Short Travel Trail Bike

[banna]

Hi Guys. Need some advise. I'm looking at buying a short travel trail bike (130-140mm)

 

I've got a short list of the following:

 

Trek fuel ex8

Santa Cruz 5010

Transition Scout

 

I want a fun trail bike that I can, if I want to, do the odd marathon race or even the odd enduro, but generally just have fun.

 

I've currently got a 2014 Giant trance, but my arse is itching for something new with updated geometry.

 

Any advise or experience with the above bikes will be appreciated.

 

Thanks

You can add the Hightower to that list....just saying.  

[hansolo]

I have a Rocky Mountain Instinct, it may be more of a "medium" travel trail bike with 130 mm travel front and rear. I'll be putting a 140 mm Pike on it shortly, 130 mm 29er Fox 32's is not ideal. Really awesome and very versatile bike. 2018 Altitudes has been unveiled, 2018 Instincts might be worth the wait.

 

I'm 1.9 m tall, weight way too much and ride an XL... 

[Pikey]

to me... it's all about the head angle (and maybe dropper post) and not so much the mm's of suspension travel. I have ridden many marathon bikes before and I just can't get enough weight away from the front to hop stuff, manuel through a river crossing or prevent being "nose heavy" in a steep rocky descent etc. You need to be very, and I mean very good to hop a spez epic, scott spark or similar marathon racer over a 30cm treestump or rock in the trail, which is quite easy to do for us mortals on a bike with slacker geometry.

 

I've never been on a tallboy, but I own a 5010. If the tallboy geometry is more like a marathon racer then I can vouch that a less aggressive geometry bike will be a lot more "capable" and "fun", purely because I can ride a slack geometry bike at the limit of my skills ability.

 

so in short: slack geometry gives you control, control gives you confidence, confidence gives you speed and speed gives you fun! and IMO choosing the right bike gives you speed whist also reducing your risk of going down.

I must admit head angle is pretty important to me as well,as it can make and mask your lack of skill exactly like rudi-h said.

 

I have owned a 5010 and tb2 at the same time (still have tb2 sold the 5010) but the 5010 was stock and the tb i specced & built to be the perfect ride for one "the bike does it all" theory . And it's pretty damn close I can tell you. After nearly a year I am still yearning for the slacker head head angle. And that's where I am now . Looking for the trial bike that can pedal over distance with out to much sacrifice.

 

The 5010 is a great trail bike and soooooo much fun in the rocks & rough stuff. But to pedal it over 75km. No thanks . And I'm an ok climber as well. It's great bike and I miss it sometimes . But it I found myself not riding it as often as I would rather take the tb.

 

The Tb2 still surprises me on most rides .In fact the tb rides so well I took the dropper of to try and push me to stop being lazy on longer out rides & races,that's how competent the bike is. The other thing I have learnt is that you can build a bike up or down but there is obvious limitations. But it is easirer to build a bike down and make it less trail/xc/ enduro whatever but it is harder and the limits are reached quicker trying to build a bike up . If that makes sesne . The tb is a fantastic fantastic bike it really is but I want a slacker head angle and slightly more rear travel. More head angle than travel though . I am very scared of selling it,but have settled on a new ride .

 

Hope this helps some how. I do agree with a post above that head angle and geo is more important than travel . Seldom really run out of travel on tb.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

What about an angle-set, Pikey?

[cadenceblur]

Have to share the sentiments shared above. Build the bike for maximum fun, confidence and comfort - most of us ride for fun don't we? The confidence I gained when I moved from a Scott Scale to the Pyga 110 was immense. I am now on an even slacker bike - Stage Max, while the Stage was an option - I am happy that I went with the Max - it just wants to go when pointed downward and doesn't feel like I am going to be flung off - paired with a Pike it's probably more bike than I need right now - but as my skill increases - I'll "grow" into it. 

[Pikey]

Have to share the sentiments shared above. Build the bike for maximum fun, confidence and comfort - most of us ride for fun don't we? The confidence I gained when I moved from a Scott Scale to the Pyga 110 was immense. I am now on an even slacker bike - Stage Max, while the Stage was an option - I am happy that I went with the Max - it just wants to go when pointed downward and doesn't feel like I am going to be flung off - paired with a Pike it's probably more bike than I need right now - but as my skill increases - I'll "grow" into it.

 

Thats my sentiments exactly ...

[Pikey]

What about an angle-set, Pikey?

i thought about that but as I am currently running a 130 fork already how slack would I get it. And I have experimented with a 140 for one ride and didn't like it as the front would lift on steep climbs. 130 is planted everywhere it's stupid how that 10 mm can just push it over the edge. Plus and this is probably the determining reason i am not going that route I do want to go more travel at the back as well as slacker head angle. Does that make sense ?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

i thought about that but as I am currently running a 130 fork already how slack would I get it. And I have experimented with a 140 for one ride and didn't like it as the front would lift on steep climbs. 130 is planted everywhere it's stupid how that 10 mm can just push it over the edge. Plus and this is probably the determining reason i am not going that route I do want to go more travel at the back as well as slacker head angle. Does that make sense ?

yeah it does. Buuuut... angleset and a 140 will ease that lifting on the climbs... 

[Pikey]

yeah it does. Buuuut... angleset and a 140 will ease that lifting on the climbs...

 

to be honest am happy with the 130 on the front is the perfect amount of travel for that bike. I just want slacker . What would the angleset slacken it to or should I say by how much . I must check what it is sitting at at now with the 130 fork on. Probably about 69,6 or so at a guess?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

to be honest am happy with the 130 on the front is the perfect amount of travel. I just want slacker . What would the angleset slacken it to or should I say by how much . I must check what it is sitting at at now with the 130 fork on. Probably about 69,6 or so at a guess?

up to 1.5deg. 

[T-Bob]

I've been looking at this to slack out my current ride a bit. 

 

https://www.offsetbushings.com

[tcarthew]

up to 1.5deg. 

Excuse my ignorance, but what is angleset? 

 

I must say, I have learnt quite a bit from this thread so far! What Rudi-H said makes great sense & it's the realisation I'm coming to. It's about the head angle really, then what the geometry can support.

[BaGearA]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is angleset? 

 

I must say, I have learnt quite a bit from this thread so far! What Rudi-H said makes great sense & it's the realisation I'm coming to. It's about the head angle really, then what the geometry can support.

Off set headset cups so the fork sits slacker in the headtube

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is angleset? 

 

I must say, I have learnt quite a bit from this thread so far! What Rudi-H said makes great sense & it's the realisation I'm coming to. It's about the head angle really, then what the geometry can support.

it's a headset that lets you adjust the head angle by anywhere between 0.5deg & 2deg depending on the type of angleset you get. 

 

Effectively, instead of having the bottom cup sit smack bang in the middle of the headtube, it's offset to the front or back of the head tube, which gives you a steeper or slacker head angle depending on how you put it in. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is angleset? 

 

I must say, I have learnt quite a bit from this thread so far! What Rudi-H said makes great sense & it's the realisation I'm coming to. It's about the head angle really, then what the geometry can support.

it's a headset that lets you adjust the head angle by anywhere between 0.5deg & 2deg depending on the type of angleset you get. 

 

Effectively, instead of having the bottom cup sit smack bang in the middle of the headtube, it's offset to the front or back of the head tube, which gives you a steeper or slacker head angle depending on how you put it in. 

[NicoBoshoff]

Surely just using the angleset won't result in lifting the front.  That's the extra travel causing the front to sit too high.  Too slack will rather case the front wheel to wander on steep or tech climbs, but again, that could be sorted by some other adjustments.

 

Also, what's the current HA and what do you want it to be Pikey?  I'm riding a 67.5' 160mm 29'er and I can't see myself wanting to go slacker.

 

I'll just source a 650b yolk one day if I want to go to the Alps again.  That'll slacken it out to just below 67', which is plenty slack.