Do we really need long travel bikes in SA?

[Skott5]

I think most people have said it correctly

 

You dont NEED it - but it makes everyday riding WAY WAY WAY more enjoyable (unless you are into uphill timetrials that is) ...

 

For some people saying that long travel bikes dont climb as well, I would have to say that my 160mm SC Nomad climbs as well as my Marathon bike did ... the geometry and frame stiffness on todays bikes makes them amazing all rounders ...

 

I would say however that for SA a 150/140mm travel bike (Bronson / Zesty AM etc.) are perfect for us joe-soaps ...

 

But I have my eye on ... and i CANT BELIEVE IM SAYING THIS ...     ... a 29er long travel like the new Trek Slash

 

http://14761-presscdn-0-15.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Trek-Slash-1-810x540.jpg

 

or the Evil Wreckoning

 

http://factoryjackson.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Evil-Wreckoning-WEB-1-of-21-2000x1394.jpg

 

Nige ... Once you've ridden Santa Cruz there's no going back ..

 

Hightower is the one you want....

[Skott5]

Nige ... Once you've ridden Santa Cruz there's no going back ..

 

Hightower is the one you want....

 

http://theradavist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/The-Santa-Cruz-Bicycles-Hightower-24-1335x890.jpg

[Headshot]

Erm. I'm not so sure about that. Some of the places I've ridden in Europe are rough as Faaark.

Yes, last time I checked, the Alps were in the EU, and there are definitely some rocks there -  just a few... 

 

That said, in general the mountains in the Cape are probably rockier but smaller and less steep, while the Drakensberg is smoother and far less rocky in the main. 

[Odinson]

I was thinking about this thread last night and kind of made up my mind about what my next bike will be:

 

Option 1: YT Capra AL

 

 

Option 2: 2017 Commencal META AM V4.2 RIDE

 

http://www.commencal-store.co.uk/Files/98790/Img/24/17METAAMRIOR_680.jpg

 

Option 3 (the dark horse / outlier): YT Jeffsy Comp AL 1

 

 

This one is dependent on whether there will be spec changes for 2017. If they drop the Pike RCT3 in favour of a Yari RC, I'll give it a skip.

[rudi-h]

i think its more about the geometry (aka head angle etc.) than the travel itself.  I hate bikes where you can't lift the front, they are just so hard to hop and to handle.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I was thinking about this thread last night and kind of made up my mind about what my next bike will be:

 

Option 1: YT Capra AL

 

 

Option 2: 2017 Commencal META AM V4.2 RIDE

 

http://www.commencal-store.co.uk/Files/98790/Img/24/17METAAMRIOR_680.jpg

 

Option 3 (the dark horse / outlier): YT Jeffsy Comp AL 1

 

 

This one is dependent on whether there will be spec changes for 2017. If they drop the Pike RCT3 in favour of a Yari RC, I'll give it a skip.

If it were me - Jeffsy. 

[The_Phoenix]

I think most people have said it correctly

 

You dont NEED it - but it makes everyday riding WAY WAY WAY more enjoyable (unless you are into uphill timetrials that is) ...

 

For some people saying that long travel bikes dont climb as well, I would have to say that my 160mm SC Nomad climbs as well as my Marathon bike did ... the geometry and frame stiffness on todays bikes makes them amazing all rounders ...

 

I would say however that for SA a 150/140mm travel bike (Bronson / Zesty AM etc.) are perfect for us joe-soaps ...

 

But I have my eye on ... and i CANT BELIEVE IM SAYING THIS ...     ... a 29er long travel like the new Trek Slash

 

http://14761-presscdn-0-15.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Trek-Slash-1-810x540.jpg

 

or the Evil Wreckoning

 

http://factoryjackson.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Evil-Wreckoning-WEB-1-of-21-2000x1394.jpg

 

From the Trek side...good luck on getting a Slash in SA. Not the easiest task. 

[Odinson]

If it were me - Jeffsy. 

 

Yeah, it's a top contender for me. However, I will be bumping the fork up to 150mm, to slacken the head angle out a tad and for the extra travel.

 

YT have got an autumn sale running this November. The Jeffsy Comp AL 1 is selling at €2.199, which is a not inconsequential saving of €300. Pity is that all of the large bikes are sold out and they won't be replenishing stock this year. If they had stock, I would've bit the bullet and bought one now.

[MTBeer]

I was thinking about this thread last night and kind of made up my mind about what my next bike will be:

 

Option 1: YT Capra AL

 

 

Option 2: 2017 Commencal META AM V4.2 RIDE

 

http://www.commencal-store.co.uk/Files/98790/Img/24/17METAAMRIOR_680.jpg

 

Option 3 (the dark horse / outlier): YT Jeffsy Comp AL 1

 

 

This one is dependent on whether there will be spec changes for 2017. If they drop the Pike RCT3 in favour of a Yari RC, I'll give it a skip.

shows how much you know - not a single vertically mounted shock...

[nox1111]

I was thinking about this thread last night and kind of made up my mind about what my next bike will be:

 

Option 1: YT Capra AL

 

 

Option 2: 2017 Commencal META AM V4.2 RIDE

 

http://www.commencal-store.co.uk/Files/98790/Img/24/17METAAMRIOR_680.jpg

 

Option 3 (the dark horse / outlier): YT Jeffsy Comp AL 1

 

 

This one is dependent on whether there will be spec changes for 2017. If they drop the Pike RCT3 in favour of a Yari RC, I'll give it a skip.

Is the Commencal shock partially inside the toptube?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Is the Commencal shock partially inside the toptube?

Yes. There's a junction halfway down where the top tube ceases being tubular and is instead an inverted U shape, that then returns to being fully tubular just as it bends up to meet the seat tube. 

[Odinson]

Yes. There's a junction halfway down where the top tube ceases being tubular and is instead an inverted U shape, that then returns to being fully tubular just as it bends up to meet the seat tube. 

 

What he said.

 

The nice thing is that according to Commencal, it can accomodate virtually any shock - metric/standard/coil/tree branch/you name it.

 

Lekker future proof for the next two years.

[Duane_Bosch]

You get it.

 

You're going to ruin your bike by putting a 66 on. Yes it's plush and all but it weighs a ton.

[Trance Dance]

If this counts as long travel, then yes.

[CdT85]

You're going to ruin your bike by putting a 66 on. Yes it's plush and all but it weighs a ton.

 

if you rock a 66, you are not a weight weenie...

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

You're going to ruin your bike by putting a 66 on. Yes it's plush and all but it weighs a ton.

I weigh 105kg. An extra kilo on an already reasonably light bike will not kill me.

 

Plus, it's an experiment I just need to carry out for my own sanity. If it doesn't work - fine. I'll scratch it off as a stupid decision and buy another fork. If it does work, win.

 

On the ruin your bike thing... I don't see DH bikes suddenly being out of balance with the heavier forks on the front end.. and if so. I can compensate by moving around a bit more