Do we really need long travel bikes in SA?

[IH8MUD]

Since I built my rigid MTB bike . .  the full suspension will be the 1st bike to be sold if needs be.

I have realised I'll never be the down hill racer I dreamt I'll be. 

To many crashes 

 

The rigid bike prevents my "teenage mentally"  from overriding my "old ballie" common sense.   

[Robbow]

Having moved from the Transition Smuggler with 115mm at the rear, to now riding the YT Jeffsy with 140mm out back, there are indeed some good and bad changes.

 

The Smuggler was a better pedaling bike and climbed easier, it was also more alive coming off of berms accelerating etc.

 

The Jeffsy is far more burly and heavy hitting, but that comes with a slight loss of trail feel/feedback. Is better when you are dealing with steeper terrain/drops offs/rocks etc.

 

Which is better? I suppose it depends on what you are trying to achieve, I happily took on Marathon races riding the Transition, would be harder on the YT. Jumping and riding more technical stuff on the YT has massively improved my confidence.

 

Over a normal KZN Enduro type stage I reckon I would be faster on the Smuggler purely because it is more nimble and the acceleration factor.

 

Clearly you need more than 1 bike 

[dev null]

You need 4 I say.

 

Roady

Hardtail MTB

XCO MTB (PS: for the more Techy XCOs and stage races)

Trail/Enduro MTB (to feel like a kid again, and break bones like a kid)

 

[Hairy]

The Process and the Transition Patrol were initially at the top of my list... and I love my bike so actually didn't need a list to start with! Then I had that same discussion with 'Droo and Savage and that approach got flipped on it's head.

 

Look I like to search out drops, hits, pop off stuff and generally I want to have fun and act like a stoopid kid building stuff and seeing how fast and how far until you land on your face before getting up with a grin and doing it all again! You won't find me doing more miles than i need to get to the top and come down, around and down again... and again. 

 

So I've always been in the longer trail, mini DH camp. As many have said here the lines are blurring and the fact that great, dialled geo teamed with more progressive / better sus' / stiffer forks is making bikes down to 110 / 115mm rear super capable in most situations (usually with large volume cans) and that's traditionally Anthem / XC Territory. Guess the biggest thing now is not what you've got, it's what you're doing with it.  

 

 

so essentially you are more confused RE your decision than before

[Hairy]

Having moved from the Transition Smuggler with 115mm at the rear, to now riding the YT Jeffsy with 140mm out back, there are indeed some good and bad changes.

 

The Smuggler was a better pedaling bike and climbed easier, it was also more alive coming off of berms accelerating etc.

 

The Jeffsy is far more burly and heavy hitting, but that comes with a slight loss of trail feel/feedback. Is better when you are dealing with steeper terrain/drops offs/rocks etc.

 

Which is better? I suppose it depends on what you are trying to achieve, I happily took on Marathon races riding the Transition, would be harder on the YT. Jumping and riding more technical stuff on the YT has massively improved my confidence.

 

Over a normal KZN Enduro type stage I reckon I would be faster on the Smuggler purely because it is more nimble and the acceleration factor.

 

Clearly you need more than 1 bike 

#THETRUTH

[Hairy]

You need 4 I say.

 

Roady

Hardtail MTB

XCO MTB (PS: for the more Techy XCOs and stage races)

Trail/Enduro MTB (to feel like a kid again, and break bones like a kid)

 

5, add SS street bike to the list.

[Bizkit031]

Having moved from the Transition Smuggler with 115mm at the rear, to now riding the YT Jeffsy with 140mm out back, there are indeed some good and bad changes.

 

The Smuggler was a better pedaling bike and climbed easier, it was also more alive coming off of berms accelerating etc.

 

The Jeffsy is far more burly and heavy hitting, but that comes with a slight loss of trail feel/feedback. Is better when you are dealing with steeper terrain/drops offs/rocks etc.

 

Which is better? I suppose it depends on what you are trying to achieve, I happily took on Marathon races riding the Transition, would be harder on the YT. Jumping and riding more technical stuff on the YT has massively improved my confidence.

 

Over a normal KZN Enduro type stage I reckon I would be faster on the Smuggler purely because it is more nimble and the acceleration factor.

 

Clearly you need more than 1 bike

I think that depends on how hard you riding trails like say for instance Howick,if you push the Jeffsy really hard on those trails then the bike will come alive. The biggest factor is how big your ????????are and your skills level.But that Smuggler is one fun bike to ride.

[MTBeer]

Need? no. Want? yes. I've ridden most of the trails in the WC on my old 26" 100mm Anthem, but they are way more fun on my 140mm Trance.

[stefmeister]

You need 4 I say.

 

Roady

Hardtail MTB

XCO MTB (PS: for the more Techy XCOs and stage races)

Trail/Enduro MTB (to feel like a kid again, and break bones like a kid)

 

Road bike

XC bike

Long travel (140mm) 650B titanium/steel hard tail

mid travel 650B 120-140mm trail bike.

160mm all mountain bike

160mm all mountain 29er - because you can!

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Need? no. Want? yes. I've ridden most of the trails in the WC on my old 26" 100mm Anthem, but they are way more fun on my 140mm Trance.

I have a Pike that can make that Trance even better.......... 

 

#eksemaarnet

[Hairy]

Need? no. Want? yes. I've ridden most of the trails in the WC on my old 26" 100mm Anthem, but they are way more fun on my 140mm Trance.

 

 

I have a Pike that can make that Trance even better.......... 

 

#eksemaarnet

best upgrade for a trance is getting a banshee spitfire 

[popcorn_skollie]

The Process and the Transition Patrol were initially at the top of my list... and I love my bike so actually didn't need a list to start with! Then I had that same discussion with 'Droo and Savage and that approach got flipped on it's head.

 

Look I like to search out drops, hits, pop off stuff and generally I want to have fun and act like a stoopid kid building stuff and seeing how fast and how far until you land on your face before getting up with a grin and doing it all again! You won't find me doing more miles than i need to get to the top and come down, around and down again... and again. 

 

So I've always been in the longer trail, mini DH camp. As many have said here the lines are blurring and the fact that great, dialled geo teamed with more progressive / better sus' / stiffer forks is making bikes down to 110 / 115mm rear super capable in most situations (usually with large volume cans) and that's traditionally Anthem / XC Territory. Guess the biggest thing now is not what you've got, it's what you're doing with it.  

 

The enduro bandwagon has rubbed off on the racy side of mountain biking big time.

Everything is bigger, wider, thicker now. They've exhausted how long and low a bike can actually go. So suddenly the shorter travel bikes seem more appealing. The new Anthem is more trail capable that the first generation trances ever were. 

 

Even die hard weight weenies who have been grinding distance for the last decade suddenly feel compelled jump on the trail bus because the longer travel bikes are just as light and efficient as their old 100mm. Not only are squishy bikes efficient enough to take on stage races. But shorter travel bikes can misbehave now as well. The lines are so blurred that very few new bikes are easily pigeonholed into a particular discipline. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

best upgrade for a trance is getting a banshee spitfire 

BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[MTBeer]

I have a Pike that can make that Trance even better.......... 

 

#eksemaarnet

same price as the stem?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

same price as the stem?

LOL. 

 

It's going for a steal. 

[BaGearA]

One thing I fail to see ( when comparing to EU) is their trails are smoother than our sidewalks we have a lot of really rough and rocky trails that cause stupid amounts of chatter.

 

And I think we try to compensate for that with more travel ( I know i am guilty of this) I'm on a 140 hardtail and i love it (thinking of going to full with 120 rear but that is still far off) for now I can still pedal hakahana but I die after 5 hours.

 

Just buy a bike that will suit what you want to do (If you have the proper know-how)