DH vs AM vs Enduro vs Freeride etc??? Help??

[ThePubSA]

You cant be a "real" freerider without a hardtail DJ/Street bike to perfect your skill on .... Aka Sienjougat without breaking expensive gears/handlebars/brakes/rims... and take the brakes off time to time, to remember why you have them:

 

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z96/_Olliw_/IMG_6321-1.jpg

 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7NEzKd7SYt4/TWUYTnk6jnI/AAAAAAAAAI4/oOhCivnnCEE/s1600/IMG_1323.JPG

If u got big stones and course dependent ,its a slopestyle rig too

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb8384445/p5pb8384445.jpg

[ThePubSA]

http://www.ns-bikes.com/images/glowne/926-s.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8BBNUYEyg44/T74wPSdSIhI/AAAAAAAAANY/b7wTknMyCeo/s1600/IMG_8261.JPG

[RockCoach]

Patchepedia. Nice analysis

[BenGraham]

Hey Jester. Don't ever let someone tell you your bike isn't capable enough. Okay perhaps if you're trying to get into proper DH or Trials. But if you want to fly down stuff in the most irresponsible way possible my suggestion is to pick a reliable bike ie not carbon (since you might be afraid to crash and that's not conducive to learning) and maybe stay away from super light rims for the same reasons. So like perhaps an entry level scott or something like mine and take the ride it till it breaks approach; and break it will, I'm on my third rear axle, fourth rear derailleur and second front. Hey if you're on the hub you probably already have that bike.

 

I pitched up at this year's Mankele avalanche in lycra (I wear it cause its cheap okay) with a 100mm steep head angle hardtail with cantilever brakes and I still managed to beat out 26 other people. Came 80th in a field of 106. All of those people had bikes worth at minimum twice what mine was worth and most were probably considered all mountain ready and I was the only fool running cantilever brakes. I reckon half the battle is in your head. Owning the right bike for the job has little to do with being able to ride a trail at least semi acceptably (ie without dying or walking the whole way) and at the end of the day if you're just dipping your toe in you aren't trying to win anything anyway.

 

Ride the bike you have till you scare yourself so bad you feel the need for something new. If I tuck my head on fast smooth downhills now and I can hear my fork creaking - when I first heard it I was a little freaked out but I figure its so heavy at worst it'll seize I doubt its going to fail catastrophically.

 

But hey if you've got the money go wild and get a Giant trance 650B or something stick a dropper post on and smile all the way down the hill. But don't let not having that bike be an excuse for not trying something that looks awesome.

[BenGraham]

Oh and before I get painted the noob I realise that A) 80th is actually pretty rubbish and B) a fancy bike probably makes a huge difference. I just believe in using something to its limits before upgrading. And also that description of the various styles was very informative.

[nigelhicks]

well said Ben ... The bike does not make the rider ... the ride makes the rider ...

 

I have 2 spare DH bikes sitting at home from around 1999 and they are still fun to ride ... My sister in law is currently using the one to get into DH and shes loving it ...

 

Ride what you have and have fun ... any bike can ride any trail, its just the speed at which you can ride it that varies .... but just go out and have FUN! that is all that matters

[Jester6]

Thanks Ben!

I like the way you think, I obviously have to work within what I can afford, and I am aiming to have fun.

Can't really go wild with bikes as some the setups mentioned here are waaaayyyy out of my affordability scale... I have a decent entry level hardtail and I'll try the awesome looking things on it first

 

But I'm also going to save up

 

All the other info is awesome too, because before this thread I had no idea where to start or what style was what. And everyone has helped a lot. Styles, bikes, events etc.

so thanks everyone!