Short Travel Trail Bike

[BaGearA]

Anyone know the general pricing of these bikes?

too much + 10k

[nox1111]

Did I miss the place that the OP indicated budget?

 

I'm sure suggestions would look slightly different if your budget had a limit figure.  That, if sensitive, could even swing a vote from a lesser specced carbon frame to a better specced alu frame or vica versa.  Or blow all of the suggestions out the water and keep you on your Giant and just upgrading grips

[BaGearA]

Currently Budget wise YT is A very good choice

[T-Bob]

Anyone know the general pricing of these bikes?

 

Depends on build but Trailtech Cycles will help you out. Here is the review from the hub and check the Bike mag Bible of Bikes review on youtoob... but it's a full carbon frame as the start point. 

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/features/_/gear/reviews/review-evil-bikes-the-following-r4594

 

What's a 5010 going for these days? 

[tcarthew]

Depends on build but Trailtech Cycles will help you out. Here is the review from the hub and check the Bike mag Bible of Bikes review on youtoob... but it's a full carbon frame as the start point. 

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/features/_/gear/reviews/review-evil-bikes-the-following-r4594

 

What's a 5010 going for these days? 

 

https://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-ZA/5010

 

I considered a tallboy, but from 1 or 2 reviews I read it seems more xc/trail. Shorter travel & apparently doesn't descend as well.

 

Fuel EX 8 & the stumpy are still my forerunners at the mo :-) That Evil is way way out of my budget!

[Jewbacca]

I really want to understand the definition of 'doesn't descend well' and 'not as fun' etc. 

 

I am not trying to be a **** but I don't really understand the concept. I get bike speccing if you are hitting all the road gaps and drops on a big DH line, but the reality is we don't have super steep general trails in SA.

 

Besides, one really shouldn't ride a marathon on a DH bike. However, one can comfortably ride most SA trails really well on say, a Camber or a steel hardtail with decent travel. When does a bike stop being 'fun'?

 

If I bomb say 'The Plumber' in Jonkers top to bottom on my 68' Head angle steel hardtail 29er with 140mm forks I love every second of it.

 

It is the very definition of fun.

 

I have also ridden it on a 160mm trail bike and it was faster...... Faster, more stable.. even easier... but less fun.

 

I know owning rad bikes with travel and plushness and and and is awesome, but lets get the reasoning right.... fun? Less fun? What about less work? Easier? More plush? More stable? 

 

I dunno.... implying that getting down a trail can be less fun just seems like technology is sucking not only the skill but the enjoyment out of riding bikes

 

(Not wanting to start a flame up... just wondering that's all)

[ichnusa]

https://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-ZA/5010

 

I considered a tallboy, but from 1 or 2 reviews I read it seems more xc/trail. Shorter travel & apparently doesn't descend as well.

 

Fuel EX 8 & the stumpy are still my forerunners at the mo :-) That Evil is way way out of my budget!

 

I would strongly disagree that it does not descend well - it is a monster of a multipurpose bike and descends brilliantly!

[gummibear]

My choice would be a 130mm 5010 Santa Cruz  

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I really want to understand the definition of 'doesn't descend well' and 'not as fun' etc. 

 

I dunno.... implying that getting down a trail can be less fun just seems like technology is sucking not only the skill but the enjoyment out of riding bikes

 

(Not wanting to start a flame up... just wondering that's all)

Hmmmm. Difficult one. 

 

Fun, for me, has flavours. 2 completely different bikes can be fun for completely different reasons, on exactly the same trail. They just invoke different feelings and expressions, based on how they perform. Shorter travel, steep angled bikes have  a feeling of being on the edge all the time (talking descending here) and will likely kick you off at the smallest error, though they're an absolute HOOT to ride if you know what you're doing. Kinda like a manic laugh that you'd get from running away from an axe murderer while you're watching Jimmy Carr on your HUD. Your endorphins are going, your adrenaline is through the roof, and you're enjoying it but at the same time you know if you trip on a root, you're going to die... that sorta thing. 

 

Long travel hardtails - same thing, except they've got a bit more margin for error up front, but you still have to be very precise to prevent that back end from bucking like a bronco. But again, riding one through the chunder can be fun in that you're riding a different edge. The handling won't be as toight as an XC weapon (not as on the edge) but you're being chased by a solid rear triangle that is just asking to be tested and let loose to teach you a lesson.

 

Likewise my bike is altogether different. Something that would scare teh bejeesus outta me on an XC bike is sorta ho hum on the big rig. You have to be going faster and bigger to get those thrills, but boy when it comes alive... hoooooly crap you'd better hang on to your panties cos you're in for one helluva ride. I'm kinda learning at the moment that I can start pushing that hard... 

 

The spitty for me was inbetween. It felt like a mix between the two. Not something I'd think twice about doing the paarl stepdown on, but something that also invokes a bit more fizz on some trails. Not as axe-wieldingly mental as doing the Paarl line on an Epic but then not egging me on as the Reign did. It felt as if I could definitely go faster, but it would be pushing the skills envelope I'm in at the moment. Reign has a larger margin for error, which gives a bit more security. It felt more alive than the Jeffsy, as well as more in tune with the terrain. More in tune with me... 

 

So yeah. fun - it's a flavour thing. And it's highly subjective. 

 

If that made any sense... let me know! 

[Heel Drop]

Hmmmm. Difficult one. 

 

Fun, for me, has flavours. 2 completely different bikes can be fun for completely different reasons, on exactly the same trail. They just invoke different feelings and expressions, based on how they perform. Shorter travel, steep angled bikes have  a feeling of being on the edge all the time (talking descending here) and will likely kick you off at the smallest error, though they're an absolute HOOT to ride if you know what you're doing. Kinda like a manic laugh that you'd get from running away from an axe murderer while you're watching Jimmy Carr on your HUD. Your endorphins are going, your adrenaline is through the roof, and you're enjoying it but at the same time you know if you trip on a root, you're going to die... that sorta thing. 

 

Long travel hardtails - same thing, except they've got a bit more margin for error up front, but you still have to be very precise to prevent that back end from bucking like a bronco. But again, riding one through the chunder can be fun in that you're riding a different edge. The handling won't be as toight as an XC weapon (not as on the edge) but you're being chased by a solid rear triangle that is just asking to be tested and let loose to teach you a lesson.

 

Likewise my bike is altogether different. Something that would scare teh bejeesus outta me on an XC bike is sorta ho hum on the big rig. You have to be going faster and bigger to get those thrills, but boy when it comes alive... hoooooly crap you'd better hang on to your panties cos you're in for one helluva ride. I'm kinda learning at the moment that I can start pushing that hard... 

 

The spitty for me was inbetween. It felt like a mix between the two. Not something I'd think twice about doing the paarl stepdown on, but something that also invokes a bit more fizz on some trails. Not as axe-wieldingly mental as doing the Paarl line on an Epic but then not egging me on as the Reign did. It felt as if I could definitely go faster, but it would be pushing the skills envelope I'm in at the moment. Reign has a larger margin for error, which gives a bit more security. It felt more alive than the Jeffsy, as well as more in tune with the terrain. More in tune with me... 

 

So yeah. fun - it's a flavour thing. And it's highly subjective. 

 

If that made any sense... let me know! 

go write a book 

[tcarthew]

I really want to understand the definition of 'doesn't descend well' and 'not as fun' etc. 

 

I am not trying to be a **** but I don't really understand the concept. I get bike speccing if you are hitting all the road gaps and drops on a big DH line, but the reality is we don't have super steep general trails in SA.

 

Besides, one really shouldn't ride a marathon on a DH bike. However, one can comfortably ride most SA trails really well on say, a Camber or a steel hardtail with decent travel. When does a bike stop being 'fun'?

 

If I bomb say 'The Plumber' in Jonkers top to bottom on my 68' Head angle steel hardtail 29er with 140mm forks I love every second of it.

 

It is the very definition of fun.

 

I have also ridden it on a 160mm trail bike and it was less faster...... Faster, more stable.. even easier... but less fun.

 

I know owning rad bikes with travel and plushness and and and is awesome, but lets get the reasoning right.... fun? Less fun? What about less work? Easier? More plush? More stable? 

 

I dunno.... implying that getting down a trail can be less fun just seems like technology is sucking not only the skill but the enjoyment out of riding bikes

 

(Not wanting to start a flame up... just wondering that's all)

 

Hehe, you make a very valid point. This is why I ask the question, you read reviews & you never know how to take them or what the context is in terms of ride ability or trail or preference, etc.

 

I am not as experienced a rider as many of you on this forum & I'm not really a race snake. I'm a competitive s**t, I like a challenge, so I really enjoy technical stuff. I love ascents as much as descents....IMHO, I don't enjoy the down as much unless I earned it by getting to the top myself on my bike (crazy I know).

 

I currently have a very short travel marathon dual suss (100mm) & it's pretty stiff in comparison. For me it is a fantastic bike, but not the type of fun I'm after. I'm close enough to 40 that I'm not going to be making a breakthrough career in any discipline of the sport & I don't have the time that some to train. So yes, I want plush & squishy & forgiving & to be able to lock out & have it pedal well. Even if it's overkill for what we have around here. I tried the marathon bike, now I want to try the trail bike setup...

 

I'd like a 29er trail bike with decent travel that performs well going up, going down, etchnical or no. We don't have hectically steep or super technical trails (yet), but we have enough of them that they can be more fun with the right bike. I don't have cash to burn, so I'd like to choose something that's going to give me that all round experience. I figure that's a 29er trail bike. Absolute max budget 50K.....

 

What you boys got? Also, if it helps, I'm 1.89m & weigh around 90kg....weight is not a factor I'm too concerned about.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

50k you can have pretty much your pick of middle-spec bikes. DEFINITELY see if YT has stock of the Jeffsy, hit up Stoke to see if they can put a Tranny or Banshee or Kona process together for you for that amount of tom.

 

Otherwise you won't go wrong with a stumpy or Camber. Or a new Scott Spark, or or or. Dude, you can literally have a look at the 120-140mm range of bikes and decide on looks, then test to see if it gels with you. 

[gummibear]

After looking at my needs and budget and many test rides i narrowed it down to 2 bikes.

 

130mm Giant Anthem Advance SX and the 140mm Canyon Spectral.

 

In the end the Canyon won.

 

 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Gosh, that Anthem SX is another contender... 

[captain morgan]

Yip , we all the same but different ... different skill levels , ages , terain we ride perception of affordability and fun .

 

Life is great !! :-)

[mrcg]

I've found out two things that most riders in SA are doing "wrong":

1. Tyre pressure - too hard for our conditions (notably WC)

2. Fork/Suspension pressure - too hard

Most struggle with proper set-up and the LBS generally keeps to recommended norms. I can't speak for all of course, but it seems to me that this is the case.

So, from my own previous experience, I rode both way too hard - i always likes the responsiveness. But it has the draw-backs - stiff and hard saps energy and makes for an uncomfortable ride. As mentioned by Jewbacca above, most trials in SA can really be ridden on a marathon. You only require a DH bike if you're really only killing the DH sections - so presuming you want or have the skills.

I consider myself quite proficient in DH skills and handle all on my marathon bike easily.

Here's the settings on my bike:

Tyre pressure: 1.6 - 1.8 bar

Suspension: front fork - recommended setting is around 100-120 psi - i use 80-90 psi. Rebound set to middle of range, depending on how i want or need it.

i have a brain rear - sag is set to 90-100 psi (recommended is 120 - 130).

A pro mechanic i know told me that it is better to go softer and also for suspension to bottom out once in a while (whilst obviously not hitting out hard) for the whole stanchion to be lubricated. On 100mm travel this only happens on a hectic or fast drop.

All setting variances are due to anticipated ride (trail "hardness" - e.g. am i riding down Contis with jagged hard rocks and jumps or smooth Umko drop?).

My closing mantra: do a skills clinic!

Hope this helps.