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If you could have one mountain bike, would it be a trail or XC bike?


Craig Armstrong

If you could have one bike, would it be trail or XC?  

208 members have voted

  1. 1. If you could have one bike, would it be trail or XC?

    • Trail
      129
    • XC
      79


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If people wanna ride racing couches I have no problem with it. But I will stick to my pure 100mm racing dually.

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People often confuse the term 'trail' bike with an 'Enduro' bike here.

 

A 'trail' bike in essence IS an all rounder. 110-120mm travel on the back, 120-130mm front, nippy, not super slack but not steep and does everything 'well'.

 

When you start talking 140mm with 66' HA you're not talking about a 'trail' bike anymore.

I'd say that the "trail" designation extends to some 140/150mm bikes as well, depending on what they are and how their suspension is designed. But the majority of 150 plus bikes are in the "all Mountain" cat, which just means more travel and slacker angles with a focus skewed towards more technical descents. Then Enduro above that with the latest long low slack moniker.

 

Edit: but yeah, in general I agree with you, Jewie. ????

Edited by Captain Fatbastard Mayhem
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If people wanna ride racing couches I have no problem with it. But I will stick to my pure 100mm racing dually.

You may be surprised.   I can only think that the 100mm bike has a lower handbar position in switchback climbs.

 

My trail bike with 2.4WT tyres (although will put on an Ardent Race for S2C next month, but leave Minion SS on back) and 140mm travel and trail pedals probably weighs less than most XC dualies, but if I put the DPX2 rear shock in the middle position and the fork with slightly more LSC, probably just as efficient at climbing too.  But on the downhills?   Yeah, well....

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Riding my son's Scalpel Si was a revelation to me. Don't underestimate that racing machine's ability to do the rough stuff.

 

I did the Houw Hoek tour last year on a borrowed 2018 Giant Anthem 29er.    Was damn impressed with it.  Modern XC bikes have come a long way, but back to back with a trail bike?  I'll choose trail every day and again on Sunday, and even on day 4 of a stage race.

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People often confuse the term 'trail' bike with an 'Enduro' bike here.

 

A 'trail' bike in essence IS an all rounder. 110-120mm travel on the back, 120-130mm front, nippy, not super slack but not steep and does everything 'well'.

 

When you start talking 140mm with 66' HA you're not talking about a 'trail' bike anymore.

I now have an enduro bike. 'Cause Jewie said so. :P  (Yesssss....)

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Riding my son's Scalpel Si was a revelation to me. Don't underestimate that racing machine's ability to do the rough stuff.

 

If I could only have one bike, that would be it.

 

Yes for you but it would put a limit on what I can ride and have fun on. Like rock drops and high speed baby head descents and fast skiddy corners and chunky rock gardens etc... 

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I rode a 3 day on my old 160mm enduro a few years ago. Was never the best climbing bike but fairly light and an absolute blast on the rocky descents. One Scalpel rider was amazed at how swiftly my 26er handled the big rocks ... 

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there's not much to say...

 

I ride and XC bike and have no issues with the ride,feel or ability of the bike. I suppose it's just a personal preference at the end of the day.

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I ride and XC bike and have no issues with the ride,feel or ability of the bike. I suppose it's just a personal preference at the end of the day.

schweet.

 

please note sarcasm font in original post.

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