What would you do?

PB Forum :: Canada - West
What would you do?
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flag ddean
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Posted: Nov 8, 2015 at 8:30 Quote
Hi all and TIA!

I JUST moved to the North Shore from Toronto and Im finding that my SWorks Epic, while awesome all the way up BLT and on some of trails around Seymour, is not the right bike for out here.

Its short at least a few inches of travel on each end, its angles have me too far forward descending Cypress on the crazy trails you guys have built out here, I think my chain stay is going to blow up from the chain slap, I feel I need a dropper post but putting one on an Epic seems silly...an XC race bike is just not supposed to be doing what Im asking of it!

I can pedal out my door to Cypress so that's where I will usually go - meaning, I will need to pedal a bike up unless how I ride changes dramatically (unless I start shuttling that is). Thinking that for the day to day stuff an All Mountain makes the most sense.I dont know a single sole out here that rides (although I have met a ton of nice people riding up BLT) so shuttling a DH bike could be tricky unless I get family to drop me off at the top - but then I get one descent - seems insufficient!

Or I could get a DH bike and spend more time at Whistler in the summer (seems like a good idea anyways! - its only an hour away!) and continue to flog the Epic in ways it wasnt meant to be flogged.

Tough Choice choosing between whats better for most of the time (the NS) or whats better for the absolute best of the time (Whistler). I probably cant pull off both bikes without being kicked out of the bedroom into the garage.

Writing it out the choice seems more clear - Im not sure that the Epic can take ride after ride of this - itll blow up! And unless Im committing myself to shuttling, Im probably stuck with an AM bike because I wont be able to get a DH bike up BLT (or will I?) Ive never riden a DH bike so I have no idea!

Or maybe the garage is looking better and better all the time?

Those of you who know the NS and Whistler - what would you do?
flag gramboh
O+ FL
Posted: Nov 8, 2015 at 22:46 Quote
Two options, both of which involve first selling the Epic:

1) buy a 160mm "Enduro" class bike to do everything. Ensure decently beefy wheels and maybe a second set of tires and you'll be good for North Shore pedalling up through Whistler Bike Park.

2) buy a 140mm trail bike (Norco Sight, Devinci Troy etc) and a DH bike. This type of bike will handle the shore fine (unless you are going hard on the Cypress DH style stuff) and will also pedal up a lot more comfortably/easier than a 160mm slack bike. Get a used DH bike for Whistler park so you don't blow up your trail bike.

I'd go option 2 and buy used bikes to save coin. Nothing matches the fun of a full on DH bike, especially in the park at Whistler. I did this personally, my bikes aren't new and shiny but they are both fun to ride and I'm much happier than if I just had one bike.
flag ddean
O+
Posted: Nov 9, 2015 at 11:31 Quote
Thanks so much for that response and if I understand you correctly, its that riding a DH bike is so fun, its worth figuring a way out to make it happen.

I also hear you that I probably wont ride the Epic much once I get a quality AM.

Selling the Epic is neither here nor there - I wouldnt get much for it because its not a super useful bike out here (which is why Im looking for a new bike!) - so financially its not going to be a deciding factor.

Maybe there will be some smoking deals on bikes as we head into winter. Thanks for your input that DH bikes are so fun that they're worth having instead of getting an AM bike to do AM and DH stuff. Works for me!
flag ddean
O+
Posted: Nov 9, 2015 at 21:02 Quote
Decided that I cant get by without an AM bike and picked me up a new SWorks Enduro 29'r this aft. I know its probably not the wheel size you would choose but Im more on an XC guy looking for a bike for the shore and the testers seem to call it the AM bike to have for the last couple years, even at that wheel size. Whatever, Im sure Ill love it. Ill probably keep my Epic 26r so I wanted a more different experience than that as well.

Ill see if Ill use a DH bike next spring. Would love one. But Im old and frail and cant see myself launching off of ramps that all you kids do. My hands have been broken too many times already!
flag gramboh
O+ FL
Posted: Nov 10, 2015 at 12:13 Quote
ddean wrote:
Decided that I cant get by without an AM bike and picked me up a new SWorks Enduro 29'r this aft. I know its probably not the wheel size you would choose but Im more on an XC guy looking for a bike for the shore and the testers seem to call it the AM bike to have for the last couple years, even at that wheel size. Whatever, Im sure Ill love it. Ill probably keep my Epic 26r so I wanted a more different experience than that as well.

Ill see if Ill use a DH bike next spring. Would love one. But Im old and frail and cant see myself launching off of ramps that all you kids do. My hands have been broken too many times already!

Congrats on the new ride. I haven't ridden the Enduro but I hear the 29er is extremely capable, I mean you can see Mitch Ropelato ride it in WC DH races last year Smile . I think you'll be very happy with it. Let us know how it goes, I think you'll be shredding the shore way faster on that new ride than your Epic.

I should clarify my post, a DH bike is fun but not an absolute requirement by any means. Lots of folks are riding enduro bikes in the park now and especially skilled riders can hit any trail with them. I'm an intermediate (and heavy) so the DH gives me a lot more margin for error and comfort. You should hit up Whistler next summer and rent a DH bike and see how you like it, you can try pretty much any model up there.
flag ddean
O+
Posted: Nov 15, 2015 at 8:07 Quote
I'm down with a nasty cold but I managed to grind the black and white bike half way up BLT yesterday. I think I'll put a smaller ring on the front because I'm in the granny a fair bit and I'm not in the 10 in the back.

For a long travel bike that weighs 30% more than my Epic, it wasn't too bad going up.

I have no idea what I'm doing with that dropper post but the ride down Upper Tall Cans was a lot smoother and some of the rough sections that may have been walls on the epic were rideable.

Fun bike. An Enduro seems like it was the correct choice.

And I will definitely head to Whistler when it opens for riding - I think that it would be good for my riding - Cypress can be a bit hairy and Id like to learn how to free ride in a more predictable and wide open environment. Thanks for taking the time to help gramboh!
flag gramboh
O+ FL
Posted: Nov 18, 2015 at 16:12 Quote
ddean wrote:
I'm down with a nasty cold but I managed to grind the black and white bike half way up BLT yesterday. I think I'll put a smaller ring on the front because I'm in the granny a fair bit and I'm not in the 10 in the back.

For a long travel bike that weighs 30% more than my Epic, it wasn't too bad going up.

I have no idea what I'm doing with that dropper post but the ride down Upper Tall Cans was a lot smoother and some of the rough sections that may have been walls on the epic were rideable.

Fun bike. An Enduro seems like it was the correct choice.

And I will definitely head to Whistler when it opens for riding - I think that it would be good for my riding - Cypress can be a bit hairy and Id like to learn how to free ride in a more predictable and wide open environment. Thanks for taking the time to help gramboh!

Nice dude! I'm hoping to get out to Cypress this weekend to do some shuttling as I have never ridden there, we always end up at Fromme or Seymour. You will find the trails in the bike park are built extremely well, especially the jumps. You are never surprised by things there in terms of take-offs/landings or structures so it's a good place to push yourself and worst case scenario, bike patrol is there to cart you off the hills versus having to rely on your group/SAR. Have fun.
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