of winning? ... if so - buy the top stuff and the specific bike for the specific event (eg DH).

But if you just there to have a jol ... the mid-range (do-it-all) bike is probably gonna be best for you!

Look at the mags like MBUK and Dirt ... they generally rate XT over XTR and X0 over XX just due to price for the joe soap consumer, even the SLX groupo got an excellent rating and they said it was almost as good as XT or XTR - just the weight.

 

Perfect summary of what we have here.

 

Working on the trails allows one to listen in on many conversations going past. There seems to be (actually is a fact more than apprearance) that if you own anything less than the best, it will show in your performance.

 

LX vs XTR shifters on Joe's bike equates to what performance difference exactly..? If you want to know, just listen to some of the trail conversation, can't miss it, they are generally the guys with the loud booming voices cutting through the quite sounds of nature. Amazing how some facts can be quoted in percentages, like it is a science or something..

 

Are we sometimes fooled by the marketing? I'd say that's the reason for Joe feeling the need to drop 60k on a first bike.

[nigelhicks]

this dude also makes sense

 

" papapendrel (1 days ago)

How many of your short travel bike moments are better because of the skills you developed while riding a long travel rig? Without the (over?)confidence it provided you may never have learned to jump, slash berms, drop huge stuff, etc. I believe riding all types allows you to become a better rider. You see lines on a big bike that you wouldn't otherwise see. Next time you ride that trail on the short travel rig you go for it.

 

If less is more we'd all be riding bmx because we could have just as much fun in a parking lot as we do on the trails. Its not simply the amount of fun that matters, its where you had that fun and what you had to overcome to get it!"

 

Ya ... i donno hey ... I never learnt to jump on my DH rig - because it SUCKED at jumping dirt jumps ... used either a bmx or a DJ MTB. Yes fine for the rock gardens and big drops I agree - but again ... how many average Joe Soaps are going to hit Cloud 9 on our world cup track? (and thats TAME at world level).

 

I agree that riding every type of bike gives you the all-round skills thats definately true ... but for Joe ... a trail bike is more than adequate to do everything - Look at you okes on the teocalis at Comeleys??? You were hundreds! (except for a banana wheel that is! )